Judges Part 10

X. Judges 10. A. This chapter again sets forth the pendulum swing of true worship to idolatry, of peace to oppression, and of repentance which works salvation. This chapter is basically the set-up for the details of an unusual deliverer in Chapter 11. B. vs. 1-5. 1. In the wake of the depraved, murderous Abimelech (JDG 10), there were about 45 years of stability while they stayed away from idolatry. This was a notably long period of good during these chaotic times. 2. Two judges/deliverers/saviors, Tola and Jair, filled this season. Curiously, there is no mention of a foreign oppressor at this time that had overtaken Israel. 3. Some of the best deliverances are being saved from the potentials of darkness, not Judges 6-26-25 Page 17  only from the consequences of yielding to darkness. Faithful leadership will stress this principle as long as possible. 1TI 4:16; 2TI 4:2-4. a. It appears that the good service which Tola and Jair performed was to save Israel from themselves. b. Christ came, not only to save us from the penalty of sin, but also from its power and pollutions. MAT 1:21. c. Those that deliver themselves in accord with fair warning are truly delivered. ROM 14:11-14. d. NOTE: Do not be duped into concluding that being delivered from temptation is of less value than experiencing the mercy of God that is extended to the repenter who had yielded to the temptation. Such thinking will end up with “Let us do evil that good may come” (ROM 3:8) and will ultimately disparage Jesus Christ, Who never yielded to temptation. 4. It seems strange that so little is mentioned of Tola and Jair for their 45 years of good judgeship, even less than was mentioned of Abimelech. a. The roll call of faith in HEB 11 specifically names some major players but they were not the only players. HEB 11:35-40. b. Not everyone in the early church was a Paul, Apollos, John, Peter or James, etc. Yet the likes of Timothy, Aquila, Priscilla et. al. played important roles in kingdom purposes. God will in one way or another remember the work and labor of love of faithful saints. HEB 6:10. c. The more feeble members in the church who are faithful in what they have and do are to be honored abundantly. 1CO 12:14-31. d. “We know nothing of Tola and Jair in comparison with what we know of Abimelech. Yet the very fact that little is said of them is a proof that they were good and honest men. We are too ready to mistake notoriety for fame and both for signs of greatness. They are not the greatest men who make the most noise in the world. It is something if this censorious world can say no ill of us. Aim at doing well rather than at striking attention.” (Pulpit Commentary) 5. Jair had 30 sons who were circuit judges. v. 4 c/w JDG 5:10. a. Samuel likewise judged Israel. 1SAM 7:16. b. Paul built churches, then circled back to follow up with them, and ordained elders where appropriate. ACT 15:36-41; 14:21-23. c. Jair’s sons could have been known as the 30-30-30 court. C. vs. 6-9. 1. When Israel went astray, they went completely astray. No mention is made here of them serving the LORD and serving idols, per 2KI 17:33. They were as Athens was later described, “...wholly given to idolatry” (ACT 17:16). 2. The seven idolatrous devotions (v. 6) are starkly juxtaposed to the seven deliverances noted in vs. 11-12, an effective reproof. 3. God put them under oppression for eighteen years, and the oppression affected both sides of the church divided by the Jordan river. This should remind us that leaven and its effects spread broadly. 1CO 5:6; 2TI 2:16-17. 4. Funny how the gods of Israel’s newfound allies in religion didn’t honor their devotions and save them from the heathens’ terrors. Beware the allure of carnal religion which draws you away from Christ only to turn on you since it is not governed by the heavenly principles of true religion. The gods of the nations were sexy and exciting but bloodthirsty. DEU 12:29-31. Judges 6-26-25 Page 18 D. vs. 10-18. 1. Israel’s wake-up call under oppression hearkens to PSA 78:34. Early repentance is preferable, and a space of repentance is only a space. REV 2:21-23. 2. Selling out to sin after better knowledge can have grievous implications for even finding one’s way back. LUK 12:47 c/w HEB 10:26-27; 2TI 2:24-26. 3. God told them exactly what Moses had warned about. vs. 13-14 c/w DEU 32:37-38 c/w JER 2:28. 4. Israel finally did the right thing and threw themselves on the mercy of the court of God, surrendering any defense and owning their sin. That is the best thing for any sinner to do when he has dug himself into a deep hole. JOB 33:27-28; JON 3:9-10. Judges 6-26-25 Page 19