“Judges Series 1”
Preached by Mike Underhill, 03/10/2013
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Judges 1:1
-Joshua is dead at this point.
-Book of Judges it’s not chronological …it’s written for emphasis and not chronological history. Emphasis is given by order and repetition.
-Joshua gives a charge in Joshua to go and take the promised land w faith.
– the 12 tribes become autonomous at this point during this 20 year span
Joshua 18:1; 19:1; 21:5 – emphasis on no king in Israel -they did as they saw fit!
1-no kings taking any root
2- throughout Israel God was also not king of the land either!
Judges is an age of darkness for God’s people
1 Samuel 3: 1-10 Samuel is the last judge in book of Judges
-God calls Samuel here for the first time. The word of The Lord was rare…there weren’t people preaching God’s word powerfully and they also had no visions! Without vision the people perish!
-God allows darkness so the light can shine even lighter at that time!
-we need to have same heart that Samuel had when God called him
1-DISOBEDIENCE BRINGS DARKNESS
Joshua 1:1-9
– Judah is cranking here-they are obeying God’s commands!
– They cut the big toes and thumbs off the cruel king -most humiliating way to destroy a warrior-it immobilize
-The king sees that God has repaid him for what he has done (Matt 5-the measure we use is used against us).
-In this first chapter of Judges, they lost perspective of God!
– First the tribe of Judah fails and then it affects the Benjamites and their faith begins to fail!
v29-36 -all tribes Faith became weak and they started thinking humanistically and did not follow charge given by Joshua!
Joshua 3:5-6
-They started intermarrying as Joshua told them not to do!
– God commanded them to be destroyed and no survivors left because they have disobeyed God’s word
Joshua 2:1-5
-Angel of Lord comes them at Bokim (that city name meant weepers)…
-This city is now a place of weeping bc these people have forsaken the covenant they made w The Lord!
Hebrews 3:16-19
-What leads to this weeping in Judges?
-We see that the people were not able to enter the promised land bc of their unbelief! Their disobedience stemmed from their disbelief! They had no faith in their hearts!
-They looked thru human perspective and forgot about the godly perspective!
-Lack of faith=disobedience
-What do the people around you rely upon? And what you relied upon before! This is a drifting of the miracles of God!
2 Corinthians 7:8-12
-The people in judges were weeping but it was worldly sorrow!
-Unless you have godly sorrow, you worldly tears mean nothing!
– We need to be alarmed and indignant about the sin in our lives! We need to repent and get out as soon as possible!!
-We have toleration for sin and its completely ungodly and ignorant to an alarm that will kill us if we don’t change!
-Psalm 51-create in us a pure heart
-Concern means business!
-Ready to see justice done, even if it means negative consequences for us!
-We can’t weep and not change!
-We need to be heart and soul together! Wholeheartedly unified!
-Matthew 6:33-seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness!
-We can become spiritually out of shape and when we get back into spiritual fitness, we are worn out and tired! We need to be fit spiritually!
-Love LORD w all heart soul mind and strength so we can be fit and serve LORD wholeheartedly!
-We try to compromise in God’s Kingdom!
-You set the standard for your family! So they always remember what their parents stood for!!
2-DELIVERANCE FROM THE DARKNESS
Judges 2:6-11 – A whole generation grew up and didn’t know of or remember the LORD!
v16-19 – It’s not only pattern of judges, but it’s also a pattern of history where lack of faith leads to darkness and disobedience in the life of the people-God opposes the people and the people are distressed.
-Distress is for us to not turn to bitterness and anger, but it’s for us to go seek God with all of our heart!
-When we cry out to God, He sends a deliverer into your life to help you!
– These people are brought into our life to lead us to Heaven! (Deliverers from God.)
-Let’s cry out to God with all of our hearts!
