On Baal....

Baal & Ashtoreth, Canaanite dieties

"Baal was believed to be owner of the land and to control its fertility. Baal’s female counterpart was Ashtoreth. Sexual intercourse between these two gods was believed to regulate fertility of the earth and its creatures." -BKC

Judges 17--Micah

Micah was from Ephraim  He took advantage of his mother (money stolen from her, he stole?)  Also, he instituted his own private shine for worship, with idols he made, and he hired a Levitical priest (Jonathan, Moses' grandson---poor Moses!)  His faith seems to be a bastardization of the Hebrew faith with pagan idolatry.


Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan had been having problems gaining possession of their appointed land.  They were forced up into the hill country by the Amorites.  Apparently this had been a problem from the beginning--they never full possessed their territory.

When Dan came out of Egypt, they were the second most populous tribe (behind Judah) Numbers 2:26.
There is some interesting background information here about the tribe, though I'm not sure how reputable it is:

http://britam.org/dan3.html

and lots of Dan related articles here (many  many more than I can assimilate):
http://www.britam.org/DanContents.html

It seems fit that the Danites came in and stole his idols---that they were able to coerce the priest into leaving with them.   It reminds me again of Abimelech---God will let you "have it your way" but don't be surprised when the pieces of wrongness that you allowed in come back to betray you as well/bit you in the end.

When they take off without Micah, I like BKC's pithy assessment here:


 "His pathetic question concerning his idols — What else do I have? — reflects the emptiness of idolatry."-BKC

Idols make cold bedmates in the end.

It's also sad how two dysfunctional groups play off each other---Micah and the Danites both spur each other onto evil.

This seemingly somewhat small incident flowers into full blown idolatry up that way.  After Dan conquers Laish:

"The Danites rebuilt the city and named it Dan after their tribal forefather. More significantly (and sadly), they established a tribal center of idolatrous worship under the priesthood of Jonathan son of Gershom (cf. Exo_2:22) which extended through his descendants until the time of the captivity of the land."

"The reference to the house of God… in Shiloh (modern Seilun 19 miles north of Jerusalem) implies that the worship at the Danite shrine opposed the true worship of the Lord at Shiloh (cf. Jos_18:1). This false worship in Dan was a forerunner of that of Jeroboam I who later established a Northern Kingdom shrine at Dan (cf. 1Ki_12:28-31)."-BKC

Also interesting from the BBC:

"The city of Dan became an idolatrous city from this time onward. It was here that Jeroboam later set up one of the golden calves. It is not known whether the captivity mentioned in verse 30 refers to a Philistine captivity of that area (e.g., 1Sa_4:11) or the Assyrian captivity (2Ki_15:29).

Not all the Danites went to Laish (v. 11) or sank into idolatry. Some stayed in their land, between Judah and Ephraim. Samson, the most famous member of this tribe, was from this latter group of Danites."

"The city of Dan became an idolatrous city from this time onward. It was here that Jeroboam later set up one of the golden calves. It is not known whether the captivity mentioned in verse 30 refers to a Philistine captivity of that area (e.g., 1Sa_4:11) or the Assyrian captivity (2Ki_15:29).

Not all the Danites went to Laish (v. 11) or sank into idolatry. Some stayed in their land, between Judah and Ephraim. Samson, the most famous member of this tribe, was from this latter group of Danites." -BBC

Abimelech, Judges 8 & 9

To me, Abimelech's story  is a cautionary tale of how a series of bad choices reap a caustic harvest.  Some of the bad seed surrounding his life precede him.  Abimlech's birth is the fruit of bad choices made by his father, Gideon.  Gideon almost gets it right--after his victory over the Midianites, he deflects the people's praise and directs them toward God:


The Israelites said, "Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson. You have saved us from Midian's tyranny." Gideon said, "I most certainly will not rule over you, nor will my son. GOD will reign over you."
Then Gideon said, "But I do have one request...  -Judges 8:22-24


But the one request, which seems almost an afterthought, becomes the snare:


"...Give me, each of you, an earring that you took as plunder." Ishmaelites wore gold earrings, and the men all had their pockets full of them. They said, "Of course. They're yours!" They spread out a blanket and each man threw his plundered earrings on it.

The gold earrings that Gideon had asked for weighed about forty-three pounds--and that didn't include the crescents and pendants, the purple robes worn by the Midianite kings, and the ornaments hung around the necks of their camels. Gideon made the gold into a sacred ephod and put it on display in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel prostituted itself there. Gideon and his family, too, were seduced by it.  -Judges 8:24-28

Gideon made the gold into a sacred ephod and put it on display in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel prostituted itself there. Gideon and his family, too, were seduced by it. Midian's tyranny was broken by the Israelites; nothing more was heard from them. The land was quiet for forty years in Gideon's time.
Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and lived in his house. Gideon had seventy sons. He fathered them all--he had a lot of wives! His concubine, the one at Shechem, also bore him a son. He named him Abimelech.
-Judges 8:27-31

So, although Gideon nods to God in the victory, his desire for gold (or recognition?) becomes the catalyst for the ephod, which opens up the doors to prostitutes and idol worship.   The "one request" becomes the snare, the seduction of the lot of them:

"But rather than being worn as a garment, Gideon’s golden ephod was apparently erected and became an idol. In some sense he may have usurped the function of the priest and/or established a rival worship center to the tabernacle. In the end Gideon seems to have returned to the syncretistic society out of which God had called him to deliver Israel."  -Believer's Bible Commentary

Gideon himself seemed to worship the Lord, but he clearly opened the doors for dysfunction and the bastardization of the faith.

Judges...Shechem...and whatnot

I'm making my way through Judges---I figure I'm about 2 weeks behind and still chasing. It's a continual fight with me because I like to take time with the text and this reading program is relentless....it never pauses. I'm still moving though...little by little. Grace is on Joshua 16 and Briggs tried to talk her into skipping ahead this morning, so she doesn't fall too far behind.

Judges is a fascinating book--it's like the Wild West of the Bible--anything goes, women rise up when men fail to, justice is short lived, and then the people suffer again until another judge rises to the occasion.

This morning I was struck by Gideon's comment because it has such a contemporary ring to it. When the angel comes to Gideon to tell him that the Lord is with him, his initial reply is noteworthy:

"And Gideon said to him, "Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?" Judges 6:13

So many people today take this stance toward God. When God doesn't act the way they think He should, they question His presence and favor in their lives. Others question His goodness.

When reading Judges 8 which mentions Shechem, I found this article on these two hills above Shechem worthwhile:

Mount Ebal & Mount Gerizim---Shechem is in the valley between the two. Lots of history here----these hills are where Joshua had 6 tribes stand on one hill (Ebal) and declare the curses if they disobeyed and the other six stood on the other hill (Gerizim) and recited the blessings if they did.

From reading through this, it seems that Gerizim was the mountain where the Samaritans instituted their own worship center---ironic that they picked the mount of blessing to worship idols!

Shechem--with Mount Girizim and Mount Ebal on each side

Judges--Overview of Oppression

Good article referencing the history of the region during the time of Judges:

Summarizing bits of this article, Israel was oppressed by a number of different groups during the period of the Judges:

1. Mesopotamian Oppression

2. Moabite Oppression (Ehud) Their king, Eglon, crossed the Jordan and occupied Jericho for 18 years. Ehud killed Eglon and chased the Moabites back over the Jordan to their land, peace for 80 years

[Philistines--Shamgar--maverick, slays with ox goad]

3. Canaanite Oppression-King Jabon of Hazor & General Sisera (Deborah & Barak from the North banded together to fight) Peace ensued for 40 years

Hazor was a city above the Sea of Galilee, it has been a site of archaeological interest during the 20th century. Check Wikipedia and this article for more information:

Barak was from Kedesh ( & Naphtali)

4. Midianite Oppression w/Amalekites & "Other Eastern People" (Gideon) he Oppression came from the east and they raided the grain areas---Jezreel/Esdaraleon valley and coastlands as far south as Gaza---at harvest.

The word Jezreel means "God sows" or "El sows".[2] The phrase "valley of Jezreel" was sometimes used to refer to the central part of the valley, around the city of Jezreel, while the southwestern portion was known as the "valley of Megiddo", after the ancient city of Megiddo, which was located there. The area has been known as the Plain of Esdraelon (Esdraelon is the Koine Greek rendering of Jezreel).-Wikipedia




"One of the literary things to look for is repetition of phrases. We will see that in Judges. Another thing to look for is what the author does with character roles. I think an evaluation of the various characters in Judges points to something significant. I think the book of Judges demonstrates (in a negative manner) the importance of competent leadership to the people of God. Although God raised up several judges or leaders to accomplish military victories, many failed miserably in other respects. Despite their military successes, the spiritual climate in Israel grew bitterly cold as violence and anarchy swept through society. The book’s final chapters include a sordid account of idolatry, gang rape, civil war and kidnapping. The book concludes with the somber words, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (21:25; 17:6; 18:1; 19:1). This set the stage for the rise of Samuel and David, through whom God restored some semblance of covenantal loyalty and societal order."

"You cannot read through the book of Judges without noticing that women appear at several strategic points in the narrative. They assume a variety of roles, including heroine, seductress and innocent victim, among others. Their changing roles throughout the book contribute powerfully to the book’s portrayal of the disintegration of Israelite society. The portrait culminates in 1 Samuel 1 with the oppressed figure of Hannah, through whom the Lord reverses the downward spiral detailed in Judges and brings to realization the leadership ideal presented at the beginning of the book." -Hampton Keathly at Bible.org

Random unrelated thought with no home:

I wonder if in Heaven I will get to finish my "to do" list or my "wish I could do" list or if there just won't be a list at all. Only worship? If so, what does that look like? I know it's not sound thinking but somehow that doesn't strike me as productive or efficient enough.

5. Tolah & Jair--Judges but physically distant and did not face specific oppressors.

6. Ammonites--(& Philistines) Judges 10:7 Jephthah

Judges 10:18 Interesting that the Israelites are open to whomever governing them, as long as that person is willing to take on the problem of the Ammonites. In chaotic times, the people are receptive to "strong" leadership---whether good or bad in actuality is of less consequence to them---just as long as they have a perceived lead to follow. People will receive bad certain leadership before they will receive good uncertain leadership. Not sure where this is going in Judges 10 yet, but interesting to think about...

From BKC:

"In contrast with the judgeship of Gideon, who was initially called by the Lord, Jephthah was initially called by other men. However, the Lord was called to witness their selection (Jdg_11:10-11) and He placed His Spirit on Jephthah to achieve victory (Jdg_11:29)."




Ammonite territory was between the Jabbok and the Arnon Rivers.

7. Izban, Elon, Abdon-minor judges, mostly obscure

8. Philistine Oppression--40 years, Sampson (chapters 13-16), ruled 20 years (Judges 15:20)

"Manoah prayed to GOD: "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born." Judges 13:8 Great prayer for wisdom!

Also interesting:

"On asking the Angel’s name, Manoah was informed, It is beyond understanding."

The angel of the Lord's name was beyond our understanding----seems fitting that our limits of wisdom are clearly ordained and understood."

"When Manoah asked the Angel's name, he was told it was Wonderful—one of the names given to the Lord Jesus in Isa_9:6."-BBC

13:19-23 Then Manoah offered the young goat to the LORD. The Angel ascended to heaven in the flame of the altar, showing clearly that this was an appearance of the LORD Himself.

"Manoah and his wife then worshiped by falling on their faces—an act that would have been improper if the Angel were less than God." -BBC Another good point

The offering is necessary so that they do not die---how far we have come (or gone!) that we now assume face-to-face correspondence with the Lord because of who we are.

Great stuff on Samson's strengths and weaknesses here from the BBC:

"Few men in the Bible exhibit such a contrast of strength and weakness. When we think of Samson, we ordinarily think of his strengths. He killed a lion with his bare hands (Jdg_14:6). He killed thirty Philistines single-handed (Jdg_14:19). He broke the cords with which the men of Judah had bound him, and slew 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey (Jdg_15:14-16). In escaping from a trap which the Philistines had laid for him, he walked away with the gates of Gaza (Jdg_16:3). Three times he escaped the treachery of Delilah—once by breaking the seven fresh bowstrings that bound him, once by snapping the new ropes as if they were a thread, and once by pulling out the pin that fastened the seven locks of his hair to a loom (Jdg_16:6-14). Finally, he pulled down the pillars of the house in which the Philistines were being amused by him, killing more in his death than he did in his life (Jdg_16:30).

But Samson's weaknesses were even more apparent. He had a weakness for women, and was willing to disobey God in order to get a woman who pleased him (Jdg_14:1-7). He also disobeyed his parents (Jdg_14:3). He practiced deceit (Jdg_14:9; Jdg_16:7, Jdg_16:11, Jdg_16:13 b). He fraternized with thirty Philistines, the enemies of God's people (Jdg_14:11-18). He gave way to temper and vindictiveness (Jdg_14:19 b; Jdg_15:4-5). He had a cruel streak in his nature (Jdg_15:4-5). He consorted with a harlot (Jdg_16:1-2). He dallied with evil (Jdg_16:6-14). He revealed the secret of his strength to the enemy (Jdg_16:17-18). He was too cocky and self-confident (Jdg_16:20 b). Last, but not least, he broke his Nazirite vow (Jdg_14:9)."

From Wikipedia on Sampson--a liberal view, of course, but there are definite similarities between Hercules & Sampson. Who is to say that Sampson didn't inspire Hercules though? The Endiku connection is also interesting.

"Academics have interpreted Samson as a demi-god (such as Hercules or Enkidu) enfolded into Jewish religious lore, or as an archetypical folklore hero, among others. These views sometimes interpreted him as a solar deity, popularized by "solar hero" theorists and Biblical scholars alike.[30][31][32] The name Delilah may also involve a wordplay with the Hebrew word for night, 'layla', which "consumes" the day.[33] Samson bears many similar traits to the Greek Herakles (and the Roman Hercules adaptation), inspired himself partially from the mesopotamian Enkidu tale: Herakles and Samson both battled a Lion bare handed (Lion of Nemea feat), Herakles and Samson both had a favorite primitive blunt weapon (a club for the first, an ass's jaw for the latter), they were both betrayed by a woman which led them to their ultimate fate (Herakles by Dejanira, while Samson by Delilah). Both heroes, champion of their respective people, die by their own hand: Herakles ends his life on a pyre while Samson makes the Philistine temple collapse upon himself and his enemies."

Also interesting:

"Dr. Zvi Lederman, co-director of the Tel Aviv University Beth Shemesh dig which discovered the seal discussed below, believes that Beth Shemesh, a Canaanite village, was a cultural meeting point on the border of Israelite, Canaanite and Philistine areas and calls the stories "border sagas", saying that Samson could cross boundaries, seeking a Philistine wife but also fighting and killing Philistines. He is quoted as saying "When you cross the border, you have to fight the enemy and you encounter dangerous animals. You meet bad things. These are stories of contact and conflict, of a border that is more cultural than political."[39]"

Commander of the Army of the Lord--Joshua 5

Here are some thoughtful parallels between the incident of the "Commander of the Army of the Lord" and other references to an angelic army from the BKC:


"What kind of a military force did this divine Commander lead? The “army of the Lord” was surely not limited to the army of Israel though it may have been included. More specifically, it referred to the angelic host, the same “army” of heaven that later surrounded Dothan when Elisha and his servant appeared to be greatly outnumbered by the Aramean army (2Ki_6:8-17). In the Garden of Gethsemane at the time of His arrest, Jesus referred to this heavenly army when He said that 12 legions of angels were ready to defend Him (Mat_26:53). In Heb_1:14 they are described as “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.” Though invisible, they serve and care for God’s children in times of great need." -BKC

This idea of the unseen world interacting with the seen is worth pondering.

More Joshua...

"So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever."   Joshua 4:7

Interesting that the Lord has objects (the law in an earlier passage from Deuteronomy when the Lord tells Moses to write down the words, and now--- these stones) as tools to remind the Israelites of His faithfulness and to teach their children about Him.

Thinking about "tools"---physical reminders of spiritual things--it seems the "high church" (Catholics, Episcopals, Methodists) are more apt to incorporate such touchstones.  Is the Reformed Church (Protestants) unnecessarily leery of such potential "idols" as they often view them? Or are they adding to the law unnecessarily?