What is the meaning of Judges 10:2? Tola judged Israel • “Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, arose to save Israel” (Judges 10:1). In the flow of the book, God repeatedly “raised up judges” (Judges 2:16) when His people cried out under oppression. • Tola’s name—appearing right after Abimelech’s violent reign—signals a fresh act of mercy from the LORD who “does not change” (Malachi 3:6). • Like earlier deliverers such as Othniel and Gideon, Tola serves as a visible reminder that “salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8). • 1 Samuel 12:11 later lists deliverers from this era, affirming that the Lord truly appointed Tola for Israel’s rescue. Twenty-three years • His tenure offered more than two decades of stability, echoing earlier seasons of rest: – Ehud: 80 years (Judges 3:30) – Deborah & Barak: 40 years (Judges 5:31) – Gideon: 40 years (Judges 8:28) • These numbers are historical, not symbolic, underscoring God’s tangible faithfulness across specific spans of time. • The length also reminds us that God’s deliverance is not always dramatic; sometimes He sustains His people quietly for long stretches, fulfilling the promise of Leviticus 26:6, “I will grant peace in the land.” When he died • Every judge—however faithful—was mortal. “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Tola’s death marks the end of one provision and the beginning of another. • Scripture never downplays death; it records it plainly while affirming that God’s purposes move forward. Immediately, “after him, Jair the Gileadite arose” (Judges 10:3). • The passing of leaders highlights the unchanging Leader: “From everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Psalm 90:2). He was buried in Shamir • Shamir lay in the hill country of Ephraim, anchoring Tola’s story in a specific covenant territory promised to Abraham (Genesis 17:8). • Burial within the land signified honor and belonging, similar to how Joshua’s bones were laid to rest at Timnath-Serah (Joshua 24:29–30). • Being “gathered to his people” in Shamir echoes the hope of a future resurrection, hinted at in Job 19:25–27 and fulfilled in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20). summary Judges 10:2 records a real man, appointed by God, who led Israel for twenty-three peaceful years, died, and was honorably buried in the land. The verse testifies that the LORD faithfully raises up imperfect yet obedient servants, grants measurable seasons of rest, and carries His redemptive plan forward from one generation to the next. |
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