Judges 17-18: Homemade religion
Outline Household gods Homemade priest Introduction Saving the worst for last. What we are about to study is so very terrible, the author has taken things out of chronological order to make his point. Chapters 17-18 mark a deep religious failure on the part of God’s people; and 19-21 mark a deep moral failure. Please note that the deep religious failure precedes the deep moral failure. We are living in a world of profound moral degeneration where truths that have held for centuries have been overturned in a single generation. This all begins with a drift from true religion....
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Judges 11:1-12:15: Jephthah
Outline Jephthah’s ascent Jephthah’s politics Jephthah’s parenting Jephthah’s problem-solving Introduction The book of Judges is the story of man’s ever deepening sinking into sin. Judges uses the various generations and rulers appointed to show what life without God looks like, it is a degrading picture of compounding wickedness. The book of judges started off with promise, there were judges who were godly men who led according to God’s principles and who brought about peace throughout the land. With each generation we have watched the repetitive cycle of sin, punishment and God raising up a deliverer repeat in a weakening...
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Judges 8: Gideon the sinner
Outline Sinful conflict resolution Sinful justice Sinful rule Introduction One of the most dangerous temptations we face is success. When we succeed and people begin to approve of us we can get an inflated view of our own importance thinking that our thoughts, plans, ideas, opinions and contributions are more important than anyone else’s. When things go well for a preacher he may get the idea that God is blessing him and not blessing the gospel and that he can do no wrong. We often overlook the character flaws and even the unbiblical teachings of someone who is bringing...
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Judges 6:33-7:25: God’s strength through weakness
Outline God uses reticent doubters God uses tiny armies Introduction Paul was troubled by a thorn in the flesh, a deliberate, providential, God permitted thorn which forced Paul to depend upon God more closely and kept him from pride (2 Cor. 12:1-8). Paul prayed three times that the thorn might be removed, but instead of the modern expectation that God works for our comfort and happiness, God said this, 2 Cor. 12:9. ‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly...
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Judges 6:1-32: First things first
Outline Repentance Presence Idols Introduction The book of judges is anonymous, we don’t know who wrote it, and it is likely that more than one person did. The most popular theory is that Samuel had a large part to do with it and this is very likely. There is a small indication of the possible time of writing in 1:21, ‘But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.’ David drove out the Jebusites when he established the...
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