The Writings of Judges

In the book of Judges people turn away from God and so God turns away from them.  This book is set in the time after the death of Joshua, before Saul becomes Israel’s first king.  It is the history of the first 350 years after the Israelites entered the promised land.  It was a time when everyone did as they wanted and when they faced the bad consequences of their sin, they called out to God for mercy.   God would hear and answer them and send a judge to deliver them.  A judge was a picture of the Christ Messiah God would send once and for all.  This book is about rebellion, punishment, heartache and deliverance. The writer tells us of the people’s foolishness and wickedness but also of God’s constant mercy and love.  There are many individual stories but three of them give us insight into the entire book. 

In the first story we find the Israelites overwhelmed and oppressed by their enemy, the Canaanites.  God allowed this because his people were disobedient and were worshipping other idols. God wanted his people to repent and turn back to him.  In response to their cry, the Lord raised up a woman of faith named Deborah as their judge. Deborah was a great leader.  She was God’s gift to the Israelites.  Deborah was courageous, confident and of good character. She had a passion for the freedom and deliverance for her people. She encouraged her people to be full of hope and to have faith.  Deborah made a plan that would give the Israelites their freedom and deliverance.  She shared her plan with Barak, one of Israel’s military leaders. Barak decided to go into battle but only if Deborah went with him, to counsel and guide him.  So, with God’s help, the Israelites overcame the powerful Canaanite army. 

In the second story, we meet a humble farmer named Gideon.  His people, the Israelites, were in bondage by the Midianites, a group of people who invaded, constantly stealing crops and livestock.  The Israelites hid from their enemy and cried out to God for help. God responded by calling Gideon to deliver them from their oppression. An angel appeared to Gideon where he was hiding. Because Gideon was fearful he asked for a special sign from God to confirm what God was asking.  God heard and instead of getting angry, simply gave Gideon his sign.  Then Gideon requested another sign. God answered again. Gideon knew God was with him so he recruited an army of 30,000 men to battle against 135,000 enemies.  But God told Gideon he had too many soldiers. God strangely only wants 300 warriors with Gideon.  In another strange way, Gideon equips his soldiers not with swords but with trumpets, jars and a torch light inside each jar. There could be no mistaking this was God’s victory by how it was accomplished. 

Next came Samson. He was a special gift of God to a barren woman. Samson grew up with the belief that he was selected by God with a special job to do.  Samson had unusually great physical strength. The spirit of God came upon Samson and he seized the jawbone of a donkey and killed 1,000 Philistines.  However Samson was deceived b his Philistine wife and he loses his strength.  He is finally taken prisoner by the Philistines.  What a sad scene we find Samson in – he is bound and cannot see, working as a slave in the Philistine house. But during this time his strength returns. The Spirit of God comes to Samson and he is empowered to have victory over his enemies in one last show of God’s strength.   

These stories of Deborah, Gideon and Samson show that God is powerful and can work miracles.  In each story, people who are desperate for a deliverer find one in the judge that God sends them.  Soon God will send the ultimate Deliverer, Jesus Christ.  Just as King David is a picture of Jesus reign, the judges who came before King David are a picture of Jesus as earth’s deliverer.