Judges 1-3

“But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel … Caleb's younger brother” (3:9).  After Caleb and Joshua’s generation died out, the younger Israelites abandoned God and fell back into idolatry (2:10-11).  Trapped by their own sin, they cried out to the Lord, and God chose one of their own generation full of faith and courage: Othniel, who had accepted the challenge to conquer new territory (1:13).

“The Spirit of the Lord was upon him” (3:10).  The Israelites had thrown away their blessings, but God’s grace was still working through His Spirit to save them.