My men’s Bible study is going through the Book of Judges. We meet Friday mornings before work, so that we can invite other guys who have a busy schedule and have to get to work. This past Friday, after several weeks of prep, we got to Othniel. Here is a rundown of what I got out of studying the passage found in Judges 3:7-11.
Othniel is the Judge who makes sense. He had several things going for him. First, he is one of the only men we have named from his generation in the Book of Judges. That means he has the notoriety to be a successful judge. How he gained that notoriety is important too. He gained the notoriety earlier in the Book of Judges (1:13) by conquering an important city for Caleb. As a reward for his efforts he was married to Caleb’s daughter, becoming his heir. This meant that Othniel was rather wealthy as well. So if you are going to make a checklist for a warrior leader, what are the boxes you might have? Well-known, check. Battle-tested, check. Wealthy (able to fund the war), check. Have the spirit of God (3:10), check. So Othniel, more than anything exemplifies the use of someone who makes sense and he leads the people for forty years. Ultimately though he is a failure because the people of Israel turn away from God as he dies. So what does this say about God and what does it say about his people?
First, it says God acts logically first. He is willing to call us back to him in the most sensible and simple way possible. It would’ve been easy for the people to remember God while a central figure was there to chase them back to God.
Second, God is merciful. He gave them a man who could lead them for 40 years to set up systems of remembrance of God. God was willing to set a generation right and give them a chance to pass on their faith to the next generation. That didn’t happen though and it is why Othniel’s generation is a failure.
Finally, it says that God does not desire a central figure leadng the people. There is no succession plan for Othniel. He doesn’t name an heir or anoint the next judge. The goal is to have the people follow God as opposed to the people following Othniel who is following God. This is a primary lesson from the books of Kings too.
What does it say about the people of God, though? It says we have to be chased around to follow God. That’s right we. Modern people are no different from the ancient Israelites with our megachurch pastors and willingness to pay someone to own our faith for us. That isn’t how it works though. We have to own our faith individually and communally. That means I have to be faithful with or without a pastor (individually) and I have to live in a community that I share my faith with (communally). The responsibility to follow God is in the hands of the many not the few or one. The people of Israel under Othniel did not own their faith individually or communally. It was the central figures faith that drove everything, and one person with that much power and responsibility is irresponsible be it in faith or politics or everyday life.
So, how are you owning your faith today? Respond in the comments so we can encourage one another while it is today.