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UNDERSTANDING "SEQUENCE"

Text: Judges 2:1-10
31 January 2011

UNDERSTANDING “SEQUENCE”

1. Technically
Judges 2:1-10 should be placed before Judges 1:1

2. An alternative structure (Disjunctive)
Judges 2:1-10 was placed in this sequence for a number of reasons:-

a) To highlight the drastic turn of events after the death of Joshua

b) To hark back to the time when Joshua was still alive

c) To highlight the need to remember and to return to historical roots

IMPORTANT HISTORICAL ROOTS

1. Recorded appearances of the Angel of the Lord

a) Appearance to Hagar Genesis 16:7-13

b) Speaking to Abraham Genesis 22:11

c) Commander of the Lord’s Army Joshua 5:13-15

2. Evaluation

a) Rare appearance

b) Very significant

i) God’s Presence

ii) God’s special message

iii) God’s Involvement

3. Remembering the short history of Israel

a) Remembering God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt Judges 2:1b
b) God’s Covenant with Israel Judges 2:1c-2

4. Remonstrating with Israel

a) God’s word was not obeyed

b) Why have you done this? Judges 2:2

5. Rebuke of erring Israel

a) God will no longer drive out the inhabitants Judges 2:3a

b) The inhabitants will be a thorn in the side of Israel Judges 2:3b

c) The local deities will be a snare to the nation Judges 2:3c

GILGAL TO BOCHIM
Judges 2:1-10

1. Gilgal

a) The place where 12 Memorial stones were set up Joshua 4:20

b) Where the second generation was circumcised Joshua 5:8

c) Where the Passover was celebrated in the Promised Land Joshua 5:10

d) Where they first ate of the produce of the land Joshua 5:11

e) Where the supply of manna ceased Joshua 5:12

2. Bochim

a) The people wept as they heard the words of the Angel of the Lord Judges 2:4

b) This took place towards the end of Joshua’s life Joshua 5:6, 8-9

A GENERATION THAT DID NOT KNOW THE LORD

When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. Judges 2:10

1. Neglect of Israel’s history with God

2. Deliberate rejection of God and His covenant with Israel