The book of judges

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The book of judges

• Israels downward spiral

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INTRODUCTION

• The Historical Setting
• The historical scope of this period
• from the death of Joshua (1390 BC)
  
• to the days of Samuel (i.e., the
  establishment of the monarchy (Saul becomes king
  in 1051BC)
• 2. The period of the Judges thus extends from
  ca 1390 to 1051 BC, a total of approximately 340
  years
• 2. The purpose of Judges
• To show the downward spiral of sin and apostasy
  in Israel
• To teach Israel her need for a righteous king,
  thus anticipating king David

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Israels need for a righteous king

• Judges 176 In those days there was no king in
  Israel, but every man did that which was right in
  his own eyes. (KJV)
• Judges 181 In those days there was no king in
  Israel
• Judges 191 And it came to pass in those days,
  when there was no king in Israel,
• Judges 2125 In those days there was no king in
  Israel every man did that which was right in his
  own eyes.

The book of Judges demonstrates Israels need for
a righteous king who will lead the nation
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INTRODUCTION

• The theological setting for Judges
• The book is the sequel to Joshua (in notes)
• As the book opens, large areas of Canaan remain
  to be possessed by individual tribes (in notes)
• What is the main reason for this (allowing some
  of the inhabitants to remain after Joshuas
  campaign)? to test Israel, to see whether they
  would trust YHWH (23,20,21, 22 34)
• Also, divine sovereignty (Josh 1-12) and human
  responsibility (13-21)
• The period of the Judges was a time of awful
  wickedness and defeat for the nation of Israel
• A. Two terrible sins resulted as a result of the
  refusal to drive out the Canaanites
• 1.) Intermarriage (35,6)
• 2.) Idolatry (212,13 cp 36b)
• Notice the cycle of sin

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INTRODUCTION

• Concerning the office of Judge
• Def. of Judge (in notes)
• The primary responsibilities
• military leadership
• civil leadership (including judging--arbitrating
  disputes)
• The number of Judges (in notes)
• The Structure of the book (in notes)

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An overview of a few Judges

• Ehud

• Deborah

Samson
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Ehud

• Judges 312-30

• Oppressed by Eglon (king of Moab)
• Left-handed man (significance?)
• Eglon, a rather large fellow (317)
• Ehuds plan
• Hes only covering his feet (324)??

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Deborah

• Judges 4-5

• Jabin, king of Hazor, oppressing Israel (Sisera,
  commander of army)
• Deborah, in tune with God (44-7)
• Barak, a bit of a coward (48)
• Didnt complete the mission, i.e. kill Sisera
  (47)
• Jael does the dirty work

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Samson

• Judges 13-16

• Chap. 13, a very special dude with a very special
  mission
• Chap. 14, a strong man with a weak heart
• Samson resembles Israel
• Chap. 15, God uses him to defeat the Philistines
• Destroys vineyards (151-8)
• Kills 1,000 men with a jawbone (159-20)
• Chap. 16, Samson and Delilah

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Concerning Samson
Was Samson a good guy or a bad guy? Heb
1132-33, For time will fail me if I tell of
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthahwho by faith
conquered kingdoms, performed acts of
righteousness.
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The Epilogue Judges 17-21How Bad can it get?

• 17-18 The religious apostasy of the nation
• A Levite priest becomes the personal priest to
  Micah, an unashamed idolater
• The Danites steal the priest and idols
• 19-21 The moral depravity of the nation
• Another Levite takes a concubine
• Sodom and Gomorrah déjà vu! (Benjamin is compared
  to Sodom and Gomorrah)
• Defeat of Ai déjà vu (Benjamin is compared to a
  Canaanite tribe)see 2029, 32, 38b.

Judges 11-2, Nowthe sons of Israel inquired of
the LORD, saying, Who shall go up first for us
against the Canaanites? And the LORD said,
Judah shall go up. Judges 2018, Now the
sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and
inquired of God, and said, Who shall go up first
for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?
Then the LORD said, Judah shall go up first
Ezek 1646-48, Your younger sisteris Sodom with
her daughters. Yet you have not merely walked in
their ways or done according to their
abominations but, as if that were too little,
you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than
they. As I live, declares the Lord God, Sodom,
your sister, and her daughters, have not done as
you and your daughters have done
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The Epilogue Judges 17-21How Bad can it get?

• Judges 1-16 talks about Israels battles with
  other nations, while Judges 17-21 talks about
  Israel battle with themselves.
• Gods holy nation has become like Sodom and
  Gomorrah, like Ai, a Canaanite city!
• We need a King!