Judges 20: Are you depressed yet?

Has Judges depressed you yet? A book like this is evidence that the Bible isn’t a book that man put together to persuade people to join their own religion. The Bible is theological history. If the author of Judges was writing this to persuade people to become followers of Yahweh, he would not have included chapters 17-21. Or, maybe he does want people to become followers of Yahweh? How do these chapters help?

This story actually begins at 19:1 where it describes how Israel had no king in those days. That tells us that this was written and compiled in the days of the monarchy. The way it is written suggests that Judges thinks that there should be a king in Israel—the program of the Judges sure isn’t working.

This is supremely on display in this passage where Israel slips into Civil War. The people, clueless in how to follow him seek him as to whether they should fight one another. He “gives them over” into battle with one another and demonstrates the disaster of going generations without any spiritual leadership.

A king will be needed to be a true Spiritual leader. But even the Kings of Israel will not be strong enough to lead the people away from idolatry in there worship of Yahweh. Jesus would have to come as the true Judge and King to not just lead, but deliver a new people into a new way of life.