336. The battle of Jericho is one of the most miraculous demonstrations of God's power to the Israelites as they became a new nation. The Israelites were instructed to march around Jericho one time each day for six days. The priests were to carry rams' horns at the front of the army. On the seventh day the priests were instructed to blow the trumpets. Then the people were all to shout. God promised Joshua that the walls would then collapse and the men would be able to go inside the city walls and take the city. And it happened just as the angel promised Joshua it would (Joshua 6).
337. Some of the Israelites continued to disobey God in spite of the intensity of his miracles. Achan was one such case. During the battle of Jericho, he took some of the prized gold and other precious items that belonged to God and kept them for himself. As a result the Israelites lost their next battle (Joshua 7). God punished his people repeatedly for disobeying his commands. He is ever the faithful Father, yet he is a righteous God who demands obedience.
338. Once the Israelites were established in Canaan, they were governed by judges, people who had been warriors first. God gave his people strong leaders to follow, but they didn't always do so. The Book of Judges tells of the difficulties they suffered when they did not obey God.
339. After Joshua died, it wasn't long before Israelites "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." The Israelites were soon mesmerized by the Canaanite gods: Baal, Astarte, and Asherah. It is believed that the Torah laws relating to lewd and perverse sexual practices were in response to Canaanite sexual practices.
340. Othniel was the first judge. When the Israelites began worshipping these Canaanite gods, God allowed Cushan-Rishathaim, a Syrian king, to overcome them. They were ruled over by the Syrians for eight years. As soon as Israel repented of their sins, God led Othniel to raise up an army to defend Israel. They defeated the Syrians handily. Othniel ruled Israel for forty years after that (Judg. 3:9-11).
341. Ehud is perhaps the most famous left-handed warrior in history. The Israelites had been ruled by the Moabites for some time. When Ehud, a Benjamite judge, went to pay taxes to King Eglon, he hid a sword under his cloak. Since Ehud was left-handed, and few if any people (evidently) drew swords with that hand, the king didn't suspect anything when Ehud drew his sword. He swiftly killed the king and then defeated the other Moabites. Then he continued to rule as a judge, and the Israelites lived in peace for many years (Judg. 3:15-30).
342. Shamgar was made judge after Ehud died. By then Israel had turned against God and was under the power of the Canaanites and the Philistines. It was a difficult time in the history of Israel. The people were under Jabin's rule, and he was a harsh Canaanite king. Shamgar fought back and killed six hundred Philistines with a single metal-tipped stick called an oxgoad (Judg. 3:31). He could not stop Jabin, however.
343. The two most famous military heroines mentioned in the Old Testament are Deborah and Jael, and they both had a hand in the same victory. God spoke through Deborah to tell the general, Barak, how to defeat the Canaanites, including their king, Jabin. Barak agreed to attack, but wanted Deborah to go with him into the battle. She did and the enemies were defeated.
344. Sisera was a king of Canaan. He fought hard against Israel, but his nine hundred iron chariots were no match for the rain God sent. As a result the chariots were stuck in the mud and God gave Sisera and his people over to the Israelites.
345. Jael became a hero of the Israelites, though she herself was a Kenite. Hers was a peaceful tribe that lived comfortably near the Israelites, thanks to her ties to Moses' father-in-law, Jethro. Jael would eventually kill Sisera when he sought refuge with her family. She lulled him to sleep in a tent and then hammered a peg through his head (Judges 4).
346. Deborah and Barak ruled over Israel in peace for forty years. Deborah is also famous for her victory song, a portion of which is here:
"When the princes in Israel take the lead,
when the people willingly offer themselves-
praise the Lord!...
So may all your enemies perish, O Lord!
But may they who love you be like the sun
when it rises in its strength."
Judges 5:2, 31
