March 14, 2010 finish Joshua and Judges 1-2

Joshua assembled everyone at Schechem. God had Joshua tell the story of Abraham and God's promise to him. It is interesting to note that Abraham's father, Terah did not know God. The history of Isaac, Jacob and Esau and how Jacob went to Egypt, and Moses and Aaron was told. Jacob had witnessed the exodus from Egypt, and the 40 year long 11 day journey himself. Joshua reminded them to follow God and throw away all their idols. (Idols are anything that takes up room in our hearts where God is supposed to be.) The people promised Joshua they would serve the Lord. Joshua wrote all the laws in the Book of the Law of God. He set up a large stone as a reminder to follow God. It would be a witness if they were untrue to God. Joshua died at 110 years old, they buried him at Timnath Serah. They buried Joseph's bones, which they had brought with them out of Egypt in Shechem. Eleazar, son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah.

Judges begins with the Israelites asking God who would be first to go fight the Canaanites. His answer was Judah, that he had given them the land already. They struck down 10,000 men. The king tried to run, but they caught up to him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. He died later at Jerusalem. They took Jerusalem, they killed the people and burned the city. Caleb's daughter is mentioned again as in Joshua 15:18-19 (March 12). Many of the inhabitants remained in the land and became laborers for the Israelites.

The angel of the Lord appeared and told them that the people they did not drive out of the land would be thorns in their sides just as God had told them they would be. When the people heard this they were upset and wept aloud. Soon the entire generation who had known Joshua died and a new generation grew up. They did not know God. They worshiped idols and Baal. God was angry with them. The Lord raised up judges who tried to save them, but they would not listen. If the people listened to a judge then God was compassionate to them. When the judge died they went back to their wicked ways and angered God. The people didn't want God, so God didn't protect them, instead He tested them.

Tomorrow read Judges 3-5