The Recurring Cycle in the Book of Judges  

​Hamilton points out in Handbook on the Historical Books, that what does stand out throughout the Book of Judges is the absence of a leader.  Hamilton writes that “just about everything ‘after the death of Joshua’ is downhill.  The key verse in Judges and one that shows the pattern throughout is Judges 17:6, which says, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 King James Version).  This is again repeated in Judges 21:25.  

​According to The New Unger’s Bible Handbook, the Book of Judges is a record of the dark ages of Israel as they turn their back on the Lord (2:13) and the Lord turns His back on Israel (2:23).  This is also a recurring cycle that one can find throughout Judges, as this failure of Israel in the land of Canaan covers approximately 350 years.  As will be discussed in the following sections, this recurring cycle of Israel turning their back on God is found throughout the Old Testament.  When mankind attempts to replace God as divine ruler in their life, chaos, failure, and judgment are soon to follow.  

​Halley’s Bible Handbook states “They (Israel) were again and again falling away from God into the worship of idols.  When they did this, God delivered Israel into the hands of foreign oppressors.  Then, when Israel in their suffering and distress turned back and cried to God, God had pity on Israel and raised up Judges, who saved Israel from their enemies.”

Theology of the Book of Judges

​Regarding the theological significance in Judges, Walvoord and Zuck write in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, “The period of the Judges formed a transition between Yahweh’s mediatorial activity through Moses and Joshua and His mediatorial rule through the anointed kings of the monarchy.”  Throughout Judges, God continuously raised up Judges, or those He chose to deliver His people.  Those whom God raised up were anointed by His Spirit and were intended to rescue His people from their enemies.  Another theological significance to point out throughout Judges is God’s justice and His grace.  This will be further addressed in the next section.

​The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary states, “The fundamental problem is Israel’s loss of the memory of the Lord’s redemptive work on their behalf (2:1-10).  This resulted in the sorry truth expressed in a refrain that is repeated seven times in the book:  The Israelite’s did evil in the sight of the Lord; they served the Baals and abandoned their Redeemer.”  God repeatedly drove out the people in the land of Canaan, defeated them and gave Israel the victory, yet the people of Israel repeatedly forgot what the Lord had done in their presence, rebelled against Him, and chose to follow others in place of God.

Prophetic Significance in Judges 21:25

​Judges 21:25 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel:  every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 King James Version).  There is prophetic significance in this passage.  Hamilton writes, “It is inevitable that if a nation chooses to do ‘evil in the eyes of Yahweh’ (3:7-16:31), then it will also choose to do ‘what is right in their own eyes’ (chs. 17-21).  Repudiation of God inexorably leads to exaltation of self and self-determination.”  One can look at the Book of Judges and the recurring cycles of Israel’s sin, followed by their judgment, and then followed by God’s grace, and relate it to the New Testament and the life of believers today.  How often in the lives of those who claim to follow Christ, do they abandon their one true love, Jesus Christ, and seek comfort and security somewhere else.  The result of this abandonment by Christians is God’s judgment, typically followed by repentance, and then deliverance.  Yet it continues time and time again due to the sin nature within man and the desire to please the flesh.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary states, “The Book of Judges concludes with a final restatement of human failure concerning the moral and social anarchy of this period which preceded the monarchy.  Though Israel suffered under the oppression of many enemies, God’s grace was repeatedly evident when the people turned to Him in repentance.  The Book of Judges illustrates both God’s justice and His grace – justice in punishing sin and grace in forgiving sin.”

​Judges 21:25 also sets the stage for David, a man after God’s own heart.  Through David, God would make His everlasting covenant (1 Samuel 16) and through David’s seed, one can trace the coming of the One true King, Jesus Christ.  It is also important to note that even while David sinned repeatedly, he was faithful to God and repented of that sin.  Despite being fallible and flawed, David was faithful, and God honored that faithfulness and the covenant that He made with David.  

​Central Message of Judges & Relationship to the Old Testament

​The central message of the Book of Judges is that God does not allow sin to go unpunished, but also that God is faithful and delivers.  As it has already been discussed, throughout the Book of Judges, the people of Israel demanded a king over themselves.  This went against what God had originally intended for them.  He was their King, yet they looked at the nations around them and demanded someone rule over them.  They abandoned their God.  God provided them with Judges and repeatedly throughout the Book of Judges, these rulers went astray, abandoned God, repented, and then repeated this vicious cycle.  One can look throughout the Old Testament and see this happen; Israel turning to something else besides God, being judged by God, repenting, receiving grace, and then repeating their rebellion and sin all over again.  The act of rebelling against their One true King is nothing new and only to be found in the Book of Judges.  Israel rebelled while encamped at the base of Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:1-35).  All throughout the Book of Numbers Israel continuously rebels against Moses, Aaron, and God.  God spoke of Israel’s rebellion in Deuteronomy 31:14-32:52 when He commissioned Joshua.  

Bibliography

Brand, Chad, Eric Alan Mitchell, Steve Bonds, E. Ray Clendenen, Trent C. Butler, and Bill Latta. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015. 

Halley, Henry H. Halley’s Bible handbook / classic edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. 

Hamilton, Victor P. Handbook on the historical books: Joshua, judges, Ruth, samuel, kings, chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2008. 

Unger, Merrill F., and Gary N. Larson. The New Unger’s Bible handbook. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2005. 

Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck. The bible knowledge commentary: An exposition of the scriptures. Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2004.