Judges

Purpose
The book of Judges demonstrates the peoples inability to keep the covenant, due primarily to a lack of strong, consistent leadership.

Authorship & Genre

The book of Judges is anonymous. The frequent emphasis that in those days there was no king in Israel indicates that the book was written some time after the monarchy was establishedperhaps as early as Sauls reign, but possibly as late as Israels exile. The book is primarily narrative in genre, but also contains important sections of poetry.

Key Verse

Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (NASB)

Structure
1
Silence Sin

16 17

21

Salvation

Servitiude

Six Cycles: 1. Othniel 2. Ehud 3. Deborah Idolatry (17-18) 4. Gideon Sexual Promiscuity (19-21) 5. Jephthah 6. Samson Israel did evil in Everyone did what was right the sight of the in his own eyes. Lord.

Supplication

Israels Cycles of Evil

Israels Complete Depravity

Theological Themes
Holy Spirit: Judges gives great insight into the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Unlike in the New Testament, He did not indwell believers permanently. Rather, He came upon key individuals to empower them for Gods service. Flawed Heroes: God did not use the judges because of their character, but rather in spite of it. Their stories are testimonies to how God can use willing but flawed individuals to accomplish His purposes. Human Depravity: Judges demonstrates that the human moral compass, left to its own devices with no external standard of right or wrong, leads only to anarchy.