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| 1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. |
Never break my covenant – The centuries since have shown the persistency of God's mercy. R5598:6
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| 2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? |
No league – The Lord's people should make no truce with their fleshly weaknesses. R5598:2
Truces with the flesh mean that love for the Lord has gradually cooled. R5646:1
The Inhabitants – Corresponds to the perverted appetites of the flesh, earthly hopes and ambitions, oppositions to the Lord and righteousness. R5598:2
Altars – Passion, avarice. R5598:2
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| 3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. |
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| 4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. |
And wept – The New Creature cries to the Lord for deliverance. R5598:2
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| 5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD. |
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| 6 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. |
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| 7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. |
Served the LORD – Things went well with the Israelites because their leaders realized the importance of being on the Lord's side. R5598:4
The days of – Covering a break between the division of the land and the first recorded period of eight years. (Jud. 3:8) HG45:4
The elders – The elders who had witnessed God's miraculous interposition were the judges of Israel. R5645:2, R3102:2, R4192:3
So spiritual Israelites of every congregation are to select fit men for services needed. R5645:5
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| 8 And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. |
Joshua – The first judge. R3102:2; PD38/48
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| 9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
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| 10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. |
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| 11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: |
Children of Israel – Many of them, not all. R5646:2, R3102:6
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| 12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. |
Other gods – Represented by idols. R5598:4
Christians have made idols, not of stone, wood or bronze; but more hideous misrepresentations of the divine character--our printed creeds. R5598:5
Gods of the people – Typifying forms of godliness taking the place of true heart-worship, reverence. R5598:5
Bowed themselves – The idols would appear to be an excellent way of keeping religion before the mind, but it was not God's way. R5598:4
False religions appealed to the baser passions, combining a form of godliness with gratification of the flesh, dancings, etc. R5598:5
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| 13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. |
Baal – Signifying overseer, caretaker. R5627:2
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| 14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. |
Anger of the LORD – Not that the period of the judges was basically idolatrous, the record passes by the happy periods of Israel's prosperity. So, reading today's newspapers would give only a bleak picture of our day. R5645:6
The Lord's displeasure does not delay until one goes fully into idolatry, but reproves early to correct. R5646:2
He delivered them – Chastisements are evidences of special care, protection and relationship. R5646:2
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| 15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. |
Hand of the LORD – His divine power. SM623:1
Evil – Ra, signifying calamity, not sin. R1350:2
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| 16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. |
Raised up – Divinely appointed. R5645:2
To deliver and bless the people, not to condemn and punish them. R1869:3
Picturing God's dealing with spiritual Israel during this Gospel age, raising up special counselors, deliverers, ministers. R5645:3, R3102:2
Judges – Deliverers. R5598:6
Israel's government was a republic under divine autocracy and law supervision. R4192:3
Not a republic in the present day understanding of that term. R3216:3
Covering a period of 450 years. (Acts 13:20) B49
Israel's spiritual interests were more advanced under judges than kings. Centralization does not always mean greater blessings, but less individuality and personal progress. R4201:4 God's representatives. R4192:6
Pre-figured resurrected Ancient Worthies. R4201:4
"I will restore thy judges as at the first." (Isa. 1:26) R5645:6
Typical of the world's eventual rule--heavenly wisdom directing incorruptible earthly judges communicating and enforcing divine law. R5646:5
The office in which Jesus comes to judge the world in righteousness. R1869:3
Which delivered them – Spiritual leaders of divine appointment will always be marked by spiritual victories. R5645:3
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| 17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, 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, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. |
Their judges – This verse and its connections seem to indicate that verses 1-19 cover a long period of time of Israel's experiences, under many judges. R5598:5
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| 18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. |
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| 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. |
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| 20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; |
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| 21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: |
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| 22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. |
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| 23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. |
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