Israel’s dark ages
Micah’s idols ensnare Dan; civil war with Benjamin: Judges 17–21 It all started with sin and a curse: a lot of …
Category Archives: Judges
God can use even less-than-best
Samson: Judges 13–16 Samson wasn’t the son many of us would wish on the children of your worst enemies: cruel, disrespectful, wanton, and quite possibly …
That Ammonite king: Tell ‘im he’s dreamin’
Jephthah takes on the Ammonites, but loses his daughter; Ibzan, Elon, Abdon judge: Judges 11–12 The king of the Ammonites wanted …
The first king of (part of) Israel
Abimelech murders his brothers, assumes power in Shechem, then dies in an attempt to crush a rebellion: Judges 9–10 Who …
Let the idol defend itself
Gideon: Judges 6–8 Gideon’s father, Joash, had lost one of his prize bulls, but he wasn’t going to let the …
They needed a leader
Deborah brings 40 years of peace: Judges 4–5 It was a repeating pattern for Israel. A judge would die, the …
What happened to the Jebusites?
A partially successful invasion, and the consequences of disobedience: Judges 1–3 The Jebusites were one of the Canaanite peoples whom God …
Dividing the land on a promise
Dividing up the land: Joshua 12–15 Although age had no limits for Caleb, at least for a while, Joshua eventually …
From bad to worse
Micah’s idols ensnare Dan; civil war with Benjamin: Judges 17–21 The accounts here are a tragic reminder of the cost …
I am invincible!
Samson: Judges 13–16 Samson must have thought he was invincible. There is no evidence he kept any of the Nazarite …
Don’t make foolish vows
Jephthah takes on the Ammonites, but loses his daughter; Ibzan, Elon, Abdon judge: Judges 11–12 This account is a warning: don’t …
They voted for a thornbush
Abimelech murders his brothers, assumes power in Shechem, then dies in an attempt to crush a rebellion: Judges 9–10 For …
The counter-cultural Gideon
Gideon: Judges 6–8 Gideon was more than just a war hero with a cut-down army and unique battle tactics. He …
Iron chariots don’t always win
Deborah brings 40 years of peace: Judges 4–5 After 20 years of oppression from a Canaanite king, Jabin of Hazor, the Israelites ‘cried out …
Winning battles but losing a war
A partially successful invasion, and the consequences of disobedience: Judges 1–3 This introduction to the book of Judges overlaps with the …
Who were the judges and what did they judge?
If you’ve ever been in a courtroom in the Western justice system, you’ll know what a judge is: an old man …
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