Bible Studies
Israel and the Canaanite gods of Judges (Judges 2:11-15)
Series: Studies in the Book of JudgesIntroduction:
1. It is stated at least three ways in the text.a. The sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.
b. They served the Baals.
c. They forsook the Lord.
2. The result—He gave them into the hands of plunderers, and sold them into the hands of their enemies so that they were severely distressed. 3. Such is the pattern in the Book of Judges. 4. But who are these Baals, this Ashtaroth that they served? 5. Other passages identify other gods: Chemosh, god of the Amorites (11:24), Dagon, god of the Philistines (16:23) and 10:6 identifies gods of Aram, gods of Sidon, gods of Moab and gods of Ammon. 6. Why are they serving these gods and forsaking the Lord? Are we in danger of doing something similar?Discussion:
I. Israel served other gods influenced by the society in which they lived.A. Religion in Canaan, and in the Mediterranean world generally, was polytheistic in nature. Even when they worshiped only one god they believed that other gods existed.
1. Under the heading “Canaanite religion” Wikipedia says, “A great number of deities were worshiped by the followers of the Canaanite religion.”
2. It then proceeds to give a “partial listing” which includes a list of 28 different deities.
3. Such a pantheon is unfamiliar and confusing to our Western minds. None of us have the time, nor the inclination for a PhD. in ancient Semitic Religions.
B. Is it possible for us to understand the situation in the Book of Judges?
1. It is and here is the course that I propose that we take.
2. The author of Judges does not identify all the gods of the Canaanites. He identifies only a few by name and then speaks generally of others by region—gods of the Amorites, of Aram, of Sidon. We will look at those mentioned by name in this study and give a brief description.
3. The author contrasts the worship of all these gods with the worship of the Lord. In other words he assumes that the worship of only one God is appropriate. This is the assumption throughout the Bible. Therefore it is unnecessary to examine all the world religions, evaluating their legitimacy one by one. Only the worship of the Lord God is legitimate.
4. To take any other approach logically runs one down an unending rabbit hole of polytheism where one religion is as good as another and it doesn’t make any difference what one believes. (In my judgment modern denominationalism is a mere variation on this same theme.)
C. Some of the gods Israel served that are specifically mentioned in Judges.
1. Baal(s), Baal-berith (Baal of the covenant).
a. Baal was the Canaanite god of weather.
b. In Canaan Israel was dependent upon the fertility of the land, which in Canaanite thought, was controlled by the Baal gods.
c. Baal is depicted in statuette form brandishing a thunderbolt (from Rash Shamra, Ugarit artifacts). Some sculptures have Baal standing on a bull, a symbol of strength and fertility.
d. Baal was associated with the fertility of crops, animals and people.
e. It would appear that the Israelites just blended the worship of Baal and the worship of the Lord together, typical of polytheistic culture. No need to do away with any god just add another and meld them together in the pantheon. A. E. Cundall (ZPEB, “Baal”) says, in the process of time the worship of God became Canaanized, while God continued to be worshiped the attributes and even the name of Baal became attached to Him.” Cf. also Jerubbaal (Judges 7:1).
f. Gideon tore down the altar of Baal (Judges 6).
2. The Ashtaroth, Asherah (alternative form) 2:13) was goddess of the sea. Often associated with Baal. She was wife of El. It was from this union that Baal originated.
3. Chemosh is mentioned in Judges 11:24 as god of the Ammonites. He is also associated with the Moabites (Num. 21:29). According to an inscription on the Moabite stone Chemosh was a savage war god.
4. Judges 16:23 mentions the Philistine god Dagon. At Ugarit he was worshiped as a grain god and god of crop fertility.
D. It is easy to imagine how Israel coming out of Egyptian slavery, wandering then in the Wilderness and then coming into an agriculturally productive region might adopt these gods. The Canaanites believed these gods blessed their land, providing rain and productive seasons. If the Israelites synchronized their religion into the existing religions of the region it would seem to make for an easier transition.
E. Indeed we may take a similar approach in our society. Advocate freedom of religion. Come to accept “one religion as good as another.” “They are all headed in the same direction.” “Worship at the church of your choice.” “It doesn't matter what one believes as long as they are sincere.”
II. God considered Israel to have forsaken Him (12, 13).A. “But they were still worshiping God.”
B. But what they were doing was a violation of God’s covenant (2:20).
1. Many times when we think of God’s covenant with Israel we think of the ten commandments.
2. Israel was certainly breaking the ten commandments by worshiping false gods, but there is more to the covenant than the commandments themselves.
3. A covenant is more about relationship than it is commandments. God had married Israel
and now she was committing harlotry with false gods (2:17). She was committing adultery, not just with one other god, but multiple gods. It was not a one time act, but an on-going course of life.
4. Israel’s relationship with God was to be exclusive of all other gods (Ex. 20:3).
III. The problem is summarized by God, “You have not listened to My voice” (2:20).A. They were not obeying the commandments of the Lord (3:4).
B. Who were they listening to? 3:5 says, “They lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.” Who were they listening to? They were listening to the people of their society.
C. It is summarized in a different way in 21:25; “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
1. This statement indicates that the Israelites were deciding right and wrong on the basis of their own judgment rather than by the standards set by God.
2. They were operating like Samson. Instead of listening and doing what God said, he said, “Get the woman from Timnah for me, for she looks good to me” (Judges 14).
3. In chapter 17 Micah created his own religion. He made an ephod and household idols and consecrated one of his sons as priest. Of this incident the writer of Judges says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.”
D. When we turn away from what God says we become idolaters just as sure as Israel did.
1. Are you operating by your own standard or by the standard you see revealed in the word of God?
2. “People interpret it differently!” Some say. That is true. How does it read to you? Are you doing what you interpret it to mean?
3. “I don’t understand it.” Are you putting forth effort to understand it? Are you trying to do what you do understand?
Conclusion:
1. Israel served other gods. 2. She forsook the Lord and transgressed His covenant. 3. She did not listen to the voice of God, instead every man did what was right in his own eyes. 4. She was delivered over into the hands of plunderers. The hand of the Lord was against them and they were severely distressed. 5. Does this sound like your life? 6. Then repent. Turn back. Abandon your rebellious practices and your stubborn ways and God will deliver you.
