Jdg 10:1-18 Deliver us Only, we Pray Thee, This Day

[Study Aired May 31, 2021]

Jdg 10:1  And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 
Jdg 10:2  And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 
Jdg 10:3  And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 
Jdg 10:4  And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 
Jdg 10:5  And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 
Jdg 10:6  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. 
Jdg 10:7  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 
Jdg 10:8  And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 
Jdg 10:9  Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 
Jdg 10:10  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 
Jdg 10:11  And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 
Jdg 10:12  The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 
Jdg 10:13  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 
Jdg 10:14  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 
Jdg 10:15  And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 
Jdg 10:16  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 
Jdg 10:17  Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 
Jdg 10:18  And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 

In Chapter 9 of Judges, we learned that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, which resulted in a conflict between them. This conflict resulted in the death of several men of Shechem and also of Abimelech. Abimelech was put to death by a millstone and a sword by his armor bearer. This implies that it is only the elect, represented here by a millstone, that can put to death the old man through the use of the word of God, which is the sword.

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones (millstones), are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

Today’s review is focused on Israel coming under different judges and different oppression by the Philistines and the Ammonites.

Jdg 10:1  And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 

The name Tola means a worm and the scriptures describe man as a worm.

Job 25:6  How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Psa 22:6  But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

The negative application of worm is corruption as follows:

Job 17:14  I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

Isa 14:11  Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

Tola ruling over Israel means that when we start our journey with Christ, we are ruled by our old man who is meant to be taken and destroyed and who shall utterly perish in his own corruption. Tola dwelt in Shamir.  According to Strong, Shamir means thorns, and so it implies that during the period in which we are ruled by our old man or flesh (Tola), we were actually dwelling among thorns.  These thorns are the false doctrines in our heavens which prevent us from understanding the gospel of Christ.

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Tola is from the tribe of Issachar. When Jacob was blessing his sons, he said this concerning Issachar:

Gen 49:14  Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: 
Gen 49:15  And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

What we are being told here is that being of the tribe of Issachar means that we end up loving the world and the things that are in the world.  As a result, we come under bondage to the flesh, which is being described here as lying between two burdens.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Jdg 10:2  And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 

Tola judged Israel for twenty three years and died. The number twenty three is used negatively to suggest a period in our lives where we are ruled by our old man, and therefore we end up doing evil in the sight of God and are disqualified from any inheritance. That is what happened to us under the reign of our old man (Tola).

Tola dying and being buried in Shamir means that holding on to our false doctrines will bring about our spiritual death, that is, we do not come to know the truth in this life. That is why we are commanded to leave Babylon, which is a stronghold of false doctrines.

2Ki 23:31  Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 
2Ki 23:32  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 

Num 26:62  And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

Jdg 10:3  And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 

After Tola came a judge by name Jair who reigned in Israel for twenty-two years. A reign of twenty-two years depicts a period in our lives when we were under the influence of the old man as signified by the twenty-two year reign of Jeroboam and Ahab, who were wicked rulers who led Israel to worship idols. Jair means an enlightener according to Strong’s dictionary. Thus, Jair represents our Lord Jesus. It is during this period of darkness in our lives, or the experience of evil, that the Lord comes to us to enlighten us to begin to understand the truth.

1Ki 14:20  And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

1Ki 16:29  And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

2Ki 8:26  Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 
2Ki 8:27  And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.

Jdg 10:4  And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 
Jdg 10:5  And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 

Both Joseph and David became kings at the age of thirty. The number thirty therefore symbolizes the time that our new man starts to reign in our lives as our old man has commenced the dying process. So the fact that Jair had thirty sons who were riding 30 ass colts and having thirty cities is to tell us that the enlightener, who is Christ, has started his work in us to judge us to begin the process of putting the old man to death for the birth of the new man who is to reign in our lives. The death of Jair represents the death of our Lord Jesus for our sins. Jair was buried in Camon. The name Camon means elevation. So the death of our Lord Jesus is to elevate the new man in us to the position of rulership of our bodies in this life and outwardly, over the world when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Gen 41:46  And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

2Sa 5:4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

Num 4:23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Jdg 10:6  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. 

The Israelites turned to the gods of Syria, Zidon, Moab, Ammon and Philistines. As long as we are controlled by our old man or the flesh, we cannot please God. We end up worshiping another Jesus (the gods of this world), therefore setting ourselves up for God’s judgment in this life if we are destined to overcome.

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 
Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
2Co 11:4  or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 

Jdg 10:7  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 

The anger of the Lord is His judgment. As we know from scriptures, the essence of God’s judgment in our lives is to destroy or put to death our old man, and in the process, bring us to learn righteousness.

Num 32:13  And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. 

Lam 2:2  The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. 
Lam 2:3  He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about. 

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

In this circumstance, the judgment God meted out to the children of Israel was letting the Philistines and the Ammonites overcome them. In order to understand the kind of oppression posed by these enemies – Philistines and Ammonites – let us take a look at who they were.

The Philistines were people who were very religious and worshiped many gods. Their main god was Dagon who was thought to be the god of grain, and they were comfortable accommodating the worship of God when they captured the Ark of the Lord in battle. The Ammonites, on the other hand, are described as being descendants of Ben-ammi, who was the son of Lot (Abraham’s nephew) and Lot’s younger daughter (Genesis 19:38) and therefore represent our flesh as the Ammonites are related to our father Abraham.  So the combination of the Philistines and the Ammonites oppressing Israel means that God gives our flesh (Ammonites) over to worship another Jesus. We therefore changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped the creature more than the creator when we were in the churches of this world (Babylon).

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 

Jdg 10:8  And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 

The Philistines and the Ammonites oppressed the Israelites for eighteen years. This is insightful as the number eighteen signifies a period in our lives when we were under satanic oppression resulting in us being powerless before the enemies within and wallowing in our own vomit. Remember, there was a woman in Jesus’ time who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. Surprisingly, it was Jesus who saw her and came to her aid. In likewise manner, Jesus sees our situation and will not leave us alone to be oppressed by our enemies, if we are destined to overcome.

Luk 13:10  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 
Luk 13:11  And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 
Luk 13:12  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 
Luk 13:13  And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 

Luk 13:16  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

Jdg 10:9  Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 

The Israelites were in sore distress as a result of worshiping another Jesus. This experience of evil is like the pains we go through when struck by scorpions with their deadly venom. That is what brings us to our wits’ end when we are judged by the Lord.

Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Rev 9:10  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 

Jdg 10:10  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 

Our judgment brings us to see who we really are. It is through judgment that we realize that we are the worse sinners and that we cannot help ourselves. This experience of evil therefore brings us to the point of asking for God’s intervention in our lives.

Psa 22:14  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 
Psa 22:15  My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 

Psa 22:19  But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 
Psa 22:20  Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 

Psa 22:21  Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 

Jdg 10:11  And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 
Jdg 10:12  The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 

God is always reminding us of His deliverance in our lives in time past to remind us that whatever situation we finds ourselves in, He is able to do exceedingly beyond what we can think or imagine.

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. 

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

Jdg 10:13  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 
Jdg 10:14  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 

When we are in trouble and we cry to Him, God only comes in when our tribulation has run its course. That is, when we have learned the lessons we need to know from our fiery trials so we can live righteously. In verse 13 it is stated that the Lord said that He will not deliver the Israelites any more. That is not the sum of God’s word. Rather, what our Lord was saying was that the sorrow of this world leads to spiritual death. In other words, there is no deliverance in this life.  However, if we are called and chosen, then our tribulation will result in godly sorrow which will lead to repentance and ultimately our deliverance by the Lord.

2Co 7:9  Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 
2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 

Jdg 10:15  And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 
Jdg 10:16  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 

The Israelites here represent the elect as they repented from their sins. What happened to the Israelites is the godly sorrow which leads to repentance and salvation. As we are aware, the judgment of the Lord in our lives is for the purpose of learning righteousness. That was what happened to the Israelites. They learned obedience by the things they suffered just as our Lord Jesus learned obedience through suffering.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

We are all learning obedience through our fiery trials. We are just like the prodigal son who wasted our Lord’s resources in going after the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Through tribulation, we repent of our sins and come back to our Lord Jesus who is always waiting for us to go through the full course of our tribulation. That is when we become perfect, complete and lacking in nothing.

Jas 1:2  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 
Jas 1:3  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 
Jas 1:4  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (ESV)

Luk 15:14  And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 
Luk 15:15  So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 
Luk 15:16  And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 
Luk 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 
Luk 15:18  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 
Luk 15:20  And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 

Jdg 10:17  Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 

It is only when we go through our fiery trials that we are able to take a stand against our enemy within. As David said, “I have pursued mine enemies and overtaken them.”

Psa 18:4  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 
Psa 18:5  The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 
Psa 18:6  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 

Psa 18:35  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 
Psa 18:36  Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. 
Psa 18:37  I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 

Jdg 10:18  And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

“What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon?”  The question being asked here is the same as wanting to know who the overcomers are. The overcomers are those who wage war against the flesh or the old man in this life, resulting in the death of the old man and the birth of the new man. This war against the flesh is not won by our effort or anything that we do.  Our Lord fights our battle for us as He has shown us in several places of the scriptures how He won the battle for the Israelites without the Israelites engaging in any fight. For example, Gideon and his three hundred men won the fight against the Midianites by not fighting them in battle.

Jdg 7:19  So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 
Jdg 7:20  And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 
Jdg 7:21  And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 
Jdg 7:22  And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 

If we are called and chosen by the Lord, then we are destined to win this war against the flesh. Verse 18 indicates that the man who is able to fight against the children of the Ammonites (our flesh) will be made head of all the inhabitants of Gilead. This is to confirm to us that if we win this war against the flesh or our old man, we shall reign over the earth when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. In this life however, we shall rule over our body.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.