The Need for Leaders (Part A)

Doesn't really matter where focused on the solution but it's one evil to follow for God's it's another evil to take the true God and makes him him with the fake fake ones. And yet it is even another evil to leave the true God lineup the fake God. I don't even put the true God in that number. That's what Israel was doing.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher. Rick asked Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Rick is currently teaching through the book of Judges. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Judges chapter 10 as he begins a brand-new message called the need for leaders. Judges 10 the need for leaders.

This verse that I'm going to start off with from Zechariah. It is Macy Janik, yes, but it is also recognizable.

In other words, it's intended to prophesy about the Lord. But there is another truth in there that is applicable to other things in life and here's the verse strike the shepherd. Zechariah 13, seven, and the sheep will be scattered that I will turn my hand against the little ones.

If you know anything about shepherding flocks. You know that there was no shepherd sheep would not be protected in the shepherd led the sheep to pastor water places to waterholes streams wherever they could drink it.

He looked out for them, led them away from danger leadership since essential is problematic. Scott had, in fact, without it is worse than the idea of light. When this is not have a leader just that. Bad idea's work through it until we get the good one will cover some of this is removed through sloth. Let's look at verse one after Ahimelech there rose to save Israel toll of the son of poor son of Doda man of Issachar.

He dwelt in shame, or in the mountains of Ephraim, they just don't let up well. History remembers Abimelech and if you remember last session in Judges 9 he was a godless man. He was a ruthless man bloodthirsty for power, he was a waste of a of a man what what would've happened had he been righteous. Well, he left damage behind ruins behind for someone else to have to patch up and so will we read here in verse one, there rose to save Israel toll up what color his name means beloved actually is his father's name Doda means beloved toll of the judge. Now that's in place. He is going to rescue the people from what Abimelech left behind a divided destabilized people but the people could not produce such a man. God had to produce him and God did produce him, and there are some interesting things about he and JR who is the judge that follows him. This is just not much about them but what is what we have is very very insightful. It says he's from the tribe of Issachar and he dwelt in shame, or in the mountains of Ephraim, it's not clear why he was not living in his own territory. Why was he living will. Issachar was able to see you here is an Ephraim and 20 miles between Ephraim and Issachar spry was Manassas Drive sleeping a little track out of his territory. And that's where he took up residence in first Chronicles. Centuries later, this tribe is outstanding for their understanding of times we read that in first Chronicles 12 sons of Issachar, who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. So here's a tribe that had become known for making good decisions, good choices with the information I was put in front of them. They understood where this was going to head up and did that kind of an insight and this judge toll it is from that tribe and very likely those characteristics were already operating in his lifetime, but if he finds himself useful in Ephraim's territory to the benefit of all the other tribes also verse two he judged Israel 23 years and he died and was buried in shame, or all we know about this man really is that he was a successful leader 23 years and no more peace, prosperity, no famine is mentioned, no judgment for of God is upon the people at this time.

He inherited a disaster from Abimelech and yet he delivers stability and peace, even idolatry as a low profile. It's not out-of-control it's not on the surface during his judgeship. He was not buried in his own territory.

Not only did he not live in his own tribal territory, but he wasn't buried there. They didn't take him back home. He is buried there.

It says and shame are, which is in the mountains of Ephraim two decades little bit more. Of course, 23 years of influence, righteous influence and it spills over into the next judgeship into JR's rule as judge over the people. Verse three after him arose JR a Gilliard, I and he judged Israel 22 years between the two, 45 years of peace and prosperity. No mention of idolatry and war. You can say in some respects it was rather uneventful. Thank you Lord that you want a flight like that. How was your flight uneventful and could your land to tell about and this judge he doesn't inherit with total inherited that Abimelech mass but he inherits that influence of the judge before him, and he sustains it. This is remarkable.

This is not easy to do, is not easy to lead. Well, that's one problem and then to leave behind another leader who continues the righteous leadership at this point in Israel's history. There was something to boast, this was a good time or it's not that there wasn't this materialistic be prosperous as it was in the days of Solomon. Nor was it as spiritually prosperous as in the days of David, but it sure is a lot better than what they were getting. As a rule, of course, we know the cycles will get worse and it will be their fault. Verse four. Now he had 30 sons who wrote on 30 donkeys. They also have 30 towns which are called half JR to this day, which are in the land of Gilead, now Gilead is on the east of Jordan Transjordan across Jordan out of the promised land into the war almost promised and this Gilliard over there it's it's a very fertile and green area there and in Israel was commodity. Jordan now the kingdom of Jordan.

I mentioned that it was not as prosperous materialistically as in the days of Solomon. But it was very prosperous. This is evident by the lifestyle that this judge leads and the lack of protest about it. No mention but the poor were starving, mentioned, so we have a little color in the life of this judge care yet another leader with a heroin 30 sons.

How many daughters how many wives you have to have them just do the math to have 30 sons who can leave 30 different towns. The age of the kids a Five-year-old him doing it at me. So, his feet probably got 2030 wives and his wealthy all of the sons of cars good ones to well if you go support 30 wives, you better have some money as you will have 30 wives for health 45 years of prosperity again between these two judges he could afford the nice things and would but we don't read of him being spoiled and where it says they also had 30 towns which they called half JR to this day, that is an accomplishment. You say this nepotism.

Nepotism is not always bad. I've been on both sides of nepotism I've had jobs where owners son sons plural were given responsibilities that they never should've had his made everybody else miserable.

But I've also been on jobs with the father left and gave the foreman position to his son and it was just wonderful. So depends on the individual's what are they up to it here. I think JR said you know what my boys are pretty sharp. I'm not worried about them they can they can lead maybe couldn't find anybody he could try do. We don't know all the little details but we know that he had 30 sons who had nice cars and that they lead these towns and there's no protests. There are no problems. There is no idolatry mentioned the Bible to skip over those thing takes the opportunity to point them out as is coming in the next few verses.

So as nepotistic as this may appear it. It kept the peace. The people were in prosperity and these are competent leaders, trustworthy men, trustworthy sons, which is another thing you did not easy to pull off how do you get 30 sons that are trustworthy and not probable not denote problematic not you know given to those abuses. Do I think he did not trust outsiders is just looking at them probably not promising.

I don't have to get my boys there and in doing a good job in writing by them like it was 32 of us 31 of us.

Counting me with the amount I don't. Anyway, in the land of Gilead Transjordan verse five and JR died and was buried and came on. So again, almost half a century of stability. With these two men indication that they were faithful they serve the nation because they serve the Lord, and if it had not been so the Lord would've pointed it out. These two gave such solid leadership that there's nothing to report on their watch against them. So I guess you know we had. We have this amount on my watch. While these two men pulled off how rare.

In the book of Judges in the book of Kings effect you become hard-pressed to come up with another two names that were without reproach on their record no asterisks have some summer simply had that harem thing going on but nobody seem to have a problem with it. Verse six.

Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of Yahweh and serve the bowels and Ashtoreths gods of Syria. The gods of Saigon. The gods of Moab. The gods of the people.

Amazon gods of the Philistines and they forsook Yahweh and did not serve him yet reads like a whole just a rap sheet. Charges against them, insert side at the bottom of this verse. This is just a history of justice cycles. You know that the would make something what what makes things that are common so distasteful is that they make no sense and they don't stop you put one down another one pops up reading people.

Get all the weeds on the comeback after renal sons and pull me back in this the prophets of course all of them. The major and the minor prophets they dealt with. This will take one from José of the prophet with the great big heart.

If you were to take the hearts out of these profits and put them put them up. You have a sermon I've Jeremiah's heart was just battered, I don't mean with the help better like you do chicken or fish. I mean beat Hosea's heart was just broken prophet of the broken heart. You read his story and you just say what was going on a man like this is life was a sermon to the people concerning the heart of God, and he writes God speaking to this broken hearted, so the man the new heartbreak should say it that way only from what shall I do to you. Hosea 6 verse four. Oh Judah, what shall I do to you for your faithfulness is like a morning cloud like early doing goes away. That's not my tone. That's not the tone of John the Baptist's is a lot of prophets that's not there tone. It is Hosea's all that lamentation off 08.

From what what do I do with you. You can you can see the puddles in the eyes of God. It is laments the condition of these people were bent on hell. He says oh Judah, what shall I do to you. I know I'm rereading it to catch the pathos that in this verse preserved by the Holy Spirit. Is this for your faithfulness is like a morning cloud like the early doing goes away. You've got no faithfulness and so in verse six it says in the children of Israel did evil in the side of the Lord. That is what was going on in the heart of God. The historian will pick up on that as we move through this chapter. He picks up on the heart of God.

They forsook the Lord he says here in verse six and did not serve him whatever Hosea saw. Whatever the historian and judges saw it was imparted to them it was given to them. It was revealed to them. God found what he needed in the lives of these characters in Scripture that are righteous to use them to the benefit of others who would be righteous into the opportunity of the wicked to become righteous. They forsook the Lord did not serve him just like that is it is one kind of evil to follow a fake God. A man-made garden we were calling them for God long before fake news became the new owners. Fake news and we call them for God's work were being were using a euphemism can be a lot stronger. Well I can become stronger in our condemnation of these gods are just pop up because somebody Satan found his vessel's instrument is tool to express what was in it, you know, I don't think Satan really understood just how much damage would come to humanity when he took out Adam any. I think that it the results were so precious to him that they went even further to his head is insanity just do you know doubled is duplicated in his head and he justices this is masterful. I didn't see this happening and maybe there's more I can do with it doesn't really matter where focused on the solution but it's one evil to follow fake gods. It's another evil to take the true God and makes him him with the Facebook fake ones. And yet it is even another evil to leave the true God lineup. The fake gods and don't even put the true God in that number and that's what Israel was doing this it is that is through Yahweh away and follow these the gods of the defeated peoples make substantial that's what sin is notorious doing the lives of people.

It makes no sense senseless crimes, senseless sins, some sins of course they make sense.

According to the rules of the flesh. Others do not even in animals. You know if you have a dog and you put me up on the table and you shall not, don't touch it just just your crazy support they give the dog time he's going to go for it is nature, and is easier to so here you know you can understand it when I like. If you understand one of my favorites are that a coworker said his little pudgy dog named pudgy and his wife left out all this meat that she was boxy just barbecued in this been there to three sons in the teens at the time could just eat anything and she goes in the house to answer the phone.

In those days.

Of course we remember forms were in the house. And now, not everyone had to hear you talking to pookie. Well anyway she comes back out and all the meat is gonna pudgy is on his back. He can't move garbage so she's hitting him with the Brooks is so angry stupid dog and he does go ahead and just whip away. I don't care.

It was worth it. This to the nature of the dog. But then if you take the same dog and he viciously attacks another animal for no reason kills it, you know, we don't understand we can write it off the listed animal nature, but we do still something is really wrong. There and where somewhat like that fallen nature.

You know you can understand getting upset at people on the road when they're in front of you going 10 miles lower than the speed limit on their phone and they won't get out the way tonight phone telephones are the brunt of every comment anyway, Israel. You couldn't understand this, you could understand the pagans worshiping the pagan gods you can understand them mingling Yahweh knowing it's wrong, but is to just throw him away and embrace all the other ones.

This was mad and so the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord and serve the aisles you have to say say it that way because it is a Bales I think you have to worshiping in all these blocks destroy whatever so they forsook the Lord did not serve him again, not so much as to allow the most higher place among the idols, which in one way is good, but in another way is evil perplexity about that. And these were serious crimes that brought much sorrow and much horror into the land. Their lifestyles change the way they did things change. We get that a lot of that in the minor prophets of Micah talking about that and the other prophets are the priests becoming thugs and robbing people and just the insanity that came from and we look at the corrupt, corrupt politicians and we see we link that to their view of God, the Lord had given Israel victory over their enemies when we get to verses 11 and 12 will find seven different nations in their history that he defeated on their behalf, but still here. They are worshiping a variety of different pagan gods serious side in Moab am on the Philistines that those of the gods they shop for an end and that's both of the ones they got one of the leaders were the leaders to say no we will not do that and we will enforce the law.

Had they not heard of Joshua and Eli didn't Kitty and they certainly had some churches are not different, they did behave as though they never heard of Peter or Paul or John the course have. That's the crime. They have heard, but they pretend that they did not by just dismissing what they had to say by accusing them and attacking calling them ancient, narrowminded and a host of other names but look at verses 11 and 12 will come back to seven in a minute. Yahweh said to the children of Israel, did I not deliver you from the Egyptians from the Amorites from the people of our mom from the Philistines. Also, the site only in the Amalekites. The Maronites oppressed you and you cried out to me and I delivered you from their hand, so it was in their history. God notes he brings up. They knew it to. Just like we know you know about Washington. Other heroes in the national heroes they had them also. But God was directly linked to these victories and they knew it well.

Again, what forces to worship the gods of your defeated enemies. So no wonder God's anger was hot against them. Verse seven. So the anger of Yahweh was hot against Israel and he sold them into the hands the Philistines and into the hand hands of the people of Emma God is not an acumen assist God does not think that all religions are the same.

He doesn't think that it doesn't matter what religion you have just live and let live. It is the contrary very much so you know we have these intolerances as Christians that were supposed to exercise. We are never to be tolerant of other people's God, we have to sometimes be tolerant of the people, but never their gods and you really cannot serve the Lord if you're hiding your Christianity because you're afraid to let other people know that you don't tolerate their gods. What is Christianity stand out is the irritant among religion amongst religions in the world because we won't tolerate other gods, you know, even as long tolerates you don't know that they suppress what they did have some wacky stuff going on in there to dig a little bit you'll find it. The Philistines that are mentioned here that this is an ominous mention of the Philistines.

It they really haven't been too much of a problem yet, but this is the beginning of woes for the for the Jews in this particular people that are still living in the promised land. It will heat up in the rain not the rain judgeship of Sampson and it will continue. David will finally subdue them, they still pop up a little bit after after the Maccabees there really gone because they've been up for by the other was in the Lancia Syrians have much to do with that and also the Babylonians and the choose all three of them together over time just subduing them, subduing them to finally has an identifiable people that God moved, thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. If you'd like more information about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com you will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there, and we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio.

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