Saturday, May 17, 2014

Old Testament Lesson 19 – The Reign of the Governor/Heroes (Judges)

Lesson 19 – The Reign of the Judges
Temple Chronology

960 BC to 587 BC: First Temple:Built by Solomon

930 Kingdom Divides into Judah and Israel

722 Assyrians conquer. Deportation. Are largely absorbed into Assyrian culture, cease to have their own identity.  10 tribes lost.

640-609 BC Josiah, Josian reforms 632 BC. Concludes reforms in 622 BC, 35 years later…some say 25 years…

597 (587 common) -538 BC Chaldean/Babylonian exile  “The Exhile” by Jews. (Capital is Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar is king).  They conquer Jerusalem, Deport 10,000 citizens, largely professionals, priests, craftsman, the wealthy, but here, with Nebuchadnessar, they are kept together.  (Many see this Exhile as a response to the Josian changes that were made, that they were being punished)

538 BC.  Persian King Cyrus (conqueror of Babylonian empire in 538BC) sends 50k Jews to return.  Wants to rebuild temple so he can correctly worship Jehovah, who he felt was one of the Gods among many, but was a good god.

516-70 AD Second Temple: Largely under Ezra who restored the 2nd temple patterned after Josian reforms that occured just before the Exhile.

332 BC Captured by Alexander the Great

166 BC Maccabean revolt against being forced by Hellenists (greeks) to worship a certain way.   Have autonomy now but under Seleucid oversight. 

161 BC, Hasmonean period, Judah the Maccabee made a treaty with Rome.  Hasmonean’s are quite corrupt.

142 BC Jewish autonomy under Hasmoneans, part of the  Seleucid Kingdom (a kingdom that survived when Alexander the Great died and kingdom’s divided to children), when Seleucid’s fall, Jewish independence was again achieved. 

67 BC Aristoboulos declares himself “High-Priest King” 30 minutes before his mother dies. 

Aristoboulos brother, John Hyrcanus felt this was unfair, revolted against him, allies himself with Rome, General Pompey.  They jointly smash Aristboulos forces.  John and Pompey enter Jerusalem but the temple loomed above them.  Took them 3 months to take the temple and establish control.

63 BC Captured by Rome

Herod’s Temple (Herod 74BC to 4AD, takes power in 37 or 36 BC)

Pompey and Julius Caesar battle for power, Caesar wins and appoints a governor, the son of an Idumean who had been forced to convert to Judaism, Herod. Julius, Mark Antony and Octavian all kept Herod in power. Herod put down all rebellion, slaughtered all dissidents. 

Herod starts appointing the high priest to the temple. 

Incredible construction projects.  Defensive structures and fortresses throughout the country.  Used Jewish slave labor. 

Herod increased the size of the temple mount by building retaining walls, increasing the hilltop size by 6 football fields.  This is what the Western Wall represents, the western retaining wall to increase the size of the temple mount by Herod.  He built a huge man-made bay on the coasts.  Most rocks were 10 tons, one was 200 tons.  

66 AD The Jews revolt against the Romans.  In 4 years, the Romans put down the revolt.  The outlying Jews were driven back to Jerusalem, they were the zealots, the committed.  They killed and Jewish leader who was more moderate than they were.  Most Jerusalem-based Jewish leaders were killed by the rebellious Jews, not the Romans.  The temple was burned, the great stones were pushed apart. 

The Diaspora begins.

 

SANHEDRIN

The Greek word sunedrion, translated “council” is referred to in the New Testament as “the Great Law-Court”, “the Court of Seventy-One”, and “the rulers and elders and scribes.” It was the supreme theocratic court of the Jews and reflected the local autonomy which the Greek and Roman powers granted the Jewish nation. Its origin can be traced back as far as 200 B.C. The council had 70 members plus the ruling high priest. Three professional groups composed the council:

  • High priests (the acting high priest and former high priests) and members of the chief-priestly families
  • Elders (tribal and family heads of the people and the priesthood)
  • Scribes (legal professionals).(mostly Pharisees, minority on the council, but majority outside the council)

At the time of Jesus two religio-political parties within Judaism were represented in this membership: the Sadducees of the majority and the Pharisees of the minority. Caiaphas the high priest was a Sadducee. Most of the scribes were Pharisees. The presiding officer of the council was usually the high priest. The council was connected with the minor courts, being the highest court of appeal from these. The Sanhedrin’s authority was broad and far-reaching, involving legislation, administration, and justice. There was religious, civil, and criminal jurisdiction. However, during the time of Jesus, the council had lost to the Roman governor the power of capital punishment.

The council met daily, except on Sabbath and feast days, in a session room adjoining the temple. In extraordinary cases, the council met at the house of the high priest. One of the responsibilities of the Sanhedrin was the identification, and confirmation of the Messiah. The gospel writers identify a delegation from the council going out to question John the Baptist as to whether he was the Messiah.

How do you become a member of the Sanhedrin?  By “laying on of hand” a term call Semikah. 

Aaronic Priesthood and Authority:
October 5, 2007

(This is an article from the above link, from a blog, mormonsandjews.wordpress.com.  The author is Jewish)

Not Necessarily the same thing…

One basic principal upon which Judaism and Mormonism agree upon is that Judaism subsumes the Aaronic priesthood and that this priesthood continues to be held within Judaism.

I’m going to use, more or less, Mormon terminology in this essay since it is addressed primarily to Mormons. However let me start my saying that we rarely refer to our priesthood as the “Aaronic priesthood.” Though that formulation appears occasionally in Jewish literature, we usually refer to “the priests” by their Hebrew name, the “Kohanim.” An individual priest is usually referred to as a “kohen.” Priests have “ha Kohain” added to their Hebrew names and their English last names are often “Cohen.” It is this naming convention that has preserved the identity of the priesthood from ancient times because, in Judaism, the transferal of priesthood is purely through lineal descent. That is to say, if your father was a kohen, then so are you. There is no “ordination” to the Aaronic priesthood in Judaism* (Except for the first ones, Aaron and his sons as recorded in the Bible.)**

Mormonism agrees with this formulation and accords the descendants of Aaron special privileges:

D&C 68:14-18 There remain hereafter, in the due time of the Lord, other bishops to be set apart unto the church, to minister even according to the first; 15 Wherefore they shall be high priests who are worthy, and they shall be appointed by the First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood, except they be literal descendants of Aaron. 16 And if they be literal descendants of Aaron they have a legal right to the bishopric, if they are the firstborn among the sons of Aaron; 17 For the firstborn holds the right of the presidency over this priesthood, and the keys or authority of the same. 18 No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant and the firstborn of Aaron.

D&C 107:13-16 The second priesthood is called the Priesthood of Aaron, because it was conferred upon Aaron and his seed,throughout all their generations. 14 Why it is called the lesser priesthood is because it is an appendage to the greater, or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in administering outward ordinances. 15 The bishopric is the presidency of this priesthood, and holds the keys or authority of the same. 16 No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant of Aaron.

D&C 84:18 18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.

Joseph Smith seems to have confirmed this a number of times in his discourses. He said, for example:

“There was a priesthood conferred upon the sons of Levi throughout all the generations of the Jews. They are born heirs to this priesthood.” (Discourse of March 21st 1841, recorded by William McIntire)

“This priesthood was given to Aaron and his posterity throughout all generations.” (Discourse of July 23rd 1843, recorded by James Burgess)

“It is forever hereditary, fixed on the head of Aaron.” (Discourse of July 23rd 1843, recorded by Willard Richards)

The Specific notation that the office is held by the descendants of Aaron,throughout all their generations and that this priesthood continueth and abideth forever among the descendant of Aaron is, I believe, an important starting point for Mormon-Jewish dialogue. What this means is that Mormonism recognizes a level of priesthood authority outside the Mormon sphere and it is within Judaism.

One of the reasons that I decided to establish this blog was a chance encounter with Robert C. Millet on my television set. I happened to be channel surfing my digital cable channels one evening and happened to cross the BYU channel. There I heard Millet state, “Even though Jews control Jerusalem, they don’t have the priesthood. They don’t Even if they built a temple they couldn’t dedicate it. It will be a Latter-day Saint Temple.” I thought he was wrong on three counts from both the Mormon and Jewish perspective. I think it is clear that even from the perspective of the uniquely Mormon scriptures, the priesthood exists within Judaism. The question is, how is that priesthood exercised and how does authority function within Judaism?

These are good questions for Jews to ask, even in a purely Jewish context. They are essential in the context of Jewish-Mormon dialogue (particularly if the Mormons in question are orthodox. It’s probably more an “interesting” question to most Jews and Mormons of the Sunstone/Dialogue variety).

Some Mormons might object that no one can confirm today who really is a literal descendant of Aaron. That might have been true at one time. Even 20 years ago, one had to accept the unbroken chain of the Jewish naming conventions to accept individual priesthood holders. However today with DNA research, the familial relationship and common ancestry, traced to a single individual, of todays Aaronic priests can be confirmed.

For example, Prof. Karl Skorec using a set of six markers (DYS19, DYS388, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393), a single genetic haplotype, termed the “Cohen Modal Haplotype,” was found to be the most frequent, and to be shared among priests from all Jewish communities. In a 1998 study, the modal haplotype frequencies were found to be 0.449 and 0.561 for the Ashkenazi and Sephardi kohanim, respectively. Overall Jewish identity, since at least talmudic times (100 B.C.E.–500 C.E.) has traditionally been acquired either by descent from a Jewish woman, or alternatively by rabbinically authorized conversion, without the need to establish descent from a common male (or female) ancestor. In contrast, affiliation to the Jewish Aaronic priesthood was restricted along patrilineal descent. The use of one-step mutation haplotypes, termed the Cohen Modal Cluster, allowed the calculation of the most common recent ancestor by standard accepted mutation rates. This calculation gave an estimate of approximately 106 generations, which for a generation time of 25 years gives an estimated range which brackets a mean of 2,650 years before the present. These results establish the common origin of the Jewish priesthood caste in the Near East, coinciding with a timeframe beginning at approximately the biblically attributed date of the exodus from Egypt and extending to the Temple period.

In actual Jewish practice, however, the authority exercised by the Aaronic priesthood today is minimal. Except for a few holidays and a few very minor rituals, the Aaronic priesthood functions no differently than do regular members of a congregation. This is largely due to the absence of a temple in Judaism today since most of the functions of the priesthood were confined to the temple and the sacrificial process. Further, there was a continual problem in ancient Judaism that is common to all hereditary systems. That problem is, simply stated, not all people born to an office are particularly good at it not ethical in its administration. Thus, an entire class of ordained people, with direct authority, with the “laying on of hands” (Semikah), but without priesthood arose to prominence….ultimately, the Rabbis.

At this point, let me note that authority through divine revelation was, of course, foundational to Judaism. Though very early there was a separation between revelatory functions and the exercise of authority in making judgments or performing ritual actions (i.e. “ordinances”). Thus, Moses as the great prophet but also acting as the great judge does go directly to God for information on how to deal with issues of community discipline as in:

Numbers 15:32-36 32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Yet by the end of the Deuteronomy, which, within the Torah’s internal chronology is relatively late and includes a retelling of the divine legal code (hence the name “Deuteronomy” or “Second law”), we are told that the Torah is no longer “in heaven” and is not “baffling.” It remains on earth and becomes the domain of earthly decisors.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 11 Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. 12 It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it’?” 14 No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

It is on the basis of this statement that Sanhedrin and the Rabbis they ordained have felt free to judge on a variety of matters.

The Sanhedrin and ultimately the Rabbis, were ordained (or set apart) by laying on of hands and had all the authority they needed but they did not consider themselves to hold the priesthood. The idea of authority without priesthood is, to Mormons, something like a perfectly round square. In the Mormon sense, priesthood means, “Authority to act in the name of God” thus all god given authority is priesthood. In Judaism however, the title “priest” only refers to the descendants of Aaron. They are not, in Judaism, “ordained” per se other than the original ordination described in the Bible. However, a conferral of divine authority apart from this priesthood did (and arguably still does, albeit in an “interrupted” form) exist and it was transferred in a fashion similar to the way Mormons transfer priesthood. That method was by “Semikah,” the “laying on of hands.”

All Jewish religious leaders who were not Aaronic priests (Kohanim) had to be ordained before they were permitted to perform certain judicial functions and to decide practical questions in Jewish law (note: that is to say, be on a body like the Sanhedrin) The Bible relates that Moses ordained Joshua by placing his hands on him, thereby transferring a portion of his spirit to Joshua (Num. 27:22, 23; Deut. 34:9).

Numbers 27:22-23 22 Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community. 23 He laid his hands upon him and commissioned him — as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

Deuteronomy 34:9 9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the Israelites heeded him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.

“Laying on of hands” here is (Semikah) literally, Laying on hands

The term “Semikah” also appears in:

Deuteronomy 34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the Israelites heeded him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses

Moses also ordained the 70 elders who assisted him in governing the people (Num. 11:16–17, 24–25). This is, of course, the Jewish “first council of seventy,” or in other worse, the original prototype of the “Sanhedrin.” The elders ordained by Moses ordained their successors, who in turn ordained others, so that there existed an unbroken chain of ordination from Moses down through the time of the Second Temple and into the 400 c.e. period.

Numbers 11:16-17 16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy of Israel’s elders of whom you have experience as elders and officers of the people, and bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them take their place there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will draw upon the spirit that is on you and put it upon them; they shall share the burden of the people with you, and you shall not bear it alone.  (This will become the Sanhedrin, or council of 70)

Numbers 11:24-25 Moses went out and reported the words of the LORD to the people. He gathered seventy of the people’s elders and stationed them around the Tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in a cloud and spoke to him; He drew upon the spirit that was on him and put it upon the seventy elders. And when the spirit rested upon them, they spoke in ecstasy, but did not continue.

Jewish tradition states that when the spirit was “put upon them,” though it does not specifically say so, it was via the laying on of hand. (Semikah). See Talmud tractate Sanhedrin 42a and comment by Maimonides.

Ordination by lying on of hands was required both for membership in the Great Sanhedrin, and the smaller Sanhedrins and regular colleges of judges empowered to decide legal cases. Three rows of scholars always sat before the Sanhedrin, and whenever it became necessary to choose a new member, a scholar from the first row was chosen and ordained (Maim. Sanh. 4:4). ***

(Note: To summarize, Rabbi’s and those who sit on councils are done by Semikah, the laying on of hands, but no priesthood is given here.  This would be like a “setting apart” in the church.  Becoming a priest in the temple required washing and anointing, but no Semikah or laying on of hands.  Becoming a priest, or Kohen, happens through lineage with no outward ordinance or Semikah being necessary).

(discussed temple, ordination, jump down)

Only a transfer of the Divine Spirit which originally rested on Moses empowered the ordained person to make decisions in these crucial areas. Ordination could be limited to only one or some of these various functions. The complete formula of ordination was “Yoreh Yoreh Yaddin Yaddin. Yattir Yattir” (”May he decide? He may decide. May he judge? He may judge. May he permit? He may permit”).

The ordination itself, which required the presence of four elder rabbis, one of whom was himself ordained, was originally performed by every ordained teacher upon his pupils (Sanh. 1:3; TJ, Sanh. 1:3, 19a).

On the day of ordination, the candidate wore a special garment (Lev. R. 2:4). After the ceremony, the scholars present praised in rhythmic sentences the person ordained. At the ordination of R. Ze’ira it was sung: “No powder, no paint, no waving of the hair, and still a graceful gazelle”; at the ordinations of Ammi and Assi: “Such as these, such as these ordain unto us” (Ket. 17a). After the ceremony, it seems that the ordinand delivered a public discourse on a specific topic.

(start again here)

After the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–35 C.E.), the Roman emperor Hadrian attempted to end the spiritual authority still wielded by the Sanhedrin, which had been shorn of all government support, by forbidding the granting of semikhah to new scholars. It was declared that “whoever performed an ordination should be put to death, and whoever received ordination should be put to death, the city in which the ordination took place demolished, and the boundaries wherein it had been performed uprooted” (Sanh. 14a). R. Judah b. Bava was executed for ordaining several of his pupils in a no-man’s-land between Usha and Shefaram.

During 351-52 C.E., the few remaining Jewish communities in Israel including Sepphoris, Tiberias, Lydda were destroyed by the newly Christian Empire and new decrees were issued against the internal independent authority Dispora communities, and also limiting the observance of Judaism.

The Roman government aspired to erase the office of the nasi (Jewish prince) and the Sanhedrin. Because of the serious condition of the communities of Erez Israel and the deterioration of the Galilean center, Hillel II HaNasi, agreed in principle to limit his authority and his functions in connection with the proclamation of the new months on the basis of new moon sitings, the fixing of the festivals, and the general calculation of the festivals of the year (Thus, in practice, establishing our modern fixed Jewish calendar). The respected medival Rabbi Nahmanides in the Sefer ha-Zakkut (Git., ch. 4, Leghorn (1745), 43a) stated: “From the time of Hillel… in the year [358 C.E.], the Sanhedrin and Semikah ceased and it ceased to have experts in Israel.”

Thus, the theretofore unbroken chain of authority the Rabbis held had ended. Rabbis continued to function as experts in other areas of the Middle East and Europe (and later in America and modern Israel where they function in this capacity to this day) but their function as judges with authority derived from Moses to the Sanhedrin (the “first council of seventy”) had ended. Rabbis as sages and scholars have used the term “semikah” as a synonym for “graduation” or “ordination” off an on to the present. However they universally recognize that their semikah is not the authoritative semikah of the ancient rabbis.

(But note again, that this is different than the priesthood which is passed by lineage WITHOUT laying on of hands for Jews).

Of course even if Mormons accepted the ancient authority of the Rabbis (they should, in my opinion — it’s well documented though not mentioned in Mormon scripture except obliquely. On the other hand, it is directly related to the introduction of the “seventy.”), all are agreed that it is lost. The only authority that Modern Rabbis have, even in Jewish theory, is the authority that their communities give them. Through the Middle Ages, some claimed to have an alternative authority, a “Mesorah,” that is to say, a complete knowledge of the entire Torah as delivered on Mt Sinai, transmitted intact without interruption from teacher to student. Even this has ended however since that last claim of this nature was in the 1500’s. Interestingly, violation of a modern Rabbinic dictum (modern meaning the last 1500 years or so), is considered to be, not a sin (chet) but violation of an “Issur d’rabbanan,” a “Prohibition of the Rabbis.” The only “sin” involved is disrespect for elders. This is both arguable and minor at worst.

So where does that leave the issue of authority in modern Judaism? Right back where we started… with the Aaronic Priesthood. This is the only extant form of divine authority left within Judaism. Lest anyone misunderstand me, let me make it clear that at a practical level, the priesthood barely functions. Though many Rabbis are also Kohanim, none that I am aware of claim any rabbinic authority from their priesthood. The ritual functions of the priesthood are very limited without a temple. Except for a few times a year (such as on Yom Kippur) no one much thinks about it. Yet, still, the Jewish Aaronic priesthood is the only continuous line of authority dating back to the time of Moses that we have.**** It’s interesting that it is a concept that we share with Mormonism.

So then, for Jews the issue becomes, “What of the Mormon Aaronic priesthood?” For Jews, it does present some oddities (as for Mormons). Firstly there is the whole idea of it being a “Restoration of the Aaronic priesthood.” This is odd since both Jews and the uniquely Mormon scriptures agree that it was never really lost. Clearly Joseph Smith recognized the lineal nature of the Aaronic priesthood as well. Perhaps by “restoration” what was meant is that it was being “opened” to non-Levites / Aaronites? Then there is the issue of John the Baptist though he was priest through the lineage of both his parents (Luke 1:1-6) he appears to have transferred the priesthood in a manner quite different from the original ordination of Aaron and his sons as described in Leviticus 8:6-13. (that is by washing) That is to say, he was ordained by Semikah rather than washing, anointing and clothing in the robes of the Aaronic priesthood. On the other hand, those elements would be present in later Mormon temple rituals, but those would become primarily elements associated with the LDS understanding of the Melchezidek priesthood (Oddly, at least to me, the Mormon temple seems to take more from the ordination of the original Aaronic priests than from any other obvious source except perhaps Masonry. It includes virtually nothing from the actual ancient temple ritual except the “cosmic” geography of the holy place and the most holy place.)

In any case, the “restoration” of the Aaronic priesthood as it is described by most Mormons would strike most curious Jews as odd (yet, perhaps, somewhat interesting). It is not, by itself, very convincing but it is a place for Jews and Mormons to being a discussion of divine authority. In my opinion, this would be good for Judaism. We have neglected that important subject for far too long.

Moshe Akiva

**The original ordination of the Aaronic priests was not by the laying on of hands either. This is recorded in the Bible as follows:

Leviticus 8:6-13 6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 7 He put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him, girding him with the decorated band with which he tied it to him. 8 He put the breastpiece on him, and put into the breast piece, the Urim and Thummim. 9 And he set the headdress on his head; and on the headdress, in front, he put the gold frontlet, the holy diadem — as the LORD had commanded Moses. 10 Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the Tabernacle and all that was in it, thus consecrating them.11 He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, anointing the altar, all its utensils, and the laver with its stand, to consecrate them. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. 13 Moses then brought Aaron’s sons forward, clothed them in tunics, girded them with sashes, and wound turbans upon them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 Leviticus 8:30-33 And Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his vestments, and also upon his sons and upon their vestments. Thus he consecrated Aaron and his vestments, and also his sons and their vestments. 31 Moses said to Aaron and his sons: Boil the flesh at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination — as I commanded: Aaron and his sons shall eat it; 32 and what is leftover of the flesh and the bread you shall consume in fire. 33 You shall not go outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the day that your period of ordination is completed. For your ordination will require seven days.

Related

Similarities and Discord 2: Outline of Issues In "Similarities and Diffferences"

We Jews Have our "Peoplehood" Issues too...

Lesson Highlights

  • The strength of righteous parents and the consequences of forsaking their ways.
  • Deborah—the strength of a righteous friend.
  • Gideon—the strength of faith in God.
  • Samson—the strength of covenants and the consequences of breaking them.

A study of this lesson will encourage us to seek influences that will strengthen us in living the gospel in a challenging world.

Scripture references for study:  Judges 2; Judges 4; Judges 6–7; Judges 13–16
    Note: Underlined scripture references have been hyperlinked to the LDS Scriptures at LDS.org and will open in a new window.

The Book of Judges

  1. Named after the twelve individuals who led Israel between the time of Joshua and Saul.
    • Time frame: about 1250-1020 BC.
  2. What were these judges?
    • They were not simple definers of the law or judicial officials.
    • Judge = shophet in Hebrew. A shophet is a lawgiver or governor.
    • These judges were champions or heroes vindicating Israel in war.

Apostacy, Bondage and Oppression, Humility and Repentance, Deliverance by a Judge

The Message of Judges

  1. Overall Message of Judges:
    • "History repeats itself because no one listened the first time." This is the story of Judges.
    • No historical book of the Old Testament has such a clear philosophy of history as the Book of Judges.
  2. The Historical Cycle:
    • APOSTASY - Part 1 of the Cycle.
      • The writer of Judges begins each cycle of apostasy with the same words, which he repeats seven times in thirteen chapters, "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord."
      • READ JUDGES 2:10-13. Israel forsakes the Lord and turns to other gods.
      • WHO WERE THESE GODS?
        • There were two false gods which posed the greatest challenge to Israel.
        • Baal.
          • The supreme storm-god: controlled the winds, clouds, rain, lightning, thunderings, and elements of the atmosphere.
          • Often depicted with a thunderbolt with his left hand and an uplifted mace in his right hand.
          • A helmet is shown on his head, adorned with the horns of a bull, the symbol of fertility.
        • Ashtoreth.
          • An astral goddess of fertility who caused or increased the fruitfulness of plants, animals, and man.
          • Generally depicted as naked, her head adorned with horns.
          • She was associated with sensuous love.

        WHY WAS ISRAEL ATTRACTED TO THE WORSHIP OF THESE FALSE GODS?

        • Similarities between aspects of the two religions:  Prophets, temples, priests, sacrifices and burnt offerings, entreated with prayer.
        • Visible, outward signs, with shows, pageants, and parades. Such things are an attraction to the natural man. The natural man often fails to perceive unseen spiritual realities.
        • Licentious revelries and obscene orgies with which the worship of these idols or deities was observed.
    • "This worship, appealing to every sensual passion, joined with the attractions of wealth and fashion and luxury, naturally was a great temptation to a simple, restrained, agricultural people, whose worship and laws demanded the greatest purity of heart and of life." (Old Testament Student Manual, p247)
    • BONDAGE & OPPRESSION - Part 2 of the Cycle.
      • According to Judges, the Lord allowed  neighboring nations to attack and oppress Israel. The chart below shows the length of foreign domination. 

        Mesopotamia 8 years

        Moab 18 years

        Canaan 20 years

        Midian 7 years

        Abimelech 3 years

        Philistines 40 years

    • HUMILITY & REPENTANCE - Part 3 of the Cycle.
      • HOW DID ISRAEL RESPOND?
      • Isn't it interesting that the moral and spiritual decline the Israelites was not arrested until they were punished.
    • DELIVERANCE BY THE JUDGES - Part 4 of the Cycle.
      • The Lord appeared to be infinitely patient with Israel.
      • The Lord raised up judges to deliver Israel from their foreign domination and interceded with his power. These judges included: Samson, Deborah, and Gideon.
  3. HOW DOES THIS PATTERN COMPARE WITH THAT IN THE BOOK OF MORMON?
    • The pattern appears to be the same. The main difference seemed to be that Old Testament Israel turned to the worship of false gods and the Book of Mormon Israelites were caught up in wealth and pride. The result was the same = APOSTASY.
    • "Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One--yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
          "And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him." (Helaman 12:2-3)
  4. WHERE DO WE STAND? DO WE FALL INTO SIMILAR CYCLES?
    • The Book of Judges issues a solemn warning to people of all ages. History repeats itself if we do not heed its lessons.
    • Consider what Judges has to say about the rebellious youth of that time:
      • "...and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).
      • "And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers...and followed other gods" (Judges 2:12).
      • "...but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in" (Judges 2:17).

Deborah - The Strength Of A Righteous Friend

  1. "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 4:1). As a consequence of their apostasy, "the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan" (Judges 4:2) and they were oppressed for twenty years.
  2. Deborah, a prophetess, judged Israel at this time.
  3. Deborah called upon Barak to take 10,000 men and go up against the army of Jabin, led by Sisera.
    • WHAT CONDITION DID BARAK REQUIRE IF HE WAS TO TAKE ON THIS ASSIGNMENT?
      • "If thou wilt go with me, then I will go" (Judges 4:8).
    • WHY TO YOU SUPPOSE BARAK WAS WILLING TO FACE SISERA IF DEBORAH WOULD GO WITH HIM?
      • It always helps to have a prophet along when you go into battle against an enemy.
      • It helps to take on a challenge when you have the support of good friends and family.
  4. READ JUDGES 4:13-16. Barak's army goes into battle and defeats Sisera's army.
  5. HOW WAS DEBORAH A TRUE FRIEND TO BARAK?
    • She entrusted him with a difficult assignment.
    • She had faith in him that he could be successful in carrying out this assignment.
    • She did not just send him, but was willing to go with him.
    • She inspired him, "Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee?" (Judges 4:14)
  6. HOW HAVE FRIENDS AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS HELPED YOU FACE DIFFICULT CHALLENGES? HOW HAVE THEY ASSISTED YOU IN OBEYING THE LORD'S COMMANDMENTS?
    • As a teenager, the friends with whom I spent most of my time, helped fashion the direction of my life. We weren't perfect kids, but we did keep each other on the straight and narrow. The goal for each of us was to serve a mission and to be married in the temple. Most of us did that. We encouraged each other in our endeavors. True friends inspire us to be the best we can and support us in following the commandments.

Gideon - The Strength Of Faith In God

  1. "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years" (Judges 6:1).
    • The Midianites and Amalekites were a roving people of the desert.
    • For seven years they invaded Israel during the harvest season, like swarms of locusts, and carried away their grain and livestock.
    • Israel adopted every means to conceal themselves. They even made caverns to hide in.
  2. Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites (Judges 6:7).
    • Through a prophet the Lord stated, "...ye have not obeyed my voice" (Judges 6:10).
  3. READ JUDGES 6:11-13. Angel appears to Gideon.
    • HOW DID GIDEON RESPOND WHEN THE ANGEL ASSURED HIM THAT THE LORD WAS WITH HIM?
      • He asked:  Why then has all this befallen us? Where are the miracles of the past?
    • DO WE SOMETIMES FEEL THIS WAY, THINKING THAT MIRACLES ARE A THING OF THE PAST?
      • Consider the great miracles of modern Church history:  Brigham Young transfigured as Joseph in Nauvoo, spiritual experiences at Kirtland temple, and deliverance from the crickets.
    • AS THE HISTORY OF OUR DAY IS WRITTEN AND CARRIED TO FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHAT EVENTS WILL LIKELY TO BE HIGHLIGHTED? ARE THERE ANY?
      • The opening of the nations of the world to the missionary work.
      • The building and opening of so many temples.
      • Our modern prophets.
    • WHAT IS OUR ROLE IN THESE MIRACLES?
    • IF WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SPECTACULAR MIRACLES, HOW MIGHT THAT AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE MORE QUIET ONES?  HOW CAN WE LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THE QUIET MIRACLES IN OUR LIVES?
  4. Gideon called to save Israel from the hand of the Midianites (Judges 6:14-16).
  5. READ JUDGES 6:20-23. The power of the Lord confirmed to Gideon.
    • It appears that there may have been some doubt in the mind of Gideon that this was in fact an angel of the Lord. In verse 17 Gideon had asked for a sign.
  6. Gideon sends out a call to four of the tribes for an army to cast out the Midianites (Judges 6:35).
  7. Gideon and his army make camp near the "host" of the Midianites.
    • READ JUDGES 7:2. The Lord requires Gideon to reduce his army so that the hand of the Lord will be recognized in Israel's success.
      • Started with 32,000.
      • Reduced to 10,000. The "fearful" and "afraid" were asked to depart.
      • The Lord wants the army reduced even further. Selection made by how each man drank. Those that brought their hands to their mouth were chosen to remain with the army.
      • This reduced the army to 300.
    • I think that if I were Gideon, I would have questioned the wisdom of the Lord in reducing the army to less than 1% of its original size. The fact that Gideon followed the instructions of the Lord is a testimony of his faith and that he was convinced of the power of the Lord.
    • This raises a question:  Do we sometimes not perceive the hand of the Lord in our lives, because it appears that we have the capability to handle the tasks before us?
  8. The Lord commands Gideon to prepare for the Midianites, for they are delivered into his hand (Judges 7:9).
    • The Midianites/Amalekites appeared to be a formidable army.
      • They laid "along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude" (Judges 7:12)
      • The "camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side" (Judges 7:12)
    • The 300 men divided into three companies. A trumpet was put into the hand of every man, along with a pitcher and a lamp. The lamp was to be placed in the empty pitcher.
    • READ JUDGES 7:20-22. The attack begins.
      • I am reminded of the Utah War and how a few men were able to slow the progress of Johnston's army.
    • After this startling beginning, the host was then pursued. Those men that had been previously dismissed now joined in the pursuit.
    • 120,000 men of the east (Midianites and others) were destroyed.
  9. Gideon was called upon by Israel to be king. People seem to love military heroes and want them as their leader.
    • Gideon's noble response:  "I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you" (Judges 8:23).
    • Gideon might have understood that great Book of Mormon principle regarding the potential difficulties that can arise from monarchy.
    • After Gideon's death, his son Abimelech killed all but one of Gideon's sons and became king of the Shechem and ruled over Israel wickedly. Eventually he was destroyed.
  10. The story of Gideon once again provides proof of Nephi's statement, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7).
    • Elder LeGrand Richards: "Over fifty years ago I heard Elder James E. Talmage tell this story. It has remained with me all these years. He told about a group of tourists or travelers in the Alps who were snowbound. The Lord sent an angel to a monk and told him about these people, asking him to go and rescue them. The answer was, 'Why?' And the minute he said 'Why,' the angel disappeared. He went to the second monk and delivered the same message, and the answer was, 'How?' And the angel disappeared. He went to the third and delivered the same message, and the monk said, 'When?' And the angel remained and delivered his message.
          "It shouldn't be for us to say, when the call of the Lord comes or when we understand a command that is given to us through the prophets of God, 'How can we do it?' or 'Why does he ask us to do it?' but 'When, oh, God the Eternal Father, as thy son or daughter, wouldst thou have me do the thing that thou hast commanded?'" (CR, Oct 1964)

Samson - The Strength of Covenants & Consequences Of Breaking Them

  1. "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years" (Judges 13:1).
  2. An angel appears to the wife of Manoah, a Danite.
    • READ JUDGES 13:3-5. She was to bear a son, a deliverer.
      • A Nazarite was one who was consecrated to the Lord.
    • "And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him" (Judges 13:24).
  3. Samson goes down among the Philistines.
    • "Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
          "And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done" (Judges 14:5-6).
      • WHAT WAS THE SOURCE OF SAMSON'S POWER?
  4. Samson marries a wife of the Philistines (see Judges 14).
    • At the seven day wedding feast Samson proposed a riddle.
    • His wife revealed the answer to the thirty Philistine guests to save her own life and Samson lost the wager.
    • In his anger he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men and took their spoils to pay his wager.
    • In the mean time, Samson's father-in-law gave Samson's wife to his best man at the wedding.
    • This story begins to tell us a little about Samson. He was a man who had been blessed with great power and destiny. Yet he married a Philistine, interacted with them, and smote them only when it suited his personal desire.
  5. After Samson's father-in-law informed him that his wife had been given to another, Samson caused the corn fields of the Philistines be burned (see Judges 15).
    • When the Philistines discovered the cause of the burning they took Samson's wife and her father and burned them.
    • The Philistines then came and camped against Judah in search of Samson. They bound him and turned him over to the Philistines.
    • "And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men thereith." (Judges 15:14-15).
  6. Samson fell in love with a woman in the valley of Sorek, Delilah (see Judges 16).
    • The lords of the Philistines came to Delilah and asked her to find the secret of Samson's strength. They offered her 1100 pieces of silver.
    • Three times Delilah asked Samson the source of his strength and three times he deceived her.
  7. READ JUDGES 16:15-17. Samson finally reveals the source of his strength. Delilah causes his head to be shaven while he was sleeping.
    • "...and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him" (Judges 16:19).
  8. The Philistines took and bound him, brought him to Gaza, "and he did grind in the prison house" (Judges 16:21).
    • "The hair of his head began to grow again" (Judges 16:22).
    • The Philistines called Samson forth from the prison to make sport of him.
    • READ JUDGES 16:28. Samson calls upon the Lord for strength.
    • Samson was placed between two pillars which supported the building. He pulled down the pillars causing 3,000 to die, including himself.
  9. Some Lessons To Be Learned From The Story of Samson.
    • WHAT WAS THE REAL CAUSE OF SAMSON'S DOWNFALL?
      • "For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him."(D&C 3:4)
    • WHY, AFTER SAMSON KNEW THAT DELILAH HAD TRIED THREE TIMES TO BETRAY HIM, DID HE TELL HER THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH?
      • See Judges 16:15-17.
        • "How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?"
        • "She pressed him daily with her words, and urged him".
      • Contrast Samson's response to Delilah with Joseph's response to Potipher's wife (see Genesis 39:7-12).
    • DO WE HAVE PERSISTENT TEMPTATIONS?
      • DO WE EVER GIVE IN?
      • WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE VIOLATE OUR COVENANTS?
        • Like Samson, we lose our promised blessings.
      • HOW CAN WE RESIST OR OVERCOME PERSISTENT TEMPTATIONS?
        • In the case of Joseph, he removed himself from the scene.
    • As we ponder this story, we should consider our Patriarchal Blessings. Do we do things that lead us away from our intended destiny?
      • Samson might have been the greatest leader in Israel since Joshua, but his selfish self-centered life led him down a far different path.
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