lt1 ten commandments, joshua, and judges

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Ten Commandments - exemplify God’s continuing love, guidance, and instruction for the people He created - the Decalogue (“ten words”) - God’s moral commands on how the Israelites were to live as God’s people - core of the covenant relationship between God and His people - provide us with basic moral norms for discrimina ting good acts from evil acts Commandments about GOD I. “I, the Lord, am your God . You shall not have other g ods besides Me .” - value protected: God - directs us to give God His rightful place in our lives - examples of disobeying: Believing in false gods/golden calves. (Anything in our lives such as money, pleasure, and power) II. “You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.” - value protected: Respecting God - giving praise to God’s name - to dishonor God’s name is to dishonor His Person - to honor the name of God is to entrust ourselves to Him - examples of disobeying: Cursing, Praying irreverently, Disrespecting crucifixes , statues, and the like, Trying to test God by demanding that things be done your way III. “Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath Day.” - value protected: Worship and Relationships - the Sabbath is observed on a Sunday in honor of Christ’s Resurrection - celebrating and participating in the Eucharist while observing our Sunday rest - examples of disobeying: Working on a Sunday, Doing other things on a Sunday rather than resting with your family or attending Mass Commandments about NEIGHBORS IV. “Honor your father and your mother.” - value protected: Humility and Relationships - respecting our parents and elders in words and deeds - our respect for them comes from the fundamental fact that they serve as God’s channels of His life and love - examples of disobeying: Disrespec ting your neighbors, Not following your parents’/sup eriors’ orders V. “You shall not kill.” - values protected: Life, Peace, Harmony, and Relationship s

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8/3/2019 LT1 Ten Commandments, Joshua, And Judges

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Ten Commandments

- exemplify God’s continuing love, guidance, and instruction for the people Hecreated- the Decalogue (“ten words”)- God’s moral commands on how the Israelites were to live as God’s people

- core of the covenant relationship between God and His people- provide us with basic moral norms for discriminating good acts from evil acts

Commandments about GOD

I. “I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides Me .”

- value protected: God- directs us to give God His rightful place in our lives- examples of disobeying: Believing in false gods/golden calves. (Anything in ourlives such as money, pleasure, and power)

II. “You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.”

- value protected: Respecting God- giving praise to God’s name- to dishonor God’s name is to dishonor His Person- to honor the name of God is to entrust ourselves to Him- examples of disobeying: Cursing, Praying irreverently, Disrespecting crucifixes,statues, and the like, Trying to test God by demanding that things be done your way

III. “Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath Day.”

- value protected: Worship and Relationships- the Sabbath is observed on a Sunday in honor of Christ’s Resurrection- celebrating and participating in the Eucharist while observing our Sunday rest- examples of disobeying: Working on a Sunday, Doing other things on a Sundayrather than resting with your family or attending Mass

Commandments about NEIGHBORS

IV. “Honor your father and your mother.”

- value protected: Humility and Relationships- respecting our parents and elders in words and deeds- our respect for them comes from the fundamental fact that they serve as God’schannels of His life and love- examples of disobeying: Disrespecting your neighbors, Not following yourparents’/superiors’ ordersV. “You shall not kill.”

- values protected: Life, Peace, Harmony, and Relationships

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- killing, as well as deep prejudice, revenge, vengeance, and violence is forbidden- to deny a person his life is to deny him the possibilities for which he was created- examples of disobeying: Teasing, Assaulting/Hurting, Being angry at someone,Murdering someone

VI and IX. “You shall not commit adultery” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s

wife.”

- values protected: Family, Marriage, Purity, and Relationships- 6 = forbids having sex with anyone other than his/her spouse- 9 = forbids entertaining lustful/impure thoughts and desires- aimed at protecting the family- addresses the proper relationship between man and woman- when human sexuality is abused or used for the wrong reason, it bringsdevastating effects to a person’s life

VII and X. “You shall not steal” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”

- values protected: Respect, Justice, Relationships- 7 = forbids the act of stealing- 10 = forbids the inner temptation to crave another’s goods or possessions- govern our basic relationship with others, which is governed by justice and love- challenge us to be fair and just- applies Christ’s Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdomof Heaven.”- examples of disobeying: Vandalism, Stealing, Cheating, Envy/Jealousy

VIII. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

- values protected: Relationships- forbids the act of lying- lies and deception bring hatred and distrust to our lives; they destroy ourcredibility and our relationship with others- the grace of Jesus helps us to be truthful in our relationships with others- examples of disobeying: Lying, Withholding the truth, Spreading rumors

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LEARNING FROM JOSHUA’S CONQUESTOF CANAAN

- the Israelites were constantly at risk when they entered Canaan due to thenumerous tribes that inhabited the region

- the Israelites were exposed to false gods, such as Baal, the Canaanitenature god of fertility

- the Israelites were often tempted to worship false gods, especially whenthey had poor harvest, for they were desert people and didn’t know muchabout farming

- but even so, God demanded absolute and exclusive fidelity (being faithful),for he was their liberator. If they were unfaithful, they would risk losing theirland to their unity, and risk losing their unity as the true people of God

- it took Israel 50 years to completely occupy Canaan for it was not easy. They relied heavily on God’s support and guidance to prevail over theirenemies

- God led the Israelites through this hard time by choosing worthy leaderssuch as JOSHUA

- the settlement of Canaan represented God’s desire to establish a newsociety where justice, freedom, and fidelity to Him

Obedience: Joshua’s Secret for Success

 Joshua (YAHWEH IS SALVATION)

- won battles over superior foes and successfully led the Israelites intoCanaan

- his strong leadership was not characterized by superior military strategybut by constant obedience to God’s will

- a man of faith who boldly led his people against incredible odds because hebelieved in God’s promise that He would be with him

- Joshua’s life demonstrates how God is ever faithful to His covenant and howwe’re supposed to respond to our mission through faith

1. God calls Joshua to lead the Israelites (Nm 27: 12-22, Dt 31: 23,  Jos 1: 1-9)

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- since Moses was slowly aging, he asked God for a successor, then Godchose Joshua. “Take Joshua, son of Nun, a man of spirit, and lay your handupon him.” (Nm 27: 18)

- Joshua was the most qualified and deserving candidate to be Moses’successor for he was very faithful to God and his teachings

- God commissioned Joshua: “Be brave and steadfast, for it is you who mustbring the Israelites into the land which I promised them on oath.” (Dt 31: 23)- Like Moses, Joshua did not know exactly how to accomplish his mission butGod assured him that He would support him

- Joshua consulted God before every major endeavor

2. Joshua leads the Israelites in crossing the River Jordan (  Jos 3-4)

- Israel’s first problem was crossing the River Jordan and establishing afoothold in Canaan. God told Joshua to send the Ark of the Covenant into the

river first, and then the water receded, which allowed the Israelites to cross.

- this event was considered miraculous by the Israelites, which can be alsoknown as a plague.

- the Israelites believed that this miracle came from God’s power. “in orderthat all peoples of the earth may learn that the hand of the Lord is mighty.”(Jos 4: 24)

3. The Israelites experience victory at Jericho (  Jos 5: 13-15,  Jos 6)

- since Joshua knew that they could not afford to be caught between two ormore enemy tribes, he knew they had to conquer the city of Jericho first,before the highlands of Canaan.

- before the Israelites crossed the River Jordan, Joshua sent 2 spies to explore Jericho and its surroundings. The spies were almost captured, but a womannamed Rahab helped them escape.

- God intervened and assured Joshua of victory. “I have delivered Jericho andits king into your power.” (Jos 6: 2)

- God told Joshua to do the following:

1. Have all the soldiers circle the city and march around it once.2. Do this for 6 days with seven priests carrying ram’s horns ahead of theark.3. On the 7th day, march around the city 7 times and have the priests blowthe horns.4. Have all the people shout aloud when the priests give a long blast on theirram’s horns.

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5. When the city walls collapse, make a frontal attack.

- the walls of Jericho indeed fell, which the Israelites believed once again, tobe one of His works.

- the Israelites were able to take over Jericho and then Canaan, all throughGod’s intervention

- when Joshua had finished his last task for God, he gathered the people atShechem to renew their covenant with Yahweh

 The Israelites fell into a cycle of sin, punishment, repentance, and deliverance. This cycle became a way of life for them in the OT. They kept forgetting one simpletruth--to survive in Canaan, they had only to remain faithful to God.

Like the Israelites, we need to realize that we can overcome our weaknesses onlythrough faithful cooperation with God's grace. Through sincere prayer and a

conscious moral effort on our part, we can slowly break the vicious cycle of sin thatenslaves us. The judges in the OT were not interpreters of law like in the present. Rather, theywere military and spiritual leaders called by God to protect His Chosen People andto keep them faithful to the covenant. They were heroes inspired by the Holy Spiritto be God's instruments.

Gideon and His Dedication to God

 The Israelites began to worship other gods. This distracted them and gave theMidianites the chance to invade their land.

1. God calls Gideon to lead his people (Jgs 6)

- Gideon was called by Yahweh through an angel: "The Lord is with you, Ochampion!" (Jgs 6:12)- Gideon at first didn't believe it, but God was patient with him. Even if Gideon feltthat he was insignificant and felt reluctant to heed God's call, God reassured him bysaying, "I shall be with you." (Jgs 6:16)

2. Gideon leads in the defeat of Midian (Jgs 7)

- Gideon sent messengers to various tribes and gathered an army of 1000 Israelites,but God only told him he only needed 200

- instead of using swords or shields, Gideon was told by God to use trumpets,torches, and pots- At a given signal, they uncovered their torches and blew their trumpets, shouting"For the Lord and for Gideon!", then they broke the pots- the Midianites awoke in total confusion and panic. They began fighting and killingeach other, then fled. They were defeated as God promised.

God once again gave strange instructions to His chosen leader. This again provesthat God's ways are very different from our ways.Gideon was called the brave and mighty man of God. But when the Israelites invitedhim to be their king, Gideon responded with humility by saying, "I will not rule over

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you, nor shall my son rule over you. The Lord must rule over you." (Jgs 8:23)

Samson and His Reliance on Spiritual Power

 The Philistines were the most persistent and threatening of all the Israelites'enemies. Their oppression of the Israelites was the longest and the worst.

1. God fulfills a promise in the birth of Samson (Jgs 13:1-23)

- Samson was the fulfillment of a prophecy about a baby boy who would become agreat warrior- at Samson's birth, angels appeared signifying God's presence and intervention.- he was offered to God and consecrated as a Nazarite (Nazarite Vow = uncut hair,no drinking wine)

2. Samson fights the Philistines (Jgs 15)

- Samson was a very strong man. To keep his strength, he just had to maintain hisNazarite vow, which was a sign of one's dedication to God- it was Samson's strength that protected Israel from the Philistines- Samson, however, was not a military hero. He did not gather any warriors to fightwith him but waged war alone

3. Samson succumbs to a human weakness (Jgs 16)

- Samson was also overconfident and overly proud of his abilities (weakness)- the Philistines learned that Samson had a human weakness through a womannamed Delilah- Samson fell in love with Delilah. At first, Samson didn't tell Delilah his secret, butwhen Delilah pretended to be very hurt, Samson told Delilah about his Nazarite vow

- Delilah cut Samson's hair, and Samson was captured by the Philistines- they tortured Samson; chained him, gouged out his eyes, and enslaved him- the Philistines though didn't notice that Samson's hair had slowly grown back. SoSamson prayed to God and asked for strength one last time- using all his regained Strength, Samson pushed against the pillars and cried: "Letme die with the Philistines!" (Jgs 16:30)

Samson had offered his life to save Israel and shown Yahweh's power against thePhilistines. He was able to fulfill his mission.

Samuel and His Strong Prayer Life

Many judges had come and gone but Israel continued to be unfaithful. ThePhilistines continued to pose a threat to the Israelites. The Israelites thought abouthaving a human king, just like the other nations, who could save them from theirenemies permanently. At that time they were waiting for another judge to deliverthem, little did they know that Samuel would be the last judge.

1. God answers a mother's prayer. (1 Sm 1:11)

- a woman named Hannah, who was barren, prayed to God for a male child, andpromised God that he will be consecrated as a Nazarite (Nazareth)- God heard her plea, and gave her a son, whom she named Samuel, which meant

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"Asked of God"- as she promised, Hannah offered Samuel to God; she took care of him first thengave him to Eli, the high priest, to serve in the temple.- Hannah wanted Samuel's life to be dedicated to God for as long as he lived

2. God calls Samuel (1 Sm 3)

- Under Eli, Samuel learned the importance of faith in God and the way to live a holylife- one night when he was sleeping near the Ark of the Covenant, Samuel heardsomeone calling him. Thinking it was Eli calling him, Samuel came to him. WhenGod called Samuel a 2nd and 3rd time, Eli realized it was God calling Samuel so hetold Samuel to reply, "Speak Lord, for Your servant hears." (1 Sm 3:9)- Samuel followed Eli's instructions, and the Lord spoke to him and called Samuel tohis service

3. Samuel leads Israel in prayer (1 Sm 7)

- when Samuel saw how disrespectful to the Ark of the Covenant the people hadbecome, he gathered the people to pray for themselves and repent- when the Israelites wanted a king, Samuel prayed and asked God to help him.Before making major decisions, Samuel always prayed first; he took time to showthe people how they had done wrong and he motivated them to turn back to God- Samuel's call was to be a priest and a prophet; as a priest, he was to be a model of faith and prayer. As a prophet, he was to tell the people of God's will for them- God would work through Samuel to help His people select their first king, andcontinue the lineage which would eventually lead to David and Jesus Christ

4. Israel desires a king (1 Sm 8)

- the Israelites' desire for a king grew stronger. God told Samuel to warn the people

about the right and power of a king- but the Israelites didn't listen. They continued to pressure Samuel to select a kingfor them- the Lord instructed Samuel to do as the Israelites wished. He consoled Samuelsaying, "It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king" (1 Sm 8:7)- God also told Samuel, "At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the landof Benjamin whom you are to anoint as commander of my people Israel. He shallsave my people from the clutches of the Philistines, for I have witnessed theirmisery and accepted their cry for help" (1 Sm 9:16)

In Samuel, we see the importance of prayer in the life of a leader. Samuel alwaysconsulted God in prayer whenever he was to make important decisions. He prayed

to find out what God wanted him to do. He also prayed for the Israelites and ledthem to repentance.

The Lesson of Saul's Disobedience: His Failure as King

- Saul was a sheperd from the south- He came to Ephraim to look for his father's lost donkeys. Saul and his servant wentto Samuel, hoping that Israel's judge and prophet could help them find the donkeys- Samuel spotted Saul easily in the market for Saul was strikingly taller than anyoneelse there- God told Samuel, "This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people"

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(1 Sm 9:17)- Samuel told Saul that he was to be Israel's first king. Saul was shocked at thisrevelation. Eventually though, Saul trusted Samuel and reluctantly accepted theoffer to be king- the next morning, Samuel privately anointed Saul as the first king of Israel.Anointing was a sign that Saul was God's choice. He was to rule over the Israelitesas God's servant; the Spirit of the Lord was given to Saul so he could save God'speople

 The Early Reign of Saul

- Saul had all the qualities of a good king. He was a good and able-bodied man, anda capable mediator. He prevented the tribes from fighting one another. Hesuccessfully gathered men and formed an army, something the judges couldn't do- He claimed his first military victory over the Ammonites (1 Sm 11: 1-15)- inspired by his bravery, the Israelites folloiwed Saul into battle against theirenemies.- Saul found favor with God. Under his leadership, Israel became united

 The Later Reign of Saul

- as his duties grew, Saul be came temparemental and impatient. He began to haveviolent mood swings and make wrong decisions- the sacred writers often described Saul's tantrums by saying, "The spirit of theLord had left him." Saul even quarreled often with Samuel, his closest adviser- one time, Saul performed religious ceremonies before battle even though he wastold by Samuel not to do so- in another battle, he was instructed by God not to take anything from the defeatedenemy, but Saul didn't listen and got the enemy's cattle- Saul's power gradually alienated him from his own people and threatened theexistence of his kingdom

- he had forgotten that kings are meant to serve other. He had grown corrupt andself-centered- the once reliable, humble, and resourceful young man had become ill-tempered,cruel, and disobedient. This struggle would be with him for the rest of his life

Saul, initially a great leader, brought unity among the Israelites. Later on, however,his impatience and bad temper led him to disobey God's commands completely.

DoctrineGod showed His concern for His people by calling exemplary individuals to be theleaders of Israel. He was faithful to His promuse to remain always with theIsraelites.

Moral Trust in God and obedience to His laws were the reasons for the success of theIsraelite leaders. We should learn from their examples and remain faithful to God.

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Worship The stories of Joshua and the judges of Israel show us the importance of prayer.Whenever their enemies attacked them, the Israelites cried out to God fordeliverance. When faced with big challenges, their leaders prated forenlightenment.We too must turn to God in times of distress, but we should not remember Him onlywhen we have troubles. Prayer should help us see God in all experiences.

Source: Called to Discover our Christian Roots