Juízes 2

Juízes 2

Phillips - God's point highlighted the fact that sin is never a logical choice. The Canaanite altars represented gods that did not speak and did not feel. By contrast, God speaks (indeed, demands a response!), and God feels deeply, as his children saw. He is a jealous (passionate) God who is slow to anger, but when his wrath is kindled, he acts—or, in this case, withdraws his active protection. Over a millennium later, the very one who was grieved by sin was the one who would die for those sins (Isa. 53:6,11; 2 Cor. 5:21). (Holman Old Testament Commentary) John Hunter "answers the question "What is this you have done?" - The awful truth of the reason why they had not driven out the inhabitants and destroyed their altars and their worship was simply this: they did not WANT to drive them out. They CHOSE to allow these people with their evil, lustful ways to remain. Something in God's people wanted what they saw in that world. Their fallen human nature responded to the wild degrading dances of the heathen worship. The prospect of involvement with male and female prostitutes made their blood tingle with excitement. That was a totally new way of life and all that was in them (Aka - their fallen flesh) cried out for this new culture. So it was that no one drove out anyone." So it was not really because they were afraid of iron chariots, etc… the truth is that they did not want to drive out the enemy because the lusts of their flesh and the lusts of their eyes were attracted to the world (1Jn 2:15+, 1Jn 2:16+, 1Jn 2:17+, Jas 4:4+) when they should have been attracted to Jehovah. Imitating the enemy (Jdg 2:1-13) - Warren Wiersbe This first section describes the danger. In this day of “pluralism,” when society contains people of opposing beliefs and lifestyles, it’s easy to get confused and start thinking that tolerance is the same as approval. It isn’t. In a democracy, the law gives people the freedom to worship as they please; and I must exercise patience and tolerance with those who believe and practice things that I feel God has condemned in His Word. The church today doesn’t wield the sword (Ro 13+) and therefore it has no authority to eliminate people who disagree with the Christian faith. But we do have the obligation before God to maintain a separate walk so we won’t become defiled by those who disagree with us (2Co 6:14-18+, 2Co 7:1+). We must seek by prayer, witness, and loving persuasion to win those to Christ who as yet haven’t trusted Him. The Jews eventually became so accustomed to the sinful ways of their pagan neighbors that those ways didn’t seem sinful any more. The Jews then became interested in how their neighbors worshiped, until finally Israel started to live like their enemies and imitate their ways. For believers today, the first step away from the Lord is “friendship with the world” (Jas 4:4+), which then leads to our being spotted by the world (Jas 1:27+). The next step is to “love the world” (1Jn 2:15+) and gradually become “conformed to this world” (Ro 12:2+). This can lead to being “condemned with the world” (1Co 11:32), the kind of judgment that came to Lot (Ge 19), Samson (Jdg 16:1+), and Saul (1Sa 15, 31). The disobedience (Jdg 2:1-5). In the OT the “angel of the Lord” is generally interpreted to be the Lord Himself, who occasionally came to earth (theophany) to deliver an important message. It was probably the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead, in a temporary pre-incarnation appearance. (Ge 16:7) The fact that God Himself came to give the message shows how serious things had become in Israel. The tabernacle was originally located at Gilgal (Jos 4:19,20), and it was there that the men of Israel were circumcised and “rolled away” the reproach of Egypt (Jos 5:2-9). It was also there that the Lord appeared to Joshua and assured him of victory as he began his campaign to conquer Canaan (Jos 5:13-15). To Joshua, the angel of the Lord brought a message of encouragement; but to the new generation described in the Book of Judges, He brought a message of punishment. The Lord had kept His covenant with Israel; not one word of His promises had failed (Jos 23:5, 10, 15; 1Ki 8:56). He had asked them to keep their covenant with Him by obeying His law and destroying the Canaanite religious system—their altars, temples, and idols. (Ex 23:20-25, note the association between the angel of the Lord and the command to destroy the false religion; cp Ex 34:10-17 and Dt 7:1-11, 25, 26.) But Israel disobeyed the Lord and not only spared the Canaanites and their godless religious system but also began to follow the enemy’s lifestyle themselves. In His covenant, God promised to bless Israel if the people obeyed Him and to discipline them if they disobeyed Him (Dt 27,28). God is always faithful to His Word, whether in blessing us or chastening us; for in both, He displays His integrity and His love (He 12:1f-note). God would prefer to bestow the positive blessings of life that bring us enjoyment, but He doesn’t hesitate to remove those blessings if our suffering will motivate us to return to Him in repentance. By their disobedience, the nation of Israel made it clear that they wanted the Canaanites to remain in the land. God let them have their way (Ps 106:15), but He warned them of the tragic consequences. The nations in the land of Canaan would become thorns that would afflict Israel and traps that would ensnare them. Israel would look to the Canaanites for pleasures but would only experience pain; they would rejoice in their freedom only to see that freedom turn into their bondage. No wonder the people wept when they heard the message! (Bochim = “weepers.”) However, their sorrow was because of the consequences of their sins and not because the wickedness of their sins had convicted them. It was a shallow and temporary sorrow that never led them to true repentance (2Co 7:8-11). (See The Bible Exposition Commentary) George Bush - Notes, Critical and Practical on the Book of Judges (Judges 2) Ye shall make no league, &c. The letter of this, passage is too plain to need remark, but the spirit of it in its application to the Christian Israel, merits our most serious regard. It teaches the danger of indecision and supineness in prosecuting our Christian warfare. The command to every follower of Christ is, to make no league with our spiritual enemies. Our corrupt affections and lusts are not to be spared. It is not sufficient to make them pay tribute; we must crucify and slay them; we must show them no mercy; our hatred of them must be irreconcileable and incessant. Judges 2:3 "Therefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.'" Therefore I also said: Jdg 2:21 Nu 33:55 Jos 23:13 their gods shall be a snare to you: Jdg 3:6 Ex 23:33 34:12 De 7:16 1Ki 11:1-7 Ps 106:36 Related Passages: Judges 2:21+ I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, Exodus 34:12+ “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. Numbers 33:55+ ‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. Deuteronomy 7:16+ “You shall consume all the peoples whom the LORD your God will deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. Proverbs 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them. Psalm 106:36 And served their idols, Which became a snare (moqesh; Lxx = skandalon) to them. ISRAEL WOULD PAY THE PIPER To pay the piper is an idiom meaning to face, accept, or suffer repercussions for one's actions or words, especially those that would be expected to incur punishment. Therefore (term of conclusion) marks the verdict specifying the CONSEQUENCES of their disobedience. I also said, 'I will not drive them out (garas) before you -- Joshua had given this clear and horrible warning declaring "know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they shall be a snare and a trap (moqesh; Lxx = skandalon) to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you. (Jos 23:13+) Judgment in the OT and NT is similar--God will give you what you want (cf Ro 1:25-26+). So here is their punishment - "You will not drive them out,’’ says God, "and therefore I will not." In short, their sin was made their punishment. Those who indulge their lusts and corruptions, which they should mortify, forfeit the grace of God, and it is justly withdrawn from them. If we will not resist the devil, we cannot expect that God should tread him under our feet. But they shall become [AS THORNS] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare (moqesh; Lxx = skandalon) to you - A snare literally was a noose used for catching or entrapping animals using bait to catch the prey (cf Nu 25:1-3+ where Moabite women were the "bait" and Baal-peor the snare leading to death for 24,000 - Nu 25:9+). It follows that a snare metaphorically is something that allures one from his or her real purpose ("God's Will"), entraps and ultimately destroys the victim. Do not be deceived! Idols are seductive and ensnaring (and are very often associated with the seductive practice of immorality!) Moses had given warning to the second generation who was to enter the Promised Land declaring "They shall not live in your land, lest they make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare (moqesh; Lxx - proskomma) to you." (Ex 23:33+) In 1 Kings 11 Solomon became ensnared by many foreign women…which led to abominable idolatry (note again immorality and idolatry are frequent "bedfellows.") Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, neither shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods." (Aka IDOLATRY) Solomon held fast (dabaq - stick like glue!) to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. (Note: You can know the truth, even write the truth and yet not do the truth! Solomon wrote "Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD and turn away [not same Hebrew verb] from evil." Pr 3:7) 4 For it came about when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart (NOTE KEY WORD IS "HEART") was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable (Lxx = bdelugma = extremely abhorrent, from bdeo = stink!) idol of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. 8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, Saul attempted to ruin David by giving him his daughter Michal in marriage so that she might become a snare (moqesh) to David (1Sa 18:21). Gideon made an ephod out of the spoils from battle but sadly it became a snare (moqesh; Lxx = skandalon) not only to this great Biblical hero but his family, who began to actually worship the ephod (Judges 8:27+)! THOUGHT- Dearly beloved son or daughter of God, is there a subtle (or overt) snare in your life, in your house, at your job, in your mind, etc? Beware for surely it will turn your heart away from being wholly devoted to your Lord! Cast it out today. Kill it (Ro 8:13+). Yes, it will hurt. It hurt Jesus to die on the Cross for us, and as we seek to follow Him and take up his Cross it is painful to put away that pet sin, that little sin from which we derive only passing pleasure (Heb 11:25+). Do not bury this "little sin" with the handle of the hatchet showing (cp Ro 13:14+). Do not conceal it (Pr 28:13+), but kill it! Do not procrastinate. Do not delay! The only reason it has not caused you to stumble yet is because of God's great mercy and longsuffering. May we all (yours truly included) take heed to Peter's exhortation to "be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble" (2Pe 1:10+) God charged the people to utterly destroy (charam) the inhabitants of Canaan so that they would not be tempted to serve their gods and abandon Jehovah and replace Him with worship and service to false gods who are really no gods at all (see Dt 7:16, 25; Ex 23:32ff; but cf. Ps 106:34ff) Snare (4170) moqesh from yaqosh) is a masculine noun meaning a snare, a trap, bait. The picture is of the lure or bait being placed in the hunter’s trap, which gives rise to moqesh referring to the snare itself. Traps were used to capture birds or beasts (Amos 3:5). As used in Judges 8:27 moqesh refers to a moral pitfall (Pr. 18:7; 20:25). Moqesh can be anything that lures one to ruin and disaster (Jdg. 2:3; Pr 29:6). The Septuagint translates moqesh in Jdg 8:27 (Jdg 2:3, 1 Sa 18:21, Ps 106:36) with the Greek word skandalon, which is literally, that part of a trap on which the bait was laid, when touched caused the trap to close on its prey and came to mean any entanglement of the foot. That's a picture of sin which looks alluring, but if touched, will surely captivate and capture its foolish prey. Holman Bible Dictionary - Trap to catch birds and animals. There were basically two kinds of snares. One used rope or cord. Either the animal stepped in the trap and was snared by the feet, or the rope fell from above and caught the animal by the neck. The most common was a trap with a net. The animal would be attracted by the bait. When the baited trigger was released, the net covered the animal and captured it. Also the opening of a pit would be camouflaged with cover. The animal would fall into the pit and be captured. Figuratively, snares spoke of peril or death and the destruction of persons (Job 22:10 ; Psalm 18:5 ; compare 1 Samuel 28:9). Moqesh - 27v - Exod. 10:7; Exod. 23:33; Exod. 34:12; Deut. 7:16; Jos. 23:13; Jdg. 2:3; Jdg. 8:27; 1 Sam. 18:21; 2 Sam. 22:6; Job 34:30; Job 40:24; Ps. 18:5; Ps. 64:5; Ps. 69:22; Ps. 106:36; Ps. 140:5; Ps. 141:9; Prov. 12:13; Prov. 13:14; Prov. 14:27; Prov. 18:7; Prov. 20:25; Prov. 22:25; Prov. 29:6; Prov. 29:25; Isa. 8:14; Amos 3:5 George Bush - Notes, Critical and Practical on the Book of Judges (Judges 2) Wherefore I also said. I inwardly purposed and resolved. On this sense of the word ‘say,’ see on ch. 20:33. Or with several of the versions, it may be rendered in the present, ‘I say, I declare.’ Their gods shall be a snare unto you. Chald. ‘their abominations.’ They will prove an enticement to you, to entangle you in idolatry and so effect your ruin. Judges 2:4 And it came about when the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept. the people lifted up their voices and wept 1Sa 7:6 Ezr 10:1 Pr 17:10 Jer 31:9 Zec 12:10 Lu 6:21 7:38 2Co 7:10 Jas 4:9 WEEPING OF REMORSE NOT REPENTANCE And it came about when the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept (Heb = bakah; Lxx = klaio = weeping, wailing, lamenting). The picture is of national expression of strong inner emotions, weeping, crying, shedding tears, even wailing and lamenting! This word places emphasis upon noise accompanying weeping (cf Mt 2.18). The preceding statement "they lifted their voice," refers to intense sorrow. The verbal combination "to lift up one's voice and weep," often refers elsewhere to sorrow associated with severe loss. It is used of sorrow over the death of a child or brother (Ge 21:16; 2Sa 13:36) or Esau's loss of a blessing (Ge 27:38). In light of the context of Judges and subsequent events, these would appear to be tears of worldly sorrow not a godly sorrow which effects a true repentance (2Co 7:10-11+, Esau in Heb 12:17+). It is a sad note that the actual word repent or repentance does not appear in the book of Judges! However in Jdg 10:10-16+ the description of the response by the children of Israel certainly looks like repentance This is the only description that would qualify as true repentance in this entire book as best I can discern! We don't see any of the Judges call the people to repentance like Samuel did in 1Sa 7:3! These were almost surely tears of regret and remorse and the sacrifices may have been empty ritual (Jdg 2:5+). True repentance must go beyond tears of sorrow and achieve a 180 degree, about-face, a turning of one's entire life from sin to walk in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord. (Jdg 10:15-16+) They don't appear to have done as described in Joel 2:12-14+ ("Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; 13And rend your heart and not your garments.”") Jameson, Fausset and Brown -The angel’s expostulation made a deep and painful impression. But the reformation was but temporary, and the gratifying promise of a revival which this scene of emotion held out, was, ere long, blasted by speedy and deeper relapses into the guilt of defection and idolatry. Arthur Lewis - Although there may have been some who truly repented (cp Samson's godly parents in Judges 13, Boaz in book of Ruth), the fact is that the refrain repeats that as soon as the judge died the people lapsed quickly back into their evil in the face of the Lord. So that some of those who had cried out to the Lord went right back into sin, which is hardly indicative of genuine repentance. Paul explains For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2Co 7:10+) Wept (01058) bakah means to weep, bemoan, lament or wail, because of grief, pain, humiliation or even joy (Ge. 42:24; 43:30; Dt 21:13, Joel 1:5). Bakah can describe weeping as a response of contrition before the Lord (Dt. 1:45 - but see context as to why they were weeping and why it was too little, too late! = Dt 1:43-44; 2Ki 22:19 = King Josiah after discovery of Book of the Law in the House of God [2Ki 22:8] the reading of which caused Josiah to tear his clothes-2Ki 22:11). Weeping is often mentioned with fasting indicative of mourning (2Sa 12:21, 22 = David at loss of Bathsheba's child). George Bush - Notes, Critical and Practical on the Book of Judges (Judges 2) The people lifted up their voice and wept. For a time, at least, they were deeply affected with a sense of their transgressions. They lifted up their voice both in confession of sin and deprecation of punishment. And have we not equal occasion to weep, whether we consider our sin or our punishment? Is not the sparing of inveterate lusts as wicked as sparing the devoted Canaanites? Does it not betray an equal want of reverence for God, of love to his name, of zeal for his honor? Let us hear then the voice that proclaims our duty; ‘Be afflicted and mourn and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness; humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and he shall lift you up.’ But while we imitate the humiliation of the Israelites on this occasion, let us be careful to bring forth fruits more meet for repentance than did they in their subsequent conduct. For though they now showed signs of deep abasement and sorrow of spirit, yet we do not find, from the ensuing history, that any general or permanent reformation took place; though they now relented, they soon relapsed, and involved themselves afresh and still more deeply in the guilt of defection and idolatry. ‘Many are melted under the word, that harden again before they are cast in a new mould.’ Henry. Judges 2:5 So they named that place Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the LORD. Bochim: Weepers, Ge 35:8 Jos 7:26 they sacrificed: Jdg 6:24 13:19 1Sa 7:9 Related Passages: Isaiah 1:11 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. 1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. Jeremiah 7:21-23 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. 22 “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’ Hosea 6:6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Micah 6:6-8 With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? 7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? SACRIFICE AND TEARS AT BOCHIM (WEEPERS) So they named that place Bochim - As is often the case in the OT, the name of a person or place conveys a meaning, in this case Bochim (derived from bakah = to weep, sob, cry, mourn) meaning literally "the weepers." After the Lord spelled out the consequences of partial obedience (disobedience) and compromise, the people begin to weep as they realize that they will have to live with their decision not to obey and drive them out. One of the most certain facts of spiritual experience is that the path of partial obedience leads to Bochim. There is no joy in halfhearted spiritual experience. THOUGHT - Are you living at Bochim in your walk with the Lord, hearing Him say you have compromised My truth and so now you will have to live with the consequences? The most miserable people are professing believers who will not commit to the Lord Jesus. They do not have the best of both worlds but the worst (See notes on Jesus' clear teaching on "two masters" Mt 6:24+). If as Christians we try to walk the tightrope of compromise and partial obedience, we will not know spiritual victory and God's blessing. We will know the bitterness of defeat and frustration in our Christian lives. Do you know spiritual victory in your life? Do you know God's blessing in your life? If you don't then maybe you need to check out the pattern of obedience in your life. Remember: Half-hearted obedience (Aka disobedience) is the path of misery. One of the most certain facts of spiritual experience is that the path of partial obedience leads to Bochim. There is no joy in a half-hearted spiritual experience. The old Puritans used to pray for ‘the gift of tears.’ If ever you cease to know the virtue of repentance, you are in darkness. Examine yourself and see if you have forgotten how to be sorry. -- Oswald Chambers C H