The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died. (NIV)

As we read about the first of the ‘Judges’ today, I think these words from Sidlow Baxter will help to provide context:

‘The actual records of the Judges run from chapter iii. to chapter xvi; and it is these chapters which form the body of the book. The other chapters consist of a prologue (i-ii), and an epilogue (xvii-xxi). The prologue is by way of explanation. The epilogue is by way of illustration. The prologue explains how the unhappy conditions of the period came about. The epilogue illustrates the conditions themselves…As for the main body of the book (iii.-xvi.), there can be no mistaking its arrangement. Twelve Judges are successively spoken of – Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah (with Barak), Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson. Of these, six stand out pre-eminently – because the whole story gathers round six successive apostasies and servitudes of Israel, and these six deliverers, or judges, who wrought deliverance. The six are: Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson.’

In this short passage about Othniel we see the pattern we will see repetitively as we read on through this book:

  • Israel’s terrible plight (8);
  • Israel’s desperate prayer (9);
  • God’s merciful intervention (9-11).

We note Othniel’s spiritual pedigree, as the younger brother of the great Caleb who was famous for his exploits of faith. But this was not the explanation for Othniel’s ‘success’. As with all the other Judges, it was the anointing of the Spirit that made the difference. Look out for this pattern in each story to come.

In church life we have to constantly remember that it’s ” ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zech.4:6)

‘The Church was never intended to be a natural and intellectual organization, but a supernatural instrumentality wholly dependent upon the power of God.” A,W. Tozer

May the Lord reveal to us every ‘blockage’ to the flow of His Spirit, so that we may set about removing them.

PRAYER: Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way. (Ps.139:23,24: Christian Standard Bible – according to a footnote the word ”offensive” can be translated ”idolatrous”)