Ancient Stories, Enduring Truths: How the Book of Judges Speaks to our Modern Lives
Many people may think the Old Testament is dry and dull, but in reality, it is full of captivating stories, intriguing characters, and valuable lessons that are still relevant today. From the epic battles of Joshua to the dramatic love story of Ruth, the Old Testament is far from boring.
So, there's this book in the Old Testament that really hit me hard. It's called Judges and it's not just some boring history lesson. This book shows how God has been working with His people for ages. You get to see how different folks reacted to God, some in the right way and others...not so much.
Now, there are three totally awesome themes that I want to talk about, but I won't be able to cover everything. So, if you really want to get the full impact, you gotta read this book yourself. Trust me, it's worth it!
BACKGROUND OF JUDGES
Before delving into the three themes, it is important to understand the history and meaning behind the book of Judges. It was written after the book of Joshua. Joshua was a devoted leader who had just passed away, leaving the Israelites without guidance. Without a guide, they strayed from God and became a new generation with warped principles who did what was right in their own eyes.
The Lord had warned His people that if they stopped following His commandments and ways, He would not help them find victory. This proved true when the Israelites saw their need for God and cried out for help, “send us somebody to guide us,” they said. God responded by sending them a judge, someone who could lead and judge fairly, and who had the Spirit come upon them. Judges were meant to halt the Israelites from serving other gods and falling astray. The first judge mentioned in this book is Othniel, and the last one is Samson. With this background information, let's dive into the first theme.
THEME 1: GOD CHOOSES & USES WOMEN FOR HIS GLORY:
God chooses and uses women for His glory, especially the women of Judges. These women were all purposeful and valued by the Lord. Though critics of the Bible may think otherwise, these women accomplished noteworthy things, no matter how mundane or great the task.
THE STORY OF DEBORAH
Take Deborah, the fourth judge of Israel, who was a prophet and a wife to Lappidoth. This role as prophet is significant because it’s essentially someone who speaks for God and guides others based on His direction. As a judge, she would sit under the Palm of Deborah in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites went to her for judgment. For twenty years, the Israelites were oppressed by the Canaanite king, King Jabin of Hazor, and his army commander Sisera, a cruel, rich man who also made sure to make the Israelite people’s lives miserable.
Deborah, with the Lord's guidance, decided to fight against Sisera and see victory over him and his people. She knew she needed assistance, so she sought Barak son of Abinoam, who agreed to fight alongside Deborah. However, she warned him that he would not receive the credit for this victory. She said in verse nine, “For the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” Together, they wiped out Sisera's army, and Sisera fled. Read Deborah’s full story in Judges Chapter Four.
THE STORY OF JAEL
Now, let’s look at Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who was also valued by the Lord. When Sisera fled from Deborah and Barak, he ended up in Jael's tent. Instead of turning him away, she welcomed him inside, knowing the person he was. When he asked for water, she gave him milk and a blanket to put him to sleep quickly. Before falling asleep, he had told her to guard the door and lie saying no one was there if any nearby walkers asked. Jael quietly crept up to Sisera, and with a hammer, she drove a tent peg through Sisera's skull. When Barak had found the tent, Jael showed him the newly-dead Sisera. Verse twenty-three says, “So on that day, Israel saw God defeat Jabin the Canaanite king.” Because of her part in this, Jael went down in history. It says in verse twenty-four, “Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.”
THE STORY OF JEPHTHAH’S DAUGHTER
Jephthah's daughter, despite her tragic ending, was another woman valued by the Lord. This story features Jephthah, Israel's eighth judge, a father, and a warrior who helped lead the Israelites against the Ammonites. In verse thirty, he makes a vow to the Lord that if he were to achieve victory over his enemies, he would offer to God whatever came out of his house first when he returned home in triumph. In verse thirty-four, Jephthah's heart broke when he returned home to Mizpah. Dancing for joy while playing the tambourine, Jephthah's daughter came out to greet him. It was then that he remembered the vow he had made to the Lord. In verse thirty-five, he tore his clothes in anguish and said, "My daughter! You have completely destroyed me! You've brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”
She assured her father to do to her what he had promised the Lord because it was God who had given her father victory over his enemies. Instead of cowering in fear, blaming others, or refusing to be this burnt sacrifice, she respected her father and his vow to the Lord. This woman’s love for the Lord and her father completely surpassed the desires of her own heart. She loved them both more than herself. It’s because of her courage, love for others, and her devotion to the Lord that made her a woman worth talking about. Her memory from Israel didn't fade. It became a custom in Israel for young Israelite women to go away for four days each year to lament the fate of Jephthah's daughter.
Other examples of women used by God in Judges:
Ascah, the wife of Othniel
The woman who killed Abimelech
THEME 2: THE CONTINUAL CONFLICT AMONG MEN
The conflict for the Israelites began when a new generation grew up and did not acknowledge God at all. Whether the previous generation failed to teach them or whether the newer generation had no interest, somewhere someone fell short. The newer generation did not have the memory of God to stay close to Him. This is the first point we should take note of.
Secondly, the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight and worshipped the gods of the people around them. They married pagan people from different beliefs, and because of this, they served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. This angered the Lord, and His anger burned against them. He caused them to be handed over to raiders who stole their possessions, and they were no longer able to resist, even when they tried to fight in battle. They were so fooled, greedy, and comfortable with their sin that they didn't want better for themselves, so they were trapped in the evil they wanted. Each time they fell into their sinful behaviors, they were worse off than before. They were known as worse than the generation before them.
Despite their continual sin and conflict, each time another judge died, the Lord tried to provide for His people again with a new judge to rescue them from their attackers. Instead of being grateful, they prostituted themselves by worshipping other gods, falling back into the same harmful cycle. Looking at their shortcomings, we have to ask ourselves, why does conflict exist among men? The answer is simple: they made life about what they wanted versus what God wanted for them. This selfishness still exists among us today. But what about those who persecuted the Israelite people, you might ask? Aren't they bad too? We know - or should know - that adversity is a given in this life and something we can expect pushback from, just like the Israelites did against the Canaanites, the Philistines, the Midianites, and so forth. Yet, what if we are the ones truly damaging ourselves? What should we do then?
As I read Judges, I realized something. God only sent one judge at a time to guide His people. It showed me that someone who loves the Lord needs to surround the ungodly people. As Matthew 5:14 says, "You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Each judge that led the Israelites was a light unto the people to lead them back to the Lord.
There are three main reasons for conflict:
Different beliefs, gods, idols, and distractions
Pride and self-interest
Lack of knowledge about God
Other examples of negative influences from Judges include:
Sisera
The kings of Nuduab Zeba and Zalmunna
Abimelech (Gideon's son)
Micah
The Levite man
THEME 3: GOD HAS A ROLE FOR EVERYONE
THE STORY OF GIDEON
The story of Gideon, the fifth judge of Israel, can be found in Judges Chapter Six. The Israelites were facing trouble against the Midianites due to their sins against the Lord. The Midianites chased the Israelites away and stripped their crops, leaving them to hide wherever they could. For seven years, the Israelites were oppressed until Gideon stepped into the story.
Gideon was hiding at the bottom of a winepress, threshing wheat to keep it hidden from the Midianites when an angel of the Lord appeared. In verse twelve, the angel says, "Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!" Surprised, Gideon addressed the angel in verse thirteen, "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?" He felt that God had abandoned him and the others to the Midianites.
The angel then said something that took Gideon aback. "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!" Gideon was hesitant at first, but the Lord guaranteed that He would help him defeat the enemy. Gideon tested the Lord to make sure it was really Him speaking to him, and the Lord proved to be true. Gideon led the troops to war with only three hundred men, and they defeated the Midianites.
Gideon's story continued as he defeated the kings of Midian, bringing peace to the land. He had a family of seventy sons and was buried with his father. Despite the Israelites returning to their sinful ways, Gideon proved to be an asset for the Lord, a young man who was fearful of being led but was a peace-bringer and defender of his people.
THE STORY OF SAMSON
Samson, known for his great strength, was another significant figure in the book of Judges. His story is filled with both triumphs and failures, making him a complex and intriguing character.
Samson was born to his mother and father Manoah in the town of Zorah and the tribe of Dan. He was a blessed child because his mother was originally unable to get pregnant. An angel of the Lord appeared and told them they’d have a son, but there was a condition to his birth: his hair must never be cut. This was a sign of his Nazirite vow, which meant that he was set apart for God and should follow specific rules, including not touching dead bodies or drinking wine.
Samson’s life was full of conflicts between his Nazirite vow and his desire to be with Philistine women. His first wife was a Philistine woman from Timnah, whom he married despite his parents’ disapproval. During the wedding feast, Samson made a riddle, promising to give thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing to anyone who could solve it. When the Philistine men threatened Samson’s wife to reveal the riddle’s answer, she eventually did, leading to the deaths of the thirty men at the hands of Samson.
Samson’s anger and violent tendencies were a recurring theme in his story. When his wife was given to his best man, Samson burned the Philistines’ grain to the ground. He then attacked more Philistines, leading to his capture and eventual escape. Later, Samson slept with a prostitute in the Philistine town of Gaza, leading to another attack on his life.
Samson’s downfall came when he fell for a woman named Delilah. The Philistine leaders offered her money to find out the secret of Samson’s strength. After several failed attempts, Samson finally revealed that his hair was the source of his power. Delilah shaved his head while he was asleep, causing him to lose his strength. Samson was captured, blinded, and forced to grind grain in prison.
In a final act of strength, Samson prayed to God and asked for his strength to be restored. God granted his request, and Samson pushed the pillars of the temple, causing it to collapse and kill himself and thousands of Philistines.
Samson’s story is one of both human weakness and divine strength. Despite his faults, he was used by God to fulfill His plans for the Philistines to be defeated. Samson’s story reminds us of the importance of following God’s commands and the consequences of our actions.
THE STORY OF JEPHTHAH
We will now discuss Jephthah, the eighth judge of Israel, who helped lead the Israelites against the Ammonites. Jephthah was born to a prostitute and was considered unworthy by his half-brothers. He fled to the land of Tob, where he became a leader of rebels who respected him. The elders of Gilead reached out to Jephthah for help in fighting the Ammonites, despite having previously chased him away. Jephthah was initially hesitant but agreed to help when the elders promised to make him ruler over all the people of Gilead.
Jephthah became ruler and army commander. He asked the king of Ammon why he was fighting against their people. The king claimed the Israelites stole their land, which Jephthah knew was untrue. It was God who took the land from the Amorites and gave it to Israel. The king of Ammon disregarded Jephthah's truth and remained silent. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he gathered an army from different places. He crushed the Ammonites and devastated twenty towns from Aroer to Abel-keramim.
Jephthah, after his daughter's death, had a conflict with the people of Ephraim who questioned why they were not called to fight against the Ammonites. Jephthah called them out and reminded them that he summoned them at the beginning of the dispute but they refused to come. This led to Jephthah and his army defeating them after the people of Ephraim called them nothing more than fugitives.
Jephthah judged Israel for six years and was buried in Gilead. He was a man who followed the Lord wholeheartedly and was willing to prove others wrong. He also gathered those considered "unworthy" to follow him. Despite being born of a prostitute, he knew his worth in the Lord. His knowledge of history and combat allowed him to fulfill a major role in his life as a leader and a father.
Other examples of judges in Israel include Jotham and Ehud.
IN CONCLUSION…
The Old Testament is full of history that teaches us about ourselves, each other, and God. Reading the Old Testament is essential because it reminds us that God always had better plans for us. Whenever we turned away, things went from bad to worse, and we fell into the enemy's hands, both physically and spiritually. Despite our shortcomings, this book features evidence of God's history with His people, proving that He pursues us even when we fall short.
If you shy away from the Old Testament, start small by reading one historical figure's story, and go from there. The Old Testament might seem outdated and irrelevant, but it's full of life application, and inspiration, and people are still flawed in that timeframe as well as in 2023.
I hope this book of the Bible impacts you and matures you as much as it did for me.