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"But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again
to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?"
(Gal. 4: 9).
Paul's "No, not for an hour" (Gal. 2: 5) is as vital to-day as it was in his own time, and
as it would have been in Judges 1:
"And the Angel of the Lord came from Gilgal to Bochim" (Judges 2: 1).
Gilgal was the place where the reproach of Egypt was rolled away, where the rite that
set forth "no confidence in the flesh" was performed. Bochim means "Weepers" and was
so named by Israel (2: 5).
The Lord sworn that He would never break His covenant with Israel, but many forget,
when they criticize His change of attitude, that a covenant implies two parties, and when
Israel had grievously broken their part of the contract, the covenant obligations of the
Lord at once ceased. The terms of the covenant included the condition that Israel should
make no league with the inhabitants of Canaan, and in this they failed.
"Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as
thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you . . . . . that through them I
may prove Israel" (Judges 2: 3-22).
The changes that is observable between Ephesians and II Timothy suggests
something of a parallel, and explains the presence of so much evil in and around the
church.
"For there must also be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be
made manifest among you" (I Cor. 11: 19).
Even Paul's "thorn in the flesh" takes on a fuller meaning when seen in the light of
Judges 2:
We will conclude this article by giving the necessary expansion of the two members
A | a | 2: 1-5. and A | a | 2: 14 - 3: 9. in the structure set out on page 168.
A | a | Judges 2: 1-5.
A | a | 2: 1. The angel of the Lord came . . . . . and said.
b | 2: 1. BOCHIM.
B | 2: 1-3. | c | I said, I will never break My covenant.
d1 | Ye shall make no league.
Ye shall throw down their altars.
d2 | Ye have not obeyed My voice.
Why have ye done this?
c | I also said, I will not drive them out.
d3 | They shall be as thorns.
Their gods shall be a snare.
A | a | 2: 4. The Angel of the Lord spake these words.
b | 2: 5. BOCHIM.