Despite the teaching of sociologists this world is not becoming better and better, but rather growing worse and worse.

There is a shocking breakdown of morality, a complete collapse of morals: pornography, homosexuality, rape, child abuse, murder, adultery, and lawlessness.

Then in the professing church there is a “form of godliness whih denies the power and presence of God.”

In recent years there has also been an invasion of demons into our Western culture which has resulted in disastrous and tragic incidents.

The Lord reminds us, brethren, that “we are in the world, but not of it.” John reminds us that “we should not love the world, neither the things of the world. He that loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” He also said, “he who doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

The last chapters of Judges have been described as the cesspool of the Bible.

The sex crimes committed by the sons of Benjamin caused the pagans around them to blush in shame and disbelief.

The spirituality of the nation was at a low ebb. Even the leaders were delinquent.

Malachi, a Levite who was set apart to care for the holy things of God. He took a second wife, a concubine, who no doubt conformed to the practice of the world around, but was totally displeasing to God. This action was “sin” in God’s eyes and it triggered off a series of sins which affected the whole nation. The Levite sinned, the concubine lost her life. The village of Gibeah, the tribe of Benjamin, the people of Tabish Gilead, and the Shiloh, yea, all Israel suffered because of the sin of one man.

Lesson 58: Joshua—Call And Commission
Joshua 1:1-18
Golden Text: Joshua, 1:9

We are now introduced to the new leader of Israel whose history we shall follow for the next eight lessons. I. His Preparation. He had a long period of preparation. This is true of all God’s servants. He must be faithful in the little things of life before he can be entrusted with the greater responsibilities. 1 Timothy 3:6, 10.

1. A courageous soldier; Exodus 17:13. Cp. 2 Timothy 2:3; 1 Timothy 6:11, 12.

2. A devoted servant; Exodus 24:3. He who would lead must first serve. Cp. 2 Kings 3:11; 1 Timothy 3:10; John 13:12-17; Proverbs 15:33; Mark 10:45.

3. A true worshipper; Exodus 33:11. Cp. John 4: 23, 24.

4. A faithful witness; Numbers 14:6-9. He stood out against the popular opinion and witnessed for God. Cp 2 Timothy 1:8-12; 4:1-5; Romans 1:14-16; Proverbs 14:25.

5. Taught in the Word; Exodus 17:14. Cp. 2 Timothy 2:15; Titus 1-9

6. Spirit filled; Numbers 27:18. Cp. Ephesians 1:13; 5:18; Gal 5:22-23.

7. Divinely appointed; Numbers 27:18-23. Cp. John 15:16, etc. Note his name—Joshua means “Jehovah, Saviour;” translated “Jesus.” Hebrews 4:8, and a wonderful type of Christ.

II. His Commission; Joshua 1:1-18.

1. The charge from God; Vs. 1-2.

2. The promise; Vs. 3-4. Note that personal appropriation was essential. They must possess their possessions. So with the Christian—he has “all things;” 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; and “all blessings,” Ephesians 1:3; but only enjoys that which he appropriates himself. See Genesis 14: 17, 18 “Arise and walk through the land.”

From the Editor’s Notebook

W. Ross Rainey

Highlights on the Historical Books of the Bible

Judges: The Book of Rebellion And Restoration

Key Word: Declension.

Message: God’s favor and faithfulness midst failure and faithlessness.

Key Verse: 21:25 — “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

Introduction

The book of Judges has been referred to as “a philosophy of history” (see Prov. 14:34), one of its chief lessons being “the folly of forsaking God.” Sin, sorrow, suffering and salvation are key words which sum up the years covered by the book, 300 to 450 years embracing the various estimates of the time period covered. Judges takes its name from the history of the 15 (some say 13, others 14 — the difference being whether or not Shamgar and Eli are counted) judges raised up to rescue and rule Israel, the book serving to record not only the various judges (“saviours,” RV), but the details of seven apostasies, seven servitudes, seven cries to God, and seven deliverances. The book is like a “Dark Ages” of the Old Testament, yet there are many bright spots in it, and it is well to remember that of the time period covered only 100 years were spent in unfaithfulness to God — and that’s 100 too many, of course!

INTRODUCTION (Judges 1:1-3:4) The condition of Israel at the time of Joshua's death (Judges 1:1-16) Judges 1: 1‑16 may be considered as a preface to the book of Judges, and the words, "Now after the death of Joshua, it came to pass," are the key to the whole book. It is not as yet, properly speaking, declension, but that which precedes it. What follows is governed by the fact, that Joshua, a type of the Spirit of Christ in power, was no longer in the midst of Israel. So also, in...

A Fresh Revival in Israel The peaceful times of Tola and Jair did not prevent the people from sinking lower and lower. The declension increased, and the evil became more pronounced. "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook Jehovah, and served not Him" (v. 6). Never before had suc...

What characterises declension? We have seen signs of declension in the verses which we have been considering, while the state of the people was still good. Now we shall see in what declension, properly speaking, consists. It is not the same as ruin, which is declension fully matured, such as we find in Judges 2. Both reappear in the history of the Church, and in proof of this we have but to read the epistles to the seven churches. (Rev. 2, 3) Declension in Ephesus leaving her first love, ...

Jephthah and his Daughter In verses 1‑11 the deliverer comes on the scene. He bears the stamp of infirmity, so often found throughout this book. Jephthah, the Gileadite, was "a mighty man of valour," but of impure origin, the son of an harlot, the remembrance of which could not fail to fill him with shame. Nevertheless God used him, yea much more than this, presents to us, through him, some of the characteristics of Christ. Let us remember that the history of believers is only of va...

The origin and consequences of declension Israel's declension was characterized by the fact that they had not remained in separation from the world, and this in itself denoted that they no longer had strength to drive out the enemy. Their lack of power was due to what we have just read. "And the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim." (Judges 2: 1) The book of Joshua, the record of Israel's victories, was characterized by Gilgal, the blessed spot wherein lay the secret of their ...

Strife between Brethren Judges 12 is a picture of one of the gravest symptoms of ruin: contention and open war between brethren. Formerly, when the people had not left their first love, or when their leader evinced more spiritual power, this calamity had been averted. The constant design of Satan is to disunite the children of God. He knows that our strength consists in being gathered around a common centre; and, not being able to destroy this essential unity which God has established, he...

Israel's ruin looked at in reference to God Judges 2: 6‑9 is a repetition of Joshua 24: 26‑31, closely connecting this history of declension with that of the people before their fall. There were elders, that outlived Joshua, to help and encourage the people, just as there were apostles for the church, but in the days of the apostles as in those of the elders, principles, destructive of the assembly, were already at work. Judaism, worldliness, corruption, all these things Paul set his ...