The Book of Judges encompasses the next period of Jewish history following the conquest of the land of Canaan. In the Book of Joshua, the people obeyed and trusted God and conquered the land under Joshua’s leadership. However, in Judges, they had no appointed leader, which allowed the people to fall into disobedience and idolatry. Consequently, they were constantly harassed by surrounding nations time and time again because of their rebellion against God. The Book vividly portrays seven different cycles of such rebellion, and each period of rebellion led to the oppression and/or invasion of surrounding armies at which time the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance. Their repentance led to the military conquest of those armies under the leadership of one of the “judges” whom God raised up to deliver them. The names of some of the “judges” are undoubtedly familiar to you, names such as Gideon, Samson, and the female “judge” Deborah. Each of the “judges” were flawed individuals who answered God’s call to deliver the Israelites from foreign oppression, and on many occasions, doing so in dramatic form. After their repentance and deliverance, the people fell back into sin and the next cycle of rebellion, repentance, and deliverance began all over again.

Although there is no indication in the book as to authorship, Jewish tradition names the prophet Samuel as the author. The period of the Judges lasted for approximately 335 years (from about 1,380 BC – 1035 BC). These “judges” did not just oversee legal disputes, but they also exercised administrative duties and carried out military campaigns. It is widely believed that Samuel (the last of the “judges”) wrote the book as Israel prepared to enter a monarchy, with Saul being the first king. This is confirmed by one of the recurring statements found in the book, namely,   

“In those days, there was no king in Israel…” (Judges 18:1; 19:1).

Samuel wanted to contrast the period of the Judges with that of the beginning of the monarchy. And because there was no king in Israel during the period of the Judges,  

“Everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25).

This is the key verse which describes this period of Israel’s history, a period in which everyone “did his own thing!” Without a moral compass, people wander in the wilderness like sheep without a shepherd. Their compass was supposed to be the Law provided by God and given to Moses, but the people chose to disregard it. Although the Law contained both civil and ceremonial aspects, the moral portion of the Law was embodied in the Ten Commandments, which the Israelites disregarded during the time of the “judges.”

The primary message of the Book of Judges is that disregarding God and His commandments will result in pain and calamity. Israel was God’s chosen people—He was their King, and they had forsaken the covenant established at Mount Sinai. In Judges, He disciplined them for following other gods, disobeying His sacrificial laws, and engaging in blatant immorality. Yet because they were His people, He listened to their cries for deliverance and raised up “judges” to deliver them. Unfortunately, even these godly individuals did not wield sufficient influence to permanently change the nation’s direction, even though they were His light in the darkness! Without adhering to their moral compass and relying on God, the people were unable to resist the idolatrous and immoral influences of surrounding nations. This led the people to cry out for a centralized monarchy, led by a righteous king whom God would choose as His intermediary.  

So, just what is our moral compass today? Actually, it’s the same as that which was given to the Israelites after they left Egypt, and is found in the Book of Deuteronomy, which we looked a few weeks ago,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Deut. 6:5; 10:12)

So important was this commandment that Jesus emphasized it again during His ministry. When an expert in the Law asked Him for His opinion as to which was the “greatest commandment,” Jesus pointed him back to the words of Moses in Deuteronomy saying,

“’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all you mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mt. 22:37-39).

The Apostle Paul would later say that,

“Love does no harm to his neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law” (Rom. 13:10).

When you think of it, if we can learn how to really love, we will keep all of the Ten Commandments. So, how can we do it? It will never happen in our own strength, but only in the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. If you are a Christian, ask God to grant you all that you need to love others, even your enemies. And if you do not yet know Christ, ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life, empowering you to love God and love others. Don’t be guilty of doing what the Israelites did during the period of the Judges, that is, “doing what is right in your own eyes.” Do what is right in God’s eyes, and that is to love Him with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and to love others as you love yourself.

May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.