The account of Samson, the strongman of ancient Israel is well-known. Yet what was so important about the Nazirite vow, which partly involved no haircuts, he and his mother were made to take? Who is God’s mystery angel named Wonderful and God-like.
Category: Prophets and Writings
These studies cover the ancient grouping of Hebrew Bible writings called Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). These books include from Joshua through Malachi in the conventional Christian canon.
Yeeftakh (Jephthah), whose name means “he opens,” is one of the most tragic of the judges of ancient Israel. His rash vow to God that ended being fulfilled by his daughter as a sacrifice disturbs many people. However, a close look at the account suggests quite a different outcome.
This passage looks at three leaders of ancient Israel: Tola, Yair (Jair), and Yeftah (Jephthah). After 45 years under the guidance of the first two, Israel then slid into devotion to the gods of surrounding nations. Israel finally realized the oppression under Philistia and Ammon was to turn them back to the LORD, Who led the nation out of bondage in Egypt.
Categories
Judges 9
The account of Gideon’s son Avimelech (Abimelech) in this chapter is a good illustration of what the oft-misinterpreted Torah phrase, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” really means. What Avimelech sowed in grasping for power came down on him like a millstone.
Daniel Agee shows how the initially unassuming judge, or champion leader, of Israel called Gideon completed the victory God gave his 300 men over the 180,000-strong Midianite invading army. However, the lure of idolatry was so strong in the land of Israel that even Gideon’s best intentions to remain humble and pure before God unraveled starting with the attempted creation of a monarchy by his son.
Categories
Judges 7
https://hallel.info/wp-content/uploads/file/071215%20Judges%207.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:02 — )Subscribe: RSSThe account of Gideon’s 300 and their victory over an 185,000-man army is well-known to Bible students. However, Daniel Agee looks into an important lesson in this chapter God has the time of year — seemingly just after Passover — this event happened.
With the beginning of the account of Gideon, we meet a new type of judge for Israel and symbolic of kings to follow. Gideon in some ways parallels Moses in his interactions with the angel of the LORD in boldly asking for signs via the fleece.