2540 AM (1220 BCE) – GOOD JUDGES
The next generation of Israel longed for Adonai. Having grown up seeing the empty worship of sticks and stones, the next generation coveted the relationship that Joshua and Moses and Abraham had with the Creator of the Universe, and they longed for His blessings. Why were their parents trying to be like the nations—violent and compromised—when they had the pure righteousness of truth?
It wasn’t a riot or civil disobedience exactly, but it was a revolution. Within a generation, the children of righteousness took over the Tabernacle and the positions of authority in the army, and those who were teachers and leaders. Within a generation, the high places were torn down and Shabbat was honored.
And from the children of righteousness came Tola, the first righteous judge in a long time. He sent the children of righteousness to the very ends of Israel teaching truth.
Israel, under the leadership of the judge Tola, saw a prosperity like it had not seen since Joshua. People all but forgot who Ishtar was and the wickedness of their parents—or even their siblings who had been sacrificed in the fiery hands of Molech, if that were possible.
And Tola served as judge for almost a quarter century, and he was buried in the region of Shamir. Then Jair became judge and faithfully supported the children of righteousness movement. Jair taught the commandments and traditions of Adonai. He taught being fruitful and filling the land, and he even demonstrated that practice by having thirty children. His thirty sons were blessed and founded thirty righteous cities.
But as the generation that knew Jair and Tola died off, and a new generation grew up that only knew the righteousness of Adonai and the prosperity of right living, voices began to be raised in contempt and ingratitude, complaining that they were being forced to be good. Where is this choice, so-called, that Adonai has given when they are forced through systemic social goodness to be holy, honor Shabbat, work hard for the community, and not indulge in the exciting and “sexy” pagan rites of the neighboring people that had not yet been displaced by Israel?
How xenophobic and jingoistic Israel is! Why not embrace the unity of multiculturalism and be like the other nations? Why worship just one God when there are many gods that could be worshiped?
Used with permission by the author. Find the author’s complete works online: Complete Works of Mack Samuels
