Judges 2

v1-5: The people of Israel had been warned by Joshua about "being caught up in the ways of the Canaanites", but they had paid no attention to the words he gave before he died. Would the appearance of the angel of the Lord, the Son of God Himself, "prevent them from falling into sin and trouble"? As "all Israel needed the rebuke and warning given here... so it was spoken to them all." The people responded by expressing their sorrow, "but we do not find that they reformed their behaviour." Sadly, what was true then, is true today, as "many are softened by the word but become hard again before they are formed into a new mould."

v6-23: From His mercy and tender compassion, God raised up judges which He called "to a special service, to reform and rescue Israel, and he crowned their endeavours with great success." At moments when His people are "corrupt and distressed," God is able to "find or equip some people to set things right," and those He calls, He "will give them his presence. He will be with those whom he raises up." If He "raises up useful people to serve others in the wider public realm," they "must be looked on as…gifts" that He has graciously given, and He must be acknowledged as the great Giver.

Judges 3

v1-6: "One thing God intended in leaving the Canaanites among them was to prove (test) Israel, so that those who were faithful to the God of Israel might be praised for resisting the Canaanites’ temptations of idolatry, and so that those who were false and insincere might be shown up and be shamed for yielding to those temptations. In the same way, in Christian churches there are always heresies, in order that those who are approved may be [revealed]."