Judges 9 - The Anti-Judge

Judges 9 is quite the chapter!  Until this point, we've seen a succession of good judges rule over the Israelites, each one divinely appointed, each one putting first the protection of the Israelites from outside forces and the restoration of the true faith among a people prone to idolatry.  The last judge, Gideon, was one of the most loved, to the point that the people wanted to make him a king, against the wishes of God.  This fine line between judge and king must have been a constant area of temptation for the Israelites.  For as soon as Gideon dies, we see his son Abimelech enter the scene, become a king, and cause chaos to ensue.  Right away we note differences between Abimelech's rise to power and that of the other judges.  Nowhere does it say Abimelech was divinely called to be a judge (much less a king).  He is Gideon's son, so we see the beginnings of a hereditary leadership emerge, which almost always comes with problems.  And there is no virtue apparent in Abimelech.  One of his first actions is to kill all his brothers (except Joatham, who escapes).  We can see this is the move of a tyrant who is seeking to eliminate competition and secure his own grip on power.  An interesting point gets brought up in verse 2: "is [it] better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerobaal, should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you?" (Judges 9:2).  The question is left rhetorical, and Abimelech of course expects that the obvious answer is that one man ruling is better than many.  But is it?  Throughout Judges 9 there seems to be a subtle reflection on the issue of kingship, of proper government.  What if that one ruler were a wicked ruler?  Would it not then be better to have power diffused among many -- some will be good, some bad, but at least the bad won't be concentrated in one place, in one man.  Then there is Joatham's parable: a brilliant commentary on the nature of power and those that seek it.  To summarize, the trees are seeking a king; they ask first the olive tree, who declines, then the fig tree, who turns it down, and then the grape vine, who also declines the offer.  Finally the trees offer the kingship to the bramble, a thorny, weedy plant meant to represent the ambitious man, who gladly accepts the kingship and the chance to rule over all the trees.  The olive, fig, and grape, of course, represent virtuous, good men, with good fruits, who do not seek power and glory, who are not interested in being king.  Yet, ironically, they are the men we most need as kings.  It is the bramble, though, who gravitate towards power and wealth and domination.  Abimelech is very much a bramble of a man, as are most leaders even today.  And so we have a parable of lasting significance here in the middle of the Book of Judges.  Judges 9 ends with Abimelech's ignoble death, which is brought on by the hands of a woman and completed by a suicide assisted by his armor-bearer.  And so justice is served for the man who defied God and sought to be king and lord it over his brethren.  It is a lesson for us all to beware the ambitious man!

Judges 8 - King Gideon?

"And all the men of Israel said to Gedeon: Rule thou over us, and thy son, and thy son's son: because thou hast delivered us from the hand of Madian" (Judges 8:22).

The people try to make Gideon their king in Judges 8.  It's almost like a foreshadowing of the kings that soon will indeed rule over Israel.  But at this point in time, God had willed judges to rule the people, and yet the people are not satisfied with that arrangement.  They want something more.  Just like with the idols they keep turning to, they want an immediate and luxurious power to rule over them -- idols of gold, or a king dressed in gold.  Gideon, being a faithful servant of God, knows it would be against His will to become a king, and so he refuses the offer.  But it's an interesting moment nonetheless.  Gideon kept the Israelites safe by defeating the Madianites, and so the Israelites are willing to give ultimate power to the source of that safety, rather than trust in God's divine plan.  Just as today, we are more and more willing to give ultimate power to a government that purports to keep us safe -- we strive to make a king of our president.  But though Gideon remains loyal to God, and does not give in to the people's faithless pleas, by the end of the chapter it is clear that lack of faith wins out yet again.  The people are corrupted by the gold and jewels and other material goods won from the Madianites.  By the end of the chapter it is even written that the people "made a covenant with Baal, that he should be their god" (Judges 8:33).  After Gideon's death, the people fall once again.  And another judge (i.e., savior) will need to be raised to deliver the people from the evil in which they willingly plunged. 

Judges 7 - The Light of Truth

"And when they sounded their trumpets in three places round about the camp, and had broken their pitchers, they held their lamps in their left hands, and with their right hands the trumpets which they blew, and they cried out: The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon" (Judges 7:20).

Gedeon's defeat of the Madianites is quite the dramatic scene.  I find it interesting that the Israelites, by God's design, assembled an army of only 300 men.  It calls to mind the 300 Spartans who famously fought against the huge Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae.  There seems to be something about the number 300, and interestingly, as noted in my commentary, some think it holds a symbolic importance, as in Greek the number 300 is represented by the letter T.  And T of course is a cross.  And thus, if we dig through a few layers of meaning, we may see that Gideon's army fought off the enemy whilst representing the cross of Christ!  And then there is the manner in which Gideon defeated the Madianites.  It wasn't through force or strength, but by way of craft.  The small army surrounds the Madianite camp at night and at the signal they sound their trumpets and break the pitchers that were hiding their torches so that instantaneously 300 lights appear around the Madianites.  The effect must have been quite astounding!  The Madianites, for all they know, are suddenly surrounded by a great force, and so, made scared and weak by God, they retreat.  There is symbolism here as well.  For the trumpets are like a blaring truth, just as the Apostles took the Gospel to the ends of the earth and blared its truths like a trumpet blast to all the peoples of the world.  And the torches of the Israelites are like flames of virtue and goodness.  Just as the Apostles' actions were like lights showing the world true goodness and beauty in following Christ's words.  The Israelites again didn't defeat the Madianites through brute strength, and that is not how the world will be won for Christ either.  It will be rather through truth, goodness, and beauty -- like trumpets blasting from the firmament and blazing lights like angels.  Words and actions.  God provides a powerful example through the battle fought by Gideon and his men!

Judges 6 - The Rise of Gideon

So we leave behind the era of Deborah and the peace that existed for forty years, and as soon as Judges 6 begins it is said, "the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord."  The cycle of sin continues, even till today.  The result of the Israelites' falling this time is their oppression by the Madianites.  Once oppressed they see the error of their ways and ask God for delivery.  And God answers promptly by calling on Gideon, a common, simple man, yet someone who has not been so caught up with the depraved idolatry going on all around him.  This was an interesting chapter, but I'll just highlight a couple of things that caught my attention.  The first involves something mentioned in my commentary.  Judges 6:10 says, "I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell."  The word "fear" is of significance here.  It may seem perplexing to us that the Israelites cannot seem to stop themselves from falling over and over again into idolatry.  But when we look for reasons, we can see that it stems from an inordinate fear that consumes all of us as humans.  We don't like being afraid.  That is true for all humans at all times.  We will gravitate towards whatever seems to alleviate us of this crippling fear.  Faith in the One True God requires that we overcome our fears and place all of our trust in Him, as scary as it may be.  But for the ancient Israelites, idols provided a quick, superficial escape from fear.  Idols were more immediate, seemingly more personal, and the claims were that these idols would calm the fears of the Israelites by providing safety, protection, security, etc.  The truth, of course, is that this was all based on diabolical lies and a rejection of the protection of the One God.  The Romans even had a god who specialized in taking fear away -- this was Paventia.  The Romans, like all of us, were afraid of fear, and so prayed to Paventia that they may not have to live with a constant fear plaguing them.  Today, we may not turn to idols or Paventia, but we do still seek elaborate ways of avoiding fear, mainly through political means, enacting more laws, placing more trust in a government we think will protect us.  All the while we ignore the true source of protection, which lies only with God above.  Just like the Israelites, our lack of faith causes us over and over to fall into a false trust in what is immediate, be it idols or politicians. 

Gideon, because his faith was strong, did not share the paralyzing fear of his countrymen.  Like the judges before him, his mission is to destroy the idolatrous mindset of the Israelites, lead an attack on the enemy, and restore true faith in God.  The chapter ends with the two miracles of the fleece.  And in these miracles, as many of the Church Fathers have discerned, is yet another example of God's divine plan.  The first miracle produces dew on the fleece only, yet the surrounding ground is dry.  This is as Gideon requested, to show that God truly was on his side.  This also represents God's covenant with the Israelites, that they were His chosen people, while the surrounding pagan nations were not in God's favor.  Yet the second miracle leaves the fleece dry while all the surrounding ground is now wet with dew!  This represents, or prefigures, the New Covenant that will be instituted by Jesus Christ, wherein the chosen people (the fleece) are no longer singled out in God's favor, but now all nations (the surrounding ground) will receive God's graces and be saved! 

Judges 5 - Victory Song

Judges 5 essentially retells the story of Deborah, Barac, and Jahel, but this time in song.  It's a poem, and it's remarkable.  Tradition holds that Deborah herself composed it, and the point of view does indicate this.  Judges 5:3 reads, "Hear, O ye kings, give ear, O ye princes: It is I, it is I, that will sing to the Lord, I will sing to the Lord, the God of Israel."  Repetition in poetry is never without purpose, and the double pronouncement of "it is I" indicates that there is something that stands out about the composer of this poem.  Deborah's being a woman would certainly set her apart and make her composition unique among the many canticles found in Scripture.  The song, when really broken down and scrutinized, is quite epic in scope.  It recalls the early history of the Israelites, the wonders God did for them, and then connects it all to the most recent and miraculous victory over Jabin and the Canaanites.  There is a listing of the various tribes, those who came to the defense of God's people, and those who stayed home.  Deborah heaps praise upon the former, and lambastes the latter.  Deborah herself is given a motherly description: "Debbora arose, a mother arose in Israel" (Judges 5:7).  The fact that Deborah, a powerful judge and leader, is described as Israel's mother is quite significant.  She has authority as a mother has, but cares for her people with a motherly affection and sweetness.  Her femininity is highlighted as an asset; she is not described simply in masculine terms.  The song continues and speaks of how Israel had become a downtrodden place, a dangerous place, where people could not live in peace and safety because of their oppressors the Canaanites.  But now, thanks to God, the pathways are safe, people can live and work freely, all due to God's intervention, through Deborah, Barac, and Jahel, in defeating the enemy.  It is a song of triumph.  It must have truly been a joyous time in Israel.  We know that the people will fall once again, and they will be oppressed once again, and another judge will have to be sent once again.  But for Deborah's generation we see a victorious Israel and a glimpse into the peace and joy of a society completely aligned with God's Holy Will.  A victory song was a most appropriate response to this triumphant episode of Jewish history.  Thanks be to God for Deborah, the mother of Israel!

Judges 4 - From a Different Nation

In Judges 4 we meet the powerful yet enigmatic figure of Deborah the prophetess.  I am drawn to this figure for many reasons.  My wife's name is Deborah, so she is a patroness in our family.  But also, in a long line of dominant males ruling the Israelites, she enters the narrative very unassumingly as the lone female to sit over the people as supreme judge and ruler!  It's a remarkable thing given the historical context.  She must have been someone quite obviously blessed by God and used by Him to work many wonders for the people to honor her so, and for there to be no mention of any controversy over her sex.  She is an early example of the many strong and wise women who pervade the Biblical texts.  Early in the chapter it is said, Deborah "sat under a palm-tree, which was called by her name, between Rama and Bethel, in Mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for all judgment" (Judges 4:5).  This verse struck me as similar to the oracles we see in many ancient civilizations, most famously in Greece.  Deborah sits upon a hill, under a tree, and the people go up to her.  She prophecies, gives advice and judgment, is consulted even by the most powerful military commanders, including Barac.  Deborah's reign makes for quite a fascinating period in Jewish history!

Of course, Judges 4 doesn't end with Deborah.  She is the predominating force overseeing the action, but the action itself culminates with, interestingly, another woman, though one not so high and mighty as Deborah.  She is Jahel, a humble and unassuming woman who just so happens to get caught up in the great battle taking place between the Israelites and the Canaanites.  It seems significant to note that Jahel isn't even an Israelite.  She is an outsider, from a different nation, a "nation" who is on friendly terms with the Israelites and so allowed to live on their land (she is descended from Jethro the Midianite).  Deborah and Barac her general, though they fight a heroic battle and appear to be winning, aren't able to deal the final blow.  Sisara, the Canaanite general, runs away and hides in Jahel's tent, with her permission.  What happens next is one of the more memorable moments in the Bible (up there with Eglon's ignoble end in the previous chapter).  Jahel takes a hammer and drives a large nail right through Sisara's head, thus defeating the Canaanite army.  It's a gruesome scene, but it shows how decisive and severe God's judgement can be with His enemies.  And as we've seen over and over in Scripture, even in just these first few books, it's quite curious that the victory would be given to an outsider.  Deborah very much represents the Old Law, the Israelite nations.  But Jahel represents the Gentiles, those outside of the chosen people of the Old Covenant.  Deborah, or the Old Covenant, begins to win the war against the enemy, against the evils of sin and the devil that roam the world, but it is Jahel, a precursor of the New Covenant, who will triumph.  The Jews, because of their obstinance and disobedience, cannot ultimately win the war.  But the Christian Church, through Jesus Christ, will take up the same battle and defeat the enemy once and for all.  Even the manner in which Jahel slays the enemy is highly suggestive of Christ's crucifixion, and that death upon the cross was the single greatest defeat the devil will ever experience.

Judges 3 - Aod and Eglon

Judges doesn't waste much time to get going.  In Chapter 3 we begin seeing the line of Judges, with specific mention of the first three: Othoniel, Aod (or Ehud), and Samgar.  The cycle is predictable.  The people fall into sin and are subsequently taken over by a local heathen ruler, God in His Mercy, sends them a savior in the form of a wise and courageous judge, who delivers the people from their oppressor.  But when this judge dies (after a period of peace), the people fall back into their old ways, and a new judge is sent.  It's interesting to read about these events with a historian's perspective.  The Israelites seem to keep getting taken over and oppressed by different rulers from different peoples.  It might at times be the Philistines on the west and south, or the Persians, or Syrians, or Mesopotamians on the east.  It paints a picture of the Israelites truly in a precarious position.  They are surrounded by hostile peoples always ready to attack and subjugate them.  My commentary mentions that it is possible that different Judges are sent to different Hebrew tribes, and thus each judge's account in the Bible represents a different conflict, and some of these conflicts could have been going on simultaneously.  It's also interesting to note that the nation of Israel today is still in this precarious position, surrounded as they are by Islamic nations who are hostile towards them.  It can't be an easy position to be in, but it's as old and customary to them as the hills.  For each of us it's a lesson that while we are walking this earth, the enemy in the form of Satan and sin, is always around us.  We have to always be on our guard and realize we could be infiltrated by the enemy at any moment.

Back to Judges 3, though.  There isn't much said about the judges in this chapter, especially Othoniel and Samgar.  Aod at least gets an interesting story, that I'm sure anyone who's read the Bible will always remember.  Aod is sent to deliver the people from the Moabites, who have taken over what I believe to be the south and eastern portions of Israelite territory.  The Moabite king is Eglon, who gets a vivid description as someone who was "exceeding fat" (Judges 3:17).  The account is suspenseful and reads like any thrilling novel.  Aod sees the king, gets to be alone with him, and drives his sword through Eglon so far that it gets completely lost and covered up in his fat!  He leaves and the guards wait a long time before they finally realize something's wrong.  When they go in, they see their king dead.  Aod subsequently leads the Israelites in battle against the Moabites who get annihilated and pushed out of the Israelites' land.  It's quite a story to read!  It shows the special power God bestowed on his Judges to save His chosen people. 

Judges 2 - False Compassion

Judges 2 begins with an angel of the Lord addressing all of Israel and reproving them for their fallen ways.  It's a chapter that very much sets the course for the Book of Judges: the people fall into sin, God is angered but moved to compassion by the few who have stayed true to Him, and so He gives them a Judge who will deliver them from their enemies and save them from their own sinful ways, but when the Judge dies the people fall back into sin, and the cycle must begin anew.  It's enough to wonder why God would continue to give the people new judges when it's almost certain they will just fall again.  Well, isn't it the same today?  God's Mercy and Compassion is without limit!  We sin over and over, and though it offends and angers God, He is always ready and willing to take us back.  In Judges 2:20 God even says "this nation hath made void my covenant'!  At that point one would think the covenantal relationship had ended and God would simply leave His people to die by the hands of the enemy.  But in the very next verse He says, "I also will not destroy the nations..." (Judges 2:21).  In fact, it is a merciful act that He allows the Israelites to go on living among their enemy (i.e., their sin).  It is a test.  My commentary gives the analogy of someone who distrusts a servant and so purposefully leaves out something to steal to see if the servant will commit the theft or not.  This is the real reason Joshua wasn't permitted to slay every last Canaanite (Lord knows he could have!).  There would have been no occasion left for the Israelites to prove their loyalty and love to God if there were no temptations left to return to their old, sinful, idolatrous lifestyle!  Today we still live in a world of temptation and sin.  God permits these things, for how else might we prove our love for Him!

One last note of interest: one of the reasons given for why the Israelites were so tolerant of pagans living among them was that they had a "false compassion."  This phrase (used in my commentary) jumped out at me as something that we in this modern age are very much guilty of.  We like to permit all forms of egregious behavior because we have compassion for the person.  But what of the person's soul?  The modern mindset, even among the clergy, is to bend the rules to allow for objectively sinful situations to persist, as long as we cover the whole thing in "mercy."  But is it truly merciful?  The Israelites' "compassion" led to their downfall: "their gods may be your ruin" (Judges 2:3).  By allowing sin in, they left God out.  We seem today to be using that same tactic.  We ought to learn from the mistakes of our forebears and be much more wary of what we are doing when we allow the enemy access to our abode through the toleration of sin.

Judges 1 - "Juda Shall Go Up"

Judges 1 had a lot of overlap from the Book of Josue.  It describes many of the battles the Israelites fought against the Canaanites to rid the Promised Land of their pagan influence.  But there were a few notable moments wherein new information is presented.  Almost immediately it is made clear that the tribe of Juda is going to play a prominent role in the upcoming history of Israel.  This is of course the tribe that Jesus will be born into.  Juda clears out a wide swath of territory and cities of Canaanites, including the sacred city of Jerusalem.  The tribe (along with Simeon) will control almost all of the southern portion of the Promised Land, and it appears God aided them in this.  However, just as we saw in Josue, the rest of Judges 1 seems to indicate that the Israelites more times than not failed in getting rid of all the Canaanites, and instead allowed some to remain, sometimes as tributaries.  In fact, there is a general sense in this chapter that after Joshua's death the Canaanites were emboldened and rose up with vengeance against the Israelites.  There is some fierce fighting, especially in the Judean territories, but mostly it's the Israelites exhibiting apathy or slothfulness in response to the enemy's presence.  And if we view the Canaanites as a figure of sin, the whole chapter takes on a new and more significant meaning.  For God wills us to defeat sin, as He willed His chosen people to defeat the pagan Canaanites in the Promised Land.  But time and time again the Canaanite is allowed to remain, just as we allow sin to remain in our lives over and over again.  There are some who valiantly and triumphantly defeat the Canaanite, as Joshua did.  These are the saints who have by and large defeated sin and gained access to the eternal kingdom of heaven.  But most of us have weaknesses too great to be so triumphant, and we need a Joshua (i.e., Jesus Christ) to fight for us in order to make it to the Promised Land.  The Canaanites (sin) remain in the Promised Land for many reasons.  Some of the tribes simply want to avoid war, possibly out of fear, just as some of us are too afraid to do God's will.  Some of the tribes don't fight out of laziness, just as we are often too spiritually slothful to ever gain the upper hand against sin.  And some of the tribes actually keep the Canaanites around for personal profit!  They allow them to stay on their lands if they pay a tribute, thus they become (materially) enriched by the enemy.  How many of us keep sin in our lives because of some "advantage" it gives us?  Though the advantage is material only, and will become our disadvantage spiritually at the time of judgment. 

Concluding Thoughts on Josue

It can't be overstated -- Joshua leads us still today from the pages of Sacred Scripture as a model of perfect faith in God and as a most worthy prefiguring of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Bernard O'Reilly says, "[t]he blameless man chosen to be the successor of Moses, to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, to defeat the combined armies of the heathen Canaanites, to divide the national territory thus conquered among the Twelve Tribes, and to leave them in secure possession of their independence, was a fit type of the Redeemer to come, who could alone reconquer for all our race the forfeited inheritance of eternity, who alone could introduce us into His Kingdom, and share its glories with us."  It's one of the most stunning symbols in all of Scripture.  Moses and his Law could get the people only so far.  And the people under Moses were quite a disloyal bunch!  Murmuring or outright disobeying, they were constantly failing to live up to the stringent Mosaic Law.  It took Joshua, a figure of supernatural goodness, to put the people on his back and slay the enemy to allow them to step foot in a most Holy Land.  So it is with us -- a law will only get us so far, mainly because as fallen creatures we will never be able to uphold a law perfectly.  It took Jesus Christ to come and freely offer us redemption and salvation.  This is, for us today (and probably the intended eternal message), the supreme lesson and value of the Book of Josue.  Throughout the Book of Josue, the people are actually pretty faithful and good.  We don't see nearly the same amount of murmuring and disloyalty that we saw in the Pentateuch.  Moses was an imperfect figure himself, and as we know was not able to step foot in the Promised Land.  But Joshua seems to be almost without fault (just as our Savior was a sinless person), and so all of Israel is likewise more faithful under his leadership.  However, we know the history and the eventual fall of the Jews.  Joshua saw this, too.  The last chapters contain his premonitions and he makes it clear he sees them falling into their old ways in the future.  But Joshua remains for us a shining example of faith.  This is the most valuable lesson I've taken away from this book.  I look forward to reading the historical books ahead, but I know I will be reading about a faithless people and it will be a constant reminder of my own lack of faith and failings in trying to follow our Lord.  I'm thankful God gave us Joshua, though, to be an everlasting example of what we can accomplish if we only have faith. 

Josue 23-24: Joshua's Plea

I have finished the Book of Josue.  It took me a long three years to do it, but it is done.  My reading of Scripture started slowing down with Numbers and Deuteronomy due to the adoption of our son Nathaniel at that time.  I had hoped as he got older it would be easier to find time to read Scripture and reflect.  But life only got busier.  And then last year we adopted our daughter Lucy Penelope.  And I've come to realize that I can't wait for life to just grant me more time to read and reflect on the Word -- I've got to make that time!  Life will never stop being "busy," but time is ours to prioritize, and with this I need to do a better job.  So I crawled my way through Josue at a snail's pace, but this last week I've picked up the pace and I hope to continue this trend as I begin the Book of Judges.  Slowly and steadily, Lord willing, I'll persevere, and accomplish my goal of not just reading the Bible front to back, but reflecting on its every word and trying to discover as many layers of meaning as possible.

The last chapters of Josue are similar to the ending of Deuteronomy, in which we see a Moses at the end of his life give one last plea to his people to follow the One True God with total fidelity.  Joshua likewise is nearing his death and thus gathers together all the Israelites and pleads with them to not fall into old ways of sin and idolatry, but to remain faithful to God Who has granted them so much.  I was really moved by a couple of verses in particular.  Josue 24:13 reads "And [God] gave you a land, in which you had not labored, and cities to dwell in, which you built not, vineyards and olive-yards, which you planted not."  I see this as such a powerful reminder for us to always be humble.  Especially today we are almost encouraged to be proud of our accomplishments, to own them, to be strengthened by what we ourselves have done.  But are they truly our accomplishments alone?  And even if they are, we live in a world given to us, surrounded by opportunities that come from somewhere else.  If we have faith, we know God provides, and we know where to always place our thanks.  We know also that if we live faithfully, we have a place waiting for us that was not built by us but will regardless be freely given to us by a loving God.  The Promised Land was freely given to the Jews, though they didn't labor on it, build its cities, or plant its vineyards.  Heaven will be given to us in the same manner if we remain loyal and humble.

Another verse, Josue 24:15 reads "But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve..."  This is an amazing example of the existence of free will.  Joshua pleads with his people to remain faithful to the One God, but also adds that it is ultimately their choice.  They cannot be forced to follow God.  If they were, their loyalty would be meaningless.  Ultimately, the choice is always ours.  We choose heaven or hell, it isn't chosen for us.  Humility helps in this regard, as it's harder to choose a life of faithful devotion to God when we are so in love with our own strength and accomplishments.

The last thing I'll mention as I wrap up Josue, is the figure himself.  Joshua obviously holds a very esteemed place in the Bible.  He is the leader of the Israelites at that significant moment of transition from a wandering people to a people established in their Promised home.  He, through the grace of God, performs wonders and helps to destroy the pagan societies that were living in the Promised Land.  He shares the name of Jesus, and prefigures Him in so many ways as Jesus Christ is the One Who will break open the gates of heaven so that we may all have access to the eternal Promised Land.  It is even theorized by some that Joshua may have been the inspiration behind the mythological figure of Hercules, at least his most ancient forms as seen in Egypt and Tyre.  In the end, finishing the Book of Josue feels monumental in that the Israelites are now firmly established in their home, and now the history begins of the land of Israel and its people and the dramatic events that will occur over the next millennia. 

Josue 22 - Understanding One Another

"And when they were come to the banks of the Jordan, in the land of Chanaan, they built an altar immensely great near the Jordan." (Josue 22:10)

So goes the verse at the center of the controversy found in Josue 22.  Ruben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses have returned to their homeland on the east side of the Jordan, which is technically outside of the Promised Land.  In a lot of ways their sacrifice in helping to rid the land of the pagans was the greatest since it wasn't even their proper land they were defending, but instead it was the idea, or the Covenant with God, they were defending.  After the battles ended, they were allowed to return to their true homes, which happen to be, as divinely decreed, outside the bounds of the Promised Land.  It therefore seems reasonable that they would feel a bit isolated, separated from their brethren, who enjoyed now the land promised to them, a land flowing with milk and honey.  So they erected a large altar so they could still feel a part of the holy religion that united the Israelites.  This of course triggers worry and anger among the "west siders," as they see it as their east side brethren falling back into idolatry.  To the Israelites living in the Promised Land, it was probably a legitimate concern that the tribes of Ruben, Gad, and Manasses would fall prey to the pagan world to which they lived closer.  All of these things added up to a giant misunderstanding, which leads to the lesson that can really be learned in this chapter.  Instead of acting on their suspicions and attacking their east side brethren, the other tribes send Phinees (the zealous priest we met before in Numbers) along with a coalition of representatives, to peacefully talk with the east side tribes, to try to understand their reasoning for building the great altar.  Through discussion they realize that the tribes of Ruben, Gad, and Manasses have not reverted to paganism but have simply built the altar to remind themselves to always stay loyal to the One True God and also as a reminder that they are connected to the other tribes who live west of the Jordan.  All parties leave with an understanding of one another and with much love and respect.  It shows what can be achieved when we make an effort to see where someone is coming from.  Their reasons may surprise us, and we might often see our anger and suspicions are unjustified.

Josue 21 - Providential Proportion

Josue 21 concerns the Levites and where they are to be established in Israel.  It brought me back to the Books of Exodus and Leviticus, which were rife with parallels between the Levitical priesthood and that of the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ.  Those books left no doubt in my mind that the Levitical priesthood was a symbolic precursor to the modern day Christian priesthood.  And reading Josue 21 reminded me of all of those parallels which were so fascinating to discover.  The Levites, being set apart from their brethren, are given select cities and suburbs scattered among the tribes all over the Promised Land, rather than a specific bordered region.  This makes sense on many levels.  Being the privileged group in charge of administering the proper sacrifices and overseeing all the rites and rituals of the Jewish religion, the Levites must be accessible to all the Israelites.  Proportionally it makes sense as well, since the majority of the people (busy working the land, providing food, forming families and populating the land) attend the sacrifice or are in need of a priest to perform any number of rites, rather than the other way around.  So it is today.  The Christian priesthood is evenly distributed among the peoples of the world to provide the administration of the Sacraments, while the majority of Christians (busy with jobs and raising families) attend the rites or look to the priesthood to attend to their specific religious needs.  One priest can fulfill the needs of a Christian community of 1,000.  God's Providence knows all this and divides His people accordingly, then and now.  Seeing the Jewish Kingdom forming here in these chapters of Josue is quite illuminating.  The division of the land, the cities, where each tribe will dwell, and now to see the priesthood distributed throughout the land so the people may worship properly and give thanks for their blessings -- all of these things are falling each into its right place, and it's fascinating to behold.  The necessity of the priesthood is highlighted in Josue 21, and reminds me of its utter necessity today. 

Josue 20 - "Revenge Is Mine"

The brief 20th chapter of Josue begins the establishment of the Levitical sanctuaries, which were to be places scattered throughout the Promised Land to provide refuge for the afflicted.  It is yet another sign of God's mercy that such a law was even considered and implemented.  In the midst of the Old Testament, to which many assign labels of oppression, anger, and apocalyptic justice, is a moment of sympathy.  Josue 20 is a statement against revenge.  The Old Law may have indeed been harsher than what we today are accustomed to, but it never gave free license for a man to take justice into his own hands.  It is a human weakness to crave revenge.  Evening the score is even seen as honorable and good in many cultures (even ours today).  And the ancient Israelites were particularly prone to falling into sins of revenge.  But this was never condoned, and it is just one more example of a people ignoring their own laws to follow their own fallen hearts.  (The account of Dina in Genesis 34 provides a good example of what God really thinks of those who act on anger in seeking revenge).  In Josue 20 it is stated that a man who is guilty of manslaughter may present himself at the gate of a sanctuary city.  There he will be safe from the wrathful vengeance of those seeking to get back at the man.  An organized trial will follow, as is fair, but in the mean time God has made it clear we are to not act out of spontaneous anger.  Sanctuary cities allow all parties to cool off and a trial to commence, where a more reasonable outcome can come about.  The wandering Israelites, now firmly established in the Promised Land, are planting the seeds of a civilized society.  Laws of mercy and justice, God's Laws, are taking shape.  The kingdom begins. 

Josue 14-19: Cities!

"Carmel by the sea" (Josue 19:26), "Cariath Arbe, the father of Enac, which is Hebron" (Josue 15:13), "the strong city of Tyre" (Josue 19:29), "Sela, Eleph, and Jebus, which is Jerusalem" (Josue 18:28).

This is the dividing of the land among the tribes of Israel.  Chapters 14 through 19 of Josue are more catalogical than anything.  An almost innumerable amount of cities are mentioned by name, all of which now belong to the Israelites (though it's well documented in this book that many Canaanites remained in small pockets here and there).  Each tribe's borders are described in detail, with mention of not only cities but geographical details such as rivers and mountains and anything else that could demarcate a border.  In Chapter 19, Joshua himself is finally given his own plot of land, "Thamnath Saraa in Mount Ephraim" (Josue 19:50), which, according to some, was a barren land, thus demonstrating Joshua's humility and self-sacrifice, attributes of Our Lord Jesus Christ whom Joshua pre-figures.  Josue 14-19 is light on narrative, but historically it's quite fascinating.  Of the multitude of cities listed now occupied by the Israelites, I recognized only a handful (not being an expert in Levantine geography).  But those I did recognize all have storied histories.  Jerusalem, of course, being the supreme example.  Mention of Jerusalem goes all the way back to Abraham and the Book of Genesis, but here in Josue it is interestingly referred to once as "Jebus."  It is stated that it was inhabited by the Jebusites (hence the name) and that they remained in the city even after Joshua's conquest, until David ran them out.  And there is Hebron, the also famous city of the Holy Land, given over to Caleb for his faithfulness.  And Carmel and Tyre.  Carmel first came to my attention because of the Carmelites, the religious order famous for giving the world the brown scapular, by way of St. Simon Stock.  And Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who my own mother is named after.  And another "Carmel-by-the-Sea," a coastal town in my home state of California.  But of course these are all things that came much later.  To see the name Carmel in a list of ancient Canaanite cities, written in the ancient Book of Josue, struck me as profound.  It speaks to the depth of history and its continuity and connection to us today.  Likewise, seeing the name Tyre in the same chapter, I was instantly met with visions of the Crusades, of medieval soldiers entering the Mediterranean seaport, of Jesus Christ walking about the town and curing the "woman of Chanaan" (Matthew 15:22).  These cities are known so well in modern times and in recent history, but they are so much older than that, almost as old as the hills.  The Israelites are, in the Book of Josue, establishing themselves in their Promised Land, but they are moving into cities that are already at that time quite old.  And many of these towns will make a big historical impact in the years to come.  In the time of Christ.  And beyond.    

Josue 12-13: Unfinished Business

Things have obviously slowed to a crawl.  It's been over ten months since I've posted, and before that it was even longer.  It's definitely been a challenge to find time to devote to the Word, and the challenge has been made greater these last few months.  In October last year my wife and I welcomed home our daughter, Lucy Penelope, who we are now in the process of adopting.  With now two little ones occupying my time, it seems no hours are left for scriptural study.  Of course I know time must be made, and where there's a will there's a way.  So it's time to give it my best shot.  I've taken far too long to work my way through Josue, but hopefully I'll now rediscover my motivation and continue my journey.  Giving up altogether is not an option.

When last I left off, the Israelites were making progress subduing the land of Chanaan for God.  Chapter 12 is a sort of catalog of the places occupied by the Israelites and the kings they slew in the process.  For that reason there wasn't much to comment on (other than the remarkableness of the Israelites' accomplishments in so short a time).  In Chapter 13, however, there is an interesting mention of some communities that somehow escaped the destruction of their neighbor pagan cities.  Josue 13:13 reads, "And the children of Israel would not destroy Gessuri and Machati: and they have dwelt in the midst of Israel, until this present day."  There are a couple of ways to read this.  On the one hand, looking at the Israelites' journey as also a symbolic one, we can see that, at least in this life, sin can never be wholly eliminated.  Had the Israelites wiped out every pagan community, the Promised Land would not have possessed a means whereby the people's fidelity could be tested.  It would have been a utopia, a land virtually free of the harmful effects of sin.  In short, it wouldn't have represented well our fallen world, the one we still live in.  If God wanted the Israelites' plight to provide a model for us, it makes sense that sin and temptation would continue to exist.  On the other hand, these pagan places might have escaped destruction simply because the Israelites disobeyed God by not destroying all the people.  That is what they were instructed to do and they may have felt that they did a good enough job and saw no big deal in leaving a couple of communities untouched.  This was a disobedient decision and it did indeed end up costing them as many Israelites were tempted back into pagan ways by means of these pockets of paganism.  The Israelites are us and we are the Israelites.  We'll never conquer sin completely in this life, but must do our best to try.  And God allows sin and evil and temptation to exist that we may love Him, that a measure may exist that our love might be known.  How much greater must the loyal Israelites have appeared in God's eyes as they worshiped rightly and obeyed His commands while next door pagans were adoring false idols and offending God's natural laws?  We "walk in the midst of the shadow of death" (Psalm 22:4) wherein we need God's help and prayer exists.  Would we need such help, would we need to pray, in a world bright like heaven, a sinless paradise?