Lesson#03

• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT HIM IN THIS PASSAGE?
• HE IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT ISRAEL OUT OF BONDAGE IN EGYPT.
• HE IS THE ONE WHO ENABLED THE ISRAELITES TO CROSS THE JORDAN RIVER AND CONQUER THE PROMISED LAND.
• HE IS THE COVENANT MAKER.
• HE IS JEALOUS TO DESIRE THE WORSHIP OF HIS PEOPLE.

• THE ISRAELITES WERE NOT TO MAKE ANY TREATIES OR AGREEMENTS WITH THE PAGAN PEOPLE WHO INHABITED THE LAND.
• WHY?
• THE LAND BELONGED TO GOD, AND GOD GAVE IT TO ISRAEL.
• GOD WANTED NO COMPROMISE IN ALLEGIANCE OR IN DOCTRINE.
• THE ISRAELITES WERE TO DESTROY ALL PAGAN IDOLS AND ALTARS.
• WHY?
• GOD KNEW THE ISRAELITES WERE WEAK IN SPIRIT AND STIFF-NECKED IN THEIR OBEDIENCE TO GOD.
• GOD WAS TRYING TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE EVILS THEY WOULD BRING UPON THEMSELVES DUE TO THEIR OWN SINS.
• GOD WANTED THE WHOLE HEART OF HIS PEOPLE. HE WANTED ALL THEIR WORSHIP.
• THE ISRAELITES WERE REBUKED FOR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE:
• WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD REBUKED THE PEOPLE, THEY WEPT.(4)
• HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT TRUE REPENTANCE FOR THEY CONTINUED IN THEIR DISOBEDIENCE AND IDOLATRY. THEIR SACRIFICES WERE NOT DONE IN TRUE FAITH.
• THE GENERATION AFTER JOSHUA WAS DISOBEDIENT AND IDOLATROUS. WHAT WAS THE RESULTS OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE?
• THE PAGAN TRIBES THAT THE ISRAELITES ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE PROMISED LAND WERE TO BE A THORN IN THE SIDES OF GOD’S PEOPLE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
• IT MEANS THAT EVERY TIME THE ISRAELITES TRIED TO MAKE PROGRESS, THE PAGAN TRIBES WOULD BE THERE TO HINDER THEM.
• THE PAGAN GODS WOULD BE A SNARE TO GOD’S PEOPLE:
• GOD GAVE HIS PEOPLE OVER TO THEIR OWN LUSTS AND DESIRES. HE ALLOWED THEM TO WORSHIP THE PAGAN IDOLS.
• WHAT WAS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR NOT SUPERNATURALLY DRIVING OUT THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND FOR HIS PEOPLE? (23)
• GOD NEVER FORCED HIS PEOPLE TO LOVE HIM. HE NEVER FORCED THEM TO OBEY HIM. HE GAVE THEM FREE WILL.
• HOWEVER, ALONG WITH FREE WILL CAME THE CONSEQUENCES OF DETERMINED ACTION.
• IF THE PEOPLE DISOBEYED AND IF THE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED OTHER GODS, THEY WOULD PAY THE CONSEQUENCES.
• WHAT WERE THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE AND IDOLATRY?
• DURING THAT PERIOD OF LAW, GOD’S BLESSINGS WERE CONDITIONAL UPON OBEDIENCE. AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE OBEYED, GOD WOULD BLESS THEM WITH PEACE, WITH ABUNDANT HARVEST, AND WITH FULL POSSESSION OF THE LAND HE GAVE THEM.
• IF THE PEOPLE CONTINUED TO DISOBEY GOD, AND IF THEY CONTINUED TO WORSHIP OTHER GOD’S, THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY LOSE THE PROMISED LAND.
• GOD’S PURPOSE FOR PERMITTING HIS PEOPLE TO STRUGGLE AGAINST THESE INTERNAL ENEMIES WAS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO OBEDIENCE TO GOD. THIS WAS GOD’S METHOD OF CHASTISEMENT.
• GOD USED THE PAGAN INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TO TEST HIS PEOPLE. (23)
• EACH SUBSEQUENT GENERATION WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN BACK TO GOD.
• GOD USED THE PAGAN INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TO PUNISH HIS PEOPLE.
• GOD USED THE PAGAN INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TO GIVE HIS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IN WARFARE. (3:2)

• THEY DID NOT HAVE THAT VIBRANT, CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH GOD.
• THEY DID NOT HAVE A PERSONAL FAITH-RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
• THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN THEIR HISTORY.
• THE FIRST GENERATION IN THE LAND FORGOT TO TEACH ABOUT GOD IN THEIR HISTORY TO THEIR CHILDREN.
• THEY FORGOT ABOUT THE PAST BONDAGE IN EGYPT AND GOD’S DELIVERANCE.
• THEY FORGOT ABOUT THE GENERATION THAT DIED IN THE WILDERNESS BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF.
• THEY FORGOT ABOUT THE BATTLES JOSHUA LED WITH GOD’S HELP THAT WOULD GIVE THEM THE PROMISED LAND.

IN WHAT WAYS ARE WE JUST LIKE THE GENERATION AFTER JOSHUA?

• THE ISREALITES VERY QUICKLY AND EASILY FELL INTO THE IDOLATRY OF THE ENEMIES THAT INHABITED THE PROMISED LAND. IDOLATRY WAS ISRAEL’S GREATEST SIN FROM JOSHUA UNTIL THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. IT IS THE REASON ISRAEL LOST THE LAND TO THE BABYLONIANS.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE GODS, BAAL AND ASHTORETH?
• THE GOD, BAAL, IS THE FALSE GOD THAT DOMINATES MOST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN OPPOSITION TO JEHOVAH GOD.
• THE WORD, “BAAL” MEANS = MASTER, POSSESSOR, HUSBAND.
• WHEN THE ISRAELITES ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND, EVERY GEOGRAPHICAL AREA HAD ITS OWN DEITY WHO POSSESSED THAT PIECE OF LAND. THEREFORE, THERE WERE MANY, MANY BAAL’S.
• THE HEBREW PLURAL OF THE WORD, BAAL, IS BAALIM.
• TO DISTINGUISH ONE BAAL FROM ANOTHER, THESE FALSE GODS WERE GIVEN COMPOUND NAMES SUCH AS, BAAL-PEOR (NUM 25:3), AND OFTEN THESE NAMES BECAME THE NAME OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL TERRITORY OR CITY IN WHICH THAT GOD WAS WORSHIPPED.
• BAAL WAS THE GREAT FERTILITY GOD OF THE CANAANITES:
• THE CANAANITES LEARNED THE WORSHIP OF BAAL FROM THE SYRIANS WHO CALLED THIS GOD, HADAD, THE GOD OF STORMS AND WAR
• BAAL WORSHIP INCLUDED THE MOST IMMORAL, DEBASING, SEXUAL PRACTICES IN THE NAME OF RELIGION.
• SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES WERE RAMPANT AMONG THE CANAANITES.
• BAAL WORSHIP INCLUDED PROSTITUTION AND CHILD SACRIFICE.
• HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF THE GOD BAAL:
• WORSHIP OF THE GOD BAAL BEGAN AT THE TOWER OF BABEL IN GEN 11.
• THE CITY NAMED, BABEL, MEANS = GATE OF GOD.
• NIMROD, BABEL’S KING, (GEN 10:8) WAS THE FIRST HERO TO BE WORSHIPPED. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE WAS “A MIGHTY HUNTER”. HE HUNTED HUMAN BEINGS AND BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF HUMAN SACRIFICE.
• NIMROD’S SPIRITUAL NAME WAS, BAAL.
• NIMROD’S WIFE WAS CALLED, “SEMIRAMIS”, BUT THE PHOENICIANS CALLED HER BY HER SPIRITUAL NAME, “ASHTORETH”.
• SEMIRAMIS WAS THE FIRST HIGH PRIESTESS OF IDOLATRY AND CALLED, THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN.
• NIMROD AND SEMIRAMIS BECAME THE GODS, BAAL AND ASHTORETH.
• NIMROD AND SEMIRAMIS HAD A CHILD, NAMED, “TAMMUZ”, SUPPOSEDLY MIRACULOUSLY CONCEIVED BY A SUNBEAM.
• TAMMUZ WAS CONSIDERED A SAVIOR OF HIS PEOPLE BECAUSE HIS NAME MEANS, = TRUE SON.
• TAMMUZ WAS KILLED BY A WILD BEAST AND MIRACULOUSLY BROUGHT BACK TO NEW LIFE IN THE SPRING.
• THE SIGN OF THE CROSS WAS THE SYMBOL OF TAMMUZ’S LIFE-GIVING POWER.
• IDOLS OF MOTHER SEMIRAMIS AND HER CHILD, TAMMUZ WITH SUN-BURST HALOS, WERE WORSHIPPED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
• THIS TRILOGY OF SATANIC BEINGS HAVE BEEN WORSHIPPED AROUND THE WORLD BY VARIOUS NAMES:
• ZEUS, ARTEMIS OR APHRODITE, EROS OR DIANA (GREECE)
• JUPITER, VENUS, CUPID (ROME)
• OSIRIS, ISIS, HORUS (EGYPT)
• ASHTORETH (ISHTAR) AND BAAL OR BEL IN THE BIBLE.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT EL AND ASHERAH?
• EL
• A GENERAL, GENERIC TERM MEANING = ANY GOD.
• ASHERAH:
• A CANAANITE MOTHER GODDESS OF THE SEA.
• SHE IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH BAAL WORSHIP.
• POLES OF WOOD (CALLED ASHERAH POLES) WERE PLANTED IN “GROVES” THAT EVIDENTLY RESEMBLED IDOLS OF THIS MOTHER GODDESS.

• READ JDG 2:14-23 THE EXPLANATION OF THE CYCLES IN JUDGES:
• IN OUR INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK (LESSON #01) WE DISCUSSED THE CYCLES THAT MAKE UP THE BOOK OF JUDGES. THE INTRODUCTION AND EXPLANATION OF THESE CYCLES APPEARS HERE IN THIS SCRIPTURE.
• REMEMBER THAT THE CYCLES ARE A DOWNWARD SPIRAL CONTAINING 5 POINTS THAT ARE REPEATED 7 TIMES.
• THE FIVE POINTS OF THE CYCLE:

• =1= SIN

• THEIR SIN WAS IDOLATRY. THEY BEGAN TO WORSHIP BAAL AND ASHTORETH (13).
• =2= SERVITUDE

• GOD DELIVERED HIS PEOPLE INTO THE HANDS OF SPOILERS WHO SPOILED THEM AND SOLD THEM INTO THE HANDS OF THEIR ENEMIES. (14)
• =3= SUPPLICATION

• WHEN BONDAGE BECAME TOO MUCH, GOD RAISED UP JUDGES TO HELP HIS PEOPLE.(16)
• THIS IS HOW GOD MANIFESTED HIS MERCY TO THE GENERATION AFTER JOSHUA. HE RAISED UP JUDGES WHEN THE PEOPLE CRIED TO HIM FOR HELP.

• =4= SALVATION

• THE JUDGES DELIVERED THE ISRAELITES OUT OF THE HAND OF THEIR ENEMIES. (16)
• =5= SILENCE

• THE ISRAELITES FAILED TO GIVE GOD THE CREDIT. THEY FAILED TO BE OBEDIENT AND WORSHIP HIM. IN THAT SPIRITUAL VACUUM, THE PEOPLE BEGAN THE CYCLE OVER AGAIN BY FOLLOWING OTHER GODS. (17)
• WE CAN SEE THAT THIS REPEATED CYCLE IS A DOWNWARD SPIRAL BY THE PHRASE IN VERSE 19…”(THEY) CORRUPTED THEMSELVES MORE THAN THEIR FATHERS.”

• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• READ PSA 106:34-45
• CHAPTER 2 SETS UP THE PATTERN WE WILL SEE IN DETAIL THROUGH THE BOOK OF JUDGES.
• OUR OWN CHRISTIAN LIVES FOLLOW PATTERNS AND CYCLES. YOU SHOULD BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT PATTERNS AND CYCLES IN YOUR OWN LIFE.

HOMEWORK
JUDGES 3
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF JDG 2
• DO YOU SEE A SIMILAR PATTERN IN YOUR LIFE TO THAT OF JUDGES 2?
• WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL IN YOUR LIFE, YOU FORGET ABOUT GOD, BUT WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE, YOU CALL TO GOD FOR HELP.
• IF THIS HAS BEEN A PATTERN IN YOUR LIFE, THE BOOK OF JUDGES IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT FOR YOU. MAKE A DETERMINATION TODAY TO STUDY CONSISTENTLY THIS BOOK.
• PREPARATION FOR JDG 3
• READ JDG 3:1-11
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE FIRST JUDGE, OTHNIEL, THE MODEL JUDGE?
• WHAT CHARACTERISTICS ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD IN CHOOSING A JUDGE?
• READ JDG 3:12-30
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE SECOND JUDGE, EHUD?
• IN WHAT WAYS WAS HE NOT AS GOOD A JUDGE AS OTHNIEL?
• DOES THE BIBLE APPROVE OF ASSASSINATION? WHY OR WHY NOT?
• READ JDG 3:31
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE THIRD JUDGE, SHAMGAR?
• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 55:8