Session # 3B

Entering the Land:

Judges-Ruth

JUDGES

2) Titlea) The English title is derived from the

Hebrew title, šōpěţĭm (~yjip.vo). This word is usually translated “judges.” It is the term given to the twelve leaders of Israel during the period between Joshua and Samuel.

i) Judge (shophet) jp.vo – i) Deborah (4:4); ii) Jair (10:3); iii) Jephthah (12:7);iv) Ibzan (12:8,9); v) Elon (12:11); vi) Abdon (12:13); vii) Samson (15:20)

b)Other than judges, these leaders are also called by the following terms:

i) Deliverer

(yasha) [v;Y –

i) Othniel (3:9);

ii) Ehud (3:15);

iii) Shamgar (3:31);

iv) Tola (10:1);

v) Samson (13:5)

ii) Mighty Warrior (gibor hayil)

lyIx; rABG–

i) Gideon (6:12);

ii) Jephthah (11:1)

b) Background

i) Sharp contrasts with the book of Joshua.

ii)Consists of independent episodes, all joined by a common motif of

(1)Israel’s apostasy and

(2)God’s faithfulness.

5) Purpose of the Book of Judges

a) To show the consequences of disobedience

b) To show God’s faithfulness despite Israel’s disobedience

c) To point the way to monarchy

d). Outline

i) Introduction (1—2)

(1)The people failed to drive out the Canaanites (1)

(2)The people failed to follow the Lord (2)

SIN

SERVITUDE

SUPPLICATIONSAVIOR

SALVATION

SERENITY

ii) Seven sin cycles (3—16) CYCLE SIN SERVITUDE SUPPLICATION SALVATION SERENITY

1(3:1-11)

Baal, Ashteroth

(3:7)

Mesopotamia8 yrs.

3:9Othniel(3:9-10)

40 yrs. (3:11)

2(3:12-31)

Evil (3:12a)Moabites

18 yrs.3:15a

Ehud(3:15b-30)

80 yrs. (3:30)

At least

80 yrs.--- Philistines --- Shamgar (3:31) -

3(4:1-5:31)

Evil (4:1)Canaanites

20 yrs.4:3

Deborah & Barak(4:4-5:31)

40 yrs. (5:31b)

4(6:1-8:32)

Evil (6:1)Midianites

7 yrs.6:6

Gideon(6:8-8:28)

40 yrs. (8:28)

5(8:33-10:5)

Baal, Baal berith (8:33)

“Civil War”–Anti-judge: Abimelech

(Ch 9) 3 yrs.---

Tola (10:1-2)23 yrs.(10:2)

45 yrs.Jair (10:3-5)

22 yrs. (10:3)

6(10:6-12:15)

Baal, Ashteroth, gods of: Aram, Sidon, Moab,

Ammon, Philistines.

(10:6)

Ammonites18 yrs.

10:10-16

Jephthah(11:1-12:7)

6 yrs. (12:7-14)

31 yrs.

Ibzan (12:8-10)7 yrs. (12:9)

Elon (12:11-12)10 yrs. (12:11)

Abdon (12:13-15)8 yrs.

(12:14)

7(13:1-16:31)

Evil (13:1)Philistines

40 yrs.---

Samson(13:2-16:31)

20 yrs. (16:31b)

iii) Israel is unfaithful, God is faithful (17—21)

(1)Religious decline 17:1—18:31

(2)Moral decadence 19:1—21:25

(3)In the end, the true hero that rises up to the occasion is God who remains faithful despite Israel’s unfaithfulness.

f. Lessons from Judges

i) The Lord is the true Judge (11:27).

ii)The need for godly leadership. (a)The need for a DAVIDIC government

(b)Failure is also seen as reason for monarchy (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).

Head of an Arab woman, 1st c. BCE - early 1st c. AD, South Arabian (Yemen), Alabaster, Detroit Institute of Arts

RUTH

                                                                                                                              

• Naomi, Ruth and Orpah (detail), 1960, by Marc Chagall (1887-1985)

a) Titlei) Derived from the main character: Ruth whose name means “friendship, refreshment, satiation, comfort.”

b. Connection of Ruth to Judges

i) Canonical: It provides a natural bridge between the judges and the monarchy.

ii) One Jewish tradition places Ruth as part of Judges.

iii)The use of the word ’ēšet hayil, lyIx; tv,ae. (woman of honor, worth or valor). Ruth was described

as a ’ēšet hayil, lyIx; tv,ae (3:11) while Boaz was

gibor hayil lyIx; rABGI (man of valor) (2:1).

(1)Gideon (Judges 6:12), Jephthah (11:1) and the Benjamites (judges 20:44, 46) were all also described

as gibor hayil lyIx; rABGI (man of valor) (2:1).

iv) Comparison between Ruth and Judges

RUTH JUDGES

FIDELITY, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PURITY IMMORALITY

FOLLOWING THE TRUE GOD IDOLATRY

DEVOTIONDECLINE, DEBASEMENT, DISLOYALTY

LOVE LUST

PEACE WAR

KINDNESS CRUELTY

OBEDIENT FAITH LEADS TO BLESSING

DISOBEDIENCE LEADS TO SORROW

SPIRITUAL LIGHT SPIRITUAL DARKNESS

a)Hope Forsaken: Naomi & Ruth leaves Moab for Bethlehem (1)

b)Hope Renewed: Ruth at Boaz’s Field (2)

c)Hope Pursued: Ruth & Boaz at the Threshing Floor (3)

d)Hope Fulfilled: Boaz redeems Ruth & Naomi (4)

OUTLINE

d. Lessons from Rutha) God’s Hiddenness

i) The characters in the book express such confidence in God. We also see events happening smoothly attributed to God and his work, yet God is not described vividly as speaking or revealing himself.

ii)God is not absent but he is quietly working behind the scene.

iii) The lesson communicated is that God’s hand is to be searched for in the everyday affairs of life, in the turns of fortune of God’s faithful people.

d. Lessons from Ruth

b) Salvation’s Inclusiveness

I) God’s purposes are not limited to Israelites.

II) Ruth stands with a proud group of other foreigners in the OT like Melchizedek, Rahab, Naaman and the Ninevites of Jonah’s day, who knew and embraced God.

d. Lessons from Ruth

b) Salvation’s InclusivenessIII) She was one of four

women (along with Tamar, Rahab and Bathsheba) who were included in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1.

IV) She illustrates the principle of Gen 12:2-3 of people who are blessed because of their association with Abraham and his God.

d. Lessons from Ruthiii. Hesed( ds,x,): Lovingkindness &

Faithfulness

(1) The term occurs in 1:8 (May God show kindness); 2:20 (Boaz showed kindness); 3:10 (Ruth shows kindness)

(2) Naomi showed kindness to Ruth and Oprah by allowing them to return to start their lives anew.

(3) Ruth showed kindness to Naomi.

(4) In return, Boaz showed kindness to Ruth.

(5) In the end, God showed kindness to

(a) Ruth,

(b) Naomi,

(c) Boaz, and

(d) Israel.

Hesed ( ds,x,) : Lovingkindness &

FaithfulnessIN ACTION

Dick & Rick Hoyt

What Dick Hoyt did for his disabled grown up son, Rick:A. Pushed him 85 times in 26.2 miles

marathons.B. Push him, pedaled him and pulled

him along in a dinghy in 8 triathlons.

C. Pulled him across cross-country skiing.

D. Carried him on his back for mountain climbing.

E. Hauled him across the US on a bike.Adapted from Rick Reilly, “Strongest Dad in the World” in Sports Illustrated.

What Dick and Rick Hoyt achieved together:

A. 1983 result: Qualified for the Boston Marathon the following year.

B. Done 212 triathlons, including 15 Ironmans.

C. At ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters.

D. Their personal best time: 2 hr, 40 min. (in 1992) --only 35 min. off the world record.

What Dick obtained out of this:A. When he had a mild heart attack

during a race. B. Doctors found that one of his

arteries was 95% clogged. C. One doctor told Dick, “If you hadn't

been in such great shape, you probably would've died 15 years ago.'‘

D. In a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.Adapted from Rick Reilly, “Strongest Dad in the World” in Sports Illustrated.