Judges 1

ok, can't put it off any more, here goes chapter 1 ...

1:1-3
Joshua is dead. We read again of his death in chapter 2. This is the setting for the opening of Judges, just as the death of Moses served as the setting for the opening of Joshua.
The death of a great leader is always a traumatic event for a nation and a people. Will the leader be forgotten? Will all the achievements of that leader be swept away under a new broom?

The people make a good beginning, the ask the Lord what they should do next. They know, because Joshua told them often enough, that the purpose of the Lord is for them to conquer the land and drive out all the inhabitants, the general plan is clear. But, specifically what are they to do first, or who is to go up first? Asking the Lord is always a good place to start and obeying his reply is even better.

Judah makes a good beginning. Once they know the Lord is sending them first, they go to a brother tribe, Simeon, and ask for help. We are probably to imagine that Judah could have done this by themselves, as so often we can carry out areas of Christian service by ourselves. However, it is better to share service with others and the mutuality of Judah's request is heartening and for us very often a challenge.

A good beginning, I'll get on to the 'success' of this beginning in another post.