Judges Chapter 3
We read in this chapter about the pagan nations that God allowed to remain inside the promised land. God could have driven them out, no problem. And we need to remember that Israel was instructed to drive them out when they first entered the land. They were to drive out all the pagan nations with God’s help, but they did not. We also remember that God made a promise to the people as the land was divided amongst the tribes, that He would drive out the remaining pagan nations for them if the Israelites wholly followed after the LORD God. Sadly, the Israelites did not follow after God with their whole hearts, and they are now in a situation where God is going to put them to a test.
God uses testing to mold a man. These difficult times are things that will test our will to see if we will humble ourselves and realize our need for God to intervene in our life. Or it will be a time when we harden our heart, turn our back on God and go the other way. We do not always understand these tests, but God knows what it will take to break our heart to bring us back to Him. Of course, we cannot label every difficult situation in our life as a test from God, but we need to examine our heart and see what we might need to change to bring us closer to His heart once again.
Let's Reflect
1. In verse 3 we learn that there were still Philistines living in the promised land. According to verse 5 how many pagan nations lived among the people of Israel?
2. What was the living amongst the Israelites?
3. The first test that God sent is described in verse 8. What was the test?
4. What did God do when the people had enough and cried out to God? How many years were they under that state of affairs before they cried out to God?
5. The Bible said that the people had rest for 40 years but once again returned to the heathen ways. The next test came by way of the King of Moab. His name was Eglon and he took control over the Israelites. The people once again found themselves enslaved to pagans. How many years were the people enslaved to King Eglon?
6. What was the name of the judge that God raised up to defeat Eglon when the people cried to God for help?
7. How did this judge take out the king of Moab?
8. This judge led the people in a war against the Moabites. He declared that the LORD had given them victory before the fighting ever began. Was this true? What happened?
9. The next judge was Shamgar who he killed a number of the Philistines. How many? Are you noticing a pattern?
