How Will These People Respond to YAHWEH…

1. THE STORY OF THE TORAH: Yahweh has graced this people with salvation (deliverance from bondage), providential care (wilderness), and faithful relationship (Sinai). Now it is time to discover… How Will These People Respond to YAHWEH…

2. THE SHEMA—Deuteronomy 6:4-5 • Hear (“Shema”) O Israel, the LORD (Yahweh) our God is one • You shall love the LORD your God with ALL your heart (leb) • And with ALL your soul (nephesh) • And with ALL your strength (me’od)

3. DEUTERONOMY • Moses’ farewell sermon to the “second generation” just before he dies and just before they go into the land that God had promised 450-650 years earlier • Now, says Moses, and Deuteronomy: live in the land as God intends – live out this covenant life in this land!

4. Deuteronomy’s challenge… now played out in the story of God’s people in the land of Canaan Joshua—entering into the land Judges—settling into the land 1-2 Samuel—getting a king (Saul, David, and Solomon) 1-2 Kings—the spiral downward THE DEUTERONOMISTIC HISTORY

5. The Sections of the Hebrew Bible T = Torah The Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) N = Nebi’im The Former Prophets The Latter Prophets K = Kethubim The Writings (all the rest!) TaNaK

6. The Middle Section of the Hebrew Bible N = Nebi’im The Former Prophets Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings The Latter Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah Ezekiel, and the Twelve TaNaK

7. The Former Prophets: Stories about the prophets The Latter Prophets: Sermons by the prophets TaNaK

8. FIVE MAJOR MOVEMENTS IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY Entrance into the land (1250 B.C.) Settlement in the land (1250-1050 B.C.) Kingship—United Monarchy (1050-922 B.C.) Kingship—Division of the kingdom (922-722;587 B.C.) Exile (587 B.C.) The History of Israel

9. Entrance into the Land—1250 B.C.the book of joshua • Entrance into the land – Rahab and the Israelite spies • Possession of the Land - 3 rapid-movement invasions (blitzkrieg) • Central campaign – Jericho & Ai • Southern campaign – Hebron • Northern campaign - • Distribution of the land – 12 tribes • CovenantRenewal at Shechem

10. Covenant Renewal • The story of conquest of the land begins (crossing the Jordan and the victory at Jericho) and ends (covenant renewal) INWORSHIP! • Joshua ends as Moses did • Covenant renewal – commitment to live a life of complete devotion, loyalty and obedience to Yahweh. “As for me and my house…”

11. THE BOOK OF JUDGES—the “rest of the story”… • The people settle in side by side with the inhabitants of the land and are strongly influenced by the way of life of their neighbors • Will Israel remain faithful to their covenant with their God, or will she try to be like “the rest of the nations”?

12. Israel’s Primary Temptations Survival in the Land – rather than the Conquest of the Land! Transitioning from nomads to farmers Living as a covenant people without a strong national leader To Be Like “The Rest” of the Nations

13. The First of two main dis/attractions for the people – Baalism What is it? Religion of the people of the LAND – believed fertility of the land worship of Baal What is wrong with it? Acknowledging that life comes from a god other than Yahweh – trusting other gods

14. BAALISM— what’s the big deal? • Manipulative of divine power • Compartmentalized life (divided life into nice, neat compartments with one god for one thing and another god for other things) • Violation of the first command: NO OTHER GODS BUT YAHWEH!

15. Cycle of Retribution 1-People serve Baal 2-Enemy nation rises against them 5-When judge dies, People serve Baal… 3-People Cry Out 4-LORD sends a judge

16. THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL: military leaders who delivered and led the people for the first 200 years in the land The One Common Feature…they all had some weakness and only with God’s power (Spirit of the LORD) did they lead the people to victory

17. JUDGES…who all start out weak • Ehud—left-handed • Deborah—the female judge • Gideon—youngest in the family…from the smallest clan of Israel • Jephthah—son of a prostitute and rejected by all his brothers • Samson—mother had been barren before she gave birth to him

18. THE OTHER “GREAT DIS/ATTRACTION”…in addition to baalism Kingship! The people want to be like: THE REST OF THE NATIONS!

19. The first attempt at a king • Gideon the Judge • “I will not be king for you…nor will my son be king for you…only the LORD will be your king.” • Gideon’s son—ABIMELECH – My Father is the KING! Probably a reference to God as King! • Closing Verse of Judges: In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes. (Judges 21:25)

20. The Book of Ruth • Set in the time of the Judges • A part of the Kethubim (Writings) • One of the five Megilloth (Festal Scrolls) • Read at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) • A Story of Love and Fidelity • Shows God’s Love for all people – even those who are outside of Israel (Ruth) • Ruth is named as the great-grandmother of King David – and eventually, of JESUS.

21. Theological Truths From Joshua-Judges-Ruth • The Land is given to Israel as a gift from God – a gift received in worship • Life in the Land depends on God’s people living in trust and fidelity to God’s covenant – Deuteronomistic history • The great danger for God’s people is to become like “the rest of the nations”

22. Theological Truths From Joshua-Judges-Ruth • God’s power to deliver God’s people is demonstrated through weak humans, who are filled with God’s Spirit • God responds to the cries of people in pain, even in rebellion! • God cares for all people, even Gentiles • God’s future depends on the fidelity of God and the fidelity of God’s people!