The book of Judges opens with Israel seeking God and obeying God. But things deteriorate rather quickly as the children of Israel begin to ignore God’s Word and warnings. What can we learn from their success and failure? What do we learn about God from the beginning pages of this ancient text? What still applies to us some three thousand years later?
Sermon Notes
“Judges is not a nice book. It’s rough and raw and confronting. Working on it has been like living with someone who always tells you the truth: it is good for you but not pleasant. In this commentary I have tried to let Judges be what it is instead of taming it.”
Barry G. Webb
Repeating cycle of spiritual decline in Judges:
1. Rebellion
2. Retribution
3. Repentance
4. Rescue & Restoration
The repeated themes found in the book of Judges are:
- “The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” occurs 7 times!
(2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1) - “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” – Judges 21:25
“Sin, in the final analysis, is rebellion against the Sovereign Creator, Ruler, and Judge of universe. It resists the rightful prerogative of a sovereign ruler to command obedience from His subjects. It says to an absolutely holy and righteous God that His moral laws – which are a reflection of His own nature, are not worthy of our wholehearted obedience.”
Jerry Bridges, Trusting God
1. God’s Accessibility (v. 1)
2. God’s Guidance (v. 1:2a)
3. God’s Assurances (v. 1:2b)
4. God’s Initiative (v. 1, 2, 4, 19, 22)
5. God’s Power (v. 1:4)
6. God’s Justice (v. 1:7)
“It is notable that, while many 21st century readers have many qualms about Israel’s conduct in Canaan, this defeated Canaanite did not. God’s judgment throughout history is to give people over to the consequences of the life they have chosen. Adoni-Bezek, it appears, accepts this.”
Tim Keller, Judges for You
7. God’s Presence (v. 1:19a, 22)
8. God’s Covenant (v. 2:1-5)
“Many Christians estimate difficulties in light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on his power and presence being with them.”
Hudson Taylor
“The book of Judges is not simply a record of man’s sin and God’s judgment, it is a record of God’s love, which seeks men even in their sin.” !
Gary Inrig, Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay