Judges

Judges 10: God judges sin and shows compassion

Begin in prayer

Before we read how the LORD judges those who abandon Him and shows compassion to the suffering, let us come to Him together. Ask Him to make us honest about our sin and to help us see Christ, in whom God's mercy to sinners is full.

Therefore tell them: Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Return to me,’ says Yahweh of Armies, ‘and I will return to you,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

Zechariah 1:3

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Please show us the sins we excuse and the false hopes we keep. Help us turn to You and seek Your mercy in Christ. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Tola and then Jair judge Israel after Abimelech, but the people again abandon the LORD for the gods of surrounding nations. The LORD gives them into Philistine and Ammonite hands, and eighteen years of oppression in Gilead spread into distress west of the Jordan. Israel confesses its sin, yet God recalls His past rescues and tells them to seek help from the gods they have chosen. The people submit themselves to Him, plead for rescue, put away their foreign gods and serve the LORD. He is grieved for their misery, while Ammon gathers for war and Gilead searches for a leader.

As you read Judges 10, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD judges those who abandon Him and has compassion on His suffering people.

Tola and Jair judge Israel for forty-five years, and Jair's thirty sons ride donkey colts, a mark of honor then. Then Israel serves seven kinds of gods, from the Baals of Canaan to the gods of the Philistines (verse 6). The LORD names seven peoples He saved them from, one rescue for each kind of god they served (verses 11 and 12). Then He tells them, “Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen.” Those words show how empty their idols are, because the gods they chose cannot save anyone. Israel's confession becomes more than words, for they put away the foreign gods and serve the LORD (verse 16). Then the LORD's “soul was grieved for the misery of Israel,” though they had forsaken Him again and again. The chapter ends with Ammon at war and Gilead still looking for a leader, waiting for the rescue only God can send.

How does Judges 10 show us that the LORD judges those who abandon Him and has compassion on His suffering people?

The LORD's former kindness makes Israel's rebellion worse.

Tola arises to save Israel and judges for twenty-three years, followed by Jair for twenty-two. Israel then serves the Baals and the gods of surrounding nations (verses 1 to 6). They abandon the LORD who has repeatedly delivered them, and His anger burns against them.

God makes Israel face the gods it has chosen.

The Philistines and Ammonites oppress Israel, and the people confess their sin. God recounts His rescues and declares that He will save them no more (verses 11 to 14). He tells them to cry to their chosen gods for deliverance in their distress.

The LORD has compassion as Israel turns to Him.

Israel asks God to do whatever seems good to Him and pleads for rescue. The people put away foreign gods and serve the LORD (verses 15 and 16). His grief for their misery reveals His compassion, while Gilead's leaders still seek someone to lead the battle.

Memorise

They put away the foreign gods from among them, and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

Judges 10:16

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what sin am I keeping, and will I put it away and trust Jesus?

Israel puts away its foreign gods and serves the LORD, and “his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” His compassion is undeserved. These people have abandoned Him after many rescues, and their gods have left them helpless under judgment.

God's mercy to guilty people reaches its fullness in Jesus Christ. He came to save sinners from the judgment their rebellion deserves. On the cross He bore the sins of His people and suffered their punishment. Nothing needs adding to the salvation He accomplished, and God raised Him from the dead. The living Savior brings those who trust Him back to God.

Please confess your sin and turn from the false hopes that cannot save you. Trust Jesus Christ and His completed work. His mercy leaves no believer carrying a debt of unforgiven sin. Ask Him for mercy and a heart willing to serve the living God.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God's refusal in verses 13 and 14 warns against repeated rebellion. Verse 16 shows God's compassion as Israel puts away its idols and serves Him. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Please do not assume that a Christian home makes any child saved.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for confronting sin and showing undeserved compassion, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;

Titus 2:11-12

Lord God, thank You for judging sin and for showing compassion to Your suffering people. Please forgive our repeated rebellion. Help us put away the sins we confess and trust the Savior You have given. Have mercy on those who suffer, and teach us to serve You with willing hearts. Amen.