Judges PART 2 (chs. 9–21)

dr. bill egner | july 21, 2019

COMING UP ... JULY 28 NO CLASS (Bill in Middle East) AUG 4 Ruth AUG 11 1 Samuel 1–7 AUG 18 1 Samuel 8–15

BEGAN WITH INCOMPLETE CONQUEST The “good resolutions” of Shechem (Josh 24) The good start (1:1-18) The incomplete conquest (1:19-2:9) Maybe it became too hard Maybe it was taking too long Maybe it just no longer seemed worth the effort The new generation (2:10-15)On-going compromise in their hearts (2:16-23)

Living With The Canaanites 12 Cyclic Judges Othniel 1 (see map)

2. Ehud 2 3. Shamgar 3 4. Deborah & Barak 4 5. Gideon 5 6. Tola

Living Like The Canaanites Abimelech Becamegodofhisownlife;selfishambition Dullness: compromise removed the conviction to be concerned or the courage to take a stand Jephthah A man of faith Rash; perhaps bargained with God Deadness: compromise provided the illusion of comfortable living yet led to a seared conscience and a decaying character Samson A deliverer who couldn’t deliver himself A conqueror who couldn’t conquer himself A strong man who didn’t know his own weakness A man who lived to please himself, not God Allowed a woman to entice him, control him and then betray him Enslavement: compromising with sin eventually had a “blinding, binding and grinding*” result The Danites (17-18) Confusion: calling evil good; calling wrong right Rampant idolatry They left their inheritance for “greener pastures” Lived their own lives on their own terms under their own authority Dissatisfaction: compromise led to dissatisfaction with God’s Word and God’s will … then taking matters into their own hands The Benjamites (19-21) They’re grossly immoral and wicked

7. Jair 8. Jephthah 6 9. Isban 10. Elon 11. Abdon 12. Samson 7

LESSON THEME: It’s a slippery slope from living with the Canaanites to living like the Canaanites

The divided heart of compromise

They’resupremelyself-confident They’re unashamedly self-reliant They’re arrogantly unrepentant Forthemtheendjustifiedthemeans Defiance: habitual compromise made them indistinguishable from the Canaanites around them

The Status Quo Of Compromise The “slow leak” of compromise made God’s people become … increasingly dull toward pursuing holiness increasingly dead toward pursuing change increasingly enslaved by sin increasingly dissatisfiedwithanddefianttowardGod’sWordandGod’swill And so … bit by bit … Israel became less and less different from the Canaanites around them

Application: It’s a slippery slope from living with the “Canaanites” to living like the “Canaanites”The divided heart of compromise

The Status Quo Of Compromise Are you living at status quo? Do you feel … … dull or insensitive; a low urgency toward holiness? … dead toward pursuing change? … enslaved to some particular sin however “small?” … dissatisfiedanddefianttowardGod’sWordandGod’swill?(a“FrankSinatra”Christian?) … no longer much different than the “Canaanites” around you? Where is God at work in your heart today?

What God Still Desires He’s still looking for servants, looking for men and women, who … Like Othniel will obey His Word and walk in His Spirit’s power for good Like Ehud will go out of their way to do the dirty work no one sees for the sake of God’s people Like Deborah and Barak (he doesn’t want to go it alone) give themselves to His service so that His people might be set free LikeTolaandJairdon’tneedtherecognitionandaffirmationofmen,butonlytherecognitionandaffirmationof their God and get in the “game” Like Gideon will say “yes” to Him in spite of knowing they have weaknesses, fears or think they have nothing to offer Like Samson, though at the end of life, give themselves away to turn squander into victory

God So Deeply Loves Us Psalm 103 He has not treated us as our sins deserve Exodus 34:6 He’s compassionate Gracious Slow to anger Abounding in lovingkindness Romans 5-8

This Is Your Daddy! (video) SEE THE VIDEO HERE: youtube.com/watch?v=PhdoTThn5mw

So How Will You Respond? Is your spiritual thermometer at “status quo”? Will you continue to live at the level of the “Canaanites” … or at the level of your God? Areyousatisfiedwithwhatyouhave…ordoyouwantwhatGodhaspromisedyou? Where do you need to stop compromising with the “Canaanites” … beginning this week? Will you make yourself unreservedly available to God this week for His purposes?

FOR NEXT TIME: _____________________________ ©2019 by Dr. John W. Egner unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.

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