Judges 10

TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Tola and Jair

BACKGROUND NOTES

Tola was a judge of Israel. From whom or what did he save Israel?
Who was Jair? How do we know that he was well-to-do?
Outline the sixth sin cycle according to the five stages: rebellion, retribution, repentance, restoration, rest.
What triggered God's mercy?

Tola likely saved Israel from civil strife that followed Abimelech's terrible kingship.
Jair was a Giliadite who judged Israel for twenty two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they also had thirty towns.
a. Israel turned away from the Lord, again doing evil in the sight of the Lord (10:6)
b. The Lord brought in a foreign power; He sold Israel into the hands of the Philistines and the people of Ammon, who harassed and oppressed them (10:7)
c. The people repented and cried out to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against You because we have forsaken our God and served the Baals." (10:10)
d. The Lord raised up Jephthah to deliver them (11:29)
e. The land was at rest under the judge and the people were once again following the Lord until the death of the judge (12:7).
The children of Israel acknowledged their sin, put away the foreign gods, and served the Lord.

There are a number of times when God's patience with His people ran out. See Judges 10:14; Genesis 6:3; 1 Peter 3:20; and Luke 13:34. This could be true for the unbeliever, and also for the believer. For the unbeliever, "Now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthian 6:2). Don't delay in receiving Christ as your Savior. As for the believer, there are many ways in which the patience of God is tried, mostly by self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness. Are you trying the patience of God?
"God's soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel" (10:16). O, the mercy and love of God! The children of Israel acknowledged their sin, put away the foreign gods and served the Lord. When people truly repent from their sin, there's no limit to God's love. Remember the story of the prodigal (Luke 15). How are you letting people know about the love and mercy of God?

Don't make God your last resort. People today try every other god and everything else before God. Only when disaster comes, some finally turn to the Lord. Christ is waiting to receive those who repent. See Jeremiah 2:13. What is your source of water?

"Israel cried out to the Lord, 'We have sinned against You, because we have forsaken our God and served the Baals!" Judges 10:10
"Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress." Judges 10:14
"They put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel." Judges 10:16
"My people have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water." Jeremiah 2:13