Objective

In this study, we’ll see that God always provided deliverance when Israel repented of their sin.

Key Verse

Judges 21:25: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

Introduction

When Joshua died, Israel entered one of the darkest periods in their history. Without strong leadership to guide them, the people repeatedly turned away from God and fell into terrible sin. Yet even in this dark time, God showed His amazing mercy and faithfulness. Whenever Israel cried out to Him in their distress, He raised up leaders called judges to rescue them from their enemies.

The period of the judges lasted for about four hundred years—from the death of Joshua until Israel demanded a king. During these centuries, we see the same pattern happen again and again: the people would serve God for a while, then fall into idolatry, suffer under their enemies as punishment, cry out to God in repentance, and experience His deliverance through a judge. This cycle reveals both the stubbornness of human sin and the incredible patience of God’s love.

Samuel was the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. Many Bible scholars believe that Samuel may have written the book of Judges, looking back on this turbulent period of Israel’s history to teach important spiritual lessons. The book serves as a powerful warning about what happens when people abandon God’s ways and do whatever seems right in their own eyes.

In this lesson, we will:

• Learn about the repeating cycle that characterized the period of the judges
• Survey the fifteen judges who led Israel during this time
• Focus especially on two remarkable judges: Gideon and Samson
• Discover how these deliverers point us to our ultimate Deliverer, Jesus Christ

The Pattern of Judges

The book of Judges is summarized perfectly in chapter 2, verses 16-19. These verses give us the pattern that runs through the entire book like a thread woven through fabric. Let’s read this key passage carefully:

Judges 2:16-19: Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

This passage shows us the five-part cycle that repeated throughout the period of the judges:

1. Peace – When a judge was leading, Israel enjoyed peace and served God
2. Rebellion – After the judge died, Israel turned to idolatry
3. Judgment – God allowed enemy nations to oppress Israel as punishment
4. Repentance – In their suffering, Israel cried out to God for help
5. Deliverance – God raised up a new judge to rescue them

This cycle reveals an important truth about God’s character: He is always faithful to deliver us when we repent and call upon His name. The psalmist understood this truth when he wrote:

Psalm 50:15: Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

(Notebook Moment: Think about times in your own life when you’ve experienced a similar cycle. Have there been seasons when you drifted from God, faced difficulties, and then experienced His deliverance when you turned back to Him? What did you learn about God’s character through those experiences?)

The judges mentioned in Hebrews 11 are listed among the great heroes of faith, showing us that despite their human weaknesses, God used them mightily:

Hebrews 11:32: And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets.

What made these judges effective was not their own strength or wisdom, but the Spirit of God who empowered them. Throughout the book, we read how the Spirit came upon different judges to give them supernatural ability:

Judges 3:10: The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war.

Judges 6:34: Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

The Judges of Israel

The Bible tells us about fifteen judges who ruled Israel after they conquered the land. Each judge had unique characteristics and faced different enemies, but all were raised up by God to deliver His people. Let’s survey these leaders briefly:

Othniel (Judges 3:7-11) was the first judge after Joshua died. He was Caleb’s nephew and had already proven himself as a warrior by capturing a city to win his bride. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, he delivered Israel from eight years of oppression.

Ehud (Judges 3:12-30) was a left-handed judge from the tribe of Benjamin. God used his unique trait to defeat the Moabites in a dramatic way. He assassinated the enemy king Eglon with a hidden sword and led Israel to victory.

Shamgar (Judges 3:31) receives only one verse in the Bible, but what a verse it is! He killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad—a farming tool used to prod cattle. God can use the most ordinary things to accomplish extraordinary victories.

Deborah (Judges 4:1 – 5:31) stands out as the only female judge. She was also a prophetess who held court under a palm tree. Together with the military commander Barak, she defeated the Canaanites and their mighty general Sisera. After the victory, Deborah composed a beautiful hymn of praise that contains a prophecy about the Messiah.

Gideon (Judges 6:1 – 8:35) defeated the vast Midianite army with only three hundred men, teaching us that God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

Abimelech (Judges 9:1-57) was Gideon’s son, but unlike his father, he was not appointed by God. He murdered his brothers to seize power and ruled wickedly for three years before meeting a violent end. His story warns us about the dangers of selfish ambition.

Tola (Judges 10:1-2) ruled peacefully for twenty-three years, showing that not every judge needed to be a warrior. Sometimes God’s deliverance comes through steady, faithful leadership.

Jair (Judges 10:3-5) ruled for twenty-two years and had thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys and controlled thirty towns—an interesting detail that shows his prosperity and influence.

Jephthah (Judges 10:17 – 12:7) was rejected by his family as the son of a prostitute but became a mighty warrior. He defeated the Ammonites but is best remembered for the tragic vow he made, which led him to dedicate his daughter to lifelong service at the tabernacle.

Ibzan (Judges 12:8-10) ruled for seven years and had thirty sons and thirty daughters, all of whom he arranged marriages for outside his clan, perhaps to build political alliances.

Elon (Judges 12:11-12) ruled for ten years. The Bible tells us little about him except that he was from the tribe of Zebulun.

Abdon (Judges 12:13-15) ruled for eight years and had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys—another sign of wealth and status in ancient times.

Samson (Judges 13:1 – 16:31) possessed supernatural strength and fought against the Philistines, though his weakness for women led to his downfall.

Eli (1 Samuel 1:9) served as both priest and judge, bridging the period between the judges and the monarchy.

Samuel (1 Samuel 3-24) was prophet, priest, and judge—the last judge before Israel demanded a king like the other nations had.

Gideon: The Reluctant Warrior

Among all the judges, Gideon’s story especially teaches us about God’s power working through human weakness. When we first meet Gideon, the Midianites had oppressed Israel for seven years. These desert raiders would sweep into the land at harvest time, destroying crops and stealing livestock. The situation was so desperate that the Israelites were hiding in mountain caves.

God found Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress—hiding from the Midianites while trying to save a little grain for his family. When the angel of the Lord appeared to him, the greeting must have seemed almost like mockery:

Judges 6:11-12: The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Mighty warrior? Gideon was hiding in fear! Yet God saw not what Gideon was, but what he would become through faith. Gideon’s response reveals his doubts:

Judges 6:13-16: “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

Notice how God doesn’t answer Gideon’s questions about the past. Instead, He commissions him for the future. When Gideon protests that he’s too weak and unimportant, God gives the only answer that matters: “I will be with you.”

(Notebook Moment: How do you respond when God calls you to do something that seems impossible? Do you focus on your weaknesses or on God’s promise to be with you?)

God was patient with Gideon’s fears and doubts. The famous story of the fleece shows us how God graciously confirmed His word to build Gideon’s faith:

Judges 6:36-38: Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised—look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

But Gideon asked for one more sign, requesting the opposite miracle—dry fleece and wet ground. Again, God graciously provided the confirmation Gideon needed.

The most remarkable part of Gideon’s story comes when God reduces his army from 32,000 men to just 300. First, God sent home everyone who was afraid—22,000 men left! Then God used an unusual test at the water to reduce the remaining 10,000 to a mere 300:

Judges 7:5-7: So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

Why did God reduce the army so drastically? He explains:

Judges 7:2: The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.'”

The battle itself was unlike any military campaign in history. Armed only with trumpets, empty jars, and torches, the 300 men surrounded the enemy camp at night. At Gideon’s signal, they blew their trumpets, smashed their jars, and shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” The Midianites panicked in the darkness, turned on each other with their swords, and fled in terror.

What spiritual lessons do we learn from Gideon’s life? First, God uses the weak and unimportant to accomplish His work. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 1:27: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Second, God is not limited by numbers. He can work through many or through few. Jesus reminded us:

Matthew 22:14: For many are invited, but few are chosen.

Samson: Strength and Weakness

If Gideon teaches us about God’s power in weakness, Samson shows us the tragedy of wasted potential. No judge was given greater physical strength, yet no judge failed more spectacularly in personal character.

Samson’s birth was announced by an angel, marking him as special from the beginning:

Judges 13:3-5: The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

A Nazirite was someone specially dedicated to God, following the vows described in Numbers:

Numbers 6:1-5: The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite, they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins. During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.'”

God gave Samson supernatural strength that enabled him to perform incredible feats:

• He tore a lion apart with his bare hands
• He killed thirty Philistines to pay a debt
• He caught three hundred foxes, tied torches to their tails, and sent them through Philistine grain fields
• He killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey
• He carried the gates of Gaza on his shoulders to the top of a hill

Yet for all his physical strength, Samson had a fatal weakness: he could not control his desires, especially regarding women. His relationship with Delilah led to his downfall. She persistently asked him for the secret of his strength, and eventually he revealed the truth:

Judges 16:17-19: So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

It’s important to understand that Samson’s strength didn’t come from his hair itself. His long hair was simply the outward sign of his dedication to God. When he allowed his hair to be cut, he was breaking his Nazirite vow and abandoning his special relationship with God. The saddest verse in his story comes next:

Judges 16:20: Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

(Notebook Moment: What areas of compromise in your life might be weakening your spiritual strength? Are there “Delilahs” – temptations or relationships – that are pulling you away from complete dedication to God?)

The Philistines captured Samson, gouged out his eyes, and made him a slave grinding grain in prison. But in his blindness and bondage, something beautiful happened—his hair began to grow back, and more importantly, his heart turned back to God. At a great feast where the Philistines gathered to mock him and praise their god Dagon, Samson prayed one final prayer:

Judges 16:28-30: Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

What spiritual lessons do we learn from Samson’s life? First, our strength comes from God alone:

Philippians 4:13: I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Second, we cannot compromise with the enemy:

Ephesians 4:27: And do not give the devil a foothold.

1 Thessalonians 5:22: Reject every kind of evil.

Christ in the Book of Judges

The judges were deliverers and redeemers, which makes them pictures of how Christ defeats our enemies and delivers us from bondage. Each judge shows us something about our ultimate Judge and Deliverer, Jesus Christ.

The clearest picture of Christ in Judges is actually Samson, despite all his failures. Consider these remarkable parallels:

His birth was announced by an angel. Just as the angel announced Samson’s birth to his mother, the angel Gabriel announced Jesus’ birth to Mary. Both were born to deliver God’s people from their enemies.

His life was dedicated to God. Samson was a Nazirite from birth, set apart for God’s special purpose. Jesus was perfectly dedicated to His Father’s will from the beginning.

His death defeated the enemy. This is the most powerful parallel. Samson’s death accomplished more than his life—he destroyed more enemies in his death than in all his years of fighting. In the same way, Christ’s death on the cross accomplished what His life alone could not: the complete defeat of sin, death, and Satan.

Of course, Samson had many faults and weaknesses. He was not perfect like Christ. His dedication to God wavered, while Christ’s never did. Samson’s strength was physical; Christ’s victory was spiritual. Samson killed his enemies; Christ died for His enemies. Yet despite these differences, Samson remains a powerful picture of how God can bring victory through apparent defeat, deliverance through death.

The Tragedy of No King

The last chapters of Judges paint a dark picture of how far Israel had fallen without godly leadership. Three terrible stories show the complete breakdown of society:

Widespread idolatry (chapters 17-18): A man named Micah set up his own private shrine with stolen silver, hired his own priest, and created his own religion. The tribe of Dan later stole his idols and priest to set up their own center of false worship. When everyone creates their own version of truth, real truth disappears.

Horrific immorality (chapter 19): A shocking story of abuse and murder in the town of Gibeah rivals the wickedness of Sodom. The moral decay was so complete that the most basic human decency had vanished.

Devastating civil war (chapter 20): The other tribes went to war against Benjamin to punish them for the evil at Gibeah. The conflict nearly wiped out an entire tribe of Israel. When God’s people turn against each other, everyone loses.

The book of Judges ends with a verse that explains everything:

Judges 21:25: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

This statement appears four times in the book (17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25), like a mournful refrain. Without a king to lead them in God’s ways, the people followed their own desires instead of God’s commands. They didn’t submit to godly authority or follow God’s Word.

Conclusion

The book of Judges shows us what happens when we refuse to let God reign in our lives. It’s a mirror that reflects the chaos that results when people do whatever seems right to them instead of following God’s truth. Yet even in this dark book, God’s light shines through. He never abandoned His people. Every time they cried out to Him, He sent a deliverer.

We should learn from Israel’s example. Unlike Israel in the time of the judges, we are not without a king. Christ is the Head of the church, our perfect King who leads us in righteousness:

Ephesians 5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Christ has also given leaders to His church—pastors, teachers, and others who help us grow in faith and protect us from error:

Ephesians 4:11-13: So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

We are called to respect and follow godly leadership:

Hebrews 13:17: Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

The period of the judges teaches us that we need more than human deliverers—we need the perfect Deliverer who has already come. Jesus Christ has defeated our greatest enemies: sin, death, and Satan. He has broken the cycle of sin and judgment forever. Through Him, we don’t have to repeat Israel’s pattern of failure. We can live in victory, walking in the Spirit’s power, following our true King.

The judges could only provide temporary deliverance; Christ provides eternal salvation. The judges could only defeat earthly enemies; Christ has defeated spiritual powers. The judges eventually died and left Israel vulnerable again; Christ lives forever and will never leave us nor forsake us.

As we close this study, remember that God is still faithful to deliver all who call upon Him. The same God who heard Israel’s cries and sent judges to rescue them hears your prayers today. He has sent the ultimate Judge and Deliverer in Jesus Christ. Will you trust Him fully? Will you follow Him as your King? Or will you, like Israel in the days of the judges, do what seems right in your own eyes?

The choice is yours. Choose wisely. Choose Christ.

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