Forty years after the Exodus out of Egypt, Joshua successfully led a new generation of Israelite holy warriors to conquer the "Promised Land" of Canaan through their faith and trust in God and their obedience to His commands. However, the succeeding generations failed to remember the mighty acts of God in the Exodus out of Egypt and in the conquest of Canaan. In their forgetfulness and ingratitude they became a disobedient and idolatrous people who came to be oppressed by their enemies until they repented their sins. When they repented, God sent them warrior judges to deliver them from their oppressors. The Book of Judges is the account of the generations between the conquest of Canaan and the time of the monarchy. It is a time in which the Israelites continually strayed from God and "everyone did as he thought fit." Today we live in a time that is in many ways similar to the times of the judges of Israel. Many have strayed from their faith and trust in God, many have failed in their obedience to God's commands, and many people live by the non-code of "do what feels right." The Book of Judges tells of the painful consequences of rejecting God's divine authority and also speaks of the mercy that God extends to those who return to Him in repentance and faith.
References for the course are found in the Course Bibliography.
The Lesson for the week will posted on Tuesday before each class date.