If one were to study commentaries on the book of Judges and compare how each different author breaks down the book into sections, one might come to the conclusion that every one of them made a mistake on the setting apart of the text we’re looking at this morning – Judges 3:7-11. For it is practically unanimous that the commentators see the introduction stretching all the way from 1:1-3:6, the story of Gideon running from chapters 6-9, and the story of Samson moving from chapters 13-16. And most would then largely divide the book along the cycles of these six major judges that span the book and their stories which often take up three to four chapters of the book of Judges.

However, the commentators are also practically unanimous in understanding that the first division after the long introduction and prior to the cycles of judges taking up three to four chapters is 3:7-11, the story of Othniel. But if they are right, we should ask why? Why is it that this first cycle, this first judge’s story is told in only five verses? Does the length (or lack thereof) of this story communicate something to us? Is it supposed to do so? Why is it so short?

It seems that the answer to this question is that the story of Othniel is short by design. That is, it is intended only to have the elements it has. For this reason, most believe that it is a paradigm for what is to follow in the coming chapters. In short, the story of Othniel’s deliverance of the Lord’s people fits the summary that we saw in 2:11-19 perfectly. There, the author introduced the book telling the reader of a six-stage cycle. Israel would do what was evil in God’s sight (2:11-13), God would give them into the hands of an enemy (2:14), Israel would cry out to the Lord (2:15b, 18b), the LORD would raise up a deliverer (2:16, 18a), the LORD would give the enemy into the hands of the deliverer (2:18a), and the Land would have rest for a certain number of years.¹

Thus, the story of Othniel seems to serve as a type of paradigm for what is to follow. It is the model. The following stories will not necessarily include all the elements that we see in the summary or in the story of Othniel, but it is the standard. And though some stories will add much detail to one or more elements of the cycle, the story of Othniel does little of that, stretching over a mere five verses. But it does establish a pattern for us and (by saying very little) allows us to see the basic message and themes of this book, some of which we will see highlighted and stressed in the stories of particular judges that will follow. In that way, then, this story of Othniel is quite helpful in understanding the rest of the book.

The story is rather simple. The people do evil in the Lord’s sight, forgetting the Lord and serving other gods (7). Therefore, the Lord hands them over to an evil king who forces them to serve under his mighty hand for eight years (8). Then the Lord hears the cries of his people and raises up one to deliver them named Othniel (9). However, the Lord does not simply raise him up by placing his Spirit upon him so that he prevails over the evil king, frees the people, and gives the land rest for forty years before he dies (10-11). That is all we see in these five verses.

So, what then did the author of this book intend for his readers to see? I think there are a few lessons and realities they should have seen quite clearly even from the episode described briefly here. Also, I think there is much that we, living a few thousand years later, should learn as well. Therefore, let us first turn to some clear realities that come forth from this text.

God will not allow his people to become comfortable in unfaithfulness (7-8)

As we saw last week, Scripture views the sin of God’s people before him as unfaithfulness. In our day, sin is often spoken of as a mistake or something that happens because of our tough circumstances; but in the bible it is viewed in the most disgusting terms imaginable. It is pictured as a spouse being unfaithful and committing adultery. In fact, in the introduction to this book we read not simply that Israel sought to serve other gods but that they “whored after other gods” (2:17). And the same is true in our text this morning. For although the text may read in your Bible that Israel “forgot” the Lord their God, the idea is much more powerful. This is not the case of mere forgetfulness on their part. The word translated “forgot” could easily be translated with the idea of abandonment. This is a picture of Israel abandoning their faithful Lord and Redeemer to seek after, indeed whore after, other gods. Scripture simply does not allow its readers to have a pretty view of sin and an allowance of comfort therein.

But we see something even more this week – not simply that all sin is as infidelity to our faithful Lord but that he will not allow his people to become comfortable in it. The text says that in response to Israel’s unfaithfulness (i.e. the “therefore” beginning verse 8) “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia.” This is not the picture of the Lord sitting idly by. And it might seem like a harsh and brutal picture, and in some ways is.

It is, however, also a reminder that the Lord, because of his passion for his own name and his love for his people, refuses to let his people go and become comfortable in the unfaithfulness of sin. And in his love, he will inflict all that is necessary to bring them out of it and back to himself. This is the action of a God who clearly communicates that he is a jealous God. Packer rightly comments on God’s statement that his name was “Jealous”, writing, “He meant that he demands from those whom he has loved and redeemed utter and absolute loyalty, and he will vindicate his claim by stern action against them if they betray his love by unfaithfulness.”² If God were anything less than this then he would lack the moral integrity which he commands from a pure, chaste, and faithful husband.

God is merciful to his people; though undeserved they are (9)

After handing the Israelites over into the hand of their enemy, the text says, “But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them.” At first glance, this might seem like the people at least did something right. I mean, we might say, they did cry out to the Lord. However, every indication of the use of this word elsewhere implies that this was not a cry of repentance but simply a cry of distress. It’s like someone robbing a store, running from the police, getting shot in the leg, and crying out. Nothing suggests the person is crying out saying, “My heart convicts me that it is morally wrong to do the action I just performed.” No, rather, he is crying out in agony because he got shot in the leg and it hurt. That seems to be the picture here.

Yet the Lord responds to their cry. Why? Is it because their evil hearts had changed? No. Is it because they see the evil of their ways? No. It’s because their current situation was bringing them great agony. Yet the Lord mercifully raises up one to deliver them.

Isn’t this quite a hopeful realization when combined with the first point? Our God is one who will turn against us in whatever measure necessary to keep us from becoming comfortable in our sin, and his mercy to us is not because we ever do anything to merit it. What encouragement to a people who are in desperate need of one to fight for us and in desperate need of mercy! We should ponder those two realities until our hearts are made deeply thankful and full of worship in light of God’s mercy and faithfulness. It is a great tragedy that we take events in our own lives like those described in verse 9 as simply assumptions in our lives, as if God’s job is to act in such a way to us.

So, we see God’s faithfulness and mercy. Yet there is another quality of God on display here.

God is powerful to deliver us from sin (10)

Before we get to Othniel, let us pause to consider the enemy who held the Israelites captive. The author calls him Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. However, rishathaim means “double wickedness” so that he is called, “Cushan of Double Wickedness.” Then, when you understand that the text really doesn’t simply read “king of Mesopotamia” but describes Mesopotamia as Aram-naharaim, or Aram of double rivers, then you see that this is most likely the use of a pun to point to the king’s wickedness. He is Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim, or Cushan of double wickedness, king of double rivers. This would be like one of Mark Dubis’ evil students calling him, Dr. Doofis in a fit of sinful rage.

So, why does the author call him that? Probably the answer is that he wants to stress his wickedness. This is indeed an evil king. And, he is most likely a powerful king. Dan Block writes of this king, “For him to have extended his tentacles as far as Judah in southern Canaan meant he was a world-class emperor, who held Canaan in his grip for at least eight years.”³ So, this enemy is an enormously wicked, enormously powerful king.

But why set that up? We set it up because it highlights God’s power in delivering his people. For, yes, Othniel is the one who goes to war, but it is God whose power is on display. The text tells us that the Lord “raised up a deliverer” (v. 9), that the “Spirit of the Lord” was upon the deliverer” (v. 9), and that the Lord gave the king into Othniel’s hand (v. 10). This was God’s power on display.

God’s strength so transforms Othniel that he simply goes at the king head on in war and prevails over this king who is doubly wicked and enormously powerful. But it is because the main actor was not Othniel but God. God was showing off his great power.

Finally, we see God’s sovereign grace (11)

Verse 11 tells us that then the land had rest for forty years. That is to say, they were not warring, but were able simply to live in rest before the Lord. So, not only does he mercifully deliver an unfaithful people but then God gives rest to their land. Does this not ring of God’s kind grace for which we should be thankful and which should drive us to repentance?

What this text should make clear to us is that even restful times in our nation is the work of the sovereign and gracious hand of the Lord. So it should move us to thankfulness. But should it not also move us to see the kindness of the Lord as an opportunity for our repentance? Indeed, let us seek God with our heart as the church in America, for is God’s kindness not meant to bring us to repentance even as his discipline does?

Therefore, this text teaches us much about God. We see his jealous love, mercy, power, and grace. But what about specifically to us? Does this text speak to how we should think and live here and now? Yes. Let me point out a few ways as we close.

First of all, this text is not simply a paradigm for the stories that will follow in the book. It is a paradigm of our own deliverance, of our own salvation. This text is a picture of what’s happened in our lives. Romans 1 tells us that our creator and rightful owner created us to glorify and worship him and we exchanged his glory for our own, whoring after other gods. Then God subjected the world to futility. Because of our sin all men are born without hope in themselves captive to sin, death, and Satan. Yet even in the garden, the Lord spoke a promise of threat to our enemy and deliverance to us. His promise was that our capturer would have his head crushed and his people would be free from his reign. We didn’t ask God to do it. He simply did it out of his mercy which he set on us out of his sovereign grace and to which he has been faithful. And Jesus came and didn’t die simply as a sacrifice. He did no less than that, but he did more.

It’s actually really hard to see how Judges 3:7-11 illustrates our salvation unless we see this reality in the cross. In the cross, Jesus did not only atone for our sins but he crushed the enemy who held us captive by the sin of death. By his death, Christ defeated the enemy of death that we might have salvation, deliverance. Therefore, let us first read this story and be moved to awe in light of God’s power, love, mercy, and grace not simply because of what happened to another people but because their situation reminds us so much of our own.

Second, let God’s work in your life right now drive you to repentance if you are becoming comfortable in sin. Indeed, it’s easy to grow comfortable in looking at internet pornography or getting caught up in the materialistic nature that says we must have the nicest of clothes, houses, or cars or wanting men to think you’re great because that’s the comfortable position of our culture. We could look around us and say, “Is that not what everyone else is doing?”

The answer would be, “Yes, but it’s still sin, and God will not allow us to become comfortable with it.” So, today maybe the Lord’s discipline is toward you. Maybe his kindness is being manifested toward you. But if you are being tempted to grow comfortable in your sin, both God’s discipline and kindness are aimed at one end – that you might repent of your unfaithfulness and return to loving and obeying God above all. Therefore, even as our hearts no doubt read Judges 3:7-11 and long for the Israelites to repent in light of God’s judgment and (even more so) mercy, may we turn and urge ourselves today to that same end.

Finally, do not marvel at God’s power and work in the life of Othniel and excuse yourself from obedience because you think yourself insufficient. Maybe there is a hard task of obedience before you. Maybe it’s witnessing to your neighbor or to a people on the other side of the world, and you think, “I can’t do it.” Well, you may be right, but just as with Othniel, it is God who becomes the main actor when we strive to obey him in difficult things. Indeed, it may be without exception that God calls one in the Scripture to a task of great difficulty while also affirming him that he will be with him. We can think of the Lord toward Joshua before the conquering of the land and of Christ to his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20.

And it is true in our lives. It is also sin to know what you should do and refuse to do it. Therefore, may we this day be reminded of the Lord’s greatness and focus on it until we know in our minds and hearts the truth that nothing is impossible with God. Then, let us remind ourselves that God has placed his Spirit in us and will be with us in our tasks. And then let us obey in faith. My prayer is that God would work through this church even as he did through Othniel to bring many of his people back to him, that they might be saved and he might be honored above all things.

Let our cry be one of obedience as we now come to the table. Amen.

¹This is noted in a helpful chart in Dan Block's Judges comentary on pages 146-7.
²J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973), 171.
³Daniel Block, Judges, 152.

SIN, MERCY, CAPTIVITY, AND DELIVERANCE