In the Time of the Judges

GOLDEN TEXT: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” —Psalm 33:12

THE original application of our Golden Text was to the nation of Israel. Prior to the first advent of Jesus, Israel was the only nation which enjoyed the distinction and the blessing of having Jehovah as its God. To that nation the Lord said, “You only have I known of all the families [or nations] of the earth.” (Amos 3:2) The Israelites were also the only people whom God had chosen for his “own inheritance.”

However, this honored position of Israel as the specially chosen people of God was tentative, and in order for it to be made permanent it was essential that the nation prove its fidelity to God and to his laws. On this point the Lord said to the nation, “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”—Exodus 19:5,6

The nation was blessed indeed to enjoy this favored relationship to God. Paul calls attention to this by asking, “What advantage then hath the Jew?” His reply is, “Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Rom. 3:1,2) All of God’s covenant promises were made to and on behalf of Israel. But the riches of their heritage were wasted through disobedience—so completely, indeed, that Jesus said to the nation, “Your house is left unto you desolate.”—Matt. 23:38

Beginning with the Gospel age, there has been another “nation” whose God is the Lord, Jehovah. Peter identifies this nation when, in writing to Gentiles who were footstep followers of Jesus he said, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; … which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God.” (I Pet. 2:9,10) This nation has Christ for its Head, and when all the chosen ones shall have proved their faithfulness to him and to the Heavenly Father, it will be manifested as a ruling power in the earth through its representatives the resurrected ancient worthies. Not at any time have any of the kingdoms or nations of this world been recognized by God as belonging to him, even though some may use his name on their coins and open their lawmaking parleys with prayer.

JUDGES 2:8-17

FROM the Exodus to the death of Joshua, the nation of Israel was held in restraint by a consistently righteous leadership; a leadership upon which God manifested his favor and in support of which he used his power. It was challenged, as in the case of the two rebellious sons of Aaron, but the Lord demonstrated who he was using, and generally speaking, the people rendered at least nominal obedience both to Moses and to Joshua, although they frequently complained.

But when Joshua died the situation began to change. Throughout the days of Moses and Joshua, and through these stalwart servants of righteousness, the Lord had manifested his love for the Israelites, and his ability to care for them. However, with the passing of Joshua, the entire generation of which he was a part also soon died, “and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

Concerning this generation which did not know God, the record is that they “did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim.” Those who truly know God want to serve and obey him; and with such there is no need that they be held in restraint by fear, either of eternal torture or any other dire punishment. Under Joshua’s leadership the people knew God, and knowing him, they served him. But the new generation sought after and served other gods because they did not know Jehovah, the true God.

Even under the iniquitous conditions which developed, the Lord did not entirely forsake Israel. When they departed from him he allowed them to fall into difficulties for their punishment; and then, in his own due time, he raised up judges to deliver them. This era in their national experience lasted for 450 years, and is known as the period of the judges.—Acts 13:20

The “judges” whom the Lord raised up really became their deliverers. (See verse 18.) Undoubtedly this is typical of the world’s future judgment day. Jesus, and together with him, his church, will be the judges then raised up by the Lord, and through their judge-ship all who return to God and obey his laws will be delivered from their enemies, even the greatest of all enemies, death.

JUDGES 21:25

“IN THOSE days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” One needs but to read the Book of Judges to discover the low standard of righteousness which “every man” considered to be “right in his own eyes.” It reveals clearly the degradation into which the human race even at that time had fallen, the low plane of morality to which fallen human minds will revert if, en masse, the people are allowed to find their own preferred level. True, individual encroachments upon each other in the sense of theft and murder may not have been as prevalent then among the Israelites as it would be today in a large city left unpoliced; nevertheless, the general course of the nation was downward deeper and deeper into sin.

This illustrates the necessity of the “iron rule” which will be imposed upon the people during the Millennium, and the disciplines which will be associated therewith. The Lord has allowed the people to experience the awful results of sin, and when, during the kingdom, they learn the benefits of righteousness, they will be well equipped to choose between right and wrong.

QUESTIONS

Have there been any nations on earth whose God has been Jehovah?

How long was the period of the judges, and when did it begin and end?

In what sense were the judges in this period typical?

How well did the Israelites get along when each one did what seemed right in his own eyes?

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