Judges 9-12

This passage provides a glimpse of an especially flawed character. Abimilech, son of Gideon, assembles a band of shady characters, paying them with silver shekels from the temple of Baal. Together, they murdered Gideon's 70 (!) other sons--all except the youngest, Jotham, who escaped. Jotham warned the citizens of Shechem of what would befall them if they placed their faith in Abimilech. As time passed, a conflict with Shechem arose and Abimilech and his army captured that city and slaughtered its inhabitants in most gruesome ways. He and his army proceeded to the city of Thebez, where he was undone by a woman who dropped half a millstone on his head from a tower that he and his army were storming. To avoid the "shame" of being slain by a woman, Abimilech ordered one of his own men to take his life before his millstone injury killed him. This is presented as God's justice providing an appropriate punishment to Abimilech. Two more judges, Tola and Jair, appear and disappear with hardly a mention, and then Israel falls into the hands of the Ammonites and Philistines because of their unfaithfulness to the Lord. 

For 18 years the Israelites suffered, and at first God turned a deaf ear to their cries for mercy, offended by their disobedience and by their lack of gratitude for all He had done for them. But the Israelites continued to cry out, "We have sinned. Do to us whatever you please. Only save us this day." They cast out the false idols they had been worshipping. In a beautiful image, we learn that the Lord was moved: "He grieved over the misery of Israel." Isn't that an incredible notion? God grieved for the Israelites because their lack of gratitude, their faithlessness, their sinfulness, their turning away from Him, had resulted in deep suffering in their lives. 

Does God grieve for me when I turn away from Him and cause myself to suffer? Does God the Father suffer when I suffer in this way? There was a heresy known as Patripassianism about which I hope to write more at some point. It advanced this notion that God the Father suffers. But there is apparently no room in Catholic doctrine or philosophy for this concept. If God is perfect, He has no lack. Suffering implies a lacking of a sort--an emptiness or absence where happiness or joy or fulfillment should be. Since God lacks nothing, He cannot suffer. Only in the humanness of Jesus Christ does God allow Himself to experience suffering. But God the Father cannot suffer. I find this difficult to accept. Not because God the Father isn't perfect, but because God the Father is a father, like me. It is hard for me to conceive a father NOT suffering in watching his children suffer. This passage, where God "grieved over the misery" of the Israelites is a far more fatherly image to me than the Father I meet in Catholic doctrine. The parables of Jesus, such as the Prodigal Son and the Good Shepherd reinforce this notion of a suffering Father for me.

This passage continues with the story of Jephthah and some other minor judges, leading up to the time of Samson, to be covered in the next passage.

Judges 6-8

Having offended the Lord yet again, and been reduced to misery under the thumb of Midian, the Israelites once more call out to God to deliver them. First, He sends a prophet, unnamed, who points out to them their fault in worshipping a false god. He then sends an angel to Gideon, the "most insignificant" son from the poorest family in Manasseh, directing Gideon to "go with the strength you have and save Israel." Gideon questions the Lord, Who offers a sign to confirm His message. When Gideon realizes that it is truly God with Whom he is conversing, he is afraid. But the Lord comforts him:

Peace be to you! Do not fear! You shall not die!

These words find their echo repeatedly in the Gospels, as we shall see.  At God's direction, Gideon blows his horn, summoning soldiers to join the battle to rescue the Israelites. The Lord guides Gideon to choose only 300 men to take on the many thousands of the enemy. Gideon's horn signals the start of the chaos within the enemy's camp that leads to the Israelites' triumph. After their victory, the Israelites plead with Gideon that he and his descendants might rule over them. But Gideon demurs, telling them, "The Lord must rule over you." After Gideon dies, however, the Israelites "abandon themselves to the Baals."

How is it that God is so patient and merciful--to the Israelites and to me? How often, and how predictably, do I turn away from Him? And yet time and again He has pity on me and rescues me.