How Will How Will These People These People Respond to Respond to YAHWEH…YAHWEH…

THE STORY OF THE THE STORY OF THE TORAH:TORAH:

Yahweh has graced this Yahweh has graced this people with salvation people with salvation (deliverance from (deliverance from bondage), providential bondage), providential care (wilderness), and care (wilderness), and faithful relationship (Sinai). faithful relationship (Sinai). Now it is time to discover…Now it is time to discover…

THE SHEMA—Deuteronomy 6:4-5

•Hear (“Shema”) O Israel, the Hear (“Shema”) O Israel, the LORD (Yahweh) our God is oneLORD (Yahweh) our God is one

•You shall love the LORD your God You shall love the LORD your God with ALL your heart (with ALL your heart (lebleb))

•And with ALL your soul (And with ALL your soul (nepheshnephesh))•And with ALL your strength And with ALL your strength ((me’odme’od))

DEUTERONOMY

•Moses’ farewell sermon to the “second generation” just before he dies and just before they go into the land that God had promised 450-650 years earlier

•Now, says Moses, and Deuteronomy: live in the land as God intends – live out this covenant life in this land!

THE DEUTERONOMISTIC HISTORY

Deuteronomy’s challenge… now played out in the story of God’s people in the land of Canaan

• Joshua—entering Joshua—entering into the landinto the land

• Judges—settling Judges—settling into the landinto the land

•1-2 Samuel—1-2 Samuel—getting a king getting a king (Saul, David, and (Saul, David, and Solomon)Solomon)

•1-2 Kings—the 1-2 Kings—the spiral downwardspiral downward

TaNaTaNaKKThe The

SectionSections s

of the of the Hebrew Hebrew Bible Bible

T = TorahT = Torah The Pentateuch The Pentateuch

(Genesis through (Genesis through Deuteronomy)Deuteronomy)

N = Nebi’imN = Nebi’im The Former ProphetsThe Former Prophets The Latter ProphetsThe Latter Prophets

K = KethubimK = Kethubim The Writings (all the The Writings (all the

rest!)rest!)

TaTaNNaaKK

The The Middle Middle

Section Section of of the the

Hebrew Hebrew Bible Bible

N = Nebi’imN = Nebi’imThe Former The Former

ProphetsProphets Joshua, Judges, Joshua, Judges,

Samuel, KingsSamuel, KingsThe Latter The Latter

ProphetsProphets Isaiah, Jeremiah Isaiah, Jeremiah

Ezekiel, and the Ezekiel, and the TwelveTwelve

TaTaNNaaKKThe Former The Former

Prophets:Prophets:Stories about the Stories about the

prophetsprophets

The Latter Prophets:The Latter Prophets:Sermons by the Sermons by the

prophetsprophets

The History of IsraelThe History of Israel

FIVE FIVE MAJOR MAJOR

MOVEMEMOVEMENTS IN NTS IN ISRAEL’S ISRAEL’S HISTORYHISTORY

Entrance into the Entrance into the land (1250 B.C.)land (1250 B.C.)

Settlement in the Settlement in the land (1250-1050 land (1250-1050 B.C.)B.C.)

Kingship—United Kingship—United Monarchy (1050-Monarchy (1050-922 B.C.)922 B.C.)

Kingship—Division Kingship—Division of the kingdom of the kingdom (922-722;587 B.C.)(922-722;587 B.C.)

Exile (587 B.C.)Exile (587 B.C.)

Entrance into the Land—1250 B.C.the book of joshua• Entrance into the land – Rahab and the

Israelite spies• Possession of the Land - 3 rapid-

movement invasions (blitzkrieg)• Central campaign – Jericho & Ai• Southern campaign – Hebron• Northern campaign -

• Distribution of the land – 12 tribes• Covenant Renewal at Shechem

Covenant Renewal

• The story of conquest of the land begins (crossing the Jordan and the victory at Jericho) and ends (covenant renewal) IN WORSHIP!

• Joshua ends as Moses did• Covenant renewal – commitment to live a

life of complete devotion, loyalty and obedience to Yahweh. “As for me and my house…”

THE BOOK OF JUDGES—the “rest of the story”…

The people settle in side by side with the inhabitants of the land and are strongly influenced by the way of life of their neighbors

Will Israel remain faithful to their covenant with their God, or will she try to be like “the rest of the nations”?

Israel’s Primary Temptations

•Survival in the Land – rather than the Conquest of the Land!

•Transitioning from nomads to farmers

•Living as a covenant people without a strong national leader

To Be Like “The Rest” of the Nations

The First of two main dis/attractions for the people

•What is it? Religion of the people of the LAND – believed

fertility of the land worship of Baal

•What is wrong with it? Acknowledging that life comes from a god other

than Yahweh – trusting other gods

– Baalism

BAALISM— what’s the big deal?

• Manipulative of divine power• Compartmentalized life (divided

life into nice, neat compartments with one god for one thing and another god for other things)

• Violation of the first command: NO OTHER GODS BUT YAHWEH!

Cycle of RetributionCycle of Retribution

1-People serve Baal2-Enemy nation

rises against them

3-People Cry Out

4-LORD sends a judge

5-When judge dies,People serve Baal…

THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL: military leaders who delivered and led the people for the first

200 years in the land

The One Common Feature…they all had some weakness and only with

God’s power (Spirit of the LORD) did they lead the people to victory

JUDGES…who all start out weak

Ehud—left-handed Deborah—the female judge Gideon—youngest in the family…from

the smallest clan of Israel Jephthah—son of a prostitute and

rejected by all his brothers Samson—mother had been barren

before she gave birth to him

THE OTHER “GREAT DIS/ATTRACTION”…in addition to baalism

Kingship!The people want to

be like:THE REST OF THE

NATIONS!

The first attempt at a king Gideon the Judge “I will not be king for you…nor will my son be

king for you…only the LORD will be your king.” Gideon’s son—ABIMELECH – My Father is the

KING! Probably a reference to God as King! Closing Verse of Judges: In those days there was

no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes. (Judges 21:25)

The Book of Ruth• Set in the time of the Judges• A part of the Kethubim (Writings)• One of the five Megilloth (Festal Scrolls)• Read at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)• A Story of Love and Fidelity• Shows God’s Love for all people – even those

who are outside of Israel (Ruth)• Ruth is named as the great-grandmother of

King David – and eventually, of JESUS.

Theological Truths From Joshua-Judges-Ruth

• The Land is given to Israel as a gift from God – a gift received in worship

• Life in the Land depends on God’s people living in trust and fidelity to God’s covenant – Deuteronomistic history

• The great danger for God’s people is to become like “the rest of the nations”

Theological Truths From Joshua-Judges-Ruth

• God’s power to deliver God’s people is demonstrated through weak humans, who are filled with God’s Spirit

• God responds to the cries of people in pain, even in rebellion!

• God cares for all people, even Gentiles

• God’s future depends on the fidelity of God and the fidelity of God’s people!