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The past history of Israel’s conquest had a significant place marker, Gilgal, where the crossing of the Jordan was commemorated as the first major place of worship (Josh 4:1–24; 5:9). Now with the notice that Yahweh’s angel was leaving Gilgal to come to Bokim, the reader is alerted to the change of circumstances—from Joshua’s day of celebrated victory to this day of mourned defeat.108 This angel of Yahweh may well be “the captain of the host of Yahweh” that Joshua had encountered at Bethel (Josh 5:13–15), another not-so-subtle reminder of how much things had changed between then and now.109 Now Yahweh’s agent was “going up” to provide a divine verdict on the “goings up” of the Israelites. So, before a single judge shows up on the scene, in the very first pericope of the book, the status of God’s people before him is starkly diagnosed: they have been disobedient! For the rest of the book, there will only be cause for weeping (Bokim = “place of weeping/weepers”). Thus, in a sense, Judges commences with weeping (2:1, 4, 5) and concludes with weeping (21:2): “the book of Judges introduces the history of Israel as a story to weep about.”110

Yahweh’s rebuke is stinging: It is not so much that Israel had failed to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan, but that they, forgetting their covenant God, had made covenants with the Canaanites, and not destroyed their cultic sites: they had disobeyed the explicit commands of Deut 7:1–5, 16, 25–26 (see Jdg 2:1–2).111 In fact, it was because of their disobedience that God was refusing to drive out the Canaanites before the Israelites, that otherwise would have been accomplished by God himself (2:3). “In other words, the process of dispossession and occupation would have been completed in due course if the Israelites had fulfilled their obligations to Yahweh, but now their disobedience has put the completion of the Conquest in jeopardy (2:3).”112 Moreover, the Canaanite gods would ensnare the Israelite people (Exod 23:32–33; 34:11–15; Num 33:55; Deut 7:16; Josh 23:13).

After the mourning and sacrificing, “[o]ne expects to read of Israel breaking their alliances with the native population and launching a vigorous military campaign against the pagan altars and those who worship there. But the text is silent. Through the smoke of the weeping Israelites’ sacrifices, one can still see the outlines of the pagan altars.”113 Nonetheless, the contrition exhibited by the Israelites in Jdg 2:4–5 is hopeful (the only time it happens in conjunction with sacrifices in all of Judges) but, as it turns out, this change of heart is only transitory: the Israelites’ apostasy only worsens as the next pericope will show and the rest of the book will depict.

SERMON FOCUS AND OUTLINES114

      Of the three narrative “interpolations” in this pericope—1:5–7 (featuring Adoni-bezek); 1:12–15 (featuring Achsah); and 1:23–26 (featuring the house of Joseph and Bethel)—it might be best to bypass the Achsah story with a brief mention, in the interests of time: the contrast is with the mistreatment of women in the Epilogues, and that, I believe, is the primary function of the cameo here.

Possible Preaching Outlines for Pericope 1115

I. Background116

      Thrust of the book of Judges: leadership

      God’s people: only as good as God’s leaders

      All of God’s people are leaders in some fashion, to some degree

      Structure of book: Prologues I and II; Body; Epilogues I and II

      Leadership change in Israel; silence of Yahweh (1:1)

Move-to-relevance: God’s leaders today; God’s people as leaders today117

      II. Failures

      Judah’s inclusion of Simeon (1:3)

      Iron chariots and Benjamin (1:19–21); yet Caleb’s success (1:20)

      Joseph’s abortive effort (1:22–26)

      Failure of the rest of the tribes (1:27–36)

      Move-to-relevance: Our failures

      III. Consequences

      Worsening of situation with Canaanites (1:3–21, 21–30, 31–33, 34–36)

      Indictment by God (2:1–3)

      Move-to-relevance: Consequences for the church and the Christian

IV. Live godly! 118

      How we lose divine blessings today with an ungodly lifestyle

Start to live godly: repentance (weeping: 2:4–5)119

A Problem–Solution–Application outline is given below120:

      I. PROBLEM: Loss of Blessing

      Worsening of situation with Canaanites (1:3–21, 21–30, 31–33, 34–36)

      Indictment by God (2:1–3)

      Move-to-relevance: Consequences for the church and the Christian

II. SOLUTION: Uncompromising Godliness121

      Judah’s inclusion of Simeon (1:3)

      Iron chariots and Benjamin (1:19–21); yet Caleb’s success (1:20)

      Joseph’s abortive effort (1:22–26)

      Failure of the rest of the tribes (1:27–36)

      Move-to-relevance: Our failures

      III. APPLICATION: Live godly!

      How we lose divine blessings today with an ungodly lifestyle

      Start to live godly: repentance (weeping: 2:4–5)

69. Prologue I comprises Pericope 1 (Jdg 1:1–2:5); and Prologue II, Pericope 2 (Jdg 2:6—3:11)—this also includes the Othniel narrative (3:7–11). Epilogue I comprises Pericope 12: Jdg 17:1—18:31; and Epilogue II, Pericope 13: Jdg 19:1–30 and Pericope 14: Jdg 20:1—21:25.

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