Lesson 19 - The Reign of the Judges

What doctrine if understood, would help the rising generation stay true to the faith?
What can we do to help them in this critical effort?


The strength of righteous parents and the consequences of forsaking their ways
Judges 2:6–23

In the book of Judges, the children of Israel experienced several cycles of righteousness and apostasy

How did the rising generation of Israelites begin the cycle of apostasy? (See especially Judges 2:10, 12, 17, 20, and 22.

You may wish to mark key words in these verses. Note that the children of Israel left God and left the ways and the covenants of their parents.)

Cycle of Apostasy in Judges Freedom Apostasy Bondage Humility and Repentance Deliverance



Cycle of Apostasy in Judges
Freedom
Apostasy
Bondage
Humility and Repentance
Deliverance

Why do children sometimes forsake the righteous teachings and ways of their parents?

• Agency is a fundamental consideration in any discussion of this question. Heavenly Father lost a third of his spirit children. The scriptures have many examples of children rebelling against their righteous parents. Consider the story of Laman and Lemuel or Alma and the sons of Mosiah.
• Children are often lured away by the attractions of the world. In ancient Israel, it was the heathen gods and the practices that surrounded their worship. Today we find a variety attractions in the world luring our children away from the paths of righteousness: an unrighteous pursuit of success or learning, possessions, the supposed easiness of following the ways of the world, and the modern culture as portrayed in the media.
• Parents sometimes neglect teaching children the ways of truth and righteousness.

How can parents help their children be faithful? How have your parents or other family members strengthened you in righteous living?

• President Hugh B. Brown: "I think we older ones need to be reminded of our duty! I think we need to be reminded that we who are older are in a very large measure responsible for what might happen to those who are younger." (The Abundant Life, p166)
• The example we set and the way we live our lives tells our children if we really believe what we preach. Parents know that younger children often mimic their actions. Children are observant and they know hypocrisy when they see it.
• We need to be proactive in teaching our children the ways of righteousness.
o The Lord has provided a tool for this purpose: Family Home Evening.
o We can have personal interviews with our children.
o Other opportunities present themselves for teaching. As parents, we cannot allow other activities to take precedence over unique teaching opportunities.
o The thoughts and ideas that we implant in our children's minds will come back to bless our children. President Hugh B. Brown talked of his mother and how she taught him. "More than half a century ago, I was standing on a little railway station platform in Cardston, Canada. I was leaving for England on a mission. My saintly mother stood there with me and held my hand. This is what she said. 'Hugh, my son, do you remember when you were a little boy you often had bad dreams, nightmares, and you called out to me as I was sleeping in the next room: "Mother, Mother, are you there?" Do you remember I always said, "Yes, my son, I'm here. Just turn over and go to sleep. Everything is all right".' She said, 'My boy, five thousand miles must now separate us, across a continent and an ocean. You are not going to have bad dreams only at night, but many times, in the daytime, you are going to want to call for help and comfort. Son, when you are beset with difficulties, when you meet temptation, when you are confused and don't know where to go, call out and say, "Father, are you there?"' She said, 'My boy, I promise you He will always answer and you need not fear.'






"...through the intervening years, countless occasions have arisen where men could not help me much, when I felt alone, where I had a nightmare with my eyes wide open. I have taken the advice of my mother and have said, 'Father, are you there?' Now He has not spoken to me audibly; He has not appeared to me personally; but He has always answered me. There has come into my heart a quiet peace which enabled me to know that I could, figuratively, turn over and go to sleep." (The Abundant Life, pp202-203)
• Never give up on our children. Once again, consider the story of Alma the younger and his story of conversion. When the angel appeared to Alma he said, "Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth" (Mosiah 27:14).
o Elder Orson F. Whitney: "You parents of the wilful and the wayward: Don't give them up. Don't cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours--long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fulness of knowledge brings the fulness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend." (CR, April 1929)


How can we recognize the early signs of apostasy? How can an individual break the cycle of apostasy?

How might we appropriately help a family member or friend who seems to be falling away from the truth?

Parents’ contribution to their children’s worldliness (Judges 1:28)

The failure of the rising generation of Israelites to remain faithful was not entirely their own fault.

According to Judges 1:21, 27–33, and Judges 2:1–4, how was the foundation for the children’s failure laid?

(It was laid by the parents’ failure to drive out the Canaanites. Even though the parents were strong enough to resist the influences of the world around them, their children were not.)


How do some parents today expose their children to worldly influences, making the same error as the parents of the “rising generation” of Israelites? (

2. Deborah—the strength of a righteous friend

Briefly review the story of Deborah and Barak from Judges 4:1–16,

What did the Lord command Barak to do? (See Judges 4:6–7.)

How did Barak feel about this assignment? On what condition was Barak willing to go to battle against Sisera and his 900 chariots? (See Judges 4:8.)

Why do you think Barak was willing to face Sisera if Deborah would go with him?

What impresses you about Deborah? What qualities did she have that Barak may not have had? (See Judges 4:4–9, 14.)
What can we learn from Deborah about being a true friend?
(One thing we can learn is that true friends inspire us to obey the Lord and give us the strength to do what is right.)

How have your friends helped you face difficult challenges or obey the Lord’s commandments? How can we be better friends to others?

Write down the names of their friends and ask themselves (1) if they are like Deborah to these friends and (2) if these friends are like Deborah.

3. Gideon—the strength of faith in God

Let’s review the story of Gideon from Judges 6–7

President Packer spoke of Gideon in General Conference last month. He said “Gideon was chosen to lead the armies of Israel, thousands strong. But of them all, he chose only 300 men.
Gideon had an interesting way of selecting his recruits. When the men drank water at a stream, most “bowed down . . . to drink.” Those he passed over. A few scooped up water in their hands and drank, remaining completely alert. They were the ones chosen.2
We live in a day of “wars [and] rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places.”3 As prophesied, is good and righteous.6 He is Lucifer, who was cast out of the presence of God.7 Against all of that, we have very positive feelings about what lies ahead.
Gideon’s small force succeeded because, as the record states, “they stood every man in his place.”8

What did the Lord command Gideon to do? (See Judges 6:14.) What was Gideon’s first response? (See Judges 6:15.)

How did the Lord assure Gideon that He had commanded him to deliver Israel and that He would be with him and help him? (See Judges 6:16–23, 36–40; 7:9–15.)

When Gideon believed that the Lord had truly commanded him to deliver Israel, he went forward with faith.

Why did the Lord want Gideon’s army of 32,000 men reduced to 300 to fight the Midianites?
(See Judges 7:2. The Lord wanted the Israelites to trust him and recognize his power, not their power.)
How does the Lord teach us to trust him and recognize his power today?

What happened when Gideon and his 300 men faced the Midianites? (See Judges 7:16–23.)
Why do you think Gideon had his men shout, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon”?
(See Judges 7:20. Gideon knew—and wanted his men to know—that the Lord was with them.)

What can we learn from Gideon?
How has the Lord helped you do something that he asked you to do that was difficult?

(Please share experiences, testify that when the Lord commands us to do something, he will help us accomplish it.)


4. Samson—the strength of covenants and the consequences of breaking them
Briefly review the story of Samson from Judges 13–16, or have an assigned class member do so.

How did Samson’s mother, who was barren, learn that she would have a son? (See Judges 13:2–3.) What did the angel tell Samson’s mother about the son she would bear?
(See Judges 13:4–5 - Nazarites made covenants with the Lord to separate themselves from the things of the world and become holy unto him. The Nazarite vow is set forth in Numbers 6:2–6, 8.)

What blessings did the Lord give Samson to help him fulfill his mission to deliver Israel from the Philistines? (See Judges 13:24–25; 14:5–6, 19; 15:14–15. The Lord gave him spiritual and physical strength.)

As a Nazarite and a member of the house of Israel, Samson made covenants with the Lord. However, he soon broke his Nazarite vow and his covenants as a member of the house of Israel. What vows and covenants did he break?
(Some of the covenants Samson broke are listed below.)

He married outside the covenant house of Israel (Judges 14:1–3)
He was immoral with a harlot (Judges 16:1).
He had his hair cut (Judges 16:4–20).

What were the consequences of Samson’s violation of his covenants? (See Judges 16:17–21. He lost his spiritual and physical strength, and the Philistines blinded him and bound him. Samson’s hair was not the source of his physical strength. Rather, his hair was a sign of his covenant with the Lord, and when his hair was cut, the Lord took away his physical strength because the covenant was broken.)
What happens when we violate our covenants?

What signs do we have of our covenants with the Lord?

The covenants we make with the Lord should be a source of strength, guidance, and commitment. What covenants do we make with the Lord? How have these covenants strengthened you?
(One way covenants strengthen us is by helping us resist Satan’s efforts to blind or bind us.)

Samson had great potential. The angel who announced his birth said he would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. The Lord blessed him with many gifts, including great physical strength. What inner weaknesses caused his downfall?
(See Judges 15:7; 16:1; D&C 3:4.
Answers may include self-indulgence, immorality, seeking revenge, and violating covenants.) How can we overcome weaknesses that may hinder us from fulfilling our potential?

Conclusion

Explain that in the book of Joshua the Israelites fought and won many physical battles against the Canaanites. However, in the book of Judges the Israelites began to lose spiritual battles, letting themselves be influenced by the Canaanites’ worldly practices and false gods.
We face similar spiritual battles.

I testify that we can succeed in these battles as we (1) follow the ways of righteous parents and ancestors, (2) make good friends, (3) increase our faith in the Lord, and (4) keep our covenants.