Part 1: The roots of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 1:1-3:6)

Prelude to apostasy (Judges 1:1-2:5)

Initial battles and seeds of apostasy (Judges 1:1-21)

• Judges 1:4-7 – The Israelites were acting as God’s agent of justice.
• The tribes of Judah and Benjamin feature heavily in the book of Judges. David and Jesus both later came from Judah. Saul came from Benjamin.
• Judges 1:8 – Jerusalem would change hands many times over the years. It wasn’t fully conquered by Israel until II Samuel 5.
• Judges 1:13 – Othniel would later be the first judge. Depending on how you read this, it seems that Othniel married his cousin (Caleb’s daughter).
• The Israelites tended to better be able to hold positions in the hill country. The Canaanites had iron chariots and tended to hold locations in the plains more easily. Of course, with God helping them, if the Israelites had been doing as He instructed, they should have been able to easily hold any position.

Incomplete conquests portending apostasy (Judges 1:22-36)

• Judges 1:24 – They seem to be asking for the secret entrance here, which ancient cities often had in case of siege.
• See Deuteronomy 20:16. No one in Canaan was to be spared.

The angel of the Lord and Israel’s apostasy (Judges 2:1-5)

Takeaways

• An incomplete eradication of sin will result in a disastrous downward spiral into unfaithfulness for us as it did for the Israelites.
• Matthew 18:8
• What is lingering in your life which is causing – or could cause – your spiritual demise?

Introduction

• Nebuchadnezzar was known as a great builder (the hanging gardens of Babylon, for example) and a fierce conqueror.
• Jeremiah 52:4, 10-16 – Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and took some of the people back to Babylon, leaving only the poor in the land.
• Jeremiah 25:8-12 – God used Nebuchadnezzar to punish Israel.

He would ‘learn his lesson,’ but then turn around and sin again.

• Daniel 2:3, 26, 46-49 – Nebuchadnezzar glorified God and blessed Daniel and his friends.
• Daniel 3:1, 6, 14, 19-21, 28-30 – Nebuchadnezzar set up an idol and tried to force others to worship it.
• Daniel 4:29 – Nebuchadnezzar is back with more pride!
• II Corinthians 12:21
• Have I truly repented of my sin?
• It is time to die to sin (Romans 6:2)!

He never focused exclusively on God.

• Daniel 4:1-3 – Nebuchadnezzar calls God “the most high God.” See also Daniel 3:26. Although this is a correct term, it seems that Nebuchadnezzar might have thought of God as just being the highest of many gods.
• Daniel 4:8-9, 18
• Nebuchadnezzar changed the names of Daniel and his friends:
  • Jewish names:
    • Daniel: God is my judge
    • Hananiah: Who is what God is?
    • Azariah: Yahweh has helped
  • Babylonian names:
    • Belteshazzar: Bel protect the prince
    • Shadrach: Command of Aku
    • Meshach: Who is like Aku?
    • Abed-nego: Servant of Nebo
• Daniel 5:11 – He never got rid of the other “magicians” even though he made Daniel chief of the magicians.
• Acts 17:23-24, 31
• Acts 4:12 – Salvation is in no else!
• Matthew 16:18
• Ephesians 4:4-6 – There is one God.

He was guilty of pride.

• Daniel 4:25-37 – God humbled Nebuchadnezzar.
• Are we guilty of pride?
• Belshazzar saw what happened to Nebuchadnezzar and was still guilty of pride.

I Timothy 1

I Timothy 1:1-2 – Greeting

• The letter is from Paul to Timothy.
• Paul points out that God chose him to be an apostle.

I Timothy 1:3-7 – “instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines”

• I Timothy 1:4
  • Ephesus timeline:
    • Paul’s second journey: Acts 18:19-21
    • Paul’s third journey: Acts 19
    • Paul’s farewell: Acts 20 – trouble brewing
    • Paul’s letter: Ephesians
    • Timothy in Ephesus: I and II Timothy
    • John’s letter: Revelation 2:1-7
• I Timothy 1:6-7 – Just because someone is confident doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about.

I Timothy 1:8-11 – “The Law is good”

• I Timothy 1:9 – This is a not-but passage.

I Timothy 1:12-17 – Paul and Jesus

• I Timothy 1:15 – See Acts 7:58; 8:1-3. Paul stood in approval of Stephen’s stoning. Acts 9:1-9, 17-22 tells of Paul’s conversion afterwards.
• I Timothy 1:16 – Paul used himself as an example of the extreme change Christ can bring about in others.

I Timothy 1:18-20 – Timothy fighting the good fight

• I Timothy 1:18 – This seems to be a reference back to I Timothy 1:3 about instructing people not to teach strange doctrines.

I Timothy 2

I Timothy 2:1-8 – Praying for people God wants to save.

• I Timothy 2:1-2 – Pray that, if nothing else, the authorities will leave us alone.
• I Timothy 2:4 – God wants everyone to be saved! See II Peter 3:9.
• I Timothy 2:8 – Various postures in prayer are discussed in the Bible (Matthew 26:39; Acts 9:40; Mark 11:25). The emphasis here seems to be on holiness. It does not enforce a particular posture.

Holiness means action

Key passage of the quarter

• I Peter 1:13-16

Why did God create us?

• We have love to give, so we “create” children. God also has love to give, and He wants love in return.
• Ephesians 2:8-10
• James 2:14-26 – faith without works is dead
• Hebrews 13:16
• Titus 2:11-14 – special people zealous for good works
• Titus 3:1 – be ready for every good work
• Titus 3:8 – believers should engage in good works
• Titus 3:14 – maintain good works so we are not unfruitful
• I Timothy 6:17-19 – rich should be good, rich in good works, giving and sharing
• II Timothy 3:16-17

Don’t grow weary

• Galatians 6:7-10 – don’t grow weary in doing good, you will be rewarded
• Romans 2:6-10 - don’t grow weary in doing good, you will be rewarded
• Hebrews 6:10-12 - don’t grow weary in doing good, you will be rewarded

What is the point of good works?

• Matthew 5:16 – people may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven

What are good works?

We were made to have fear.

• Proverbs 22:3
• Fear is useful and keeps us alive.
• Healthy fear can be a good thing.

Fear is real.

• Man and beast have fear.
  • God made us and them that way.
  • Protected and fed by animals’ fear of us – Genesis 9:2
• Fear can help us – Proverbs 1:7
• Fear can hinder us – Matthew 25:24-28
  • Fear of acting in this case was called wicked and lazy.

What causes fear?

• Danger
• The unknown or unfamiliar
• Overwhelming opposing force
• Personal experience – II Corinthians 12:20-21
• Other people’s experiences – Acts 9:26
• Disapproval of others – John 9:17-22
• Immediate consequences for actions – Jonah 3:4-9

Kinds of fear

• Reverence and respect
  • Cornelius – Acts 10:1-2
  • Jonah – Jonah 1:1-3
• Mortal fear
  • Belshazzar – Daniel 5:1-6
  • Saul and the Israelites – I Samuel 17:8-11, 21-24
  • Peter – Matthew 14:27-31
• Phobias
  • Spiders, snakes, etc.
  • Heights, people, situations
• Memory fear
  • “I remember what happened last time I did that.”
• Fear of consequences
  • Jonah – Jonah 3:10-4:3
  • Ecclesiastes 8:11

It can be controlled

• If we couldn’t control our fears, God wouldn’t have told us not to fear.
• Some general guidelines
  • Objectively examine what makes you afraid and why (awareness)
  • Known what you can use to mitigate it (knowledge)
  • Learn to use those items of mitigation (confidence)
  • Example – fear of flying

Subjecting fear

• Knowledge
  • Proverbs 1:7
  • Matthew 10:24-33
• Familiarity
  • Doing activities that make you fearful
  • Understanding better through instruction
  • Confidence through repeated exposure
• Faith
  • Matthew 10:29-30 – Truly believing you will be all right
  • Faith that God is with you
    • Jeremiah – Jeremiah 1:4-8
    • Apostles – Matthew 28:19-20
    • Other times and other ways

Love

• I John 4:16-19
• Motivation to put the fear behind you.

Helping others gain courage

• “Encouragement”
  • Isaiah 35:3-4
  • Acts 11:22-24 (Acts 4:36)
  • Colossians 4:7-8
  • Hebrews 3:13
• Mentorship and examples
  • Missionary activities rarely done alone.
  • Titus 2:1-8

Why is courage so important?

• Why work so hard for it
• Why strive to encourage others?
  • God instructs us
  • It has eternal consequences – Revelation 21:8

Take courage

Encourage others