Page 14 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

Main issues addressed in the book of nations in Canaan (Judg. 2:1-5). Later,
Judges the Lord used the same tribes to punish
The main issues in the book of Judges Israel.
are conquest and non-conquest, apostasy
and disunity. The apostasy cycles
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
Apostasy refers to renunciation or
Conquest and non-conquest (Judg. abandonment of one’s religious faith
1:1-2:5) or loyalty. In the biblical context,
The book of Judges shows that until the apostasy designates rebellion against
death of Joshua, the conquest of the land God and his commandments. The
of Canaan was not fully accomplished. book of Judges shows that people
After Joshua’s death, the Israelites rebelled against God’s laws and the
launched a campaign against the tribes covenant of Sinai. They worshipped
of Canaan. However, Israel did not idols and followed pagan customs; they
kill all the people. For example, after worshipped the Baals and Ash’taroth
conquering the Canaanites who dwelt in (Judg. 2:13).
Zephath, Judah did not surmount Gaza,
Ashkelon or Ekon with their territories. The book of Judges explains the whole
They also did not remove those who story of Judges due to national apostasy.
lived in the plain. The Benjaminites The people sinned and worshipped the
did not remove the Jebusites who dwelt Baals and Ash’taroth. Consequently, the
in Jerusalem. Manasseh did not take Lord handed them over to plunderers
possession of Beth-shear with its town who oppressed them. From the biblical
or extricate Dor’s inhabitants and towns. justice perspective, the practice of
When the Israelites grew stronger, they apostasy violated the first divine
used the Canaanites as labourers but commandment, “You shall have no other
did not drive them out. The Israelites gods before me” (Read Deuteronomy 5
lived beside the Canaanites. This & Exodus 20). Apostasy at the time of
greatly impacted the Israelites and Judges was characterised by building
their covenant relationship with God. altars to foreign gods, bowing to or
There were intermarriages between the worshipping false gods, sacrificing to
Israelites and the Canaanites, i.e., the false gods and imitating pagan customs.
Israelites gave their sons and daughters
into marriage to the Canaanites. The Reasons for apostasy
Israelites later on imitated Canaanites’ Political vacuum (Judges 1)
cultures and joined their worship. These In Israel, there was a political vacuum
tribes later oppressed the Israelites. after Joshua’s death; there was no person
It was an act of disobedience to God, who would be identified as a national
who ordered the Israelites to destroy all leader.

Form Five Student’s Book 5