“The Reign of the Judges”

“The Reign of the Judges”
Lesson 17, Compiled by Maren Hale

Scriptures: Judges 2; 4; 6-7; 13-16
Board: The historical cycle in Judges:
1. Apostasy
2. Bondage and oppression
3. Humility and repentance
4. Deliverance by the judges

INTRODUCTION

Today we’ll talk about the historical cycle of apostasy and how we can strengthen our children. Deborah teaches us of the importance of friendship and how we can be good leaders. In the example of Gideon and Samson we see the power of faith, strength gained through honored covenants, and the sorrow of sin through temptation.

QUOTE #1 President John Taylor tells why were are here on earth.

President John Taylor: “We are here to cooperate with God in the salvation of the living, in the redemption of the dead, in the blessings of our ancestors, in the pouring out [of] blessings upon our children; we are here for the purpose of redeeming and generating the earth on which we live, and God has placed His authority and His counsels here upon the earth for that purpose, that men may learn to do the will of God on the earth as it is done in heaven. This is the object of our existence.” (Journal of Discourses, 21:94)

“The 200-year period of the judges – between Joshua and Samuel – was a time of great turmoil in Israel…[At times we hear]…encouragement and inspiration, at other times they sound the warning voice. The message is clear; when we remember the Lord and His commandments, all will be well. But when we venture into forbidden pathways, we relinquish peace, harmony, and the favor of God.

“To guide us along the way, the Lord provides beacons of light in the form of angels, prophets, teachers, mentors, and leaders of all kinds (in this case judges). To exemplify courage and strength, He raises up individuals of uncommon stature, such as Deborah, Gideon, and even the controversial Samson. All of this serves to bring about His divine mission of perfecting the Saints.” (Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen, Teachings and Commentary on the Old Testament, pp. 413-414)


BODY

The Tests of Time

In Judges chapter 2, we learn that the Lord gives us our agency, and allows us to be tested and tried through various influences “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 (Judges 2:22).”

Some say the story of the Book of Judges is that history repeats itself
because no one listened the first time.

We see in Judges the historical cycle of:
1. APOSTASY
2. BONDAGE AND OPPRESSION
3. HUMILITY AND REPENTANCE
4. and then DELIVERANCE BY THE JUDGES

The writer of Judges begins each cycle of APOSTASY with the same words, which he repeats 7 times in 13 chapters, “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.”

SCRIPTURE: Judges 2:10-13

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.

11. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim:

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.

13. And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

Here we see that Israel forsakes the Lord and turns to other gods.

QUESTION: Why was Israel attracted to the worship of these false Gods?
● Similar to their 1st religion. There were prophets, temples, priest’s,
sacrifices and burnt offerings, and prayers.
● Shows, pageants, and parades that appeal to the natural man.
The natural man often fails to perceive unseen spiritual realities.
-- Consider the TV evangelists today. Many put on an attractive show.
-- Some flock to churches to hear a preacher, a special choir, or a band.
● The Old Testament Student Manual states:
The 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.” (p. 247)

BONDAGE AND OPPRESSION is part 2 of the historical cycle.

According to Judges, the Lord allowed neighboring nations to attack and oppress Israel. Listen to how long these countries oppressed Israel:
● Mesopotamia – 8 years
● Moab – 18 years
● Canaan – 20 years
● Midian – 7 years
● Abimelech—3 years
● Philistines – 40 years

Part 3 of the historical cycle is HUMILTY AND REPENTANCE.

QUESTION: How did Israel respond to the bondage and oppression? [with repentance]

SCRIPTURE: Judges 10:10, 15-16.

10. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

15. And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.

16. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

The moral and spiritual decline of the Israelites was not arrested until they were brought into bondage and oppression.

Part 4 of the historical cycle is DELIVERANCE BY THE JUDGES.
● The Lord was infinitely patient with Israel.
● The Lord raised up judges to deliver Israel from their foreign domination and interceded with his power.

We see this same cycle or pattern in the Book of Mormon. The main difference is the Old Testament Israelites turned to the worship of false gods. The Book of Mormon Israelites were caught up in wealth and pride. The result was the same – APOSTASY.

QUESTION: Where do we stand today? Do we fall into similar circumstances?
[history repeats itself].

Judges 2:10 and 12 could have been written for today’s youth. “…and there arose another generation…which knew not the Lord…And they forsook the Lord…and followed… the gods of the people that were round about them…”

QUESTION: Why do children sometimes forsake the righteous ways of their parents?
● We have agency (Heavenly Father lost 1/3 of His children)
● They are lured away by the attractions of the world – success, media,
learning, easy life.
● Parents neglect teaching their children in ways of truth and righteousness.

President Hugh B. Brown tells us how we can help our children remain faithful and avoid entry into this deadly cycle.

QUOTE #2

President Hugh B. Brown: “I think we older ones need to be reminded of our duty! I think we need to be reminded that we who are older are in a very large measure responsible for what might happen to those who are younger.” (The Abundant Life, p. 166)

Lets talk about what we can to strengthen our children – our youth

1. As adults, we are responsible for the young.
In his conference talk last month, “Help Them on Their Way Home,” President Henry B. Eyring said:
“The family has an advantage in the first eight years of a child’s life. In those protected years, because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Satan’s use of the mists of darkness to hide the path to return home is blocked.” (“Help Them on Their Way Home,” Ensign, May 2010)
So we need to take advantage of our children’s formative years when Satan lacks power over them.
In our last general conference, Sister Cheryl C. Lant said:
“Now, I would ask you to look around you at those you love. This is what matters most—our families. I am sure that more than anything, you want this family to be yours eternally.
“Following this pattern to bring our children to the Savior is a process…we must learn how to love the Lord and our families. This takes time, experience, and faith. It requires selfless service. Then, as we are filled with the love of the Lord, we can love. He might weep over what we do, but He loves us and is always there to help us. That is how we must learn to love our children.
“We can direct them toward the Spirit so that they can receive their own witness of the truths they are learning. We can help them find the joy of living the gospel. This will build a firm foundation of faith and obedience in their lives that will strengthen them. (“That Our Children Might See the Face of the Savior,” Ensign, May 2010)
It is so important that we teach our children to recognize the Spirit in their lives.
2. We strengthen our children when we are a good example. Our children will mimic our actions. Children are observant and they know hypocrisy when they
see it.

Elder M. Russell Ballard spoke about a mother’s example in their daughters’ lives in his general conference address last month:
“Now may I share a few thoughts with you mothers about the special role you play in your daughters’ lives. We have a family friend who travels often with members of her extended family. Her primary observation after each trip is how much the young women behave like their mothers. If the mothers are thrifty, so are their daughters. If the mothers are modest, so are the girls…Mothers, your example is extremely important to your daughters—even if they don’t acknowledge it.
“…Show them how to make good choices. As mothers in Israel, you are your daughters’ first line of defense against the wiles of the world.
“Let me assure you that even when you think your daughter is not listening to a thing you say, she is still learning from you as she watches you to see if your actions match your words.” (“Mother’s and Daughters,” Ensign, May 2010)

3. We strengthen our children when we teach them the ways of truth and righteousness. [family home evening and other activities are wonderful, but cannot take precedence over unique teaching opportunities that happen on a daily basis.]
In his general conference address last month entitled “Mothers Teaching Children in the Home,” Elder L. Tom Perry said:
“Please allow me to reminisce for a few moments and share a few of the lessons I learned from my mother about teaching the gospel in the home. My mother understood the value of teaching her children about standards, values, and doctrine while they were young.
“While she was grateful to others who taught her children outside the home at either school or church, she recognized that parents are entrusted with the education of their children and, ultimately, parents must ensure that their children are being taught what their Heavenly Father would have them learn. My siblings and I were quizzed very carefully by our mother after we had been taught away from the home to be certain the correct lessons were reaching our ears and shaping our minds.
“The scope of Mother’s teaching included both secular and spiritual lessons. She made sure none of us were falling behind in our schoolwork, which she would often supplement. She also would practice her Relief Society lessons with us.
“Part of our learning at home also involved memorizing scriptures, including the Articles of Faith, and the words of prophets, seers, and revelators.
“…A parent’s teaching must never be devalued. Many activities link the values of one generation to the next, but perhaps the most central of these activities is parents teaching children in the home. This is especially true when we consider the teaching of values, moral and ethical standards, and faith.” (“Mothers Teaching Children in the Home,” Ensign, May 2010)

QUESTION: What kind of a learning environment do you now have, or did you, set up for your children in your home? [basket of Books of Mormons, dictionary and stand, learning center near the heart of the home, maps on the walls, the gospel and news discussed at the dinner table]
In President Gordon B. Hinckley’s biography, President Hinckley tells us that his parents “had converted one of the large rooms in their home to a library that could be closed off for studying. Its bookshelves were filled with more that a thousand volumes…In the center of the room stood a large, solid oak table with comfortable chairs and…reference works. Statuettes of Joseph Smith and Abraham Lincoln graced the room…the library was inviting.” (Sheri L. Dew, The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley, Go Forward with Faith, p. 300)
4. We strengthen our children when we listen and talk with them – have regular occasions where you meet together as a family or with a child individually.
We need to have gathering places for our family on a regular basis in addition to family home evenings and family councils.

EXPERIENCE: Visiting at dinnertime – President Hinckley
I recently viewed a talk on BYU TV given by 3 of President Hinckley’s children at a BYU Women’s Conference in 2002. The children mentioned that one place their parents taught them about life and the gospel was around the dinner table each night. Sister Hinckley would prepare and present a lovely meal and the family would gather to eat and visit. Whenever their father was in town, they always knew he would be at the dinner table with them.
One of his sons answered a question from the audience: “Did your father have formal interviews with you?” He answered, “no. My parents visited with me around the table and my father listened to me and taught me many lessons while we were driving together in the car.” (BYU 2002 Women’s Conference, President Hinckley’s Children, BYU TV)
5. We strengthen our children when we have faith in them as we raise them – the thoughts and ideas we implant in our children’s minds will come back to bless our children.

President Hugh B. Brown talked of his mother’s great faith.

"More than half a century ago, I was standing on a little railway station platform in Cardston, Canada. I was leaving for England on a mission. My saintly mother stood there with me and held my hand. This is what she said.

“'Hugh, my son, do you remember when you were a little boy you often had bad dreams, nightmares, and you called out to me as I was sleeping in the next room: "Mother, Mother, are you there?" Do you remember I always said, "Yes, my son, I'm here. Just turn over and go to sleep. Everything is all right".'

She said, 'My boy, five thousand miles must now separate us, across a continent and an ocean. You are not going to have bad dreams only at night, but many times, in the daytime, you are going to want to call for help and comfort. Son, when you are beset with difficulties, when you meet temptation, when you are confused and don't know where to go, call out and say, "Father, are you there?"' She said, 'My boy, I promise you He will always answer and you need not fear.'

"...through the intervening years, countless occasions have arisen where men could not help me much, when I felt alone, where I had a nightmare with my eyes wide open. I have taken the advice of my mother and have said, 'Father, are you there?' Now He has not spoken to me audibly; He has not appeared to me personally; but He has always answered me. There has come into my heart a quiet peace which enabled me to know that I could, figuratively, turn over and go to sleep." (The Abundant Life, pp202-203)

Brigham Young gives us a good summary of how we can and must strengthen our youth.

QUOTE #3

Brigham Young: “If we do not take the pains to train our children, to teach and instruct them concerning these revealed truths, the condemnation will be upon us, as parents, or at least in a measure.
“Teach your children from their youth, never to set their hearts immoderately upon an object of this world. Parents, teach your children by precept and example, the importance of addressing the Throne of grace; teach them how to live, how to draw from the elements the necessaries of life; and teach them the laws of life that they may know how to preserve themselves in health and be able to minister to others.
“Bring up your children in the love and fear of the Lord. Teach your children honesty and uprightness, and teach them also never to injure others. If parents will continually set before their children examples worthy of their imitation and the approval of our Father in Heaven, they will turn the current, and the tide of feelings of their children and they, eventually, will desire righteousness more than evil.” (Discourses, 207-8)

We must never give up on our children. Consider the story of Alma the younger’s conversion. When the angel appeared to Alma he said, "Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth" (Mosiah 27:14).

QUOTE #4 I love this quote by Elder Orson F. Whitney.

Elder Orson F. Whitney: “You parents of the willful and the wayward: Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours – long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them.
“They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fullness of knowledge brings the fullness of accountability.
“Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend.” (Conference Report, April 1929)

We need to pray to our Heavenly Father in behalf of our youth and have faith.

QUESTION: What are some appropriate ways we can help a family member or friend who seems to be falling away from the truth? [Tell them how you feel. Enlist the added help of family, Church leaders, and friends (remembering to be confidential) Realize that an intervention from us is better than losing them eternally.]

EXPERIENCE: A mother afraid to confront her daughter’s choice

Recently my daughter told me of her visiting teacher whose husband has passed away. She has one daughter in college who is seriously dating a young man she doesn’t feel good about and who is also not a member of the Church. This mother has decided that she doesn’t want to take a chance on offending her daughter and severing a relationship with her by voicing her concerns.

This is a real life situation. How do you feel about this mother’s decision?

I worry that this mother is sacrificing a more important eternal relationship with her daughter. My daughter and I discussed how this mother could tell her daughter how she feels, using phrases like, “I worry that, I’m concerned that, I feel that, I wonder if you’ve considered that?” ---- rather than parenting her adult child with phrases like, “Don’t do that, you shouldn’t, that’s wrong, you’re making a terrible choice!”

EXPERIENCE: Worry for our son’s serious dating

Our family had a similar experience. One of our returned missionary sons was dating a very pretty young woman who was an active member of the Church. We recognized signs of a severe eating disorder in her and an evasiveness that worried us. She would never join our son in any of our family activities. Over the long period they dated, she was only in our home once. Other of our adult children came to us voicing concerns for their brother. We confidentially discussed together what we should do as a family.

We decided to hold a family council and invited this son to attend. We each told him of our love for him and of our concern for things we noticed in the young woman he was seriously dating. Our son recognized our great love and genuine concern for him. During our meeting, he opened up and told us of worries that he had in some of the same areas about her, but he didn’t want to hurt her.

As parents we taught again a principle we have constantly shared with our older children: the choice of your eternal companion is one of the selfish decisions you must make. It is not a time to take on a project. If you marry a functional, other-centered mate, you can raise healthy children, have an eternal family, and go out to serve others. Our meeting gave him courage and he broke things off the next day. He is now happily married with 5 lovely children.

Deborah, the strength of a righteous friend
The story of Deborah in the Book of Judges, is the story of the strength of a righteous friend.

In Judges 4:1-2 we read that “…the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.” As a consequence of their apostasy, “the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan.” And they were oppressed for 20 years.

Deborah, a prophetess, judged Israel at this time. She called upon Barak to take 10,000 men and go up against the army of Jabin, led by Sisera.

SCRIPTURE: Judges 4:8

8. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

Barak was willing to face Sisera if Deborah would go with him.

Deborah was 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.

These are wonderful qualities of leadership we can use with our children, in our Church callings, and in our work experiences: 1. delegate responsibility, 2. have faith, 3. to train, teach and help, and 4. to inspire.

SCRIPTURE: Judges 4:14

14. And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.”

The right friends are import to support us, give us a good example, and make us happy.

QUOTE #5 Elder L. Tom Perry gives us counsel that will help us develop better friendships.

Elder L. Tom Perry: “I have found that the right friends have a powerful influence on our lives. Choose your friends wisely! Make certain they will complement your life goals and help to build within you the right values and standards…How do we develop better friendships?...1. Be sincere. 2. Become thoroughly acquainted by learning their names and other important things about them, being a good listener, and discussing their interests. Show interest in them, their hobbies, their work, their children. 3. Be unselfish. 4. Show brotherly love and concern for them. Meet their needs by giving them helpful service. 5. Graciously let them be of service to you when they offer. 6. Smile and be positive. (Living with Enthusiasm, p. 54)

Gideon and Samson: Instruments of God

We want to be useful to our Father in Heaven and serve Him.

“To be worthy instruments in the hands of God, we must honor our covenant promises and be true to the principles of righteousness. Once committed, Gideon was a faithful servant of God.

“Gideon became an instrument in the hands of the Lord. The Lord used him and directed him to do things the Lord’s way. When Gideon realized the Lord was not only with him but would insure the victory, he was full of faith. His men shared that faith, and also became instruments in the hand of the Lord.

“Samson, on the other hand, presents a mixed portrait of great promise and power as well as weakness and appetite. As long as the Spirit of the Lord remained with him, he was poised to be a productive instrument in the hand of God. When he deviated from the course, however, then carnal desire, rancor, anger, and the spirit of vengeance flourished and overcame his spiritual motivation.

“We can learn great lessons from the example of Samson as we strive to cultivate harmony, balance, humility, and spirituality in our lives. (Ed J. Pingegar and Richard J. Allen, Teachings and Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 419)

We must strive to be productive instruments in the hands of God. Listen to President Ezra Taft Benson’s council.

QUOTE #6

President Ezra Taft Benson: “Ours is a gospel of work – purposeful, unselfish and rendered in the spirit of the true love of Christ. Only thus may we grow in godly attributes. Only thus may we become worthy instruments in the hands of the Lord for blessing others through that power which can lead to changing the lives of men and women for the better.” (Teaching of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 484)

Elder Russel M. Nelson tells us of the need for strong commitment in working toward eternal covenants.

QUOTE #7

Elder Russell M. Nelson: “Without a strong commitment to the Lord, an individual is more prone to have a low level of commitment to a spouse. Weak commitments to eternal covenants lead to losses of eternal consequence. Laments later in life are laced with remorse – as expressed in these lines: For all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’ (John Greenleaf Whittier,“Maud Muller”).” (Perfection Pending, and Other Favorite Discourses, p. 131)

“The stories of Gideon and Samson are known by all. We recognize the faith and exact obedience of Gideon. We are saddened as Samson yielded to temptation, yet he returned in a sense to be an instrument in the hand of the Lord.

“The Lord wants all of us to be willing, faithful, pure, prepared, and devoted instruments in His hands.” (Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen, Teaching and Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 420)

Our joy and glory is to be used in the service of our God to bless our fellowmen.

CONCLUSION

We can count our blessings when we discern the hand of the Lord in our everyday lives. He has given us:
● The inspiration of the Spirit,
● Scriptures,
● Living prophets,
● and other devoted teachers – the beacons of light and instruments of God who are placed along our pathway as guides and mentors.

If we are faithful, the Lord’s message to Gideon will be His message to us:
“Surely I will be with thee.” (Judges 6:16)

It is my prayer that we will be worthy of His spirit as we:
● serve Him,
● raise our children,
● and work out our salvation.

References:
The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley, Go Forward with Faith, Sheri L. Dew, p. 30
BYU Women’s Conference Address, 2002, Hinckley children talk about their life with President Gordon B. Hinckley
Gospel Doctrine Class, Bob Beardall
Old Testament Student Manual, p. 247
Old Testament Teacher’s Manual, Lesson 19
Personal experiences, Maren Hardy Hale
Quotes from General Authorities as noted in lesson
Teachings and Commentary on the Old Testament, Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen, Pp. 413-421