The Bible Recap Deep Dive Week 13 (Days 085-091): Is it okay to test God?
Apr 1, 2026
They trace Israel's leadership after Joshua and what a leaderless era looked like. They wrestle with difficult passages about divine commands and how to interpret violent texts. They explore Deborah's role and whether her example informs church leadership today. They unpack why a prophet remains unnamed and whether Gideon was testing God.
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No Clear Successor After Joshua
- After Joshua's death Israel had no single successor recorded, and leadership shifted into a decentralized judges system rather than a passed-torch model.
- Emma Dotter and Kirsten McCloskey note this may reflect either God's design for theocracy or a failure to appoint a successor that led to Israel's downward spiral.
Pass Leadership On Intentionally
- Leaders should intentionally invest in and train successors to avoid leadership vacuums.
- Emma highlights Tara-Leigh Cobble's example of mentoring team members and delegating responsibilities weekly as a practical model.
Why God Ordered The Conquest
- God’s command to drive out Canaanite nations must be read against his holy, just character and delayed judgment explained in Genesis 15:16.
- Hosts argue the conquest aimed to stop systemic evil like child sacrifice and to protect Israel from idolatry (Deut 20:17).