Doomed to Repeat ItJudges 1:1-3:6

Judges, the people• A “judge” is a man or woman used by God to

deliver people from sin by leading them to right living– leader– deliverer, savior– endowed with supernatural power– not always perfect, or heroic

Judges, the people• OTHNIEL (3:7-11)• EHUD (3:12-30)

– Shamgar (3:31)• DEBORAH/BARAK (4:1-5:31)• GIDEON/ABIMELECH (6:1-8:35)

– Tola (10:1-2)– Jair (10:3-5)

• JEPTHAH (10:6-12:7)– Ibzan (12:8-10)– Elon (12:11-12)– Abdon (12:13-15)

• SAMSON (13:1-16:31)

MAJORMinor

Judges, the book• The book of Judges is a history of Israel

written as an “EPIC”.– Not a complete history– Not necessarily chronological– Theological purpose

Judges, the book• Introduction A (1:1-2:5) –political/military• Introduction B (2:6-3:6) –spiritual • The Cycles (3:7-16:31)– Climax on a geographic axis– Nadir on a theological axis

• Conclusion B’ (17:1-18:31) –spiritual• Conclusion A’ (19:1-21:25) –political/military

The Layers of Judges

Purpose of Judges

“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to REPEAT IT.”

-- Winston Churchill

RELATIONSHIP

RELATIONSHIP

REBELLION

RELATIONSHIP

REBELLION

RETRIBUTION

RELATIONSHIP

REBELLION

RETRIBUTIONREPENTANCE

RELATIONSHIP

REBELLION

RETRIBUTIONREPENTANCE

RESTORATION

The Center• 2:11-13 forms a core of the instruction in the

religious-spiritual introduction:– A and they served the Baals– B they forsook the LORD, the God of their

fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt– C they followed various gods of the peoples

around them; they provoked the LORD to anger– B’ because they forsook him– A’ and served Baal and the Ashtoreths

Conclusion• LEARN from history.– Develop a taste for RELATIONSHIP and an

aversion to REBELLION.– Pay attention to warnings, challenges, and

RETRIBUTION.– CRY OUT to God for help and rescue!– Break cycles of sin by grooving new patterns of

RIGHTEOUSNESS.• Write a good EPIC!