Judges 3:7-11

Sermon Notes:

Judges outline from Ralph Davis:

1:1-3:6 – The Failure of the Second Generation
3:7-16:31 – The Salvation of a Long-suffering God
3:7-11 – The Paradigm of Yahweh’s salvation (Othniel) (Today’s passage)
3:12-5:31 – The Excitement of Yahweh’s salvation (Ehud and Deborah)
6:1-8:32 – The Weakness of Yahweh’s salvation (Gideon)
8:33-9:57 – The Antithesis of Yahweh’s salvation (Abimelech)
10:1 – 16:31 – The Strangeness of Yahweh’s salvation (Jephthah and Samson)
17:1-21:25 – The Confusion of a Depraved People

Today’s outline:

1) Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, 7-8a

2) The Lord sold Israel into the oppressor’s hands, 8b

3) Israel served the oppressor for eight years, 8c

4) Israel cried out to the Lord, 9a

5) The Lord raised up a deliverer, 9b

6) The Spirit of the Lord was with the deliverer, 10a

7) The oppressor was subdued, 10b

8) The land had rest for 40 years, 11

Reflection questions:

1. Why is “crying out” by itself not true repentance? See Judges 2:18-19 and 3:9; 2 Cor 7:8-11.

2. What does it mean to enter God’s rest? See Hebrews 3:7-4:11.

3. Consider the following two quotes: “Yahweh’s [The Lord’s] wrath is the heat of his jealousy by which he refuses to let go of his people. He refuses to allow his people to remain comfortable in sin.” (Ralph Davis) “God never lets Christians sin successfully.” (Ed Hart)