Beginning Judges.

As we begin Judges according to my handy Chronological Study Bible we enter a new time. A time of great development and transition. Transition from tribes to a nation. The leaders change from tribal divinely appointed judges to a kingdom. In these terms these changes sound exciting. Gods chosen people will develop and advance as a society. The archaeological findings from the Canaanite cities show well built houses, paved floors, cities with public drainage systems and sophisticated pottery. The findings from the Isrealite settlements were very different. The homes were built with crude stones with no uniformity, the art and pottery was crude. According to the Chronological Study Bible this fits with the book of Judges that shows the Isrealites as a poor, oppressed people threatened by the superior cultures that were their neighbors.
As I have started Judges there have been some interesting methods of killing or injuring people. They have cut off thumbs and great toes and have driven tent pegs into the temple of a general. All very interesting however I'm good with not going into any more details. I know this may become a problem for me as I go on with my reading. I saw some previews for The Passion and the violence is one of the reason's I didn't go see it. I am honestly seeing that as one of my major obstacles far more than any boring law parts.

Deborah....who is this Deborah person...She is the first woman I've come across with a significant speech-y type few paragraphs. She's seems like quite the leader. She is a judge for the Isrealites. A female judge, a divinely appointed female judge. Cool. Anyway, She is instructed by God that they need to go to war. She calls to Barak but he won't go without her. (chicken) So she goes. SHE goes to war. OK...I'm really thinking she's pretty cool. She is a judge, God talks to her, and she goes to war because Barak is too chicken to go alone.
So I'm reading in my Women of Faith bible about this...I figured it would be a good resource. What does it go on to say...
It talks about Jael and how she drives the tent peg through Sisera's temple. It mentions that his people were brutally oppressing the Isrealites for years but does that make the way of killing him right? It then goes on to say
"Now God's judgement comes down through the act of a woman. Was the act God's will? Perhaps not. But it did fulfill God's purpose by ending the oppression of Isreal at the hands of the Canaanites."

Really??? Are you seriously saying that this perhaps was not God's will? It seems that he places people for a reason. He seems very deliberate in the people he chooses to do his work. It seems he wanted two women to have active roles. I refuse to accept that this was a mere accident that she happens to be at the tent...oh come on....would the guy walk up to another guy and say "Hey, can I lay down in your tent for a while."

Whatever Women of Faith Bible....I'm going with the thought that God had this planned. He used Deborah and Jael and they acted according to his wishes.  I'm going with the fact that thus far these two women have acted as God has wished and hopefully they won't screw it up like the Isrealites seem to screw up everything!

Is this impending doom?

If you haven't been able to tell from previous posts. I can be dramatic. I'm more dramatic in speech/writing than in person I like to believe.
I like to say 50 people were in line when in actuality it was probably 8 or I like to say impending doom when really I mean dread regarding a topic.

Here's my dread...
I'm reading in my Archaeological Bible tonight about my upcoming book...Judges. As you know I'm reading Chronologically so some of my readings have come from other books such as Psalm or Chronicles so far but the majority is by book. Anyway, I was reading the little summary about Judges and here's a few little sentences from the Introduction that has me worried.

1. "Repeatedly the Isrealites broke their covenant with God, lost sight of their identity as his people and experienced punishment.

Ugh...really Isrealites??? Why do you do this? What is wrong with you people???? I don't get it. God was there with them...how much more divine intervention can you get than being brought out of slavery, provided with land and your success in war being guaranteed and aided by God. You still can't figure out that this is probably the one to follow and to listen to his rules?? Ugh

2. "It was common practice in the ancient Near East to pphysically mutiliate prisoners of war, thereby rendering them unfit for future military service."
- I'm hoping this is just a fun fact to share and not something that will be referenced in Judges...you can probably tell from previous posts that I don't like reading about war, killing or mutiliation. I don't watch it on tv and I don't like to read about it. It is because my imagination is really good. I end up having dreams involving these creepy punishments or wars so I like to avoid these types of things all together.


We will see what Judges has to say.
Happy reading to anyone that is reading along.

You can always find the reading plan and get e-mails sent to your inbox for each of the readings either daily or weekly at www.oneyearbibleonline.com