Israel, with all its covenantal experiences of God, all its blessed privilege of being the hearers of God’s revelation, yet became a law unto itself by abandoning God’s Word and becoming Canaan. Is this not a solemn warning to the church today? Are there ways in which the church is becoming Canaan? Maybe you bristle at that suggestion. Does the church today really have some of the same problems as God’s people during the period of the judges? Well let’s be concrete. Are there ways in which the church rejects God’s standard of morality, and takes on the culture around it? Is there worship at the altar of financial security or material prosperity, where selfless giving and generosity are being sacrificed? Is there worship at the altar of vengeance, anger, and one-upmanship, where self-control and self-examination are being sacrificed? Is there worship at the altar of worldly entertainment, music, and excessive drinking, where the temple of the Lord is being sacrificed? Is there worship at the altar of porn, fantasies, inappropriate friendships, and sexual freedom, where virginity before marriage, or chastity and commitment within marriage are being sacrificed? Canaanite religion is all about what makes you feel good, provided you first ignore or reject the Lord’s fixed standard of morality.

Is there worship at the altar of power, control, and authority, where humble service is being sacrificed? This final chapter is the book’s final illustration of the Canaanite version of patriarchy. In other words, it gives us yet another image of males exploiting and abusing of women. The virgins of Jabesh-gilead lose their families, are dragged from their homes, and are forced to live with cursed Benjamites. And then in the midst of joyful celebration, the daughters of Shiloh are ambushed, violently captured, taken from their families, and forced to live with cursed Benjamites. We hear nothing from any of these women; their voices are stifled. Normal, biblical male headship is cast not as a position of power so much as one of responsibility, of self-sacrifice, and of honouring women. In Judges this is reversed. Men, brothers, leaders, where is your heart and behaviour here? Is it more Canaan than Christian?