Judges 2:7-12
Judges 2:7
And
the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the
elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that
he did for Israel.
While
Joshua was alive, the people were obedient and had served the Lord and that
obedience went further during the lives of all the elders which lived beyond
Joshua. A verse like this teaches
us a great principle. When the
Bible refers to us as sheep, it couldn’t be a more true statement.
Joshua and the elders ruled the people just as a shepherd guides and
guards the sheep. As long as the
shepherd is alive and watching the flock, there will be order and contentment.
As soon as the sheep are without a shepherd, then they get into all kinds
of trouble which leads some of them to eternal death.
The Lord Jesus Christ even saw this dilemma in the nation of Israel when
He was here on earth.
Matthew 9:36 (KJV)
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them,
because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Another principle emerges here.
The
people of Israel had the Sanhedrin as their leaders but here Jesus sees them as
sheep having no shepherd. This was
because the Jewish leaders were corrupt and their theology did not show the true
way of salvation. Just because
someone holds a leadership position does not mean they are a shepherd.
Ezekiel prophesied against the false shepherds of Israel.
Ezekiel 34:10 (KJV)
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will
require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock;
neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my
flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
The day would come when the Lord would remove his people from under these
false shepherds and they would no longer be chattel but a living body in the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Judges 2:8
And
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten
years old.
Finally Joshua the son of Nun had died at the age of 110 years old.
Joseph also died at the age of 110.
(Gen. 50:26) What a great
description the Scriptures give Joshua calling him “the servant of the Lord.”
This was the end of a great era reaching back to the time of the Exodus.
Once Joshua had died it was also the beginning of the death of obedience
especially after all the elders had died and Israel had begun to start giving in
to the false religions which surrounded them.
The thorn was about to get much sharper.
Judges 2:9
And
they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount
of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
Joshua 24:30 (KJV) And they
buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount
Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
Timnath-serah was located about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 23:30 (KJV)
Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
The brook mentioned here may have been at the foot of the hill of Gaash.
Judges 2:10
And
also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose
another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which
he had done for Israel.
The
time came when all the generation of true leadership that ruled with Joshua had
died. Here is the result of not
passing down or of not training the next generation.
A new generation had arisen who did not know the Lord nor did they know
of His mighty works in dealing with Israel, especially the exodus from Egypt.
When parents do not train their children properly, the result is what
follows. This is why it is so
important for Christian parents to train their children in the things of the
Lord and not leave it to the church since the majority of churches have become
apostate and don’t know the truth themselves.
The children of Israel should have been quick to recognize this scenario
as it happened to their fathers when Joseph died.
Exodus 1:8 (KJV)
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
The new Pharaoh did not know Joseph or of him and that began the slavery
of Israel. Now in the land of
Canaan Israel was about to enter into slavery again.
This time it would be voluntary as they started to mix with the false
religions surrounding them. They
went into religious slavery which also led them into physical slavery as they
became servants of conquering heathen people groups.
Judges 2:11
And
the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
And
so it begins, the evil routine which will be theirs for the next 400 years.
The word “Baalim” is in the plural.
In Hebrew when you see the “im” at the end of the word it means it is
plural. Just from that one word,
they must have been worshipping multiple deities since the tribes which were
spread out over the whole land had made pacts with the inhabitants of the
various areas and each had local gods which Israel would have been involved with
as they began to forsake the true God who brought them out of slavery in Egypt.
Judges 2:12
And
they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land
of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round
about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.