JUDGES

What do you see in this book that tells you about the original readers?
Judges is the book where people go back into sin and disobedience and therefore stands in strong contrast to Joshua where people develop in faith, going into the Promised land and rejoice in victory over the enemy.

Under these circumstances the Israelites had a lot of judges that ruled their land, and the Judges is written to the Israelites to remind them of these heroes – in that time before they got a king.

What do you see in this book that tells you about the author?

It is supposed that Samuel wrote the book – or a large part of it – around 1000 BC.

What are the main themes, and repeated ideas in this book, and what is a one sentence summary of the “Main Idea”.

Judges is the story of how the Israelites constantly turns away from God and seeking idols.
“They abonded the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth" (2:13)
God helped the people by putting Judges in as leaders of the nation.

This happened time after time, and this is the cycle:

1.   The people fall into sin and turn away from God. They worship foreign gods and follow evil customs of alien people.
2.   According to the Lord's covenant promises, He allows that the Israelites were attacked by enemies.
3.   Then the people cries out to God for help because of depression, and turn to the Lord again.
4.   God raises up a judge, who leads the people and overcome the enemy.
5.   After a period of peace, the cycle starts all over again.

Each period, where the judges appear to help people out of trouble, is initiated with the same words: "The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight" (3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6 and 13:1).

One sentence summary of the “Main Idea”:

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25).
 

What is the primary reason this book was written?

I think Judges must be one of the most depressing book in the Old Testament - because of all murdering. More than any other book it points out the human weaknesses. However, it is encouraging to see that God's love and faithfulness based on the covenent shines through in every chapter.

But the book has also a aspect for the future, because in NT Paul writes about this events in 1 Corinthians 10.11-12:

These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

Even if the people of Israel turned away from the covenant with God, God did not turn away from them. In despite of the cycle that repeated itself again and again, God's faithfulness and deep love for His people shines through all the time.(3:9, 5:31, 6:14, 10:1, 10:16,11:30-32, 15:18-19).

 

What does this book show about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?

I think it’s not very easy to see something of Gods redemptive plan, but there are many examples where God shows mercy if the people repent .(3:9, 6:14, 10:16,11:30-32, 15:18).

In the NT we know that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:16). And the “faith-chapter” in Hebr. 11 has mentioned that it was through Gideon’s, Barak’s and Samson’s acts of faith they overcame kingdoms, achieved justice and obtained promises, that they shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fierce fire, escaped the biting sword, went from weakness to strength and became strong in battle and put the enemies to run away (Hebr. 11:32-34)

Personal Application:

I think I have got more understanding of why many of the rules in the law are given, even if they in the first eye-sight seems to be harsh and hard to understand for us today.

For instance were menstrual-blood, semen and corpses in pagan religions seen as the power of life and death and were used in rituals, and that sexual acts were a part of their worship of the false gods.

Therefore the Lord gave His beloved people rules to protect them from being temptated to worship false gods – and not because He wanted to put extra burdens on them and make their lives more difficult!

Point of passion:

My point of passion during my DBS is the Shan-people in Thailand:

It is said that "To be a Shan is to be a Buddhist". Since the first missionary arrived in 1861, the Shan have been opposing the gospel. Even today, it is less than approx. 0.04% Christians among a population of over five million people and it is considered an unreached people group.
The Shan's are also strongly animists which is often associated with fear and superstition.

By reading the Judges I was a reminded to pray that the Shan-people will get a revelation of God as the only true God.