What is the meaning of Judges 3:2? If only to teach warfare “if only to teach warfare” (Judges 3:2) shows that the LORD deliberately left pockets of opposition so His people would learn skill, courage, and reliance on Him. • Psalm 144:1 declares, “Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for battle,” underscoring God as the instructor. • Exodus 13:17 notes that God once shielded Israel from war lest they lose heart; here He deems them ready for training. • 2 Samuel 22:35 echoes, “He trains my hands for battle,” reminding that the discipline is both physical and spiritual. God’s purpose was not the love of conflict but the shaping of a capable, faithful nation able to stand against evil. To the subsequent generations The verse targets “the subsequent generations,” pointing to sons and grandsons of Joshua’s soldiers. • Judges 2:10 laments, “After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who knew neither the LORD nor the works He had done.” Warfare training became a means to reconnect them with God’s mighty acts. • Deuteronomy 6:6-7 commands parents to impress God’s words on children in daily life; battlefield experiences would reinforce those lessons. • Psalm 78:6 envisions each generation telling the next “so that they might put their trust in God.” Military engagement under His banner nurtured that trust. Of Israel The phrase specifies the covenant family. Their warfare differed from surrounding nations because: • Deuteronomy 7:1-2 orders Israel to drive out nations so they would not adopt idolatry; the battles served moral purity. • Joshua 1:6 links strength in battle to possessing the land God swore to their fathers, rooting combat in promise. • Exodus 19:5-6 calls Israel “a kingdom of priests,” showing even their warfare had priestly purpose—protecting holy ground for God’s presence. Especially to those who had not known it formerly A gap now existed between veterans and youth who “had not known it formerly.” • Judges 2:23 reports that the LORD “did not give them into Joshua’s hand,” leaving conflicts unresolved for the novices to face. • Deuteronomy 8:3 illustrates how God humbled Israel in the wilderness “to teach you,” revealing that experiential learning builds dependence. • 1 Samuel 3:7 says young Samuel “did not yet know the LORD,” resembling these new fighters who would come to know Him through fresh challenges. Through real battles the inexperienced would witness God’s power firsthand, turning second-hand stories into living faith. summary Judges 3:2 shows God purposefully leaving certain enemies in Canaan so that younger Israelites, untested by earlier conquests, would learn warfare under His tutelage. The training aimed to cultivate courage, reinforce covenant identity, and foster firsthand faith. Far from needless violence, the conflicts functioned as a divine classroom where each new generation discovered that victory, like the land itself, comes from the LORD. |
    |