No Kings

The book of Joshua (just prior to Judges) details a glorious military campaign with victories on every side that resulted in God's people being given the land God promised Abraham. But, they did not fully trust and obey God in the process. Judges begins with reminders of the faithfulness of God to keep His promises, but also shows the unfaithful path His people begin to take. Judges ends with a statement that defines the whole book, "In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." Of course, we should read this a bit sarcastically; there was a King---God was their King. But they turned to worship the idols of the surrounding nations and, as a result, forfeited God's protection. The outcome is a downward cycle that runs through the whole book. Today's sermon will introduce this repeated cycle of apostasy---God giving them over to bondage and the people cry out. God raises a deliverer who rescues them, and they have a season of ease, which then starts the cycle again. The reason they (and we) live in this cycle begins simply, we forget the blessings of God's rescue and want to be our own king.