Nathan W. Bingham

Now, that's a really intriguing statement, isn't it? He's been laboring for chapters on how they need to serve the Lord and how to serve the Lord. And then he says, you are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.

Now, that's a really intriguing statement, isn't it? He's been laboring for chapters on how they need to serve the Lord and how to serve the Lord. And then he says, you are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.

If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you after having done you good. That's a very solemn warning. Very solemn warning. Now, what does he mean when he says, you are not able to serve the Lord? Well, he may be functioning just as a Calvinist and saying you're all totally depraved. That's perfectly possible.

If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you after having done you good. That's a very solemn warning. Very solemn warning. Now, what does he mean when he says, you are not able to serve the Lord? Well, he may be functioning just as a Calvinist and saying you're all totally depraved. That's perfectly possible.

It may be part of what's going on here. But I think there's something more going on here. I think he's saying, after my death, you will not be able to serve the Lord because you will not have a leader. you've had Moses, and you haven't served the Lord perfectly under Moses, but Moses kept after you. And then you've had me, Joshua's the successor of Moses, and I've kept after you.

It may be part of what's going on here. But I think there's something more going on here. I think he's saying, after my death, you will not be able to serve the Lord because you will not have a leader. you've had Moses, and you haven't served the Lord perfectly under Moses, but Moses kept after you. And then you've had me, Joshua's the successor of Moses, and I've kept after you.

And now the Lord's taking me away, and he's not establishing someone to rule the whole nation. He's not establishing someone to rule the whole nation. But he's going to raise up judges, one here, one there, one now, one another time. But you're not going to be able to serve the Lord. because you're not going to have a leader.

And now the Lord's taking me away, and he's not establishing someone to rule the whole nation. He's not establishing someone to rule the whole nation. But he's going to raise up judges, one here, one there, one now, one another time. But you're not going to be able to serve the Lord. because you're not going to have a leader.

And so right from these last words of Joshua, the people of God are being prepared for the need of a king. And that's why this book is so important transitionally from the days of Moses and Joshua to the days of Saul and David, when a whole new unity and deliverance is being given to the people of God. And for all of David's sin, We're constantly told he's the man after God's own heart.

And so right from these last words of Joshua, the people of God are being prepared for the need of a king. And that's why this book is so important transitionally from the days of Moses and Joshua to the days of Saul and David, when a whole new unity and deliverance is being given to the people of God. And for all of David's sin, We're constantly told he's the man after God's own heart.

He's the man God put on the throne to lead the people. He's the sweet singer of Israel who gave to Israel her songs about God and deliverance. He's the one who is held up as the model from whom Messiah would come. Who is Messiah? He's David's son. He's great David's greater son. That's Messiah. And so this role of kingship is being highlighted through the book of Judges.

He's the man God put on the throne to lead the people. He's the sweet singer of Israel who gave to Israel her songs about God and deliverance. He's the one who is held up as the model from whom Messiah would come. Who is Messiah? He's David's son. He's great David's greater son. That's Messiah. And so this role of kingship is being highlighted through the book of Judges.

And we need to always keep that in mind. We need a king. Now, we're going to develop this a little more in the last lecture. And I don't want to give it all away. But having taught for 43 years now, I know that by the time I get to the last lecture, you'll all have forgotten this lecture. So I can mention it briefly here. Israel not only needs a king, but it needs a king from the tribe of Judah.

And we need to always keep that in mind. We need a king. Now, we're going to develop this a little more in the last lecture. And I don't want to give it all away. But having taught for 43 years now, I know that by the time I get to the last lecture, you'll all have forgotten this lecture. So I can mention it briefly here. Israel not only needs a king, but it needs a king from the tribe of Judah.

Now, what does that say to you? What alarms does that set off? It should remind you that a bozo from Benjamin can never be a good king. That's Saul. Saul is the bozo from Benjamin. I'm How does Judges begin? It begins showing the leadership of the tribe of Judah in faithfulness, opposing the enemies of God. So Judah is highlighted as the faithful leader at the beginning of the book of Judges.

Now, what does that say to you? What alarms does that set off? It should remind you that a bozo from Benjamin can never be a good king. That's Saul. Saul is the bozo from Benjamin. I'm How does Judges begin? It begins showing the leadership of the tribe of Judah in faithfulness, opposing the enemies of God. So Judah is highlighted as the faithful leader at the beginning of the book of Judges.

And then, after the death of Samson, we find the spotlight turning to the tribe of Benjamin. And what we see is the growing sinfulness, horror, gross behavior of the people of Benjamin, particularly the people of Benjamin from the city of Gibeah. Never in the whole history of Israel has anything so vile happened as what happened in the city of Gibeah. And who was born in Gibeah? Saul.

And then, after the death of Samson, we find the spotlight turning to the tribe of Benjamin. And what we see is the growing sinfulness, horror, gross behavior of the people of Benjamin, particularly the people of Benjamin from the city of Gibeah. Never in the whole history of Israel has anything so vile happened as what happened in the city of Gibeah. And who was born in Gibeah? Saul.

It's like this whole book is written so that when we read later in the history of God's people that the people wanted Saul as king, Saul of Gibeah, Saul of Benjamin, everyone would cry out, "'No, not anybody from there! How can you be so stupid?' And so, in a certain sense, the book of Judges is a tract for the house of David.

It's like this whole book is written so that when we read later in the history of God's people that the people wanted Saul as king, Saul of Gibeah, Saul of Benjamin, everyone would cry out, "'No, not anybody from there! How can you be so stupid?' And so, in a certain sense, the book of Judges is a tract for the house of David.