Judges is a curious book. Some of the incidents, such as Samson and Gideon, make ripping yarns and are favourites for teaching children. But near the end it has some of the most unpleasant incidents in the Bible, which we probably avoid reading to children.
A series of nine sermons preached in St James Chorley in 2019. Two of the sermons were not recorded. All those listed are by me. The sermons cover most of the book but not consecutively through the book.
Even in Darkness - Judges 2.11-18
Corrupt Worship - Judges 17 & 18
Where is the Book? - sermon not recorded\
Othniel - Judges 3.6-11 - sermon not recorded
Deborah and Barak - Judges 4 & 5
The opening and closing of the book are not in strict chronological order. The death of Joshua is mentioned in chapter 1 but then it jumps back to consider the event prior to his death before recording it in chapter 2. From then until the end of chapter 16 the events are chronological and with various periods of years given. If they are all added up then it is hard to reconcile them with what is said elsewhere in the Bible. But if we start with the mention of 300 years in Jdg 11.26 then the dates do fit. That means the periods of 40 and 80 years prior to that follow closely after one another and the mention of the periods of subjugation to other nations and how long individuals were judges fit within, or largely within, the periods of 40 and 80 years. The final chapters, 17-21, appear to be a deliberate appendix to show in more detail just how things had become in Israel. (See how this fits in the overall chronology of the period.)
The book describes a series of ups and down in the spiritual life of Israel but each time the down gets a bit lower. That pattern of up and own is described in the early chapters and then generally seen in the main part of the book. The end then seems to underline just how low things had become, except that the final chapters describe something that happened relatively early in the time covered by the book.
It is difficult to know what to make of some of the events narrated and particularly around the Judges. Some of them seem to have something about them that is unusual and we might wonder at why God would choose them as Judges, yet we know from Old and New Testament that God does not choose those who we might in order that His grace and power might be shown. That is important to remember because as a book about the individual judges we can struggle with their lives, but it is much more a book about the judgment, mercy and saving grace of God. The peculiarity of those raised up as saviours underlines all the more that it is a work of God and the need for the great Saviour and Judge who was to come.
It is also difficult to know now to compare the period to what follows with the kings. The phrase that “there was no king in those days” seems to suggest that the spiritual problems were the result of that and so what followed, when there were kings, was going to be much better. People might then look in the book for examples of how lack of leadership and disorder can create social problems for any society. But although there are many grim things in this period it isn’t very obviously worse than what follows, indeed in some respects it is better. If we look at the times during which Israel was subject other nations they are broadly comparable with such times during the period of the kings. On top of this God warned that in seeking kings Israel was not doing something beneficial and progressive but were rejecting Him as their king. Thus people might look to the book much more positively to see how societies can do without powerful leaders and governments.
The character of the judges as compared to the kings are also interesting. For example some of the things Samson did are clearly wrong, and yet he is commended for his faith in Hebrews 11. By contrast the majority of the kings of Israel and Judah are said to have done evil in the sight of God.