Proper 28, Year A, Old Testament Lesson
Scripture: Judges 4:1-7
We have spent a good deal of time during Pentecost working our way through the journey of the Israelites. We have talked about Moses’ death and how Joshua took over the role of leader. We are now in the book of Judges, the people of Israel have reached the Promised Land and Joshua has died. Even though they have reached the Promised Land, it does not mean that it is there land yet and they have been fighting with the Canaanites for the land that God promised them. However, once Joshua died, they have been without one central leader and throughout the book of Judges, we see the people of Israel struggle with continuing to remain faithful to God without their leader.
There is a pattern throughout Judges that we see in today’s lesson. It goes something like this: the next generation of Israelites strays from God, God punishes them through oppression of foreign people, the people realize their ways and turn to God to repent and beg God to save them, and in the end, God delivers the people through a judge.
The judges in the book of Judges are not the judges that we think of today. They are leaders who have been raised up by God to deliver the people of Israel from their oppressors. They have spiritual and military power and help the people of Israel fight their battles to free them and gain the land God had promised them.
Today, we hear about Deborah.
Download the Old Testament Lesson Plan for Proper 28
LPTW Proper 28, Year A, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 28, Year A, Older Children, Old Testament