In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He [Jesus Christ -Yeshua]
was in the beginning with God.
JUDGES
The Book of Judges (1380-1045 BC) is the second of the
twelve books of history. It records approximately 335 years of a loose
federation of the tribes of Israel before the kingdoms of
Israel were
established. Events are not written in chronological order. Rather, they
are divided into three groups: failure to complete the conquest of
Canaan; cycles of sin, repentance and deliverance; and depravity. There
is some overlapping with the events of Joshua because Israel never
completed the conquest of Canaan. This disobedience to God led Israel to
compromise with the Canaanites and their cult. As a result, Israel
became dominated by sin and oppressed by the Canaanites. There were
seven cycles in which Israel rebelled against God and subsequently
repented. Each time they repented, God raised up judges to deliver His
people from bondage of sin and oppression. God used a total of seventeen
judges who were military or civil leaders of one or more tribes. Among
them were a priest and a prophet.
The history of Judges gives us an important lesson. As believers in
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, we have crucified the passions of our flesh with Him so that sin
has no more dominion over us. Therefore, we must not compromise with sin
least we fall back into its bondage. If we sin and confess, Christ is
faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us. Among the judges of Israel
were a priest and a prophet. Christ came to us as all three.
Judges 1-3: Failure of Israel to complete the conquest of Canaan
Judges 3-16: The seven cycles of rebellion, repentance and
deliverance
Judges 17-21: The depravity of Israel while compromising with the
Canaanites