How does Judges 10:1 connect with God's faithfulness in previous chapters? Setting the Scene After Abimelech • Judges 9 recounts Abimelech’s violent, self-appointed rule—a tragic low point that followed Gideon’s victory. • Israel once again drifted into idolatry and civil strife, proving the pattern described earlier: “Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them…but they did not listen” (Judges 2:16-17). • Against this dark backdrop, Judges 10:1 opens with a fresh act of divine intervention: “After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to deliver Israel.” God Steps In Yet Again • The phrase “rose to deliver” (Heb. yasha) repeats language first used for Othniel (Judges 3:9) and Ehud (Judges 3:15), underscoring that God—not human ambition—initiates salvation. • By naming Tola’s father and grandfather, Scripture stresses legitimate, God-ordained leadership, contrasting Abimelech’s murderous grab for power (Judges 9:1-6). • God’s faithfulness is seen in His refusal to abandon His covenant people, even after they reap the painful consequences of sin (cf. Deuteronomy 7:9). Patterns of Deliverance Up to This Point 1. Sin: Israel “did evil in the sight of the LORD” (Judges 3:7; 6:1; 8:33-34). 2. Discipline: Oppression follows—Mesopotamians, Moabites, Midianites, and internecine violence under Abimelech. 3. Cry for Help: “The Israelites cried out to the LORD” (Judges 3:9; 6:6-7). 4. Deliverance: God raises a judge to save them—Othniel, Ehud, Deborah/Barak, Gideon, and now Tola. • Judges 10:1 fits the fourth step, proving that the cycle had not exhausted God’s mercy. Faithfulness Highlighted in Tola’s Calling • Location—Shamir in Ephraim (Judges 10:1): God places deliverers where they are most needed; Ephraim had suffered immensely under Abimelech’s ambition. • Length of service—“He judged Israel twenty-three years” (Judges 10:2): A lengthy, stable season of peace evidences God’s sustaining grace. • Quiet obedience—Though Tola’s deeds are not detailed, his very presence signals God’s ongoing, behind-the-scenes faithfulness (cf. 1 Samuel 12:11). Takeaways for Us Today • God’s faithfulness is unwavering, even when His people are fickle; He keeps stepping in with new mercies (Lamentations 3:22-23). • Legitimate leadership arises from divine appointment, not self-promotion—an encouragement to trust God’s timing and choice of servants. • The Lord’s redemptive pattern in Judges reassures believers that no season of failure is beyond His power to reverse. |
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