Confirmation: Judges

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Work through the confirmation Lesson below.  Do the best you can on your own.  If you need help, or if you get stuck send me an email, (revrichm@gmail.com), text or call me (610-401-5602).  When you're done, post your answers at the bottom.  When we meet next I will go over this and we'll do an exercise to have some fun with it.  

Judges

My Faith Story

Does God still send heroes to rescue people?

Do you know someone who has worked in a very public position, perhaps politics or government service and demonstrated his or her Christian values to make the world a better place? Sometimes we can be persuaded that there is no place for faith in a public place or position. We may think it is too difficult to be a Christian outside of the church. Living your faith means you need to stay focused on it. Doing so may make you wonder and worry about an appropriate response in a given situation. It will force you to choose between things that will help you and things that may hold you back. It's not always easy, but you can make a difference as a Christian.

Open the Bible

Open your Bibles to the book of Judges.

While Joshua was alive and ruling the people of Israel in Canaan, most everything went really well. After Joshua's death, the people started to forget about God and how God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. They began worshiping Baal and other false gods of the Canaanites.

The book of Judges is about the struggle between the Israelites and God, and the struggle between the Israelites and their neighbors. This pattern is repeated again and again: the people turned away from God; God punished them by sending an enemy to rule them; when the people repented of their sin, God sent temporary leaders (judges) to rescue them. After the judge died, the people returned to their evil ways, and the cycle repeated once again. This continued to happen over a 200-year period. This is one of the clearest examples in the Bible of the tendency of humans, even those who know God, to forget God and go their own way.

The other clear example in Judges is God's constant love and concern for God's people. Despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness, as soon as they turn back to God, God answers with help. God provided men and women as judges to rescue the people of Israel.

Read about this behavior pattern of the Israelites in Joshua 2:11–23. Note that this pattern includes God sending a deliverer to rescue the people. God continues the pattern in the New Testament by sending Jesus to rescue all humankind.

OK - be listening for the way in which God used two women to rescue the people of Israel. Read Judges chapter 4. See the behavior pattern: the Israelites sin; the Canaanites take over; the Israelites cry for help; God sends a judge to rescue Israel.

• What are the names of the two women?

• Deborah was both a prophet and a judge. What is the difference between a prophet and a judge? How are they the same?

• What role did Jael play in the story?

Samson was another judge, and in his day it was the Philistines who were causing trouble for the Israelites. Read Judges 13:1–7. What things was Samson supposed to do and not do?

The Philistines killed anyone who dared to disobey them. But Samson gave the Philistines all they could handle. Read Judges 15:4–5, 9–16 to learn about two of Samson's battles. Where did Samson get his strength?

Besides being a judge who saved the Israelites several times, Samson was also a tragic figure. He was not what we would consider to be a good example for us. He had great strength, but he was very ordinary and weak when it came to betting, playing pranks, and womanizing. He hated the enemy, the Philistines. When Samson encountered Delilah, he was tricked by the enemy, which eventually led to his death. Read that story in Judges 16. Think about how even though Samson is defeated and suffering, he is still able to serve God's will.

• Who was the real hero in this story and in all the stories of the judges?

• Why was God the hero?

• If God could use a person like Samson, an ordinary person with lots of faults, who else might God be using today?

Open the Catechism

Student Book page 299: God provided judges to rescue the Israelites, and God's rescuing activity continued into the New Testament. God sent Jesus to rescue all humankind.

• What has Jesus done for us? Why?

• How has Jesus done all this?

• What will be our response to Jesus rescuing us?

Cartoon Connection

What was the job description for a judge in the Old Testament?

Why wouldn’t the Israelites need lawyers?

How are the people in the book of Judges similar to people today?

Life Connection

What do judges do today? Find out about three different judges this week. They could be TV judges, supreme court judges, local judges, or others. Do an Internet search or get an interview. How are these judges the same as judges in biblical times? How are they different?

Word Scramble

Read the Bible selections to help you unscramble the words.

1. NSITIISHPEL  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __

2. ROHDAEB  __  __  __  __  __  __  __

3. ZAIITENR  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __

4. AALB  __  __  __  __

5. BYESDIEDO  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __

6. VOAGEFR  __  __  __  __  __  __  __

1. Read Judges 13:1-7. Samson delivered Israel from the __________.

2. Read Judges 4. __________ was a judge.

3. Read Judges 13:5. Samson was a __________.

4. Read Judges 2:11. After Joshua’s death, Israel worshipped __________.

5. Read Judges 2:4. Israel regularly __________ God.

6. God always __________ Israel when they sinned.