Conquest, Judges, Kingdom
Another leadership change will happen for the Israelites as Joshua takes Moses’ place. As Israel continues to become more established, their pattern of rebellion continues. A downward spiral will be the outcome when sinful people do what they think is best. The Israelites will repeatedly experience hardship and defeat as a result of their disobedience and idolatry.
- What part of the Bible are we covering?
- Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings
- Scripture to read this week:
- Joshua 1-4, 1 Samuel 8, 2 Samuel 7:5–16, Ruth 4:11–22
Transition of Leadership
The Israelites get to the Promised Land, and God directs them to send in 12 spies to see who is occupying the land. Based on the spies’ reports, the Israelites fear what is to come and don’t believe they will be able to conquer the land. Only two spies think they should trust God and take the land that was promised to them: Joshua and Caleb.
Ultimately, the Israelites do not trust God to provide for them. As a punishment, God’s people wander in the wilderness for 40 years, and that generation does not see the Promised Land. Even Moses does not get to enter the Promised Land.
At the end of this time, there is a renewal in leadership. Read Joshua 1:1–9. What does God promise Joshua? What does God command him to do?
Joshua is a good leader, and the people follow him. The Israelites experience God’s blessing as a result of their obedience and faithfulness. They conquer the Canaanites, and God fulfills his promise of giving land to his people.
God fulfills a part of the covenant that he made with Abraham (The Promised Land) and renews the covenant he had made with Moses.
At the end of Joshua’s lifetime, the 12 tribes are each given land with instruction to continue to drive out other people groups.
The Judges Era
Judges: military leaders raised up by God to govern his people
When God’s people are obedient, they experience victory, but they get caught in a cycle of disregarding God which leads them to defeat. As the judges era progresses, their character weakens and God’s people begin to spiral downward. Their loyalty is to themselves, and they no longer want God fully.
A Light in the Darkness
In the era of the Judges, when God’s people seem to be losing their way, the story of Ruth is a beautiful example of loyalty, love, and righteousness.
Read Ruth 4:11–22. Because Ruth is obedient, she provides hope in a circumstance that seems hopeless. How does her obedience play a part in continuing God’s Redemption Plan?
Kingdom
The judges fall short of ruling well, and the people want a king. They look at other nations and envy the fact that others have kings while they do not. This reveals a heart problem where Israel wants the blessings from their covenant with God, but they don’t want God himself.
Read 1 Samuel 8. In your own words, describe what is going on with the people of Israel. Why do they still want a king despite God’s stern warnings?
In 1 Samuel 9, God gives the people Saul as king. His reign begins with victory, but as he becomes self-reliant, his kingship is stripped away and eventually will be given over to David.
David’s Reign
Through David, a man after God’s own heart, we begin to see blessings from God’s covenant with Abraham and Moses.
Read 2 Samuel 7:5–16. David is a faithful ruler. He is not perfect by any means, but he does his best to serve God in his position, and because of that, God shows favor upon David. What covenant does God make with David?
God keeps his covenant with David. Once David dies, Solomon (David’s son) is appointed King. Solomon writes several books of the Bible and is considered the wisest and richest man ever to live. He reigns Israel well and completes the task of building God’s dwelling place. When God’s people are led well and live in obedience, they live in seasons of blessing like God promised them.
Big Picture:
- There is a cycle of obedience and disobedience which is directly connected to the cycle of blessing and cursing for God’s people.
- Even though Israel was hopeless on their own, God still made a way towards Jesus through those who were willing to be obedient.
- The people wanted a king to rule over them. Although there will be good kings and bad kings, no king will rescue and rule the people like they truly need. We need a true king.
Questions
- What did the era of Judges reveal about the condition of the human heart?
- How was Ruth’s obedience pivotal in God’s Redemption Plan?
- How did David and his descendants play a role in the Kingdom of God?
- How do we see God’s faithfulness in this part of Scripture despite the brokenness of humanity?