Judges: I Did It Again

Judges is a good book to read when you are frustrated with yourself for “doing it again”—whatever that sinful or sorry thing is that you said you would never do. Yet, here you are, again.

Israel did that for 350 years. From the perspective of history, we can spot a repeating pattern. Seven times they went from a wonderful season of worshipping God, to getting distracted, to drifting away from Him. Soon they turned away from God, to worship other things. Then God stepped in, allowing a dangerous or crushing situation to wake them up to how much they wanted or even needed God. Then God raised up a spiritual leader to lead them back to Him—in this case, 15 imperfect mouthpieces, called judges. Sadly, as the pattern repeated, even the judges got less “perfect” and even lesser effective.

In a way, this season felt like the judges were breaking bad. At the beginning of each of the seven cycles, look for the phrase, “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes” and you’ll know there will be dark drama ahead.

Yet the true and beautiful thing about this sad season of Israel’s history is that God didn’t leave them. They missed out on fellowship with Him, but He didn’t break His promises to them.

Judges is the long story of a Father who won’t give up on His children. In fact, He saw through their sinful actions to that speck of faith in their hearts.

God saw their good intent, even when we roll our eyes at their foolish actions. Example: Samson, one of the later judges and the poster boy for missed potential. He had everything he needed to be a great man of God, yet he invited much lesser passions to rule his life. When his foolish choices caught up with him, he died in a tragically beautiful sacrifice. Even so, God saw Samson’s heart. He included Samson’s story among the great, faithful Old Testament saints listed in Hebrews 11. We’re surprised, and maybe a little shocked that such a broken guy made it into the list of “heroes of faith.”

But that’s the kind of grace we can rely on, too, when we wonder if anything good can come from our lives, especially after we “did it again.” It’s always been true: God uses broken people. Perhaps that’s how we know that anything beautiful that comes from our lives—is because of God.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25

Next: A story from Jesus’ family tree.

Fast Facts about Judges

In a word: Consequences

In a sentence: After they settled down in Israel, the tribes endured seven cycles of rebellion against God and God raising up judges to lead them back to Him.

Where/When did it take place: This record of 13 judges covers 300 years in the promised land.

Key verse: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25

Key people: Samson, Deborah and Barak, Gideon

Watch Judges like 13 “Breaking Bad” episodes

Glimpses of Jesus: 

In Judges, Jesus is our judge and lawgiver.

5 interesting things that happened in Judges: 

·       Women play an important, surprising leadership role.

·       The book of Judges is the opposite story of the book of Joshua.

·       God uses the most surprising people (timid, proud, overtly sexualized, under-prepared) so everybody knows He did it.

·       God prefers the unexpected strategic scenarios for victory.

·       Sampson was listed in the Hebrews 11 “hall of faith,” even after a train-wreck of a life.