The Book of Judges

The book of Judges is the main historical connection between the time when Israel took possession of the Promised Land and the time when Israel began to have kings. The book gets its name from the individuals God used at particular times to lead and rescue the people. Israel would have rebelled against God and, as a result, suffer oppression of a neighboring nation. When they cried out to God, He would send a judge to deliver them. The judges (13 mentioned in this book) came from different tribes and functioned as military leaders and civil magistrates.


Historically, the book of Judges provides the main record of Israel's history in the Promised Land from Joshua's death to the time of Samuel. Theologically, it reveals the spiritual and moral decline of the tribes of Israel after they settled in the Promised Land. The book clearly reveals the disastrous results that always came upon Israel when they forgot their covenant with the true God. Forgetting God led to following false gods into a lifestyle of rebellion and immorality.


Judges is divided into three basic sections: Section one records Israel's failure to complete the conquest of Canaan and remove ungodliness from the land. As a result, Israel suffered moral and spiritual decline after Joshua's death. Section 2: Covers the main body of the book. It records six examples of Israel's recurring cycle of rebellion, foreign oppression, crying out to God for help and God rescuing them through leaders empowered by the Holy Spirit. Among the 13 judges, the best known are Deborah and Barak (as a team), Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson. Section 3: Closes with detailed stories that show the depth of moral and social corruption resulting from Israel's spiritual rebellion. The book of Judges reminds us of how slowly people learn from history and how quickly they repeat the same mistakes again and again.


Several major features characterize the book of Judges. It records events in Israel's dark history during the time between the conquest of the region of Palestine and the beginning of the monarchy. It highlights three important truths: being God's people means accepting God as King and Lord; sin is always destructive to God's people; when God's people humble themselves, pray and turn from wickedness, He will respond by restoring their relationship with Him.


The book of Judges reveals a lasting spiritual principle: when God uses a person in a powerful way to fulfill His purpose, it must be clear that the power comes from God's Spirit. At the start of Jesus' ministry, the Spirit came on Him at His baptism (Jesus already had the Holy Spirit within from the time He was in His mother's womb. This second filling of the Holy Spirit was for Christ's work and service). Before leaving earth and returning to His Father, Jesus instructed the disciples to wait for the gift promised by the Father. That gift was and is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit's purpose is to empower God's people to accomplish God's purposes and to take His message to others. Under both the old and new covenants, God's way of overcoming evil and advancing His purposes is by the guidance, strength and power of the Holy Spirit working through people who are surrendered to God's purposes.