OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES
Introduction to the Book of Judges
In the last three chapters of the Book of Joshua, we studied the importance of worship, a proper attitude toward relaxation and the details of life, and the proper attitude and action concerning serving the Lord. Israel manifested a genuine motivation to worship and love the Lord, therefore possessing a mastery over materialistic things, and serving the Lord as a result of fellowship with Him and spiritual growth. This sincere motivation was short-lived because in the Book of Judges, we see the Jews becoming back-slidden and apostate.
The Book of Judges is in two parts. In Joshua 1-16 which cover a period of approximately 1380 BC through 1050 BC, we see the emphasis upon the Judges themselves. These chapters relate to us all of the Judges from Otheniel to the prophet Samuel. In the second part of the book, Judges 17-21, we go from the Judges to Judgment! These chapters give us the total anarchy and lawlessness from the period of the Judges. The word for Judges from the Hebrew means “Savior” or “Deliverer.” Our gracious God was never without a witness of himself, because all of the periods of rulership of these Judges overlap one another. Of course, as we have already intimated, their main function was deliverance, and our Lord Jesus Christ, as the head of the Theocracy, was the one responsible for administrating judgment.
Outline
1. The setting for the book. The Israelites failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land. Judges 1)
2. The Chronology of the Book – The Judges themselves. (Judges 2-16)
A. Othniel (Judges 3:9) The entire period of the Judges was a time when Israel would sin and commit evil, come under the bondage of the 4th cycle of discipline, repent, and God would send a deliverer. Another way to remember it would be under the phrase, “the four S’s of Judges.” (1) Sin, (2) Servitude, (3) Supplication, (4) Salvation, Deliverance.
B. Ehud, 1313-1234 BC (Judges 3:30)
C. Shamgar – this Judge or deliverer was contemporary with Ehud.
D. Deborah and Barak (Judges 4-5)
E. Gideon, 1189-1150 BC (Judges 6-8)
F. Abimelech, 1149-1147 BC (Judges 9)
G. Tola, 1150-1128 BC. Tola was the chief Judge of this period and contemporary with Abimelech. (Judges 10:1-2)
H. Jair, 1128-1107 BC (Judges 10:3-5)
I. Jephthah, 1090-1084 BC (Judges 10:6-12:7)
J. Ibzan, Elon and Abdon (Judges 8-14)
K. The Philistine oppression and the birth of Sampson (Judges 13)
L. Sampson, The 13th Judge (Judges 14-16)
The Judgment (Judges 17-21)
We now move from a study of the Judges in Judges 1-16 to a study of divine judgment in Judges 17-21.
A. The evil of Idolatry (Judges 17)
B. The evil of Civil War (Judges 18)
C. The evil of Homicide (Judges 19)
D. The eleven tribes’ War against the Benjamites (Judges 20-21)
