Life is messy. So is the Book of Judges. As we continue our journey through God’s Story, the History of Israel and Jesus’ ancestry, we find a phrase repeated over and over again… “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.” Over and over again. It became a vicious cycle. As the generation that knew Joshua dies off, the next generation starts doing what God told them NOT to do — mix with the pagans. So….
- They get in trouble by worshiping the gods and idols of the local pagans, resulting in oppression and suffering
- They call to God
- God sends a “judge” or leader
- He/She is victorious
- The judge dies
- They get in trouble, AGAIN, by worshiping the gods and idols of the local pagans resulting in oppression and suffering
And it starts all over again. A vicious cycle.
How bad does this Old Testament book get? Pretty bad. We meet a variety of different characters — including familiar names like Deborah, Gideon and Samson. Each with a story. Each with a lesson for us today. See if you can recognize Jesus in these stories. Let’s dig in….
Jesus in the Book of Judges
- Part 1: New Generations of Israelites Plunge into a Vicious Cycle
- Part 2: Want Victory Over Struggles? Here is the Plan You Need
- Part 3: How to do More with Less
- Part 4: What Happens When a Country Turns Away from God?
- Part 5: Be Careful What You Wish For and Vow to God!
- Part 6: An Adventure, Samson versus the Philistines, the Bible’s First Superhero
- Part 7: Depraved Indifference Makes for a Spiritual and Moral Collapse
- Finale: Three Wrongs Don’t Make a Right!
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.