NOW WE BEGIN JUDGES
Every person in the Bible has something to teach us. Let me say that again: Every person in the Bible has something to teach us. Balaam proves that anyone, even a prophet, can return to their following ot the Fallen Flesh. Like the false prophet of the future who will campaign for the Antichrist, he looked like God's man, actually was God's man right up until he got a better offer.
But let us start with the first judge of the newly founded Israel to demonstrate the point.
Jg 3:1 Now these are the nations which the Lord kept in the land for the purpose of testing Israel by them, all those who had had no experience of all the wars of Canaan;
2 Only because of the generations of the children of Israel, for the purpose of teaching them war--only those who up till then had no experience of it;
3 The five chiefs of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites and the Zidonians and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from the mountain Baal-hermon as far as Hamath:
4 For the purpose of testing Israel by them, to see if they would give ear to the orders of the Lord, which he had given to their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 Now the children of Israel were living among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
6 And they took as wives the daughters of these nations and gave their daughters to their sons, and became servants to their gods.
7 And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and put out of their minds the Lord their God, and became servants to the Baals and the Astartes.
8 So the wrath of the Lord was burning against Israel, and he gave them up into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel were his servants for eight years.
9 And when the children of Israel made prayer to the Lord, he gave them a saviour, Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10 And the spirit of the Lord came on him and he became judge of Israel, and went out to war, and the Lord gave up Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hands and he overcame him.
11 Then for forty years the land had peace, till the death of Othniel, the son of Kenaz.
(BBE)
We know little about Othniel. No description. We do have this from Joshua.
Joshua 15:16 And Caleb said, I will give Achsah, my daughter, as wife to the man who overcomes Kiriath-sepher and takes it.
17 And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, took it: so he gave him his daughter Achsah for his wife.
18 Now when she came to him, he put into her mind the idea of requesting a field from her father: and she got down from her ass; and Caleb said to her, What is it?
19 And she said, Give me a blessing; because you have put me in dry south-land, now give me springs of water. So he gave her the higher spring and the lower spring.
20 This is the heritage of the tribe of Judah, by their families.
(BBE)
Recall what we know of Caleb.
Nu 13:6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Nu 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
Nu 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, [which were] of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
Nu 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
Nu 14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, [concerning] which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. {sware: Heb. lifted up my hand}
This links the early Bible books in lineage so we have a character popping up throughout the Exodus and his kin starting as the leader in judges.
Every person in the Bible has something to teach us. Let me say that again: Every person in the Bible has something to teach us. Balaam proves that anyone, even a prophet, can return to their following ot the Fallen Flesh. Like the false prophet of the future who will campaign for the Antichrist, he looked like God's man, actually was God's man right up until he got a better offer.
But let us start with the first judge of the newly founded Israel to demonstrate the point.
Jg 3:1 Now these are the nations which the Lord kept in the land for the purpose of testing Israel by them, all those who had had no experience of all the wars of Canaan;
2 Only because of the generations of the children of Israel, for the purpose of teaching them war--only those who up till then had no experience of it;
3 The five chiefs of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites and the Zidonians and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from the mountain Baal-hermon as far as Hamath:
4 For the purpose of testing Israel by them, to see if they would give ear to the orders of the Lord, which he had given to their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 Now the children of Israel were living among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
6 And they took as wives the daughters of these nations and gave their daughters to their sons, and became servants to their gods.
7 And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and put out of their minds the Lord their God, and became servants to the Baals and the Astartes.
8 So the wrath of the Lord was burning against Israel, and he gave them up into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel were his servants for eight years.
9 And when the children of Israel made prayer to the Lord, he gave them a saviour, Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10 And the spirit of the Lord came on him and he became judge of Israel, and went out to war, and the Lord gave up Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hands and he overcame him.
11 Then for forty years the land had peace, till the death of Othniel, the son of Kenaz.
(BBE)
We know little about Othniel. No description. We do have this from Joshua.
Joshua 15:16 And Caleb said, I will give Achsah, my daughter, as wife to the man who overcomes Kiriath-sepher and takes it.
17 And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, took it: so he gave him his daughter Achsah for his wife.
18 Now when she came to him, he put into her mind the idea of requesting a field from her father: and she got down from her ass; and Caleb said to her, What is it?
19 And she said, Give me a blessing; because you have put me in dry south-land, now give me springs of water. So he gave her the higher spring and the lower spring.
20 This is the heritage of the tribe of Judah, by their families.
(BBE)
About the springs at Hebron:
These waters, which purified Adam & Eve, Abraham & Sarah, and most likely King David also, are a direct link from the beginning of time, through this very day.
Nu 13:6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Nu 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
Nu 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, [which were] of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
Nu 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
Nu 14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, [concerning] which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. {sware: Heb. lifted up my hand}
This links the early Bible books in lineage so we have a character popping up throughout the Exodus and his kin starting as the leader in judges.
The bloodline. Nature or nurture?
The first thing we know about Othniel: his bloodline. His Uncle Caleb was the one who stood with Joshua, who got a special blessing from God, who we spent time discussing in an earlier post. the reason for that lengthy discussion comes up here. If you just read this section it is the least detailed, least informational story in Judges. But we know both men were willing to fight to take the land gd gave them to take.
A Christian is called to the mission to reach souls for God and He doubtless blesses those who act to do it in His way. Even as he blessed both those Israelites.
God called Othniel. God called. As with the first Christians, God called him. Recall Jesus at the water.
"Simon! Simon, come follow me. I'll make you a fisher of men!"
His words to Nathaniel: "I saw you by the tree studying."
In a lash on the road to Damascus. Blinding Saul the persecutor.
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
I would likely have said, "Pete, grow up and get some patience, will you? And grow a spine!"
"Nate, get out of your own head and get your hands dirty!"
"Saul, you need a whuppin'!"
Instead, He calls all these strange guys to be with Him. He touches all walks of life, the student, the working man, the priest. But we never get descriptions. We've heard, by church tradition, that Pete was a red-head but that may have something to do with David being a red-head and someone longing for that type of ironic connection.
But God does love irony. Like putting Caleb in place so his nephew could see that example. Promising the land in the place where He would need a fighting man to defend the whole country later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvyHq2e4i6U
Second, God imbued him with the Holy Spirit. This He does with all His people today. If you haven't realized it yet, the Holy Spirit is what overcomes the Fallen Flesh. It isn't you or I or Saul or Pete or John or any priest or minister or prophet. Balaam proved that by not listening. The Spirit will guide us. Saul took years working under the other apostles to learn humility and to "hear" the Spirit. The technique is simple: you learn to suppress your desires by seeking God's desires. You walk "in" the Spirit. You do everything to foster the Spirit in you. (http://www.yourtruelifenow.com/) Otheniel had the Law which he must have kept for the Spirit to stay in him through the battles and the years of rule. So we know that he was a righteous man as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVmx64AUw74
Recall Balaam who had the Spirit talk to him but was apparently never in him. Balaam didn't see Jesus standing with the sword because the Spirit kept it from him. It would not work with a false prophet. It stayed with this Judge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uOCKSMW-Ek
Otheniel became a judge.
The judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by God to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors; not supreme magistrates, succeeding to the authority of Moses and Joshua. Their power only extended over portions of the country, and some of them were contemporaneous. Their first work was that of deliverers and leaders in war; they then administered justice to the people, and their authority supplied the want of a regular government. Even while the administration of Samuel gave something like a settled government to the south, there was scope for the irregular exploits of Samson on the borders of the Philistines; and Samuel at last established his authority as judge and prophet, but still as the servant of Jehovah, only to see it so abused by his sons as to exhaust the patience of the people, who at length demanded a king , after the pattern of the surrounding nations. The following is a list of judges, whose history is given under their respective names:-- First servitude, to Mesopotamia -- 8 years. First judge: Othniel. 40 years. Second servitude, to Moab -- 18 years. Second judge: Ehud; 80 years. Third judge: Shamgar. --- Third servitude, to Jabin and Sisera-- 20 years. Fourth judge: Deborah and Barak. 40 years. Fourth servitude, to Midian-- 7 years. Fifth judge: Gideon; 40 years. Sixth judge: Abimelech; 3 years. Seventh judge: Tola; 23 years. Eighth judge: Jair. 22 years. Fifth servitude, to Ammon-- 18 years. Ninth judge: Jephthah; 6 years. Tenth judge: Ibzan; 7 years. Eleventh judge: Elon; 10 years. Twelfth judge: Abdon. 8 years. Sixth servitude, to the Philistines-- 40 years. Thirteenth judge: Samson 20 years. Fourteenth judge: Eli; 40 years. Fifteenth judge: Samuel. More than likely some of these ruled simultaneously.
This is a significantly longer list than the chart I previously printed. The simultaneous rule means one was likely ruling in one part of the country while their counterpart ruled in another. It only makes sa difference if you want to spend your life making every detail fit professor and your life is bound in that search for a fit. But, in case you are, more power to you. As may have noticed, I look larder things and connections.
Which leads to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlwJGERHe-U
Othniel did as God wanted, he wnet where god sent him and freed Israel from the grasp of a foreign king and everyone lives happily ever after so long as he's in charge.
The first thing we know about Othniel: his bloodline. His Uncle Caleb was the one who stood with Joshua, who got a special blessing from God, who we spent time discussing in an earlier post. the reason for that lengthy discussion comes up here. If you just read this section it is the least detailed, least informational story in Judges. But we know both men were willing to fight to take the land gd gave them to take.
A Christian is called to the mission to reach souls for God and He doubtless blesses those who act to do it in His way. Even as he blessed both those Israelites.
God called Othniel. God called. As with the first Christians, God called him. Recall Jesus at the water.
"Simon! Simon, come follow me. I'll make you a fisher of men!"
His words to Nathaniel: "I saw you by the tree studying."
In a lash on the road to Damascus. Blinding Saul the persecutor.
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
I would likely have said, "Pete, grow up and get some patience, will you? And grow a spine!"
"Nate, get out of your own head and get your hands dirty!"
"Saul, you need a whuppin'!"
Instead, He calls all these strange guys to be with Him. He touches all walks of life, the student, the working man, the priest. But we never get descriptions. We've heard, by church tradition, that Pete was a red-head but that may have something to do with David being a red-head and someone longing for that type of ironic connection.
But God does love irony. Like putting Caleb in place so his nephew could see that example. Promising the land in the place where He would need a fighting man to defend the whole country later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvyHq2e4i6U
Second, God imbued him with the Holy Spirit. This He does with all His people today. If you haven't realized it yet, the Holy Spirit is what overcomes the Fallen Flesh. It isn't you or I or Saul or Pete or John or any priest or minister or prophet. Balaam proved that by not listening. The Spirit will guide us. Saul took years working under the other apostles to learn humility and to "hear" the Spirit. The technique is simple: you learn to suppress your desires by seeking God's desires. You walk "in" the Spirit. You do everything to foster the Spirit in you. (http://www.yourtruelifenow.com/) Otheniel had the Law which he must have kept for the Spirit to stay in him through the battles and the years of rule. So we know that he was a righteous man as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVmx64AUw74
Recall Balaam who had the Spirit talk to him but was apparently never in him. Balaam didn't see Jesus standing with the sword because the Spirit kept it from him. It would not work with a false prophet. It stayed with this Judge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uOCKSMW-Ek
Otheniel became a judge.
The judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by God to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors; not supreme magistrates, succeeding to the authority of Moses and Joshua. Their power only extended over portions of the country, and some of them were contemporaneous. Their first work was that of deliverers and leaders in war; they then administered justice to the people, and their authority supplied the want of a regular government. Even while the administration of Samuel gave something like a settled government to the south, there was scope for the irregular exploits of Samson on the borders of the Philistines; and Samuel at last established his authority as judge and prophet, but still as the servant of Jehovah, only to see it so abused by his sons as to exhaust the patience of the people, who at length demanded a king , after the pattern of the surrounding nations. The following is a list of judges, whose history is given under their respective names:-- First servitude, to Mesopotamia -- 8 years. First judge: Othniel. 40 years. Second servitude, to Moab -- 18 years. Second judge: Ehud; 80 years. Third judge: Shamgar. --- Third servitude, to Jabin and Sisera-- 20 years. Fourth judge: Deborah and Barak. 40 years. Fourth servitude, to Midian-- 7 years. Fifth judge: Gideon; 40 years. Sixth judge: Abimelech; 3 years. Seventh judge: Tola; 23 years. Eighth judge: Jair. 22 years. Fifth servitude, to Ammon-- 18 years. Ninth judge: Jephthah; 6 years. Tenth judge: Ibzan; 7 years. Eleventh judge: Elon; 10 years. Twelfth judge: Abdon. 8 years. Sixth servitude, to the Philistines-- 40 years. Thirteenth judge: Samson 20 years. Fourteenth judge: Eli; 40 years. Fifteenth judge: Samuel. More than likely some of these ruled simultaneously.
In Hebrew Shophetim, were the rulers, chiefs, or leaders of Israel, from Joshua to Saul. They were very different from the ordinary administrators of justice among the Hebrews, respecting whom, see JUSTICE. The Carthaginians, a colony of the Tyrians, had likewise governors, whom they called Suffetes, or Sophetim, with authority almost equal to that of kings.
The dignity of judge was for life; but the succession was not always constant. There were anarchies, or intervals, during which the commonwealth was without rulers. There were likewise long intervals of foreign servitude and oppression, under which the Hebrews groaned without deliverers. Although God alone regularly appointed the judges, yet the people, on some occasions, chose that individual who appeared to them most proper to deliver them from oppression; and as it often happened that the oppressions which occasioned recourse to the election of a judge were not felt over all Israel, the power of such judge extended only over that province which he had delivered. Thus it was chiefly the land east of the Jordan that Ehud, Jephthah, Elon, and Jair delivered and governed; Barak and Tola governed the northern tribes; Abdon the central; and Ibzan and Samson the southern. The authority of judges was little inferior to that of kings: it extended to peace and war; they decided causes with absolute authority; but had no power to make new laws, or to impose new burdens on the people. They were protectors of the laws, defenders of religion, and avengers of crimes, particularly of idolatry; they were without salary, pomp, or splendor; and without guards, train, or equipage, other than that their own wealth afforded.
This is a significantly longer list than the chart I previously printed. The simultaneous rule means one was likely ruling in one part of the country while their counterpart ruled in another. It only makes sa difference if you want to spend your life making every detail fit professor and your life is bound in that search for a fit. But, in case you are, more power to you. As may have noticed, I look larder things and connections.
Which leads to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlwJGERHe-U
Othniel did as God wanted, he wnet where god sent him and freed Israel from the grasp of a foreign king and everyone lives happily ever after so long as he's in charge.
Look again.
Recall from the last post, the enemy now knew how to undercut God's blessing on Israel. This is Balaam's heritage, the secret of destroying Israel. This is why we spent time on him in our last post. One person, ONE PERSON can lead the enemies of God in the way to destroy His People for whatever fortune or position it gets him. He can rise in the eyes of the world or he can continue in God's service. Not both ways. And for centuries afterward, God's people pay the price of yielding to the temptation and falling from favor.
But notice that it was a part of God's plan. Even rebellion and betrayal of God leads to the advance of His plan. Perhaps that is the only way to explain Satan, that he was used to winnow the angels even as Balaam is used to winnow the people of Israel. That free will, the decision to follow, comes with a cost, the choice to follow the Lord or the world. But the choice will always be there, every second of every day.
But this deals with national sin, the idea that the majority of the country has foundered and followed the wrong spirit. We saw it in the Caleb quotes above. Did you notice that one now that it stands out separately:
Nu 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
Caleb had a true spirit, the Holy Spirit and followed God fully and he earned a place for his family's generations. God is faithful even unto the third and fourth generations. And in using them to bis purpose because they have learned obedience.
We know little about Othniel. We know all we really need to know.
We know little about Othniel. We know all we really need to know.
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