THE BOOK OF JUDGES
Introduction:
“This book takes its name from the thirteen men raised up to deliver Israel in the declension and disunion which followed the death of Joshua. Through these men Jehovah continued His personal government of Israel. The key-verse to the condition of Israel is (Judges 17.6), ‘Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ Two facts stand out—the utter failure of Israel; the persistent grace of Jehovah. In the choice of the Judges is illustrated Zechariah’s great word (Zechariah 4:6), ‘not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord’; and Paul’s word (1 Corinthians 1.25), ‘not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.’” — Scofield.
Writer: Unknown; tradition attributes the authorship to Samuel.
Main Theme: The history of Israel during the times of the fourteen Judges. The Book portrays a series of relapses into idolatry on the part of God’s people, followed by invasions of the Promised Land and the oppressions by their enemies. The narrative centers on the personalities of the heroic judges who were raised up to become deliverers of Israel, whenever they sincerely repented of their sins. The dark side of the picture is especially emphasized in the record.
A study of the dates would seem to show that the people maintained an outward loyalty to Jehovah a larger part of the time than the casual reading of the book would indicate.
A Brief Summary of the Book: There are three Periods into which the book may be divided:
1) The Period Immediately after the Death of Joshua, Judges 1:1–2:10.
2) The Period of the Seven Apostasies, Six Servitudes and Civil War, Judges 3:1–16:31.
a. The First Servitude, to Mesopotamia, —Judge, Othniel, Judges 3:5-9.
b. The Second Servitude, to Moab, —Judges, Ehud and Shamgar, Judges 3:12-31.
c. The Third Servitude, to Jabin and Sisera, —Judges, Deborah and Barak, Judges 4:1-23.
d. The Fourth Servitude, to Midian, —Judge: Gideon, Judges 6:1–7:25.
e. The Civil War, Judges: Abimelech, Tola and Jair, Judges 8:33–10:5.
f. The Fifth Servitude, to the Philistines and Ammon, —Judges: Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon, Judges 10:1–12:15.
g. The Sixth Servitude, to the Philistines, —Judge: Samson, Judges 13:1–16:1.
Spiritual Messages:
1) Human Failure, divine mercy, and deliverance.
2) The power of prayer in emergencies when it becomes a real crying to God. Note in the book the repeated statement that Israel cried unto the Lord.
3) The Period of Confusion and Anarchy, Judges 17:1–21:1. Note Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Companion Book: Galatians. Compare the relapse of Israel into idolatry with the backsliding of the Galatian churches into ceremonialism.
Character Studies:
1) Deborah, the patriotic woman, Judges 4-5.
2) Gideon, the mighty man of valor, Judges 6-8.
3) Jephthah, the man of the rash vow, Judges 11–12:7.
4) Samson, the weak strong man, Judges 13:2—16:31.