The utter failure of Israel in maintaining their conquests in Canaan; their wickedness and idolatry through association with the heathen and their general unfaithfulness to Jehovah; their misery, captivities, and tears make up a painful and exceedingly humbling history. The story of Israel's declension from God and His testimony is here broadly noted on every page of the inspired record. The energy of faith characteristic of the first part of the book of Joshua present a sorrowful contrast to the history recorded in this book. Here all is changed; the atmosphere you breathe is heavy; Israel is under a dark cloud. Why all this? Has God failed them? No; "He abideth faithful—He cannot deny Himself," while everything entrusted to man and the church has proved a signal failure. Man is a leaking vessel, and cannot hold the blessing, be it ever so fully and preciously freighted. But the counsels of God, whether as they respect Israel, the world, or the church, will be infallibly secured, because the divine purposes are lodged for their accomplishment in Christ, the second man. This book, however, is not one only of failure, for it records many and sovereign acts of deliverance wrought for the people when they cried to Jehovah. The evil in Israel waxed worse and worse, until it culminated in the rejection of the theocracy, or the divine government of Jehovah (1 Sam. 8).
"The misery into which their unfaithfulness brought them moving the compassion of God, His mighty grace raised up deliverers by His Spirit in the midst of the fallen and wretched people. ‘For His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel’. But Israel was unchanged. ‘And yet they would not hearken unto their judges. And it came to pass when the judge was dead, that they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers in following other gods, to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings nor from their stubborn way’. This is the sorrowful history of the people of God; but it is also the history of the grace of God and of His compassion towards His people."
This book gives the dark period of Israelitish history under thirteen judges (which gives its name to the book)—from the death of Joshua till the death of Samson, adding some supplementary matter which presents an awful picture of Israel's idolatry and wickedness. The judges here specified did not administer the affairs of all Israel, but exercised their sovereignty only over a limited district or part of the country. The judgeship of Samuel was an exception (1 Sam. 7:15-1715And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. 17And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord. (1 Samuel 7:15‑17)). Although Eli the priest, and Samuel the prophet, both in succession judged Israel, yet they are wisely omitted from the history of the judges as recorded in that book, as that was not what characterized them in the mind of the Spirit of God. It is the mission of the first book of Samuel to develope and show the connection of the three great institutions designed for the blessing of man and creation, namely, Priesthood, Prophecy, and Kingly Government; hence Eli the priest, Samuel the prophet, and Saul the king, are the prominent personages in the first book of Samuel. Abimelech amongst the Judges sought to forestall the purposes of God by reigning over Israel (Judg. 915And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: (Judges 9:15‑17)) as king, but the attempt ended in utter failure and disgrace to all connected with it.
The whole period of time covered by the Judges was 450 years (Acts 13:2020And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. (Acts 13:20)). Their several oppressions in all amounted to 111 years, not counted in Divine history.
The Reformation and recovery at certain seasons of truths long buried beneath the rubbish of centuries, find a certain analogy in the book of Judges; thus the principles herein developed are of great importance to the Church of God. "Revivals," in the true sense of the word, are the answer to the "deliverances" here accorded to Israel. The first verse of the second chapter, "from Gilgal to Bochim," gives the key to the understanding of the book. After the death of Joshua the internal condition of the people rapidly declined, until they sunk so low as to form alliances with the very people whom they should have utterly exterminated, and, forgetful of Jehovah, gave themselves up to the worship of "Balaam and the groves." "Unfaithful within, the Israelites fall into the hands of the enemy without." The first of Israel's deliverers was Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, who judged Israel forty years (Judg. 3:8-118Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years. 9And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 10And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim. 11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. (Judges 3:8‑11)); the last was Samson, whose interesting history occupies Judg. 138Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. 11And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. (Judges 13:8‑11) to Judg. 168Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known. 10And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 11And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. (Judges 16:8‑11).
The names of the thirteen Judges and the several periods of rest granted to the people consequent on the various deliverances wrought on their behalf, are as follows:-
80 years, Judg. 3: 12-30.
40 years, Judg. 6.- Judg. 8.
6 years, Judg. 11, Judg. 12: 7.
10 years, Judg. 12:11- 12.
8 years, Judg. 12: 13-15.
20 years, Judg. 13.- Judg. 16.
GENERAL DIVISIONS.
1.-The utter failure of the people after the death of Joshua in not rooting out the Canaanites according to Divine command, and in turning to the idolatry of the heathen. Judg. 1.- Judg. 3:77And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves. (Judges 3:7).
3.-A chapter of idolatry and wickedness. Judg. 17.—Judg. 21.