Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

The first of the judges mentioned in Judges 3 is Othniel, the younger brother of Caleb.  He comes on the scene to destroy the King of the Arameans who had ruled over God’s people for eight years.  Forty years of peace come until his death.

The next to oppress the Israelites is the Moabites.  This lasted for eighteen years before they called out to Jehovah for deliverance.  This is an interesting story and we are even told that Ehud the judge, is left-handed.  This time Israel rules over Moab for eighty years.

Chapter three ends with Shamgar killing six hundred Philistines and rescuing the Israelites.

The story of the judge Deborah is given in Judges chapter four.  She is a prophetess who is already leading Israel.  Deborah asks Barak to gather men to fight for Israel.  He agrees, but only if she will go with them.  Her reply is that she will.  However, the glory and fame will belong to her, not to him.  He agrees and they go to battle.  The death of the King of Canaan at the hands of another woman is very interesting.  Do not miss these verses.  Tomorrow we will read the song of Deborah.

Judges 5 gives us the song that Deborah wrote and sang after the defeat of the Canaanites.  The plight of Israel for the twenty years that they were oppressed by their enemies is given in the early part.  The poetical story of the battles is easy to listen to unlike some of the other verses in the Bible.  Jael is extolled for the execution of the Canaanite king.  The song also evokes the emotions of the enemy as they are defeated.  Forty years of peace follow Deborah and Barak’s victory.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger