Wisdom Wednesday, Wisdom and the Thorns
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’ (Judges 2:3, NASB 95)
The Angel of the Lord spoke these words to the Hebrew people that Joshua led into the land of Promise. The Angel was speaking of the pagan inhabitants of the land that the Israelites had not destroyed or driven out of the land as God commanded. The Lord knew that these people, worshiping false idols and committing evil acts, would be a corrupting influence on His people. So, they would be like a thorn in the side of the Israelites.
Earlier, in Joshua 23, God had warned that these remaining pagans would be a snare and a trap (See also Exodus 23:33; 34:12) inducing the Israelites into idolatrous and evil behaviors.
Much earlier in the book of Numbers, God had given this warning and said that any remaining pagans would be like a sharp needle in the eye, and a sharp thorn in the side. These images both picture a sharp, painful experience. One blinds you, the other is a constant nagging discomfort:
“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.” (Numbers 33:55)
So, what do these painful reminders have to do with wisdom?
Judges chapter 1 provides a historical introduction to a book that covers a period of about 400 years during which Israel was governed by Judges. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the spiritual situation of the generations of Israelites that inherited the land after Joshua led the conquest. Chapter 2 rebukes Israel for its cycle of failure to heed God’s warnings about the threat of its wicked neighbors that they had not driven out of the land. The downward spiral of Israel is described in 2:11-2:19 in which they yielded to the wicked neighbors, turning from God to wickedness, and became servants, then cried out to God, and were saved as God provided a judge (spiritual leader) to deliver them. The cycle repeated across three centuries. The reason for this succession of painful cycles is described:
“So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did, or not.” (Judges 2:20–22)
The reason for their pain? They did not walk in the way of the Lord. In many previous articles, we have shown the recurring theme of wisdom being to walk (live daily) in the way (direction and life-path) provided by God in His word. In the time of the judges, this way was obedience to the written law revealed by God through Moses. Today, we recognize that Jesus Christ is the way; “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)
Thorns in the lives of the Israelites were tests; they allowed the people to demonstrate their faith and resolve to trust in God and avoid the idolatry and wickedness of their neighbors. Let us keep the way of the Lord and, as Paul encouraged us, to “walk worthy” of our calling to live for Christ. (Ephesians 4:1).