A Subtle Disobedience

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1. Judges begins around the death of Joshua. Several events occur which set the stage for the decline of obedience in Israel. In Joshua, all of the good words which God had promised were fulfilled. In Judges we begin to see calamity come to Israel because they did not completely obey God.

   After the death of Joshua, the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, ‘Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites?’ The LORD indicated that Judah should go up, because God had given the Canaanites into their hands. Judah invited Simeon his brother to fight with them against the Canaanites. After fighting the Canaanites in Judah’s territory, they would both go together to fight them in Simeon’s territory.

   God had already told Israel how they were to treat these nations. No treaties, no mercy, no agreements, total annihilation. They were living in land that was not theirs and sinning against God, so judgment had been declared against these nations. Moses had led them to complete victory beyond the Jordan. Joshua had led them to near complete victory in the land promised to Abraham. Except for the Gibeonites, he had conquered all who he fought against. Gibeah had deceived them into a peace agreement, which led them to discover the truth of their close proximity, so they made the forced labor. The Gibeonites were given over to God as living sacrifices, whose job was to cut the wood for the altar in the Tabernacle.

   Judah went up with Simeon, and the LORD gave the Perizzites and Canaanites into their hands. They defeated ten thousand men at Bezek, likely modern day Jerusalem or a small town close to that location.

   Adoni Bezek means Lord of Lightning. The name is likely a corruption of Adoni Zedek, ‘King of Peace’, a title for the man who reigns in Jerusalem. After the death of Melchi Zedek, ’King of Righteousness’, who was none other than Shem, and the power vacuum left behind in that small city when Isaac died and Jacob left, the local area was taken over by Canaanites. Jerusalem was seized by these peoples and their kings claimed that title.

   Adoni Bezek likely served Baal or another god. Baal is often depicted historically with lightning in his hands. Adoni Bezek is linked to Abdi-Heba in the Amarna Letters. He was a warrior king of the small settlement of Jerusalem who had correspondence with Pharoah.

   When Judah and Simeon fought against him, he was defeated with his army. Adoni Bezek fled, but Judah pursued and caught him. Then they cut off his big toes and thumbs, perhaps divine justice for Adoni Bezek’s own mistreatment of other local kings. He stated after being dismembered, ‘Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me.’

   God did not command torture, He had commanded annihilation. Adoni Bezek was supposed to be killed, but Judah and Simeon brought him to Jerusalem. Judah fought against Jerusalem and struck the city with the edge of the sword. They captured it and set the city on fire. Adoni Bezek was the last man alive, left alive as the city burned down around him, the rest of the people had perished. He later died, perhaps in the fire. Instead of complete obedience, they began to stray just a little.

   God had warned them. He commanded complete obedience. He had told them what would happen if they did not obey. Their carelessness would bring great harm to all Israel, for God would begin to bring the curses they agreed to at Mount Ebal down on them. And so Judges shows us what happened next.

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