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3. THE WILDERNESS:

Act 13:18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

And about the time of forty years suffered (put up with) he their manners (obnoxious habits of
unbelief) in the wilderness.

Their manners and habits included fear, worry, unbelief, and doubt. God tolerated this in grace

and love for forty years. He came to the end of His long-suffering, and the first generation died.
This freed up the second-generation to go into Canaan led by Joshua.

Act 13:19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their
land to them by lot.

This verse speaks of the two divisions of the book of Joshua. The first half (chapters 1-12)
speaks of the destroying of the seven nations (Deuteronomy 7:1). The second half (chapters

13-24) describes the dividing up of the land among the tribes. The land was divided by “lots,”
the casting of the Urim and the Thummim, stones of the priesthood (Exodus 28:30; Leviticus
8:8; Deuteronomy 33:8) used to receive guidance from the Lord.

4. THE JUDGES:

Act 13:20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty
years, until Samuel the prophet.

Four 450 years, judges ruled in Israel. Samuel was the last judge and the first of a new type of

leader, the prophet. He was known in the Old Testament as the seer because of his ability to
discern spiritual things and receive direction from the Lord. He gave supernatural guidance and
utterance to the people.

5. KING SAUL

Act 13:21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a
man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

Before this time, Israel was a theocracy, ruled by God through chosen leaders. However, the
people desired a king because they wanted to be like other nations (1 Samuel 8:4-9). God
made them unique as a people and a nation, but they continued to have bad attitudes even
after the wilderness. They forsook faith for sight. They wanted a status symbol and got Saul, a

tall and handsome man. He ruled for forty years. God allowed this because of his mercy. He
also allowed it to show the people the error of their choice.