Judges—Defeat
04.20.22
In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25)
As we walk through the Bible, we will come to a few books that we have spent some time looking at in the past. This is one of them.
We do not know who wrote this book, but many attribute it to Samuel. Its time covers the period following the victories won by Joshua in conquering the Promised Land, from approximately 1425-1075 BC, about 350 years. [By the way, I still believe in using BC and AD, giving prominence to the Lord Jesus Christ. The modern usage of BCE and CE were developed primarily keep Christ and Christianity out of the dating system].
Israel’s twelve tribes formed a loose confederacy around Shiloh and the tabernacle. The form of rulership was a theocracy: God ruled through the family heads and the priests.
God also appointed judges. These folk were not elected but rather appointed directly by God. Some were prominent and some were rather insignificant.
They had two primary duties: deliver the people from foreign oppression, and provide spiritual leadership. If the people had fully obeyed God, and governed themselves, there would have been no need for the judges.
The difference between the books of Joshua and Judges is striking. We go from “the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat.” Israel failed because of its compromise with sin.
Judges records six cycles of ‘sin, suffering, supplication and salvation.’ During this time God appointed at least 12 judges. Many of these people were frail or had some disadvantage. But God used them, as God uses the foolish and weak things to confound the wise and mighty.
There are three sections to the book. In the first two chapters we see Israel’s deterioration. They forgot God’s mercies and His covenant with them. They failed to drive out the enemies as they were clearly instructed to do. They formed alliances with these enemies—marital, financial and spiritual. As a result of all of these things, they forsook their God.
The middle chapters describe God’s deliverance. Here we have that cycle where the people sin against God. They suffer for their rebellion by enemy intrusion. They cry out to God for His help. He lifts up a judge and brings them deliverance. Sadly, it soon repeats itself.
The final five chapters give a picture of depravity. Unspeakable acts are committed by a people who have long ago forsaken God. There is social, religious and political chaos.
It is hard to not see this same anarchy playing out in our day by a culture that has in many ways forsaken God and created its own measure of righteousness. In recent days, USA Today’s ‘Woman of the Year,’ the winningest woman in Jeopardy history, and a NCAA woman’s swimming champion are all actually biological males. We are living in world where right is wrong, and wrong is right. The safe boundaries of biblical morality continue to crumble.
Most importantly, where is the Lord Jesus Christ seen in the Book of Judges? Each judge is an imperfect picture of Christ as a ruler-deliverer. Each pictures in some way the Lord as the Savior and as a delivering King. Only King Jesus is the perfect ruler. May He receive all the glory He deserves.