The Weakness of the Old Covenant

Purpose of Mosaic Law

1- Love & Obey God

2- reveal & understand sin

3- recognize Israelites’ need for God

Joshua

The leader of the Israelites who takes over after Moses’ death & leads the people into the Promised Land

Achan

Coveted & stole treasures from the Lord, resulting in the death of 36 men in a battle with AI & the the death of him + his household

God’s promise to Joshua

To be with him & the Israelites as He was with Moses

Gods command to Joshua

For Joshua to obey the law & meditate on Scripture day & night to be successful

Akor

Trouble

Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever

Sabbath

Festivals that occurred weekly, monthly, every 7 years, every 50 years; it was a day of rest to celebrate/remember God’s blessings

Passover

Celebrated God’s grace & Israel’s deliverance from Egypt

Parts of the Passover

-A lamb sacrificed to remember the blood that covered/protected

-Eating bitter herbs to remember the bitterness of slavery

-Wearing travel clothes to remember eagerly waiting for deliverance

Pentecost

To remember when Israel renewed their covenant, both before the Promised Land & after conquering it

Festival of Trumpets

Trumpets blown to remind Israel to call for repentance (to remind to call on the Lord like their ancestors did)

Feast of Tabernacles

Live in debris shelters for 7 days to remind themselves of how their ancestors lived in the wilderness

Day of Atonement

Feast involving atonement (removing sin/turning away God’s wrath) for Israel; a call to live holy

Hallel

To praise (Ps. 136 is the great “Hallel” Psalm); also means to remember

Debbie/Deborah

Righteous baddie, 4 judge, Godliest of all the judges

Barack

Called by God through Debbie to “step up” & fight Sisera’s army but responds disobediently & without discernment

Sisera

Oppressor for 20yrs. of Israel, commander of Jabin’s army

Jael

Sisera flees to her tent, husband’s farm has alliance with king Jabin, “hides” Sisera to kill with tent peg & hammer

Baal

“lord” or “master”, the god of weather, brings fruitfulness to crops - a frequent idol & point of temptation for Israel

Judges

Government/military generals who has successfully called together troops to push out Israel’s enemies

Othniel

The first judge

Ehud

2nd judge; assassinated the king of Moab

Shamgar

3rd judge; killed 600 Philistines with a cattle prod

Judges in order

1- Othniel

2- Ehud

3- Shamgar

4- Deborah (only female judge)

Servitude

God punished Israel (conquered); Israel repents

Supplication

Israel asks God for help; God sends judges

Salvation

Israel experiences rest; when judge dies, pattern repeats

The Repeating Pattern in Judges

Sin, Servitude, Supplication, Salvation

Why God delivered for the Israelites

1- They called out to Him (repent & asking for intervention); He’s faithful to His covenants

2- Their enemies were also God’s enemies

Oppressors

Midianites, Amalekites; Israel in hiding