Transcript Chapter 5: The Nation of Israel Chaplain Ron McCants

Chapter 5: The Nation of Israel
Chaplain Ron McCants, Instructor
Joshua, Judges, First and Second Samuel
First and Second Kings (The Former Prophets)
Entry Into the Land Promised
• The LORD says to
Moses, “Do not let
anything that
breathes remain
alive.”
Deuteronomy 20:16
• Joshua’s army
conducts a genocidal
campaign.
• “As the LORD had
commanded his
servant Moses, so
Moses commanded
Joshua, and so
Joshua did…”
Joshua 11:14-15
The Historical World
• Never did they decisively dominate the Canaanites – no
judge was a national leader.
• Gibeon tricked Joshua into a treaty of amity – Joshua 9
Deuteronomistic History
The Deuteronmist editor took a perspective
on events based on the theology of the
Book of Deuteronomy: when the people of
Israel are obedient to God’s ways, they
florish; when they reject God’s path, they
suffer. This is dominant among literary
historians.
Stories in a Cycle with
Repeated Pattern
Society
• The Israelites are pictured as living in villages,
with a tribal social organization and no major
intertribal institutions.
• Typical of a tribal culture is charismatic
leadership, persons “empowered” with natural
leadership gifts.
• The military behavior of the Israelites fighting
force was essentially the able-bodied men
mustered by families and clans. The judges
usually went for a quick and decisive action,
often involving surprise or ambush.
Charismatic Heroes
• Deborah (Honey Bee) - Her inspiration was "a mother in
Israel." She and Barak defeated Jabin, a Canaanite
king. Judges 4-5
• Ehud (Judges 3:12-30) Left handed and used twoedged sword to assassinate obese King Eglon of Moab.
The “secret message” dual meanings of “thing” or “sex.”
(Dirt came out)
• Gideon (Judges 6-8) Tests the LORD and used by the
LORD to defeat the Midianites.
• Jephthah (Judges (11-12) A foolish vow and his taking
the life of his own daughter
• Samson (Judges 13-16) His passion for beautiful Delilah
• Samuel (1 Samuel 1-12) Administration of justice
• Saul (1 Samuel 11 – 13) Became Israel’s first king and
later rejected by God.
Social Circumscription
• Philistines – The “Sea Peoples” moved
from the Aegean region to Canaan. The
activity created social circumscription.
Anthropologists observe that states tend to
rise when an area becomes circumscribed
or impacted. The population grows to the
point that the habitable environment is
pressed to the limits of its carrying
capacity or social developments have the
effect of closing people in.
Succession Narrative (SN)
• “Who will succeed David as king?” The
Hebrew short story or novella.
• Davidic Covenant – Based on the promise
of the LORD that there will always be a
Davidic king with the ancestral promises of
people, land, and blessing. This becomes
the biblical goal that leads to the hope for
a messiah (anointed one) to restore Israel
to Davidic glory.
David’s affair with Bathsheba:
Greater Sin Follow on Lesser
Solomon
A golden era of peace and prosperity
• Tradition has two things: His Wisdom and
Building the Jerusalem Temple
• Reorganize the kingdom into tax districts to raise
revenue and force labor to support the royal
structure.
• Palaces, Temple, Court Chapel
• Militarily: Imperial army, large chariot force,
infantry, Armory, Fortifications, Storage
Magazines, Frontier Outposts
• Trading enterprise between Africa and Asia
• Merchant marine venture with Hiram of Tyre
Factions that Seriously
Disaffected Solomon’s Reign
• Heavy burden of taxation
• Alienated the priesthood and prophets
• Diplomatic marriages and permitting
foreign wives to practice their religion in
Jerusalem, as well as himself.
• (1 Kings 11:31-40)
The Kingdom after Solomon’s Death
• Rehoboam –
Southern
Kingdom with
Judah and
Benjamin
• Jeroboam Northern
Kingdom with
10 tribes
Class Assignment
• Read the story of David and Bathsheba,
pages 108-109.
• Complete the handout
• Be prepared to discuss in class