UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

UNDERSTANDING THE OLD

TESTAMENT
 CHAPTER SIX
“LEADERSHIP IN CRISIS
 • What is leadership?
 Leadership can be inherent in an individual
 It can be a function of a group,
which chooses its leaders
according to its own preferences
(J. R. Guy in the New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral
Theology- 1995)
• What is a Crisis?
• A situation of an emergency demanding a quick response. It is a
disaster or Catastrophe (Newbury House Dictionary 2004)
 OBJECTIVES

• DESCRIBE the elements of the cycles of sin

in the Book of Judges
• LIST FOUR Judges and summarize their
strengths and weaknesses
• IDENTIFY FIVE kinds of outcasts in Israel
and DESCRIBE their hope for redemption
• COMPARE the character of Saul and the
young David
DOWNWARD SPIRAL
INTO CHAOS
THE BOOK OFJUDGES’
• The Book of Judges shows God’s
Judgment against sin
• Also teaches God’s forgiveness of sin
and restoration to relationship are just
as certain for those who repent.
 BAAL RELIGION
(The major sin of Israel was
the lure to Baal worship
• The 20th century archaeological
discoveries have helped us to know
more about the Canaanite religion.
• It has revealed the Semitic religion
which was wide spread throughout the
Ancient Near East.
 CANAANITE GODS

Baal = lord, El - Father god, Asherah - goddess

Maker of world of fertility, consort of
storm god, Baal

God of fertility
 Dagon

Chemosh
Temple at Arad, showing two standing stones
and two altars, thought to be one for
Yawheh and one for Asherah
 EFFECTS OF BAAL
WORSHIP
• After Joshua, the Nation retrogressed in
spiritual matters.
• As the Israelites assimilate to the
nations around them, they go back to
the age-old cycle of sin as seen in Ch.2
 CYCLES OF SIN (CONT…)

• Sin by Israel - idolatry

• Punishment by the Lord - oppression by
foreigners
• Outcry to the Lord by Israel
• Deliverance by the Lord - through a
Judge
• Peace for Israel - usually 40 years
 GENERATION AFTER
JOSHUA
• After the death of Joshua, the generation
which came up forgot God and did evil
by worshiping foreign gods.
• God gave them over to their enemies
when they could no longer resist.
• When they felt the pain of their enemies,
they cried to God for help and he raised
for them judges
FAILED LEADERSHIP - THE JUDGES

MAJOR JUDGES: MINOR JUDGES:

Othniel Shamgar
Ehud Tola
Deborah Jair
Gideon Ibzan
Jephthah Elon
Samson Abdon

ANTI-JUDGE: Abimelech
 EHUD
• Ehud was the second Judge of Israel after
Othniel
• He took a radical move to liberate Israel from
Eglon king of Moab although he was regarded
handicapped-left handed.
• He was a man of direct action and a front line
leader
• He used a perceived weakness to do a great
work for God, for he was a left handed person.
 LESSONS TO LEARN
• Accordingly, God can use our unique
qualities to accomplish his work.
• When we cry for help, God responds
• Some conditions call for our radical
actions
 DEBORAH- Judges 4:1- 5:1-
• After the death of Ehud, Israel again did
evil before God and he turned them
over to king Jabin of Hazor, a
Canaanite king, whose army
commander was Sisera.
• He had 900 iron chariots and ruthlessly
oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.
• Deborah a prophetess was judge over
Israel at the time.
• Through God’s word she directed Barak
to call 10.000 warriors to fight Sisera.
• At the slopes of Mt. Tabor, Barak over
powered Sisera’s army and in panic,
Sisera escaped and hid in Jael’s tent
 SISERA DIES AT THE
HANDS OF JAEL
• Pretending to be friendly, Jael a Kenite
woman ended up killing him bringing
total rest for the people of Israel from
Sisera and his armies.
 WHY DEBORAH?

• Deborah was known for her special

abilities as mediator, advisor and
counselor.
• She was an able planner and direct.
She delegated duties to others.
• As part of our lessons, God chooses
leaders by his standards.
• Wise leaders choose good helpers.
 HALF HEARTED HEROES
• JEPHTHAH
• SAMSON
 JEPHTHAH - UTTERED A FOOLISH
VOW
Judges 11-12

• He was a son of a prostitute, hated and sent away by

his brothers from home
• He was controlled by God’s Spirit
• He was a brilliant Military strategist who negotiated
before fighting.
• He made a rash and foolish vow that was costly
• The lesson we learn from him is that a person’s
background does not prevent God working powerfully
in his/her life
 SAMSON - RIDDLER OR RIDDLE?
Judges 13-16

• He was a Nazirite- one dedicated to God with

special abilities and commitments. (Qualities
of a Nazirite)
• He began to free Israel from the Philistine
oppression.
• He had weaknesses but also special
characteristics of a leader. (Judges 13-16
• He from time to time broke his Vows
 (Cont.)
• He violated God’s laws on many
occasions
• He was controlled by sensuality
• He confided in the wrong people
• He used his gifts and abilities unwisely
 LESSONS
• Great strength in one area of life does
not make up for great weakness in
other areas.
• God’s presence does not overwhelm a
persons will.
• God can use a persons of faith in spite
of their mistakes.
 THE PERVERTED PRIESTHOOD (See
Judges 17-21)
- In the absence of judges, priests were to
uphold the Covenant Faith of Israel.
- But two Levites show an example of the
inability to lead Israel; One makes an idol and
the other serves his concubine up for rape and
instigates civil war.
- Reading chapter 19, you will understand the
level of sin in Israel to have surpassed even
that of other nations.
 OUTSIDE LEADERSHIP

• Israel is preserved through less known

people, “little people” of the land: Naomi
and Ruth.
 OUTCASTS IN ISRAEL

• The poor
• Barren women
• Widows and orphans
• Sojourners
• Slaves
 THE BOOK OF RUTH

• Ruth was a Moabite, widow and childless.

-She was a daughter in law to Naomi, an
Israelite widow.
-She had a very high moral character
-She was very patient, and caring
-She had a very great attachment to her
mother in law
 (Cont.)

• She returned with Naomi to Canaan

• She later was married to Boaz
according to the legal obligations of
relatives to the deceased.
• She became a mother to Obed, the
great grand father of Jesus
NO SUCH FAITH IN ISRAEL
 THE FAITH OF RUTH
• The book of Ruth presents a challenge of
faith. Samson and Ruth are a study in
opposites/contrast.
• Samson a true Israelite, constantly flirts with
paganism. Ruth, a pagan for no reason other
than God’s grace confesses her commitment:
“Your people will be my people, and your God
my God.”
 LEADERSHIP IN TRANSITION

- THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL

- This book looks at the transition from judges
to priests, but the picture shows that they are
no better than the judges.
- Judges were charismatic chieftains from one
tribe and rallying the others
- In the book of Samuel, we see Samuel a
charismatic priest and Saul a charismatic king
 (Cont.)
• Non of them comes to terms with the
law as Moses and Joshua did.
• In this sense they overshadow the one
who would be faithful over God’s house
as a son (Heb.3:1-6)
A FAITHFUL PRIEST FOR THE ARK
 MINISTERING OF THE ARK
• Eli is an old, fat and blind Priest.
• His sons; Phenehas and Hophin assist in
administering at God’s altar, but they are
worthless young men.
• In the war between Israel and Philistia, both
sons are killed, the Ark captured, Eli on
hearing the bad news topples backwards and
breaks his neck
• “The glory has departed from Israel, for the
ark of God has been captured.” (4:22)
 THE PROS AND CONS OF
KINGSHIP
• In Samuel 1-3, we see the
circumstances that surrounded the birth
of Samuel’s birth, dedication and call as
a priest and prophet of God.
• But also his sons’ behavior was
disgusting and the Israelites did not
approve them worthy of leadership.
• Therefore Israel asked for a king
ISRAEL’S FIRST KING: SAUL
• Saul was the first God appointed king
over Israel
• He was known for his personal courage
and generosity.
• He was fairly chosen against his brothers
• However the first impression he gave
Samuel was deceptive.
• Image created by a person’s
appearance contradicts his/he qualities
and abilities.
• He often went contrary to God’s
commands for a king
 WEAKNESSES
• His leadership abilities did not match
the expectations created by his
appearance.
• He was impulsive. He tended to
overstep his bounds.
• He disobeyed God on many occasions.
EVIDENCE OF SAUL’S SINS
• He offered a forbidden sacrifice at Gilgal
1 Sam.13:8-14 (see v.9)
• He took a foolish oath- 1 Sam.14:24ff
• He offered false clemency –
1 Sam.15:3,7-9,13-15
These ended his leadership potentials
and God raised some one worth: David
• Although Saul was a man of natural
gifts, brave and able leader, he was a
superstitious man and ironically his
religiosity was a snare to his success.
E.g 1Sam.28- Consults a witch of Endor
• Saul disobeys the Lord out of desire to
divine God’s favor
 LESSONS WE LEARN
• God wants obedience from the heart, not
mere acts of religious rituals.
• Obedience always involves sacrifice, but
sacrifice is not always obedience.
• God wants to make use of our strengths
and weaknesses.
• Weakness should help us remember our
need for God’s guidance and help.
• We should live repentant lives.
 Samuel anoints David:
1Sam.16; 2 Sam.2; 5:1-3
• Although anointing was a wide spread
practice in the dry climate of the ancient
world, Israel’s anointing carried a religious
significance as a sign of God’s favor.
• Kings were anointed as the sign of their
chosen status
• The Hebrew term for “anointed one” is
Messiah, and the Greek translation is Christ
 DAVID’S HUMILITY
• David as the future anointed king,
endured severe personal testing.
Knowing himself to be the future king,
David twice refuses the opportunity of
“laying his hands on the Lord’s
anointed.”
• He even spared Nabal, a universally
unlikable man
 DAVID’S STRENGTHS
• David was the greatest King of Israel
• He became the ancestor of Jesus
• He is listed among the Hall of the
faithful in Hebrew.11
• He was a man described by God
himself as a man after God’s heart.
 DAVID’S WEAKNESSES
However, he was a man with human
weaknesses.
• He committed adultery with Bathsheba
• He arranged for the murder of Uriah,
Bathsheba’s husband.
• He took a national census against God’s
orders.
• He failed to deal with the sins of his sons.
JONATHAN:A MAN CAUGHT IN
THE MIDDLE
• Jonathan is son to Saul, most likely the heir to the
throne
• He is a close friend to David, the secret Messiah.
• He remains loyal to his father and to David sharing
his fate.
• He finds out that his father has an intention to kill
David and helps him to escape.
• Because of their friendship Jonathan and David make
a vow between themselves and for the descendants
after them not to betray one another.
 SAUL’S SUICIDAL FALL

• As Saul continues to loose favor from God,

he turns to the consultation of medium, the
witch of Endor. 1 Sam. 28
• Saul in the end is wounded in the battle with
the Philistines, but well aware that the
Philistines tortured their victims mercilessly,
he requested his armor bearer to finish him
off, who after refusing, Saul took his own
life.1 Sam.31
 ASSIGNMENT DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
1. Using the account of Othniel, describe the elements of
cycles of sin in Israel.
2. Identify the distinction between Ruth and Naomi.
How was Ruth’s faith rewarded?
3. How was the Canaanites’ worship as seen in the book
of Judges
similar to Yahwism (worship of God – Yahweh), and
how was it
different?
4. Analyze Jonathan’s relationship with David.
What lessons can we learn from the two?
5. Explain the weakness and strength of Saul as king of Israel.
What lessons do present leaders learn from Saul?
 TERMS TO NOTE

• Moab
• Hannah’s prayer
• Asherah
• Anointing
• Humility