Judges Series

JUDGES

PART 1 OF A 2 PART SERIES

KEY VERSES: JUDGES 2: 15-19

FOCAL POINT: REPENTANCE AND CORRECTION

INTRODUCTION:

THE JUDGES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WERE PRIMARILY MILITARY LEADERS WHO WERE USED BY GOD TO DELIVER ISRAEL FROM PAGAN OPPRESSION BY FOREIGN POWERS.

THE BOOK OF JUDGES IS A RECORD OF DISOBEDIENCE BY ISRAEL’S DISOBEDIENCE, ENSLAVEMENT AND DELIVERANCE BY GOD’S POWER.

EVEN WHEN WE FAIL, GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES AND HIS PEOPLE.

KEY CHARACTER ARE EHUD (A LEFT HANDED ASSASSIN-JUDGES 3: 12-30), DEBORAH (ISRAEL’S ONLY FEMALE JUDGE-JUDGES 4-5), GIDEON (A COWARDLY FARMER WHO BECAME A GENERAL-JUDGES 6-8), SAMSON (A HE-MAN WITH A WEAKNESS FOR WOMEN-JUDGES 13-16), DELILAH (SAMSON’S DECEITFUL GIRLFRIEND)

THIS BOOK WAS PROBABLY WRITTEN AFTER 1,000 B.C. THE ACTUAL AUTHOR IS UNKNOWN; SOME THINK IT WAS WRITTEN BY SAMUEL.

READ KEY VERSES: JUDGES 2: 15-19

EXHORTATION ON JUDGES 10: 15-16

FEW BOOKS PORTRAY SO COMPLETE A PICTURE OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY AS DOES JUDGES. THE REPEATED CYCLE OF DELIVERANCES IN THIS BOOK HIGHLIGHTS A GOD WHOSE ESSENTIAL NATURE IS TO SHOW MERCY AND FORGIVENESS IN SPITE OF CONTINUAL SINNING.

ISRAEL WAS IN GREAT DISTRESS. THEY CRIED OUT TO THE LORD FOR DELIVERANCE. THEY WANTED OUT OF THE “MESS”. SIN PRODUCES SERVITUDE. THAT FACT IS IMMINENT IN JUDGES!

GENUINE REPENTANCE REQUIRES GENUINE CORRECTION. GOD IS VERY CAPABLE TO ADMINISTER GENUINE CORRECTION. HIS PUNISHMENT FOR CORRECTION IS ALWAYS JUST AND RIGHTEOUS.

REMEDIATION FOR SIN REQUIRES CONFESSION OF THAT SIN. REMEDIATION ALWAYS BRINGS YOU TO HOLINESS IN THE LORD.

THE ISRAELITES WERE STIFF-NECKED IN THE WILDERNESS AND EQUALLY OBSTINATE AND REBELLIOUS IN THE PROMISED LAND. THEY HAD A NEW ENVIRONMENT BUT NOT A NEW ATTITUDE TOWARD JEHOVAH GOD.

ISRAEL DID NOT FORSAKE GOD ANY MORE THAN YOU HAVE FORSAKE HIM AT TIMES. YOUR LIFE HAS LIKELY HAD STARTS AND STOPS, BACKSLIDING AND REPENTANCE, WE CANNOT THROW ROCKS AT ISRAEL UNLESS WE LOOK INTO OUR OWN BACKYARD. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND THANK GOD FOR HIS MERCY TOWARD YOU.

THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION COMES THROUGH THE CROSS-OF CHRIST. IT WAS THERE THE SIN ISSUE WAS LAID TO REST. CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION FOR MY SIN WAS AN ACT OF GRACE FOR AN INCURABLE, SINFUL MANKIND.

SCRIPTURES ON REPENTANCE:

EZEKIEL 18:31 “CAST AWAY FROM YOU ALL OF YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS WHICH YOU HAVE COMMITTED AND MAKE YOURSELVES A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT.” (ISRAEL)

READ ACTS 17: 30-31

SCRIPTURES ON CORRECTION:

PROVERBS 3: 12 “FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE REPROVES, EVAN AS A FATHER CORRECTS THE SON IN WHOM HE DELIGHTS.”

READ HEBREWS 12: 6-9

APPLICATION: GOD WANTS TO CORRECT YOU, NOT REJECT YOU!

REF: NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY BY K. LAWSON YOUNGER, COMMENTARY ON JUDGES BY W. GARY PHILLIPS, THE BIBLE FOR BLOCKHEADS BY DOUGLAS CONNELLY, DR. CONSTABLE’S NOTES ON JUDGES, MACARTHUR’S STUDY BIBLE, F. B. MEYER DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY, THOMPSON CHAIN REFERENCE BIBLE, GOTQUESTIONS.ORG.