Judges 1:22-26
The Continuing Conquest of Canaan (continue)
22 The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 And the house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.) 24 And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.” 25 And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go. 26 And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.
As a matter of reference, below is a map of the twelve tribes of Israel, their inheritance, and the cities within their territories. This information is beneficial for today’s passage in Judges 1:22-26. Verse 1:22 says the tribe of Joseph went against the town of Bethel and the Lord was with them. It is interesting to note that Joshua 18:21-28 places Bethel in the list of towns and cities belonging to Benjamine (see map). But our passage today, says that the house of Joseph, that is, Ephraim went and conquered Bethel and the Lord God was with them. We may wonder why Ephraim went into the land of Benjamine to conquer a town that was not theirs, to begin with. As we look at the map below, we see that Bethel is a border town between Ephraim and Benjamine to the north, just like Jerusalem is a border town between Benjamine and Judah to the south. This gives us more information about Benjamine who was so weak, or maybe so disobedient to God. First, in Judges 1:21, it says, “But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.” And secondly, today’s passage in Judges 1:22-26, says that the house of Joseph went up against Bethel. God used the neighboring tribes of Ephraim and Judah to do the work that Benjamine should have done.
Joshua was Moses’ protege. He became Israel’s leader after Moses died and brought them into the Promise Land. Joshua was also from the tribe of Ephraim. So, taking the lead from their former and late leader, Joshua, the armies from the house of Joseph took all precautions and sent spies to scout the town of Luz, for that, was the town’s former name before the Israelites remained it, Bethel, which means, the house of God. The spies went to Bethel and saw a man leaving. They called the man and asked Him to show them how to enter the city. They said to the man that if he show them, they will allow him and his family to go. In return for his life, the man betrayed his country. Additionally, we see that the man did not stay with the Israelites, the children of God, who were blessed by the Lord God Almighty. Instead, he went to the land of the idolatrous Hittites and built a small town called Luz, in honor of the town he was from.
God gives us the opportunity to compare and contrast two non-Jewish characters in Israel’s narrative history: there is Rahab the harlot from Jericho, and the nameless man from Bethel who went to the land of the Hittites. Both of these people were to be destroyed by the invading armies of God, the Israelites. Both heard about the world-renowned nation of Israel and their God, which caused their hearts to melt. Both betrayed their country: Rahab hid the spies on her roof and the man told the spies how to go into the town. One asked for mercy, and the other did not. One wanted to live and stay with the children of Israel, and the other did not. One had a name, was loved, and was adopted by the family of God. The other did not. The application of this section in our passage inspires us to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people of all nations. We do not know who God’s elect and chosen people are. We are commanded to Go! Baptize! Make Disciples! and teach them to obey Christ’s Commandments! The Lord knows those who are His. Let us be obedient and pray and support with $$$ our missionaries who are carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. Romans 10:12-15 says,
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[a] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
In application, we who are Christians, have a calling on our lives and are gifted by the Holy Spirit to complete the good works that God created for us from before the foundations of the world. The Word of God gives us a warning and encouragement in this historical narrative of the Jewish people. As a warning, we must be obedient to God’s commands that are true according to Scripture. If we are not obedient, God will discipline us; yet, lovingly as a father disciplines his child. The tribe of Benjamine was disciplined. They lost the benefits of having two great cities in their territory: Bethel and Jerusalem. We also may lose blessings in our lives when we are unrepented and living in sin. As an encouragement, God is with us and blesses us when we are obedient. This is seen, not only here in our passage in the Book of Judges, but also in Deuteronomy 11:26 and Deuteronomy 27–28 where God pronounces blessings and curses for those who do not follow His law. For those who do not believe in the name of Jesus Christ, Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” This verse inspired American preacher Jonathan Edwards who preached a renowned sermon titled, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Jonathan Edwards and this sermon were influential in America’s spiritual renewal movement, which is best known as the First Great Awakening during the 1730s and 1740s. God works through men and women who are obedient to His Word. Let us be obedient and pray for a revival, a spiritual renewal in our country. Another application is for those who neglect their call to action in service to God. Mordecai the Jew sends a message to Queen Esther. He wants her to go to the king and ask for protection for the Jewish who are suffering from a plot for total annihilation. The message Mordecai sent Esther is,
“Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14).
We need to be diligent in our calling. For such a time as this, we are here to do God’s work! Be industrious, not lazy!
><> ><> PRAYER <>< <><
My God, my Savior, My Lord; I praise and worship You for giving me Your law and Your Word. I thank You for the Holy Spirit who is with me, teaching, and leading to in the paths of righteousness. I worship You! Help me, Lord God, to be more obedient to Your call on my life. Protect me from evil and give me love for others. May I serve You by serving others in the love of Christ! In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen!
><> ><> HYMN <>< <><
Trust and Obey, by John H. Sammis in 1887
