Comparing The Mosaic Covenant And The Book Of Judges

Throughout the history of the Israelites, there was a pattern of obedience followed by a repeated course of rebellion to the Lord. The cycle of a downward path was evident throughout the period of the Mosaic Covenant and the book of Judges gives a compelling account of the ebb and flow of the Israelite’s lack of faith in God by choosing to worship Ba’al and other gods of the people groups around them. The book of Judges outlines the Israelites plunge into a moral and religious spiral by establishing a cycle of disobedience followed by defeat and oppression by their enemies. The rebellious cycle consists of Ba’al worship, suffering the oppressive consequence of worshiping a god of their enemy, crying out to the Lord for deliverance, experience
time of peace under the Lord’s appointed judge, then repeating the cycle of rebellion after the judge’s death.
The scripture reinforced, throughout Judges, the holiness of the Lord and the justice that came from disrespecting that holiness.
Joshua, having been an eyewitness to the Lord speaking to Moses in Exodus and the subsequent rebellion of the Israelites, led the Israelites to a time of peace and blessing from the Lord. Yet, proceeding Joshua’s death, the next generation did not know of the Lord nor what the Lord had done for the previous generations of Israel. Without the hindsight of Israel’s history of strife and rebellion, the next generation continued the cycle of rebellion by worshipping Ba’al and other gods of their enemies.
After Joshua’s death and the Israelites rebellion, the Lord rose judges to deliver the Israelites from their captures. The judges, Lord appointed leaders, were not from nobility nor were they experienced in leading the Israelites out of oppression. They were a group of flawed individuals yet the Lord chose them to lead. The Judge’s characteristics varied and were invaluable for each of the tribe’s needs. They represented both man and woman, some were arrogant, warriors, maintained a strong moral code, strategic and each were viewed as worthy to lead by the
Lord.
Once the Lord appointed the judge, he or she led the Israelites to war against their enemies—resulting in triumph and a time of peace until the judge died.
Judges, like Deborah—a judge of great strength and moral character—led the Israelites to battle and brought decades of peace for the Israelites. Although the Lord appointed each judge to a position of leadership, when the Lord sent an angel to Gideon, the response was one of doubt. Gideon referenced the history of the Israelites and asked why the Lord allowed their fall. The question implied a lack of knowledge of the relationship between the Lord and prior generations of Israel. Blessing from the Lord was to be expected yet the consequence of rebellion was abandoned as generations passed on Israel’s heritage from Joshua to the period of the judges.
The participation in evil following the death of a judge demonstrates the Israelite’s dedication to the Lord appointed judge rather than faith in the Lord behind the judge. When the judge dies, they no longer had a path to follow and degradation became the guide. The evil of worshiping another god led to judgment by the Lord. Whether the foundation was based on arrogance or ignorance, the Israelite’s view of the Lord’s judgment was anemic at best. When the Israelites provoked the Lord, judgement came in the form of defeat followed by a period of oppression at the hands of their
enemies.
Through times of defeat and oppression, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for freedom and redemption. After a period of justice for rebellion, the Lord gave peace to the Israelites. The Lord’s commitment showed indisputable grace during this time. The oppressor became defeated as a result of the simple cry of humility by Israel. The judge rose and led the people to victory over their oppressors. As a group that leaned awry with every opportunity, the Lord always answered their plea.
The Lord blessing the Israelites with peace, during the time of the judge’s leadership, reveals the desire for relationship with humanity even when humanity goes astray. After the Lord freed the Israelites from the oppression of their captors, obedience soon turned back into evil by worshiping their captor’s gods. As a result, Israel’s previous generation cycle of rebellion and oppression was not broken by the subsequent generation. The Lord’s grace and blessing was once again expected without living a life of integrity.
As with tradition and custom, the responsibility of the previous generation to prepare the next generation with a true account of history is vital for future generations to progress forward. Judges gave a clear account of Israel’s failure to prepare subsequent generations of their historical rise and fall. From Othniel to Samson, weak stability within the tribes and feeble faith created a pattern of the Lord raising a leader, the Israelite’s response of obedience followed by a period of rebellion.
Throughout Judges 2-16 the Lord’s desire for a relationship with humanity is displayed. The cycle of insurgency, punishment and crying out to the Lord exposes the struggle of humanity’s relationship with the Lord. To create a cycle of obedience, it was crucial for the Israelites to recount the entire history of obedience and insurrection to following generations. When only the blessings from the Lord were passed down, the consequence of rebellion placed future generations of Israel at a disadvantage.