Judges 2-4; 6-8; 13-16

 Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16

When Joshua and the leaders of Israel who served under him died, the national spirit of Israel also died. Tribal loyalty replaced national unity. Each tribe began to look to its own resources without giving help or asking aid from their fellow Israelites.  Joshua’s generation remained faithful to the Lord (see Joshua 24:31), but spiritual apostasy soon occurred in the following generation.

“And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel…And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.” (Judges 2:10, 12.)

h

Judges 4:4 Deborah, a prophetess… judged Israel at that time

 

“The gift of prophecy is a special spiritual endowment that is available to every worthy member of the Church. Elder Bruce R. McConkie has said: ‘Every member of the Church—acting in submission to the laws and system which the Lord has ordained—is expected to have the gift of prophecy. It is by this gift that a testimony of the truth comes.’ (Mormon Doctrine, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958, p. 542)

 

“One definition of a prophet or prophetess, then, is one who knows by the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, ‘for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy’ (Rev. 19:10). Moses prayed, ‘would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them’ (Num. 11:29). Thus, a woman who had an abundance of the special gift of testimony may have been referred to as a prophetess.

 

Ardeth G. Kapp

I believe that a lot of good can be accomplished when we are not so concerned about who gets the credit. Deborah seems to have been more concerned about the things that needed to be accomplished than about the glory that would come to her. (Judg. 4:1-10.)

 

She possessed one of the gifts of the Spirit spoken of in Moro. 10:13, in which it is stated that to some is given the gift to “prophesy concerning all things.” Deborah had the spirit of prophecy, a gift given to men and women.

 

Because of the gift, Deborah was blessed with spiritual insight and leadership ability, which she freely shared, not concerned about who got the credit. She did not need a title or a position, or recognition to help Israel. All she needed was a willing, charitable heart that desired to be of service to the Lord, and that she had. The scriptures tell us that Barak would not lead an army against Jabin until Deborah was present. (Judg. 4:8-9.)

 

Judges 6:15 Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?

 

“Gideon did not think he was a mighty warrior and replied, ‘Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.’ The angel replied, ‘Surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man’ (Judg. 6:15–16; emphasis added). To smite as one man means that the vast masses of Midianites would be conquered as if they were but a lone man. This seemed unbelievable to Gideon, so he asked the angel for a sign, to prove that he was truly sent from God. Evidence was duly provided, and Gideon bowed in humble submission to the Lord’s call (see Judg. 6:17–24)…

 

“So often the Lord calls inexperienced people to His service and gives them important and decisive assignments. At first, like Gideon, they may be fearful of the task. “If any brother or sister feels unprepared—even incapable—of responding to a call to serve, to sacrifice, to bless the lives of others, remember this truth: `Whom God calls, God qualifies.` He who notes the sparrow’s fall will not abandon the servant’s need.’ As we read the stories of those whom the Lord has called out of their weakness, we can have the assurance that we will receive the strength to fulfill callings. ‘God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability.’

 

 

Judges 16:4 he loved a woman… whose name was Delilah

 

George Q. Cannon

You remember Samson, a mighty man in some respects, a man whom God raised up to redeem His people, but he married strange women. He married a woman of the Philistines, and the result was that it brought about his destruction. And we need only refer to the great king who sat upon the throne during the golden days of Israel, a man who was considered the wisest man that ever lived—King Solomon. His heart, we are told in the Scriptures, was turned aside from the Lord our God, because he took to himself strange wives, women of the nations with whom God had commanded Israel not to marry, and because of this he was led as he grew in years into idolatry. (Journal of Discourses, 25:364)

 

Judges 16:20 he wist not that the Lord was departed from him

 

“As Delilah cut Samson's hair, his vow was broken, and the Lord's power departed from him.

 

“When a Nazarite vow or covenant was broken, it was sometimes possible to renew the vow after a period of repentance. (Num. 6:9-12.) Apparently Samson went through a period of repentance and recommitment because he again received extraordinary strength as he destroyed the Philistine temple and his own life. (Judg. 16:30.)

 

“Tragedy came upon Samson because as he broke one commandment (morality) he lost the Spirit of the Lord. This led to his breaking other covenants and resulted in weakness, blindness, slavery, and death (both physical and spiritual).” (Victor L. Ludlow, Unlocking the Old Testament [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], 72)