Judges - Apostasy and Failure of the Israelites
- After the death of Joshua, Israel had judges instead of kings to rule.
- No clear statement or indication of authorship occurs in the book, but many Bible scholars think Samuel was the author.
- Judges is filled with sensational stories, as exciting as any of today’s headlines. It includes gruesome murders, sexual exploits, and superhuman feats of strength.
- It was a period of terrible apostasy and immorality.
- The period of the Judges is thought to have covered approximately three hundred years, but it could have been longer.
- This book records seven apostasies, seven servitudes to seven heathen nations, and seven deliverances.
- Twelve different judges are named in this book (some add Abimelech).
- The chief judges were Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and Samuel.
- Five of the judges about whom we know very little were Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon.
- The judges were chosen by God to deliver the Israelites and then rule with justice.
- Judges echoes with rebellion, retribution, repentance, and restoration. Then the same cycle repeats itself all over again, some six or seven times.
- Each judge was divinely appointed and called out for a particular crisis.
- Archaeology shows that the superpowers of Babylonia, Assyria, and Egypt were relatively weak during the days of the judges.
- In general, the book of Judges is one of failures on the part of God’s people to trust His word and claim His power.
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