(Judges 3:7-11)

‘Previous experience essential.’ These are words often featured in contemporary job advertisements. It’s not sufficient to have gained certain qualifications or collate good references. A proven ‘track record’ is often a necessity to obtain employment.

However when we consider the people whom God appointed as Judges over Israel we find that God's criteria in those choices were quite different from what we would have felt appropriate. This ‘previous experience essential’ element was not on his list! That was especially true with Othniel, the very first of those Judges. Not only did he have no experience in this role he was to be required to undertake, but other features were lacking which we would now have considered as vital. There was no training plan through which he could work, no-one to coach or mentor him, and no YouTube presentation to illustrate the key aspects of his role!

But this lack of experience or back-up, now often seen as necessary even in our church structures, was not a problem to God.

But this lack of experience or back-up, now often seen as necessary even in our church structures, was not a problem to God. There are other details concerning Othniel’s situation which we need to observe, but this first one of his lack of experience needs underlining. Othniel did not hold back because of that situation. We may too readily feel unable or unwilling to face challenges or grasp opportunities simply because we have ‘no previous experience.’ Like Othniel we may have ‘nothing to go on’. But this is not a handicap to God.

Problem

The background to Othniel’s appointing by God as Israel’s first Judge needs to be taken into account. He was living at a time when God’s people faced a huge problem in terms of having been “sold … into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim” (Jdg 3:8). The severity of this invasion from north-west Mesopotania was underlined by the addition of that “Rishathaim” to the king’s name, meaning ‘double-wickedness’. This problem was not just military and physical but also spiritual. The Israelites had failed to have the resolve to obey God and drive out the various people-groups previously occupying the Promised Land. They had also intermarried with them “and served their gods” (Jdg 3:5-6). The spiritual state of the country as they “served” these gods was indicated at various points in the narrative. “They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors … They served and worshipped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths” (Jdg 2:12-13). “They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways” (Jdg 2:19). “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Jdg 3:7).

God’s response to this evil was one of anger, which “burned against Israel” (Jdg 3:8). He deliberately “sold” them into the “hands” of this foreign and wicked king for eight years (Jdg 3:8). Having experienced independence and freedom in the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua and then the elders who outlived him and who had witnessed “the great things the Lord had done for Israel” (Jdg 2:7), this was an entirely new experience for God’s people from which Othniel was not exempt. As we consider our personal situations or the national (and international) scene we may be even more aware of issues and problems that we have never faced before. Also, like Othniel, we can find ourselves caught up in the ‘fallout’ of such problems. So the very situations to which God may require our response may be those to which we have never previously been exposed, and so lack experience in.

Prompting

Othniel had already appeared in the narrative of ‘Judges.’ As the son of Caleb’s younger brother he had responded to his uncle’s challenge to attack and capture a place called Kiriath Sepher (Jdg 1:12). This was another name for Debir and two accounts of Othniel’s successful attack and capture of this city were recorded (Jdg 1:11-13; Jsh 15:15-17). There was a consequence to this act of faith and courage: “So Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him [Othniel] in marriage” (something previously offered as part of the original challenge – see Judges 1:13).

Acsah, in turn, challenged Othniel to ask Caleb for land: “She urged him to ask her father for a field” (Jdg 1:14). It seemed that Othniel failed to fully work through the implications of this request. That’s because it’s then recorded that Acsah herself went to Caleb and obtained the necessary water supply for irrigation: “Then Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs” (Jdg 1:15).

Importantly Othniel had been sensitive to God’s call and responded in a positive way even though it was a totally new ‘job description’ he was taking up!

This prompting to which Othniel had been subject in respect of land and a water supply had been external, involving someone else. But with one possible exception (Jephthah - Judges 11) the calling of each of these Judges (beginning with Othniel) was through God’s intervention alone: “But when they [the Israelites] cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel, son of Kenaz, son of Caleb’s younger brother…” (Jdg 3:9-10). Importantly Othniel had been sensitive to God’s call and responded in a positive way even though it was a totally new ‘job description’ he was taking up! In a similar way the means by which God may call or challenge us to move into areas about which we have no previous experience may be by way of promptings to which we need to respond.

Power

Whatever Othniel’s previous experience in terms of military action the situation which confronted him with regard to the king of Aram was totally different. He was not able to utilise his tactical knowledge to confront and expel the overwhelming forces to whom the Israelites were now “sold.” Action could only be taken through the power of God: “The Spirit of God came on him.” This was the first specific record of God’s empowering for such a huge and daunting task. No details were provided regarding the particular action taken by Othniel against this enemy, only that “The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him” (Jdg 3:10).

God’s later promise was “In those days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people…Even on my servants, both men and women…” (Joel 2:28-29). “Those days” are the ones in which we are living as stated by Peter on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16-18). God’s Spirit within us gives an empowering in ways we may not have previously experienced or heard about. But Othniel himself had no past record of God working in such a way. The anointing of God’s Spirit was upon specific people generally in high profile leadership roles. However, Othniel’s experience of God in this way was clearly very real and effective! “The land had peace for forty years” (Jdg 3:11). God’s power works through us even when we’ve not previously experienced him in such a way. We are reminded: “…for God gives the Spirit without limit” (Jn 3:34).

Othniel “went to war” though he had nothing to go on. Are you ready to face challenges, prompted and empowered by God, in areas you’ve not previously experienced?

Reflection

• Why do we feel it’s necessary to have previous experience when seeking to overcome problems and obstacles?
• In what way would the example of Caleb and the galvanising effect of Acsar have been of value to Othniel despite his lack of experience. How can that kind of help from other people apply to us (see Hebrews 12:1-2)?
• Why should we be ready to take opportunities presented to us in relatively small matters (as with Othniel rising to the challenge of capturing Debir) as a prelude to greater confrontations of which we may have no specific experience?