IV. THE FIRST CYCLE OF OPPRESSION: OPPRESSION BY CUSHAN-RISHATHAIM AND DELIVERANCE BY OTHNIEL; JUDGES 3:7-11:

A. The sin that brought about Israel's first oppression and bondage was idolatry:

1. They "forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves ", Judges 3:7

2. Remember that Baalim is the plural for Baal, and speaks of numberous Canaanite gods.

3. "The groves " were special places of worship to false gods, primarily Ashtaroth, the prostitute consort of Baal. These groves, which sprang up in a multitude of places throughout the land, were often marked by a wooden pillar (or pillars) or sacred trees representing the female element in the debase Canaanite religion. (Do not misunderstand that "the groves. were stands of trees growing on some mountain top. More often it was a place of idol worship, and the grove itself was a wooden pillar or tree with chopped limbs set upright. There was a grove in the temple, which Joshia brought out and burned at the brook Kidron, II Kings 23:6 "The grove" obviously was not a stand of growing trees.) "The groves" thus stood forth as obvious indicators of the idolatry and sex perversion of Israel (or any people who embraced them). Even more repulsive is the degenerate fact that the embracing of the groves means sex perversion was being justified and made to appear holy, righteous, and acceptable as religious activity. Naturally the groves had wide appeal because of their appeal to the old base lusts of the flesh. Once such lustful activity could be justified as holy worship, people could do in the name and guise of god what their old fleshly, sinful hearts desired in the first place. God specifically commanded Israel, "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: but ye shall destroy their altars, break their image, and cut down their groves, Ex 34:12-11. Also, listen to Deut. 16:21, "Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee." Israel failed to obey the Lord in this, and the result was continuing oppression and heavy chastening. As we move on through the era of the judges and through the time of the kings, we'll see that Israel more and more patronized the groves.

B. As a result of her idolatry, God brought Israel into bondage under "Chushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia, "Judges 3:8.

1. Mesopotamia in those days (about 1400 B.C.) did not include the whole valley of the Tigris Euphrates rivers to the Persian Gulf, but mainly the middle and upper part, including the land westward to the Orontes River. This would equate with northern Iraq and eastern Syria today. Only after the 4th century B.C. was the term extended to include the whole Tigris-Euphrates valley.

2. Cush was the father of Nimrod, who established the Babylonia civilization, Gen. 10:8. It would appear that Chushan-rishathaim was a decendent of Cush. Chushanrishathairn means "double wicked Chushan ". Whether he named himself or others ascribed that name to him is not known; although, the fact that God called him by that name is a testimonial as to how wicked and cruel this taskmaster was, and how heavy God's lash upon Israel was as a result of her sin.

3. Chushan-rishathaim subjugated the Israelites for 8 years.

C. Israel's repentance and cry unto God for help Judges 3:9:

1 .The oppression accomplished the purpose of the Lord in allowing it in the first place. His design in discipline is always to bring correction. See Heb. 12:10-11. From what Chushan-rishathaim did, Israel realized their need for trusting the Lord for their deliverance, and cried out to him for help.

2. This is a foreshadow of Israel in the tribulation, and an indicator at what our response as believers should be to the chastening of God upon us.

D. God delivered Israel by the hand of Othniel. Judges 3:9b-10:

1. Othniel is called "Caleb's younger brother" in Judges 3:9 Judges 1: 13 and Josh. 15:17. Yet, Othniel is called the "son of Kenaz in each of these 3 references, while Caleb is often called "the son of Jephunneh", Josh. 14:6,13 Numbers 13:6, Numbers 14:6, etc. It must be born in mind that the Bible often calls grandsons "sons". For example, Jesus was called the son of David, Matt. 9:27. So son does not necessarily imply an immediate son or first generation offspring. A son may be a grandson many generations removed. Joshua 14:6 calls Caleb "the son of Jephunnehibe Kenezite". Both Caleb and Othniel were descendants of Kenez, and thus brothers in a general sense. Although from the stress on "brothers", it appears to me that Othniel was a grandson of Kenez as was Caleb, both Othniel and Caleb immediate sons of Jephunneh. Thus, it seems to me they were immediate brothers, with Caleb the older. They probably had different mothers.

2. Othniel is called "Caleb's younger brother" in Judges 3:9 The fact that he married Caleb's daughter indicates he was probably 20 - 40 years younger than Caleb, who was 85 when he took Hebron, Josh. 14:10. Thus, Othniel outlived Joshua and Caleb and the elders of Israel. Although, in view of the fact that he was alive with Caleb indicates that this oppression and captivity occurred fairly soon after the death of Joshua and the elders. In his Chronological Bible, Edward Reese dates this deliverance as 1367 B.C. John Garstang dates the event as 1359 B.C. This was the time of King Tut in Egypt.

3. Judges 3:10 says "the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. " Remember that "judged" is translated from the Hebrew word "shophat" which means "saviour" or "deliverer"; not judge in the sense of magistrate of legal matters as we think of judge today. The Spirit gave Othniel supernatural power. God gave him special power to accomplish this deliverance. God can work miraculous! power and deliverance through men who will allow his Spirit control of their lives.

E. Judges 3:1 says the land had rest after Othniel's deliverance:

1. The period of rest in the land was 40 years.

2. Historians say this era was mostly influenced by the Egyptian Pharaohs Sakere (1358-1356), Tutenkhamon (1356-1350), and Harmhab (1350-1314). Egyptian authority over most of the Syrian region apparently kept the attention of potential enemies off Israel.

3. As long as Othniel lived, his leadership kept the attention of Israel pretty well fixed on the Lord; although, apparently without deep conviction, for as soon as he died, they returned to the very evils that brought about their first captivity and oppression. (Oh, how soon we humans forget; and how prone we are to learn nothing from our mistakes.)

4. The 40 years of rest in the land represents one generation and suggests the failure of the people to transmit God's truth to succeeding generations. Consider well the advice of Deut. 6:4-9, which Israel (and most of us) disregarded. "Hear, 0 Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign ,upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the Posts of thy house, and on thy gates."

 

QUESTIONS ON THE FIRST CYCLE OF OPPRESSION

1. Name the 6 steps in the pattern of reporting the cycles of oppression in Judges.

2. What sin brought about Israel's first oppression and bondage?

3. Who was Baalim?

4.4What is meant by "the groves"?

5. Explain how "the groves" did not always refer to a stand of trees.

6. What did the physical sight of "the groves" say about the spiritual condition of Israel?

7. How did sex perversion relate to "the groves"?

8. What was God's counsel concerning "the groves"?

9. Who was Chushan-rishathaim?

10.Where was Mesopotamia during the time of 1400 B.C.

11. Who was Cush?

12. Locate Babylon on your map.

13. How evil was Chushan-rishathaim?

14. What did the oppression by Chushan-rishathaim accomplish in the Israelites?

15. What is God's purpose in chastening?

16. How was Othniel related to Caleb?

17. In Bible terminology, who can qualify as a "son" of parents?

18. How do we know the oppression by Chushan-rishathaim was no more than one generation after the death of Joshua and Caleb?

19. By what power source was Othniel able to deliver Israel?

20. How does the period of only 40 years rest demonstrate the importance of transmitting God's truth to your children?