By Ben Shiller Jacob
Book of Judges: Othniel
Who was Othniel?
We will discuss in this blog who were Judges and how and why YHWH raised judges for Israel?
Judges, in simple, were rescuers or saviors of Israel YHWH raised for the people of Israel to deliver them from the remaining nations such as Philistines, Canaanites, Hivites, Amorites etc. Each Judge was a deliverer or redeemer. Their main purpose was to rescue Israel from the hands of Canaanites resided with them.
In Old Testament, there were notably seventeen judges including Prophet Samuel and his children.
The office of each judge varied from warrior to prophet.
Let me list out the seventeen judges mentioned in the Book of Judges as well as 1 Samuel in the Old Testament:
- Othniel
- Ehud
- Shamgar
- Deborah
- Barak
- Gideon
- Tola
- Jair
- Jephthah
- Ibzan
- Elon
- Abdon
- Samson
- Eli
- Samuel
- First born of Prophet Samuel: Joel
- Second son of Prophet Samuel: Abijah
Since we have familiar with the names of judges, now let’s look at the reason why Israel were in need of judges.
Why Israel needed Judges?
The answer is right at the beginning of the Book of Judges itself.
Let me make the picture clear for you.
Israel came to the promised land, which is Canaan by Joshua. Though Israel took over Canaan, there were still inhabitants of Canaan remained. Israel didn’t conquered Canaan completely.
Before even eradicating those pagan inhabitants completely from their newly occupied land, their leader Joshua died. After Joshua’s death, Israel had hard time following the instructions of the Law of Yahweh. They did exactly opposite to what Yahweh said to them.
It is evident that lack of leadership after the death of Joshua was one of the reasons behind their apostasy and disobedience toward Yahweh. Another reason is mentioned in Judges 2:10 which says:
After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.
Now a new generation came that did not know their fathers’ God.
What would you expect from a generation that has zero encounter of their parents’ God? Can they do what even their parents couldn’t?
This happens in our generation too. This is an alarming scenario to our current generation. If we as parent, ignore or neglect the importance of teaching our children the way of Yeshua and His Kingdom, era of judges will repeat. Our next generation will get entangled with the deception and manipulations of the works of our common enemy.
Some may think era of judges in Israel was ok in the sense they had rulers back-to-back. But the scholars refer “The Book of Judges” to “The Book of Failures” due to the series of events caused by the repeated spiral of disobedience and defeat of Israel.
Israel nation came to a point where they had totally forgotten their ancestors’ God and His statutes who delivered them out of Egypt and brought to the land where they occupy currently.
At the very end of the Book of Judges in chapter 21 verse 25 says:
In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.
From this verse, it is crystal clear that Yahweh’s special possession had gone astray. They had no recollection of their fathers’ God nor His precepts. Each one lived according to their moral values when there were no such moral values.
Who were those remnant inhabitants of Canaan?
The Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
What were the disobediences of the children of Israel?
Well, didn’t I mention before there were inhabitants of Canaan lived with Israel nation even after their possession of Canaan? Those were the thorns in Israel’s back!
- Firstly, the children of Israel did idolatry. They worshipped the Baals, Asherahs and the Ashtoreths (Canaanite goddesses) instead of Yahweh.
- Secondly, the children of Israel intermarried with the inhabitants of Canaan.
Why didn’t Yahweh drive out those nations from the children of Israel?
Yahweh had warned and told Israel that they must not make any covenant with the people of Canaan before they captured Canaan. Additionally, they were asked to destroy all the altars of the Baal and the Ashtoreths. Because of the disobedience, Yahweh did not help the Israel to completely eradicate those nations from them.
In Judges chapter 2:21-22 say,
I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, 22 so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.”
And in Chapter 3:1-2 say,
1Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan 2 (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it).
From these two verses, Yahweh wants to see two things by keeping these pagan inhabitants:
- Yahweh wants to know if the children of Israel would choose Him or pagan deities. In other words, whether children of Israel love Him more than anything like a test.
- Since this generation have not participated any war in their lifetime, they have no idea or knowledge how to fight in a battle or war. For this reason, Yahweh allowed these nations to be remained among the children of Israel.
It is interesting to read the last verse of Chapter 2,
23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.
Yahweh didn’t allow Joshua to remove all those nations too soon because He wants to train next generation who has zero experience in battles or wars.
Failures of tribes of Israel to drive out inhabitants of Canaan.
Tribe of Judah along with Simeon
Each tribe of Israel has an allotted territory which they need to conquer from the inhabitants of Canaan. Judah asked assistance of his brother Simeon to fight for the allotted territory and tribe of Simeon joined Judah and conquered Hebron, Debir, Hormah (previously known as Zephath), Gaza wit its territory, Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory. Thus, Judah could possess the mountain regions, but they were defeated before the inhabitants of the lowland because they had many iron chariots. So those Canaanites became a snare to Judah.
Tribe of Benjamin
Benjamin didn’t eliminate Jebusites, and they remained with Benjamin.
Tribe of Joseph
Joseph possessed Bethel but they spared a man who helped them to show the entrance of the city of Luz.
Tribe of Manasseh
Manasseh didn’t eliminate the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, Taanach and its villages, Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages.
Bible says in verse27 these Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. In other words, they were stubborn.
However, Israel later put these inhabitants to forced labor when Israel was strong.
Tribe of Ephraim
Ephraim didn’t eliminate the Canaanites in Gezer, so they dwelt among them.
Tribe of Zebulun
Zebulun didn’t drive out Canaanites of Kitron or Nahalol.
Tribe of Asher
Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik and Rehob.
Tribe of Naphtali
Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath.
Tribe of Dan
Dan failed to eradicate the Amorites.
Why did Yahweh raise judges?
When Yahweh brought Israel from Egypt, He commanded Israel not to have any treaty or covenant with other nation nor their gods because Israel was holy and set apart for Him. He asked Israel to possess the land of Canaan completely. He didn’t want to see any other nations among them. However, children of Israel didn’t listen His commandments. When each tribe of Israel left some region unconquered became a real threat to themselves as they mingled with the inhabitants of Canaan and defiled and worshipped their gods forgetting their Living God, Yahweh.
The children of Israel went into cycle of repeated spiral of sin by intermarrying and worshipping pagan gods of Canaanites. Because of disobedience, Yahweh removed the protection over the children of Israel caused them to be plundered and could not overcome their enemies.
When the Lord saw the distress of His people, He raised judges.
Now, one may ask why Israel had judges back-to-back. The reason is their inconsistency in obedience. When the Lord raises a judge, during the reign of that judge, Israel were obedient to their Lord. When that judge reign is over, Israel bounced back to their disobedience. This caused the Lord to raise up another judge and it went on and on. The reign of judges spans over 365 years including the life of prophet Samuel.
Who was the first judge of Israel?
Othniel
Othniel was the first judge in Israel whose mission was to deliver children of Israel from the hands of king of Mesopotamia.
Tribe: Othniel belongs to the tribe of Judah
Family Background: Othniel was the son of Kenaz, who was Caleb’s younger brother.
Mission: The purpose of Othniel was to be a judge, deliverer, and a ruler of Israel. Prior to his calling, the children of Israel went astray from Yahweh by serving Baal and Ashteroth and intermarrying with the inhabitants of Canaan which caused Yahweh to remove His protection over Israel. As a result, the king of Mesopotamia, Cushan-Rishathaim defeated Israel. The children of Israel were under the rulership of Cushan-Rishathaim for 8 years. When the reign of king of Mesopotamia grew harder, the Israel turned toward the Lord to deliver them from Cushan-Rishathaim, Yahweh tasked Othniel to liberate Israel out of the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim and Othniel prevailed over the king of Mesopotamia in his lifetime. Othniel ruled Israel for 40 years.
Bible didn’t mention a lot about Othniel other than this. However, character of Othniel can be decoded from Judges 1:12-13 which say,
Then Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give my daughter Achsah as wife.” 13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; so, he gave him his daughter Achsah as wife.
It is apparent from above verses that Othniel was a man of valor. He was courageous enough to come forward and to accept the challenge of his uncle among other men in his generation. It clearly portraits his inbuilt trait of leadership in times of danger just like his uncle Caleb along with Joshua went by trusting in the Lord and captured the promised land.
Othniel received Achsah as his wife, daughter of Caleb, as a reward from Caleb for Othniel accepted Caleb’s challenge and conquered Debir (formerly called Kirjath Sepher) from Caleb.
Shiller’s Takeaway
Though the Bible outlines about the life of Othniel, the judge and his reign in Israel in about 6-7 verses, the insight we get out of them is amble enough to nourish ourselves in our current life. In our current generation, we as sons and daughter of the Father God face battles and wars which necessarily not need to be physical combat but spiritual whether we are aware of them or not. The challenges we encounter or the severity of each battle in each person’s life varies greatly.
The point of incorporating the life history of Othniel in the Scriptures is to edify us in times of unfavorable circumstances. We need to remind ourselves about one thing everyday which I do in my daily walk with the Holy Spirit is that we are in battlefield even when we rest, relax, work, pray, sleep you name it. No matter our situation looks like it could be positive that doesn’t mean we are off the grid from the radar of the prince of this world.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Jesus said this verse to his disciples, now to us! We will constantly face challenges. From all our troubles and issues of our life does not matter how bad they could grow, our deliverer, saviour and our King Yeshua has overcome them already. Now in faith, we arise like Othniel to face the mountain before us in boldness and might to redeem those Father God has given us today by engaging in prayer, intercession and spiritual warfare.
If we are faithful to take care of those Yahweh has given to us those are your family, pastors and ministers, brethren, and sisters in the body of Christ, Yeshua is more than faithful to take care of the matters we struggle. This is the oracle revealed: Place these people first by fervently praying and interceding for their breakthroughs and them to be delivered. This is the key for our victory in our own personal battles and wars.
I strongly believe that we will not face these challenges in our whole life. When we ensure to do as I mention before, our Yeshua will give us rest just like Othniel gave rest to the children over the king of Mesopotamia through out his reign that was for forty years. The Scripture says that king of Mesopotamia could not stand against the mighty rulership of Othniel in his lifetime.
The crux of the matter is there is a period waiting for us to reign our life in victory which depends totally on how well we take care of those God has given to us now.
Let’s together take a decision to raise up for our family, body of Christ with the spirit of boldness and power forgetting ourselves and flesh (personal happiness, comfort, likes etc.) constantly reminding ourselves of our King’s golden rule of His Kingdom:
Treat others just as you want to be treated.
Luke 6:31
Communion with a Contrite Heart
Our Heavenly Father in the name of Yeshua we come before the throne of grace and mercy. We love You with all that we are given. We love You for Your Word which is active and alive which dissects all thoughts and intentions of our heart. Your Word is a true gift and embrace it. Father, we pray that You grant us the spirit of boldness and might to raise up against every battle that our loved ones face today to deliver them from their trouble like Othniel and a heart to love those around us sincerely in the mighty name of Jesus – Amen!