For the past few weeks we have been reading about the beginnings of the Chosen People: the Pentateuch with origin stories leading up to the Exodus event (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), followed by the conquest of the land in Joshua and concluding with the troubles in settling the land in the Book of Judges. After all that the Hebrew Children had gone through they had a hard time staying faithful to God. This led, according to the Bible, to their enemies harassing them. After occupying the land each tribe went its own way and was vulnerable to a larger enemy. People called ‘judges’ arose to unite the tribes in times of peril but this temporary solution failed to restore fidelity to God. Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers, they did not listen to their judges. This period lasted two hundred or so years eventually proving the need for a central authority to provide leadership not only in conflict but also in worship. The need for balance between local autonomy and central authority is one that nations and Church constantly wrestle with.
