CRYSTAL THOMAS MINISTRY

REVEALING THE VOICE OF GOD TO THE NATIONS

Judges Ch.1

STUDY NOTES
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The book of Judges is a warning to us all if we do not follow God.
The book of Judges is God wanting us to take our full inheritance.
The 12 judges = supernatural anointed rescuers

There are many victories in this first chapter, and there are also plenty of defeats.

Verse 1-3

“Now after the death of Joshua” is letting us know that we are changing gears in a sense. Joshua was, “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord,” Judges was, “and the people forgot the Lord.” Drastic changes.

We also see in the 1st verse the Israelistes ask God, “who will go up & fight for us?” The Lord replied, “Judah shall go up.” Then Judah says, “OK, hey Simeon, go with me.” The Lord did not tell Judah to take Simeon. We find out in verse 19 that the Lord is with Judah, but Judah could not drive out those inhabiting the area. Why? Why could he not drive out those in the valley basin even when it said the Lord was with him? The author of this book says because they had chariots of iron, but God can defeat chariots of iron. Maybe it could also be because Judah didn’t fully obey God. He didn’t fully have faith in what God said for him to do. Maybe his lack of faith was shown when he took his brother, Simeon, with him for “back up.” The Lord did not say Judah and Simeon, he said Judah shall go up. In Genesis we see something along these lines when God tells Abraham to leave. He didn’t tell Abraham and Lot to go together, and later there were consequences because of that choice. Simple choices matter. Is it full obedience when God tells us to go somewhere and we bring someone else along for our comfort?

Verse 4

“The Lord gave” or “the Lord delivered.” Judah still had to fight. Judah still had to partner with the Lord.

Verse 5

  • Victory
  • Adoni-Bezek =“lord of Bezek”
  • Bezek is today = Khirbet Ibziq

Verse 6-7

When we read verse 6 it states, “cut off his thumbs and his big toes.” This was done so someone would never be able to hold a sword again, and they would walk with a limp for the rest of their days, and in the eyes of the public, kings like this would be seen as cowards.

Verse 8

  • The men of Judah captured the lower city.
  • Jebusites will not fully & permanently be removed until King David: in 2 Samuel, “David captured the stronghold of Zion.”

Verse 9

  • Negeb (Hebrew) = South: semi – desert area 
  • Lowland = foothills

Verse 10

  • Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai: Nephilim
    • Numbers 13:22

Verse 11

  • Debir = Judah’s hill country 

Verse 12

  • Caleb, gradson of Esau, = Prince of the tribe of Judah
    • Caleb means dog
      • Easu was the twin brother of Jacob.

Verse 13

  • Othniel = the first judge of 12 total
    • Caleb’s nephew

Verse 14-15

She asks and her Father gives her what she ask for… sounds familiar (God wink).

Verse 16

  • Jethro = Moses’ father-in-law

Verse 17

  •  Hormah = devotion, banning, devoted to utter or complete destruction, place of waste.

Verse 18

  • Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron were 3 of the 5 major Philistine cities.

Verse 19

They were afraid because of the chariots. If they would have pursued on they would have won, it states the Lord was with him. Faith over fear was needed. Not having faith in yourself with what God told you to do is basically like not having faith in God himself. (Deborah later on will win against 900 iron chariots.)

Verse 20

  • The tribes of Benjamin & Judah bordered Jerusalem

Verse 21

Benjamites disobeyed God, they “coexisted” (what ppl want to do today) with the inhabitants.

Verse 23

  • Luz = perverse
  • Bethel = House of God

Verse 27-36

Israel compromised and disobeyed God. God had warned them and told them to rid the lands.
1. They did not drive out the enemies.
2. They thought we might as well live along side them
3. They had no plans so they kept enemies as slaves / forced labor.
They knew better. Israel Compromised. They thought they themselves could keep the enemy under their thumb. They were wrong. This will result in them bowing to other Gods.

  • vs 27: The tribe of Joseph was composed of Ephraim and Manasseh
    • Manasseh was divided in 1/2, one on the Eastern side of the Jordan the other on Western side of the Jordan.
  • vs 30: The tribe was named for the sixth son born of Jacob and his first wife, Leah.
  • vs 31: The tribe was named after the younger of two sons born to Jacob and Zilpah, the maidservant of Jacob’s first wife, Leah.
  • vs 33: The tribe was named after the younger of two sons born to Jacob and Bilhah, a maidservant of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel.