Broken People and God’s Will

The time between Joshua and King Saul was about 350 years in Israel’s history in the promised land. In the beginning, God communicated through the heads of families and tribes (The Patriarchal Age).

During the times of Moses and the giving of the Law (Torah) Moses judged the people, alone. However, his father-in-law, Jethro, suggested that he spread the responsibility to others, which Moses did (Exodus 18).

Phase 1: People With No Compass

However, after Joshua’s passing, the Israelites lost their way, “And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). Losing the connection with who they were and what God called them to be, they became vulnerable to the “gods” of the Canaanites, angering the Lord (Judges 2:11-13).

Phase 2: God’s Consequences

As a result of their sin, the Lord led them into a time of oppression by the local Canaanite tribes (Judges 2:14-15).

Phase 3: Repentance

After a period of suffering, God would hear their cries.

Phase 4: Deliverance

At a point of His choosing, God would send a judge to deliver them from their oppressors (Judges 2:16-18).

Phase 4: A Time of Peace

With each cycle, the writer of Judges tells us that, after the death of the judge, they would return to the practices of the Canaanites (Judges 2:19).

This cycle is illustrated in the video by The Bible Project.

The purpose of this series is to study the trendline of cultures and how God moves to bring about His purposes using imperfect people.