INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JUDGES
This week, we are commencing a series of pulpit messages from the Book of
Judges. The following brief introduction to Judges gives us the historical
background, theme and other pertinent information.
Title
The English name of the Book of Judges is a translation of the Hebrew title “Shophethim.”
It is so called because it contains the history of the deliverance and
government of Israel by leaders who bore the name of “Judges.”
The title “Judges” is significant as it describes the two-fold function of these
divinely-appointed leaders:
o To deliver the people of God from their oppressors as a military leader
o To settle disputes and maintain justice as a civil leader
Authorship
Though there is no internal evidence of who wrote the book, Jewish tradition
attributes it to Samuel because he was a writer and educator (I Sam. 10: 25).
This is highly probable as the book’s emphasis on the tribe of Benjamin suggests
the time of King Saul when Samuel still judged and when “Jerusalem” was still
known as “Jebus” (Judg. 1: 21; 19: 10) – Ellien, Stanley A. “Knowing God’s Word”
p. 64.
Date of Writing
Some would place the time of writing around 1375-1075 BC, others about 1220-1050
BC.
Theme
The key verse is found in Judges 21: 25 - “In those days there was no king in
Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” The same sad
statement is repeated three times in the book (17: 6; 18: 1; 19: 1).
Literary Structure
According to Whitcomb, “The chapters in the Book of Judges are not arranged in
strict chronological sequence. Chapters 1 and 2 contain the introduction to the
period. Chapters 3 to 16 describe the period of judgeships and oppressions. The
last five chapters 17-21 are an appendix to the book and describe events which
occurred before or during the judgeship of Othniel” (Whitcomb J C, “Israel –
from Conquest to Exile”, p. 96- 97).
Times of Judges
The book spans a period of some 300 years - between Joshua’s death and the time
of Samuel – between 1380 BC until the rise of Saul in 1034 BC.
Judges records for us, three civil wars, seven oppressions by five enemies,
seven wars of liberation, a number of peaceful judgeships, and a final
unsuccessful judgeship by Samson that ended in a near takeover by the
Philistines (ibid. p.64).
After Joshua’s death, Israel did not have a national leader for over 300 years.
As a result the tribes lived independently and “…every man did that which was
right in his own eyes” (cf: 17: 6; 21: 25). “This stage records the saddest and
most sordid period in the entire history of Israel. It is the dark ages of that
nation” – Wilmington.
The dismal spiritual state of Israel was a sharp contrast to that of Joshua’s
time of believing faith, obedience and victory. Judges presents a history of
consistent failure and defeat due to disobedience and apostasy.
Judges also describes the many testings and trials that God put Israel through
to prove their faithfulness to Him. Influenced by heathenistic neighbours which
she had failed to drive out, Israel fell into idolatry and compromise. Despite
numerous divine interventions, she continued in her sinful ways. We see in the
book of Judges how disobedience and apostasy brought down the judgement of God:
“Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they
shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you” (Judg.
2: 3); “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” (Hos.
8:7a). The apostle Paul warns us of the consequences of forsaking the Lord God.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal
6: 7-8).
It is my prayer that our hearts will be receptive to the spiritual lessons from
this precious book. May the truths from God’s Word cause us to consider our ways
before the Lord and to seek a closer walk with Him.
- Pastor
