Comments on Joshua, Judges

Comments on Joshua 2:1-24; 6:1-25; Judges 4:1-22; 11:29-40; 12:1-6

Biblical Literacy, pages 75-84

In our Bible study, we march into 2012 with Joshua, who led the Israelites into the land promised them by God, bringing down the walls of Jericho, occupying the land, conquering the inhabitants who were living there, and dividing it up among the 12 tribes (Joshua 13 and 14).

What, do you suppose, gave them the right to take over this land? What gives anyone the right to take over or annex land? Was it because they were refugees? Was it because the real owner of the land (all of it on this earth) is God, and He gave it to the Israelites? Was it because they were tired of being nomads and wanted to settle down? Were there economic issues as their population recovered from the ‘civil war’ in the desert and from the plagues that decimated them? Or was all of this because – as Dr. Beal suggests – they saw themselves as chosen by God to fulfill their destiny in this place?

These historical books are going to be filled with violence and war—both aggressive war and defensive war—just like our own history, our literature and our movies are. You wouldn’t want your kids to read these stories, to rejoice over the tent spike being driven into Sisera’s head by Jael, or Jephthah killing his daughter to fulfill a vow he made to God because He gave him victory over the Ammonites. Indeed, these were violent times.

As prognosticators make their often cynical predictions for the coming year, we can wonder what these readings have to tell us for the New Year? Dr. Beal laments what happens when humans have taken them as a model, have called themselves ‘God’s chosen ones,’ and then have labeled everyone else as an enemy or an infidel. He suggests we read them instead as a mirror, discovering our personal hard-wiring for violence in this looking glass of scripture. The books reflect back to us our own psyches.

Even in science fiction, like Peter F. Hamilton’s fanciful tale called Judas Unchained, the author can envision wonderful technologies that allow people to travel with the speed of light, to rejuvenate their bodies and minds, to communicate through virtual arrays, to preserve their memories on memory chips that can be implanted in new bodies, but what he cannot envision is a universe at peace.

When James Carroll came to Cleveland to speak about his movie Constantine’s Sword, he showed poignant and disturbing slides of demonstrators (himself among them) being arrested for protesting the war in Vietnam in front of the Pentagon, while inside, his own father was helping to direct the war in defense of our country’s ideals.

What we do know is that our actions have consequences, just like those of the Israelites did. How many times do educators hear after a student fight: “My mother and father told me never to let other kids bully me or push me around. I had to stand up for myself!” The Hebrew Scriptures are a study in bullying and vengeance, in taking what those at the time thought was rightfully theirs.

What a weak character, then, must Jesus seem to many people! --Turning the other cheek, refusing to act out of anger, restoring property, healing, forgiving, letting yourself be killed for your ideals. No wonder people like Constantine could not understand this! Put a cross on your helmet and carry it into battle! God is on our side! Converting people must start with a crusade to wipe out unbelievers; heretics must be burned!

What we cannot tolerate is looking at ourselves in this mirror of violence and seeing that we are the ones who have to convert our swords into ploughshares. We cannot tolerate acknowledging that our enemies are also beloved of God. In 2012, who can join arms and hands and take one step in the direction of peace? That would be a resolution (and a revolution)!