THE BOOK OF JUDGES

INTRODUCTION:

1.JUDGES, The Second Theocratic Book, is the beginning of Israel’s history in the Promised Land; It covers the time from the death of JOSHUA to the rise of SAMUEL as a prophet of God (1380 BC - 1045 BC; 335 years).

2.AUTHOR: Unknown; Perhaps it was Samuel.

3.DATE: Written between 1043 - 1004 BC.

4.NAME: JUDGES is the word for “Leaders / Deliverers / Saviors” who were a
series of different leaders whom God raised up to deliver the troubled nation
from its enemies.

5.The time of the JUDGES was a dark period in Israel’s history.

a.JOSHUA left the people as conquerors of and possessors of the Promised
Land -- As a courageous and faithful nation, true to God and his Word - Jdg 2:7.

b.Then Israel was on probation; Would they be faithful? -- The Book of JUDGES gives the answer; Sadly, the answer is “NO.”

c.Their rest and peace did not last long -- New troubles arose: Not from enemies without, but from unfaithfulness within, as the people became contaminated with the abominations of their pagan neighbors - Jdg 2:12-13; 3:6.

d.What Joshua feared (and warned about) came to pass in this dark time; Note God’s assessment many years later - Jer 2:7.

e.The Book of JUDGES is a gloomy story of social chaos, disobedience to God, apostasy, oppression by enemies, and deliverance; then there would be a repetition of all that; It happened over and over again.

6.The Book of JUDGES is not a complete and chronological history, but a collection of stories and events which had (and have) spiritual significance.

a.The theme of the Book: JEHOVAH PROVES ISRAEL.

b.The central truth emphasized: FAILURE THROUGH COMPROMISE.

c.God commanded them to eradicate the idolaters immediately -- IInstead, they
at first gave quarter to the pagans; Then made leagues with them; Then married them; Then forsook Jehovah and worshipped idols; Then went into captivity -
cf Jdg 2:18-19.

d.WE need to learn never to compromise - 2Co 6:17-18.

7.JUDGES opens with a description of Israel’s DETERIORATION (Explanation); It continues with six (if Ch. 9 is considered a cycle, then seven) cycles of oppression and DELIVERANCE (Failure); And last, it concludes with DEPRAVITY (Illustration).

8.The six major apostasies were signaled by the words “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord” -- Slavery followed eaChapter apostasy.

9.The six servitudes were not accidents, but punishments: Those who sinned against extra privilege bore heavier responsibility and received heavier penalty. Let us be sure that we remember the principle.

10.JUDGES is a tragic record; It contains many riChapter lessons for us.

1.DETERIORATION -- CHAPTERS 1-2; AN EXPLANATION -- THE CAUSSES OF THE CYCLES.

A.The Book begins with the military successes of the people; It quickly turns to their repeated failure to drive God’s enemies from the Land.

B.Chapter 1,

1.The Conquest of Canaan was not completed (This was in disobedience to
Deu 7:1-4) - Note Verse 28.

2.This compromise soon led to conflict and chaos.

3.So, instead of removing the moral sickness of Canaan, Israel contracted
the disease!

C.Chapter 2,

1.Verses 1-4, The Angel of the Lord wanted to know, “WHY?”

2.Verses 7-8,10, The death of Joshua.

3.Verses 11-23, These verses sum up how Israel’s unfaithfulness brought the “Dark Ages” of that time.

4.Following this Introduction there are six cycles, each of them having five steps:

a.SIN (REBELLION): Israel sinned and forsook God.

b.SERVITUDE (RETRIBUTION): In response to their sin, God delivered them to their enemies.

c.SUPPLICATION (REPENTANCE): Israel repented and prayed.

d.SALVATION (RESTORATION): In response to their penitence, God raised Judges to deliver them.

e.SILENCE (REST): Then there would be a time period of peace and quiet.

5.Verse 19, The six cycles connect as a descending spiral of sin.

D.Stories and lessons already obvious:

1.Israel grew tired of fighting the Canaanites; They were content with just making them their servants; They even began to form friendships with them, and to worship their pagan deities.

2.As punishment, God gave Israel over to its enemies; They were repeatedly oppressed and deeply humiliated by the Canaanites and the neighboring nations; Yet they failed to learn from mistakes.

3.They often did not have a strong central human leader, but the primary reason for their failure was lack of faith (God was their Leader, but they did not follow).

4.Someone said they were:

DEFEATED in battle;

DEGENERATE in morals;

DISOBEDIENT in worship;

DISAPPOINTED in possession;

DESPOILED by scourgers;

DELIVERED to enemies;

DISTRESSED by God’s punishment.

2.DELIVERANCES -- CHAPTERS 3-16; THE FAILURE -- THE COURSEE OF THE CYCLES.

A.These Chapters describe six apostasies, six servitudes, and six deliverances.

B.The fourfold emphasis of: SIN - SUFFERING - SUPPLICATION - SALVATION
is maintained through the narrative:

SIX APOSTASIES, SERVITUDES, AND DELIVERANCES

SIN SUFFERING SUPPLICATION SALVATION

First 3:7 3:8 3:9a 3:9b-11

Second 3:12a 3:12b-14 3:15a 3:15b-30

Third 4:1 4:2 4:3 4:4-5:31

Fourth 6:1a 6:1b-6a 6:6b 6:7-8:28

Fifth 10:6 10:7-9 10:10-15 11:29-12:7

Sixth 13:1a 13:1b No Record 13:3-16:31

C.Chapter 3,

1.Verses 1-4, The Heathen nations remaining in the Land.

2.Verses 5-6, FIRST CYCLE: The apostasies of Israel.

3.Verses 9-11, Deliverance from Mesopotamia through Othniel.

4.Verses 12-14, SECOND CYCLE: The Nation of Moab was now strengthened
by the Lord to oppress Israel.

5.Verses 15-30, The Judge (Deliverer) Ehud killed Eglon, the king of Moab, and delivered Israel.

6.Verse 30, Shamgar delivered Israel from the Philistines.

D.Chapter 4,

1.Verses 1-3, THIRD CYCLE: The Canaanites, not being completely defeated, became powerful again.

2.Verses 4-24, The victories of Deborah and Barak.

E.Chapter 5, The song of Deborah and Barak.

1.Verses 25-26, Note the power of repetition in Hebrew poetry.

2.Verse 31, All the Enemies of God were to be doomed.

F.Chapter 6,

1.Verses 1-10, FOURTH CYCLE: Oppression by The Midianites.

2.Verses 11-24, The call of Gideon.

3.Verses 25-35, Gideon destroyed the altar of Baal.

4.Verses 36-40, The sign of the fleece strengthened Gideon.

G.Chapter 7, Gideon’s army of 300 with torches and pitchers won a great victory over Midian and Amalek; (This story provides a great lesson for us -- God wants prepared people to fight His battles with His weapons in His way).

H.Chapter 8,

1.Verses 1-3, The jealousy of Ephraim.

2.Verses 4-21, Gideon completed the defeat of the Midianites.

3.Verses 22-23, Gideon’s greatness as he upheld the Theocracy.

4.Verses 24-27, Gideon’s flirt with idolatry (it is possible for many to be led astray by one false step of one good man).

5.Verses 28-32, There was a period of forty years of peace and quiet; Then the death of Gideon.

6.Verses 33-34, Then followed an immediate apostasy of the people.

I.Chapter 9, NOTE: IF this Chapter is considered a “cycle,” then there are seven cycles rather than six.

1.Verses 1-6, Abimelech (bad son of a good father) conspired and struggled for power against his father, Jerub-baal.

2.Verses 7-21, Jotham’s parable of the trees.

3.Verses 22-49, Rebellion against Abimelech.

4.Verses 50-56, The downfall of Abimelech.

J.Chapter 10,

1.Verses 1-5, Judges Tola and Jair.

2.Verse 6, FIFTH CYCLE: Further apostasy of Israel.

3.Verses 7-9, Oppression of Israel by Philistines and Ammonites.

4.Verses 10-16, Israel cried out; God’s forbearance almost ended.

K.Chapter 11,

1.Verses 1-11, Jephthah’s discussion with the Gibeonites.

2.Verses 12-28, Jephthah’s argument with the Ammonites.

3.Verses 29-31, Jephthah’s rash vow.

4.Verses 32-33, Jephthah’s victory over the Ammonites.

5.Verses 34-40, Tragic story of sacrifice of (made by?) Jephthah’s daughter.

L.Chapter 12,

1.Verses 1-6, Jephthah’s conflict with Ephraim.

2.Verse 7, Jephthah’s death.

3.Verses 8-15, The Judges Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon.

M.Chapter 13,

1.Verse 1, SIXTH CYCLE: Oppression by the Philistines.

2.The Judge Samson comes on the scene:

a.Verse 2, His parents.

b.Verses 3-23, His appointment as a Nazarite and as a deliverer even before his birth.

c.Verses 24-25, Then his birth.

N.Chapter 14,

1.Verses 1-4, Samson’s desire for a Philistine woman to be his wife.

2.Verses 5-6, With superhuman strength he killed a lion with his bare hands.

3.Verses 7-19, Samson’s riddle.

4.Verse 20, Samson’s wife was given to his friend.

O.Chapter 15,

1.Verses 1-5, Samson burned the fields and vineyards of the Philistines.

2.Verses 6-8, The Philistines killed Samson’s wife.

3.Verses 9-17, Samson killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, and called the place “Jawbone Heights”.

P.Chapter 16, Samson and Delilah.

1.Verses 1-3, Samson’s great strength.

2.Verses 4-20, Samson’s fatal error in trusting Delilah.

3.Verse 21, Samson’s blindness and imprisonment.

4.Verses 22-31, Samson’s death as he brought down the temple of Dagon upon himself and the Philistines.

5.NOTE: SAMSON is a pathetic figure in history.

a.He had seemingly unlimited opportunities and abilities, but he squandered both on his selfishness and playfulness.

b.He never completely lifted the yoke from Israel.

c.It seems he fought mostly for selfish reasons.

3.DEPRAVITY -- CHAPTERS 17-21; ILLUSTRATION -- THE CONDDITIONS DURING THE CYCLES.

NOTE: This section illustrates the religious apostasy, and the social and moral corruption in Israel during the period of the Judges.

A.IDOLATRY -- CHAPTERS 17-18.

1.Chapter 17,

a.Verses 1-5, Micah’s silver idols, false priest, and false worship.

b.Verse 6, One of Micah’s problems.

c.Verses 7-13, Micah seems to have accepted the error that “two wrongs make a right”.

2.Chapter 18, Note the first part of Verse One.

a.Verses 1-6, Five Danite spies borrowed Micah’s priest.

b.Verses 7-10, The Danites spied out Laish and brought a report.

c.Verses 14-26, Six hundred Danites migrated north, stole Micah’s idol, and took his priest with them.

d.Verses 27-31, The Danites invaded Laish and settled there.

e.No conclusion is presented -- The story seems to stand simply as an example of the moral corruption that existed at the time.

B.IMMORALITY -- CHAPTERS 19-21.

1.Chapter 19, Note the first part of Verse One.

a.Verses 1-15, The Levite and his concubine.

b.Verses 16-28, The terrible sin of the Benjamites in ravishing the concubine until she was dead.

c.Verses 29-30, Then the nauseating story of the Levite’s dismembering the woman and distributing the pieces of her body.

2.Chapter 20,

a.Verses 1-7, The Levite’s story of his action.

b.Verses 8-11, Civil war was instigated to punish the Benjamites.

c.Verses 12-48, The terrible war brought savage justice for a horrible crime; Only six hundred men were left of the tribe of Benjamin.

3.Chapter 21,

a.Verses 1-7, Israel mourned for the lost Tribe of Benjamin.

b.Verses 8-24, They provided wives for the Benjamites from the daughters of Shiloh (See Verse 18).

c.Verse 25, THIS VERSE IS THE REFRAIN WHICH RUNS THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF JUDGES.

**CONCLUSION:

1.The Judges were not effective in developing nationalistic attitudes or spiritual attitudes in Israel: The people continued in disunity and disorganization.

2.Yet there were a few strong ones who rose in righteous indignation against ungodliness -- From these good people God would bring a great nation.

3.Because of disobedience and unfaithfulness the Theocracy failed; Thus the need for the monarchy that was to be established under Saul and David.

**JUDGES IN THREE WORDS:

Israel On Trial.

**JUDGES IN THREE WORDS:

Chapters 1-2 Chapters 3-16 Chapters17-21

DETERIORATION DELIVERANCE DEPRAVITY

(Causes of (Course of (Conditions dur-

the Cycles) the Cycles) ing the Cycles)

**CONTRIBUTION OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES TO THE BIBLE:

1.This is a part of the history of the People who were to bring the Redeemer
into the world.

2.The BOOK records the failure of the Theocracy due to lack of faith and obedience (let us never use half-measures in the battle against sin).

3.JUDGES emphasizes this lesson: ALWAYS, sooner or later, punishment will follow apostasy.

NOTE: America needs the message of the BOOK OF JUDGES -- There is a moral sickness in our generation, Divine laws are being ignored; Without repentance, judgment is sure to come to all who disregard God’s Word.

4.The patience and forgiveness of the Lord are set forth.

5.Some of the Judges are listed in Heb 11 as being among the “Heroes Of Faith” (Some things in their lives were not very spiritual, but generally they were trying
to do what was right, and God used them).

**CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES:

1.Each Judge was a Savior / Ruler, a spiritual and political Deliverer; As such, they picture Christ as Savior and King of His people.

2.In patient love God forgave every time they repented.

3.Now, under the Gospel, God is still patient and forgiving: Anyone who turns from sin in penitence and obeys God’s Word will find God ready to show mercy through the blood of the cross.

**SEE THE LIST BELOW: Twelve Judges Named In The Book Of Judges -- They are listed, with their Tribe, Identification, Enemy, Years Of Oppression, Years Of Peace, and References (all references are in the Book of Judges).

JUDGES OF ISRAEL

1.OTHNIEL: Tribe of Judah; Nephew of Caleb; Mesopotamians (King Chushan) were his enemy; Eight years of oppression; Forty years of peace - 3:9-11.

2.EHUD: Tribe of Benjamin; Left-handed assassin; Moabites (King Eglon) were his enemy; Eighteen years of oppression; Eighty years of peace - 3:12-30.

3.SHAMGAR: Tribe of Naphtali (?); Used an ox goad; The Philistines were his enemy; Number of years of oppression unknown; Number of years of peace unknown - 3:31.

4.DEBORAH (AND BARAK): Tribe of Ephraim; Deborah was the ONLY woman judge; Canaanites (King Jabin) were her enemy; Twenty years of oppression; Forty years of peace - 4:4-5:31.

5.GIDEON: Tribe of Manasseh; An obscure family; Midianites were his enemy; Seven years of oppression; Forty years of peace - 6:11-8:35.

6.TOLA: Tribe of Issachar; (Identification, enemy and years of oppression not known); Twenty-three years of peace - 10:1-2.

7.JAIR: Tribe of Gilead; Thirty sons, thirty cities; (His enemy and years of oppression are not mentioned); Twenty-two years of peace - 10:3-5.

8.JEPHTHAH: Tribe of Gilead; Made a rash vow; Ammonites were his enemy; Eighteen years of oppression; Six years of peace - 11:1-12:7.

9.IBZAN: Tribe of (Bethlehem); Thirty sons, thirty daughters; (His enemy and number of years of oppression not known); Seven years of peace - 12:8-10.

10.ELON: Tribe of Zebulun; (His identification, enemy and years of oppression not mentioned); Ten years of peace - 12:11-12.

11.ABDON: Tribe of Ephraim; (His identification, enemy and years of oppression unknown); Eight years of peace - 12:13-15.

12.SAMSON: Tribe of Dan; Nazarite from birth; Philistines were his enemy; Forty years of oppression; Twenty years of peace - 13:2-16:31.

ONE OF MANY GOOD CHARACTER STUDIES IN JUDGES -- GIDEON:

1.He was not born with a heroic nature; He was transformed spiritually.

2.We first see him as a pathetic figure of unbelief - 6:11-23.

a.He was nervously hiding from the Midianites when the Lord came - 6:12.

b.His response: “Oh” . . . “If” . . . “Why?” . . . “Where?” . . . “But”

c.The Lord strongly reassured him - 6:14.

d.But he moaned and wanted a sign (This might be called the “paralysis
of unbelief”).

3.Then there was the transforming experience as he became fully converted,
turned from idols to Jehovah, built an altar to the Lord, worshipped the true
God, and named the altar “Jehovah my peace” - 6:24; cf Phi 4:7.

4.He went further and became consecrated - 6:25-27.

a.This was inviting death from Israel’s modernist leaders.

b.His bravery touched his family - 6:28-32.

5.He became completely controlled by the will of God - 6:34.

a.The transformation drew people to this leader and savior (judge).

b.Then followed a great victory over Midian; And then freedom.

6.We will not be in his circumstances, but we can be CONVERTED, CONSECRATED, and CONTROLLED.

a.Our souls can be saved, our lives changed, and our characters transformed.

b.Then, with our eyes fixed on CHRIST, we can be used by HIM - 1Th 5:24.

DOUBT sees the obstacles, FAITH sees the way.

DOUBT sees the darkness of night, FAITH sees the day.

DOUBT dreads to take the step, FAITH soars on high.

DOUBT whispers, “Who believes?” FAITH answers, “I.”

-- Author Unknown.