Jesus in the Old Testament, Judges

Jesus in Judges

Last time, we saw how Joshua was a prelude or shadow of Jesus. Even in his Parting Message, he gave an appeal to them to continue on and serve the Lord. We saw this in Jesus when He gave us the “Great Commission.” 

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” {Matthew 28:16-20}

Now we move from this to a period of time, about 330 years, known as the time of Judges. Now just a basic look, we can see that Jesus is typified in the Judges for He is the True Judge of all the Living and the Dead. But let’s get a little deeper.

Joshua leads God’s Chosen People into their own Land, now known as Israel. God chooses Israel, or His People, to be a symbol or an Image, a shining example of God’s Truth, Love, and Salvation. We see this over and over as God’s Army, Israel, overcomes many Amies lead by False gods.

In the beginning, Israel was a Theocracy. This means that God was King. No Human had this role to “Lord Over” the People. God was in charge of His people, Administering His rule through the Judges. This is why Jesus settled the dispute about who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God in this way.

“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” {Matthew 20:20-28}

So even though God had this set up in this manner, it did not last in Israel. They, in essence, reject God and His Sovereignty and sought after Man. We read in Judges 2,

“Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?”

We continue on and read that they did

“abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.”

So God gave them up to their Heart’s Desire and gave them over to their Enemies. Did you know God will still do this? Look at Romans 1:21-25

“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

So God did what? Remember this is Present Tense as well. If you reject God, He will reject you. If you do not turn from your Sin, God can and will give you over to it.

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

So God does this in Judges to Israel. He gave them up. But they cried out to the Lord. What did the Lord do? Yup. Sent them a deliverer. Judges 3:15.

“Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.”

Just the first three Chapters, we see what? People rejecting God and His Plan for them. God gave them over to their own Passions. Then Saved them. When they Cried out and Repented. Sound familiar?

We see this over and over. Sin, Payment, Repentance, Salvation. At least in a sense or foreshadowing of the time to come. We read over and over that the Consequences of Sin is Death. A Sin that is not followed by Confession and Atonement always results in Punishment. Repentance and Crying out to the Lord for Forgiveness always results, in time, to Salvation and protection from Enemies and even oneself.

The Sin of Idolatry was the greatest Sin of Israel during the time of the Judges. For their love of Money, and the deceitfulness of Riches, they made friends with the Canaanites. Soon, they had adopted their Idolatrous Practices. The same thing happens today when Christians make their associations with the World in order to better their Positions in Life. These are those Jesus said were by the Wayside when talking about receiving the Word of God.

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” {Matthew 13:22}

Jesus also answered Peter, when talking about forgiveness of Sin and wrongdoing. Matthew 18:21-22

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

If Jesus tells us, being Evil, to forgive those we ought if they Repent, “seventy-seven times,” some translations say Seventy TIMES Seven, in other words, every time. How much more do you think our Lord will forgive us as long as we Repent and turn to Him?

Israel was an example of God calling out His People. Blessing them. Giving them guidance and providing them a more perfect Way through the Judges and the Word of God. Today? God calls us out of the World through His Son Jesus, who?

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” {John 1:14}

If we repent and turn away, He is just enough to forgive us of our Sins and Save us from our Enemies and Ourselves. Jesus said,

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” {John 14:6}

We also see in Judges, God calling out and using Ordinary Imperfect People. Some of them?

Othniel: Caleb's youngest brother's son.

Ehud: A left-handed man and an assassin.

Deborah: A Female. Not common in those days.

Gideon: A member of an Obscure Family in the smallest Tribe; he was threshing wheat by a secluded Winepress when God called him. {Think of this what they said of Jesus. {John 1:46}}

Tola: His name means ''Worm''.

Jephthah: An outcast, the Son of a Harlot.

Samson: A Nazirite. Yes a man of great strength, yet his story demonstrates the weakness of Mind. He was gullible and easily beguiled by Women.

God showed this when Jesus chose the 12. They too were Ordinary Imperfect People. This is who God chooses to use.

The book of Judges closes with Civil War, Ruin, Destruction, and these Words:

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Without a King, a Leader, the People fell into the Lusts of their Hearts, Sins of the Flesh, and the Ways of the World. Thankfully, we have a King. The King of kings, and the Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is the Creator of all that is, was, and ever will be. He is the very Word of God, and He is God. He is Jesus.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord.