Beginning in the book of Genesis, the Jewish nation of Israel had no kings. God’s promise to Moses and the Jews was that if they would follow Him, they would be a “ a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel” (Exodus 19:6). This promise declared to them that if they would obey the one true King, then they would have no need to alter the plan with a mortal monarchy. Moses was not a traditional king. Rather, his role was that of God’s servant and messenger. Also, prior to any organization of their state or any Kings, God himself gives the people of Israel rules for a successful life with the implementation of laws.
At the end of Moses’ life he had one glance into the promise land, then Joshua takes over and follows god’s command to conquer the land (Deuteronomy 34:9). Victorious campaigns follow as they take Jericho, Canaanite land (2-9), and the northern country (Joshua 10-12). The land was then divided into tribes (Josh 13-22). However, as the first chapter of the book of Judges points out, God’s people fell into a cycle of disobedience and sin.…show more content… God reacts to their sin by allowing alternating successes and failures in politics and on the battlefield. Gideon rejects the kingship (Judges 8:22), but Abimelech takes control with excessive force (Judges 9). Civil war ensues under Jephtah (Judges 12), and Samson life is plagued with moral failures and he dies due to skirmishes with the Philistines (Judges 13-16). The history of the new state of Israel has a solid start with Moses and Joshua, but under the leadership of the Judges, life in Israel becomes more agonizing and unstable as they were not able to protect themselves from increasingly dangerous
unorganized that the reader does not know how to use it. I believe that Richter is on to something that could change the Old Testament for many readers, if they are willing. The process to understand the Old Testament does take some