Judges 1 “Personal Cult”

Judges 1 – Brandon Hatmaker “Personal Cult”
Austin New Church – South Austin Cares
Wednesday, July 27th, 2008

“The book of Judges shows us a time that is sometimes confusing, difficult, and dark. For this reason, many have neglected the book of Judges, and regarded this period as a "dark ages" of Israel's history. However, if we neglect this book, we neglect a wonderful account of the love and graciousness of God, and how He lovingly corrects His people. What we find out about man in Judges is depressing; but what we find out about God in Judges is spectacular” – Author Unknown

“But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.” Judges 1:27-28

In contrast to the method in which Israel took most of the land in their conquests, history as well as scripture shows that the Israelites absorbed the Canaanite communities peacefully. While that seems pretty favorable and appropriate if possible, many theologians consider this to be the result of slothfulness and/or a lack of contempt for their gods.

The Canaanites were a people who absorbed and assimilated the features of many cultures of the ancient Near East for at least 500 years. That assimilation influenced the Greeks and Romans, as well as influenced greatly Western Civilization. The god of the city of Shechem, which city the Israelites had absorbed peacefully under Joshua, was called Baal-berith. Here is the problem: Shechem became the first CULTIC center of the religious tribal confederacy of the Israelites during the period of the judges.

Robert A. Guisepi, editor for the project “Canaanite culture and religion” for History World International, wrote that “The religion of the Canaanite agriculturalists proved to be a strong attraction to the less sophisticated and nomadic-oriented Israelite tribes. Many Israelites succumbed to the allurements of the fertility-laden rituals and practices of the Canaanite religion, partly because it was new and different from the Yahwistic religion and, possibly, because of a tendency of a rigorous faith and ethic to weaken under the influence of sexual attractions. As the Canaanites and the Israelites began to live in closer contact with each other, the faith of Israel tended to absorb some of the concepts and practices of the Canaanite religion.”

This is bad news. So the questions that come to mind are these (1) what "personal cults" have I allowed to remain in my life that has the potential to creep it’s way anonymously into my faith and (2) what am I doing or have I done in the name of “peace” that is actually a form of compromise or slothfulness on my part?

Whether we're seeking to live missionally or not, these two questions can saturate everything and every part of each of us. From our marriages and friendships, to parenting, to our work places, and beyond. Each of these are under the umbrella of our personal faith… which as we see in the Judges (and recent history)… none of us are beyond temptation. While God's methods under the Old Covenant seem harsh, the annihilation of the nations that Israel overcame is a great example to us today under the New Covenant of how we are to approach sin in our own personal lives through Christ. It's also a great warning of the destruction that sin can cause in our lives and relationships when left unchecked.

Father, today I ask that you would show me the areas of temptation and compromise that I have allowed to stay in or too close to my life. Help me to see which areas are there for the right reasons and the ones that are there for the wrong ones. I ask you for wisdom in leading and in living. In Jesus name, amen.