Page 72 - Advanced OT Survey Revised

from Him, He would curse them and eventually destroy them.

The formal reading of the law in the people’s presence and with their participation represented a
renewal of the covenant. The curses that were read toward Mount Ebal as a warning to the Israelites in
the Promised Land were a reminder that the Mosaic Covenant was conditional. Built into the law were
punishments for disobedience. Curses at Ebal were leveled against those who practiced idolatry,
dishonored their parents, took advantage of the vulnerable, withheld justice, committed murder, took
bribes, or committed various sexual sins. After each curse, the people were all to say, “Amen!”
lii
(Deuteronomy 27:15–26). This response showed that the people heard, understood, and agreed.

God used this event to illustrate a spiritual truth. Galatians 6:7-9 says every person will eventually “reap
what he sows.” There is ALWAYS a consequence for obedience and disobedience. The people clearly
heard that day, “obey equals blessings, disobedience equals curses.” As we trace the history of Israel
through the Old Testament, we will see this to be true.

The Book of Joshua

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqJlFF_eU

JUDGES
Chronologically, the book Judges is a time after Joshua. The author
and the date are both unknown. Judges is a book which narrates the
decline in Israel’s leadership and spiritual condition. The themes
include: Sin Cycle (sin, suffering, supplication, salvation); ‘Everyone
did what was right in their own eyes’ (17:6, 21:25). The main
message: Though Israel’s repeated rebellion and declining leadership
resulted in defeat and depravity, YHWH continued to be gracious and
forgiving!

Israel Serving the Baals
Throughout the book of Judges, we will see that the people of Israel will turn away from serving God to
serving the God’s of the Canaanites or “the Baals.” (Judges 2:11-13). What Israel was doing is buying
into the mythological structure of the universe understood by the local culture. The gods of the
religious world of Syria-Palestine were formed into a four-level hierarchy not unlike a small, localized
bureaucracy.

The highest authorities of the Canaanite universe were the deities El and Asherah, the parents of all
other gods. They were actual rules of the universe and the final court of appeal for both gods and
humans. As highest rulers, they assigned each of their offspring (other gods) responsibilities for specific
tasks in governing the world. In Judges, Gideon will remove the poles dedicated to Asherah.

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