Israel Chooses to Be Like

Other Nations
 The Judges
(review)

• The Tribal confederacy is an organization

which upholds egalitarianism and promotes
cooperation and mutual aid as opposed to the
monopoly of power and wealth in a more
centralized organizational structure.
 The Judges
• In such a system leadership was by virtue of
charisma called ‘judges’. These leaders would
rise up in times of emergencies serving both
as military leaders and arbiters of local
disputes in peaceful times.
 The Judges
• The time of the judges was presented by
historians as a time when the Israelites were
disunited and unfaithful to the demands of
the covenant
 The Judges
• Canaanite Agriculture was primary rooted in
the myth of the fertility gods. Thus agricultural
life is intricately woven with the practice and
worship of Baalism.
 The Judges
• A movement emerged in Israel which insisted
on remaining loyal to the covenant with
Yahweh which was associated with
nationalism. They insisted that Yahweh alone
must be worshiped.
• Judges 2:6-25, 3: 7-31(Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar)

• Judges 4:1-24(Deborah and Barak)

• Judges 6:1-7:25(Gideon)

• Judges 10:6-12:15( Tola, Jair, Jephthah)

• Judges 13-16 (Samson).

• The time of the judges shows a sort of cyclical
way of life (relationship with Yahweh) of the
Israelites
Samuel
Who was Samuel?
•Hannah & Elkanah
•the birth of Samuel
•dedication of Samuel
What was the situation of
Israel during the time of
Samuel?
•Samuel’s Call
•Eli’s Sons
•Samuel’s Sons
•People asked for a king through
Samuel
•It was a rejection of Yahweh
•Deviating from being a Holy Nation
(be like other nations)
MONARCHY:
GOD’S GIFT OF NATIONHOOD
The Transition Period – Saul

 The geo-political situation in the 11th

century revealed the weakness of the
Tribal confederacy. Some sectors in
Israelite society who wanted a
monarchical organizational structure
where power rests on a sole ruler
pushed for transition to monarchical
system- a system which fosters social
inequality
The Transition Period – Saul

 Such a drastic change generated

a national controversy, with
Samuel clearly opposing the move
as a denial of God’s own rule
characterized by equality, social
justice and mercy. Nevertheless
the pro-monarchy movement won
the day and a King was chosen.
The Transition Period – Saul

 Samuel the “kingmaker’s” word

obviously weighed a lot, and the
chosen King felt insecure when
Samuel withdraw his approval and
anointed a successor.
Saul’s disobedience
The Transition Period – Saul

 Saul in his own right deserves

recognition for his heroism.
David: Architect of the
Israelite Monarchy

 Israel as one kingdom lasted

only for about 100 hundred
years under the reign of 3
kings.
 David: Architect of the
Israelite Monarchy

 The transition to real monarchical

structure happened under David.
The King’s own men became
leaders of the people and military,
and religious leadership were
placed at the service of the King.
 David: Architect of the
Israelite Monarchy

 The “Canaanite ideology which

hails the king (David) as God’s own
son, and servant was adapted by
Israel. But Israel never lost the idea
that leaders are accountable to
God and are required to have
moral and spiritual integrity.
David: Architect of the
Israelite Monarchy

 David was an able leader who

has balanced the Old order
which values equality and the
new order which upholds the
prerogatives and power of the
monarch.
 A man after God’s own heart
David: Architect of the
Israelite Monarchy

But he was not as successful in

managing his household.
 David & Bathsheba
 Uriah’s Death
 Solomon : His Wisdom and
Folly
 Solomon was crowned king at a
young age
Asked God for a discerning heart
 Wisdom is a gift from God and to
be used in accordance to God’s
will
 Solomon : His Wisdom and
Folly
 Worship was done in the temple
during Solomon’s time. It was more
elaborate: the rituals more
impressive, but these do not
compensate nor is it a substitute
for doing justice which was sorely
lacking in Solomon’s rule.
 Solomon : His Wisdom and
Folly

 Solomon’s famed wisdom did

not show in his governance. The
people were taxed heavily to
support the king’s building
projects. The policy of forced
labor was enforced mainly upon
the Northern tribes.
 Solomon : His Wisdom and
Folly

 The exploitative and oppressive

policies of Solomon resulted in
popular rebellions from the
different territories which were
annexed by David to the
Kingdom of Israel.