Let’s Read the Bible – Judges
Let’s Read the Bible – Judges
The book of Judges reads like a circle. It begins with Israel committing idolatry, and worshiping other gods. Then God allows some sort of sorrow to plague the people. Sometimes He would cause neighboring armies to come in and raid. Other times there would be famines (which meant no rain or food). After suffering, the Israelites cry out to God. It says in Judges 2:18 that “The Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.” God would send a judge to rescue them. They would repent, turn away from their sin, and experience revival. Once the judge died, the people would go back to worshiping other gods. The endless cycle lasted for over a hundred years.
As the cycle continues it gets worse and worse. Each judge that comes after the previous one has more and more flaws. They are men (and women) who are used mighty of the Lord, but they cannot completely restore and keep peace in the land. The cycle is centered around the worship of God. When the people lose sight of God and His ways for worshiping Him they fall into temptation and start acting like their neighbors. In turn, God uses these unholy alliances to bring judgment. All throughout the book we will see how God is both merciful but also just.
Tweet This
Discover more of the background of Judges and how you can study this amazing book of the Bible in this video.
You can also check out the Bible Reading and Study Guide available for Judges here.
