1. Cycle One (vs. 7-11)
a) Rest (prosperity) → Rebellion (desertion) → Retribution (discipline) → Remorse (repentance) →
Rescue (Deliverance & rest) → Rottenness (depravity).
b) Rebellion: did evil/eyes/Lord”, “forgot…their God” (Deut. 8:19), “served”- Baals (rain) & Asheroth-gods/goddesses of fertility (wife/El, mother/Baal, symbolized by a sacred tree/carved wooden image).
c) Discipline: “anger/Lord kindled” (God does get angry over our waywardness), “sold”- like slaves into a king (“Cush. the doubly wicked”) from a distance to the NE. They “served” (vs. 7, should be serving the Lord) him for 8 years. The oppression would be more severe to those tribes nearest the enemy.
d) Repentance: “cried to the Lord” in their oppressed state
e) Rescue: “raised up a deliverer”, Othniel (1:13), Caleb’s younger brother. “The Spirit/Lord came upon”- Divine enablement (we have the Spirit’s permanent indwelling). He judged/governed Israel. When he led Israel to war with Cush., Lord “gave” him into his hand (v8). The Lord controls nations.
f) Rest for 40 years. The Lord empowered a strong man of faith to be their Savior.
2. Cycle Two (vs. 12-30)
a) Rebellion: “again did evil/eyes/Lord” (2X)
b) Discipline: ”the Lord strengthened Eglon (Moab) against Israel” He joined forces with Ammon & Amalek to defeat Israel & set up rule in Jericho (E.- Jordan River). They “served” Eglon for 18 years.
c) Repentance: “sons/Israel cried to the Lord”
d) Rescue: “the Lord raised up a deliverer”, Ehud, the Benjamite: that tribe had been decimated by the other tribes for their moral apostasy (Judges 19-21, 20:47). He was left-handed (20:16, normally men fought with their right hand). The Lord raised him up & he acted with deception & courage.
-He led the group that bore tribute (forced payment) to Eglon. He hid a short-sword by his right thigh. They enemy would check for weapons by the left thigh.
-Eglon was a very fat man (benefiting from the tribute from Israel).
-While his assistants were sent away, Ehud turned back from the idols at nearby Gilgal & informed the king he had a secret message for him (pretending from the idols ?). The king called for silence so all his attendants/guards left.
-Ehud approach his throne in his cool roof chamber with, “I have a message from God for you.” The king arose out of respect exposing his gut.
-Ehud left-handed action of stabbing & murdering the kings with his sword is told with gory details.
-Ehud locked the door to the roof chambers on his escape.
-Eglon’s servants initially thought the king was relieving himself (bathroom break) & did not want to disturb him (which allowed Ehud to get away). Eventually they unlocked the door & found him dead.
-Ehud fled the hill country of Ephraim (just north of Benjamin) & sounded a trumpet to call them to war. He acknowledged, “the Lord has given your enemies/into your hands” (v8).
-They seized the Jordan fords & killed 10,000 robust valiant warriors before they could flee to Moab.
e) Rest: now Israel had the upper hand & they enjoyed rest for 80 years.
3. Cycle Three (vs. 31)
a) The full cycle is not described but Israel experienced increased pressure from the Philistines (SW). They had a monopoly on iron giving them a big advantage in battle.
b) Shamgar (foreign name), “Anath”- a goddess of war, but also a city a few miles north of Hebron (Josh. 15:59). Judges 5:6 associates his activity with the next cycle of oppression.
c) One heroic feat is highlighted: he struck down/killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad (metal-tipped wood pole used to prod oxen). This brought temporary relief from oppression from the Philistines.
Lessons: God disciplines His people, but hears their cry and raises up deliverers. Determine that you will break out of the vicious cycle by uncompromising service to the Lord.