The Role of the Judges in Israel

I am speaking this year at the annual Freed-Hardeman University Bible lectureship on “The Role of the Judges in Israel.” Here is the full manuscript I have prepared for that lesson. At the end are the links to the two major sources I used in preparation. Hope you find it helpful.

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Before we truly get into this lecture, I’d like to make two general statements.

First, if you would like to follow along with this lecture online, or would like to review it later, the entire manuscript of what I will be saying should now be live on my blog, www.faughnfamily.com. It is the first post that should be available right now.

Second, I must admit some trepidation in speaking on this topic. When Dr. Lipe called me last year and asked me to speak, it was both an honor and humbling. But when he told me that my assigned topic was “The Role of the Judges in Israel,” my first thought—literally—was, “How do I stretch the phrase ‘they judged’ to 45 minutes?” Further, upon realizing I was speaking near the end of the lectureship, my thought was that those who have been here all week should pretty well know what the judges did!

Despite those thoughts, though, I trust that our time together this afternoon will be well-spent.

Tetelistai!

That Greek word from the lips of our Lord Jesus may seem like a strange way to begin our study from an Old Testament book. But that word, which Arthur Pink called “The Word of Victory,” will serve as a bookend to our thoughts this afternoon. When we reach that word again in a few minutes, my prayer is that we will have so wrapped up this session that our thoughts are complete.

As we begin, I want you to picture in your mind a funnel, such as you would use to put oil in your car (or, in my case, such as you would pay someone else to put the oil in your car). That picture of a funnel is going to provide us with our visual outline for this lecture.

Since the topic is singular in nature, we are going to start at the top of the funnel and expand our thoughts just a bit. We will start by thinking about the roles [plural] that some of the judges held. The goal of this exercise is to remind us all of the great diversity and individualism that was present in these 13 people.

Then, with that information in the top of our funnel, we will bring our thoughts down to the stem of the funnel, and we will go to our assigned topic. We will focus our thoughts on the singular and central role of the judges, collectively, in Israel and in God’s plan.

Finally, as that information collects in our minds, we are going to release some of it out of the bottom of the funnel in the form of application. We will have 4 quick points of application that you might wish to either preach or simply to take into your own walk of faith.

Part 1: The Diversity of the Judges

As we begin to put information into our mental funnel, we want to quickly remind ourselves of how diverse the judges were. Hopefully, you have been reminded of that this week in hearing these great lessons. Some of you have been in this room at various times throughout the week hearing tremendous lessons about individual judges and you have been reminded afresh just how different each one was from the others.

Some of these differences are extremely obvious, such as Deborah being the only female numbered as a judge for Israel. But the differences extend to many other things besides one person being a female.

Just run through the list.

Othniel had the unique quality of being related to another “worthy” of the Old Testament. Though there is an interpretive difficulty in whether Judges 3:9 means that Othniel was Caleb’s younger brother or his nephew (because Kenaz was Caleb’s younger brother), he would have known Caleb. In other words, Othniel was the judge who served as a type of bridge to the days of conquest under the leadership of Joshua. Further, he also was a decorated victor, having been the man who won the right to marry Caleb’s daughter Achsah by winning a victory over the Anakim (Joshua 15:13-17).

Ehud was left-handed, but it is more than that. The Hebrew literally states that he was “hindered in his right hand.” In other words, he had to use his left hand, because of some difficulty with his right. He was a man of courage, but also seemingly fought to overcome some physically difficulty that could have led him to not be as effective, especially as a fighting man. Instead, he used this difficulty—coupled with his cunning—to his advantage.

Though only two verses deal with Shamgar in any way (those being Judges 3:31 and 5:6), we can learn from these verses that he was either a farmer or a trader. His weapon was an ox-goad, and to be able to wield that implement in such a way as to kill 600 individuals, Shamgar had to be well-versed in using that tool. So, we can know that he either used oxen to plow fields, or he led oxen along travel or trade routes.  It is also possible that this indicates some level of cunning on his behalf, since the Philistines would not think of someone using this type of item as a weapon of war.

Deborah stands out for more than just being female. In reality, what makes Deborah unique is that she is the only judge in the book of that name who does what we think of when we think of a judge. She served as one who heard cases (or disputes) and made decisions to help the people. Judges 4:5 says that “The people of Israel came up to her for judgment,” a word that meant “to decide a case” or to “give a decision.” So here was a wise person, but also a great motivator. When Barak is fearful of fighting, it is Deborah who gives the great statement, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” (Judges 4:14)

Three chapters (6 through 8) give us the details of the life of Gideon, and we see in those chapters both the good and the bad. The text usually referred to as the “call of Gideon” (6:11-16) show us a man who believed in God, but who was, at the very least humble (as Leon Wood suggests) or downright fearful (as Gary Inrig suggests). Here is how Inrig develops his argument:

The first description we have of Gideon gives us a vivid portrait of his condition. The name Gideon means “hewer,” so he was apparently a man of physical strength. But the man we meet in verse 11 certainly does not present us with a picture of strength. Gideon’s father owned land in Ophrah, normally a very fertile part of the country. But our first sight of Gideon is as he furtively beats wheat with a stick in a winepress. Most of us who are city dwellers will not immediately catch the significance of that scene. Normally, a person would thresh wheat on a wooden threshing floor, using a threshing sledge pulled by oxen. The floor would be in an exposed place, usually the top of the hill, so that the winds would carry away the lighter chaff and leave only the heavier grain. Only the very poor would have so little grain that they would beat it with a stick, and even they wouldn’t do it in a winepress, which was usually sheltered. But these weren’t normal times. Gideon was acting as he was, cautiously beating out a few sheaves of wheat in a sheltered winepress under a tree, because he was desperately afraid that the Midianites would confiscate his meager supply. This snapshot precisely captures Gideon’s state of mind. He is a defeated, discouraged man, filled with doubts and fears. The man under the oak in Ophrah seems an unlikely candidate for heroic exploits. (Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay; page 96)

I tend to agree with Inrig, that Gideon was fearful, but believed the Lord. As his account goes on, however, we see him swing to the other end of the spectrum, overreaching his bounds in pride. But Gideon stands out because of his very meager, possibly cowardly, beginning.

After the strange saga of Abimelech in chapter 9, we are told of two other “minor” judges: Tola and Jair (Judges 10:1-5).  I am trying not to speculate in this review, but Tola seemed to have served in the same general region of where Abimelech had been such a renegade king, and possibly served to put down more of an internal threat than an external one. There is no real indication of what he did, and there is no listing of a foreign army or nation as is so common in this book.

Jair was from across the Jordan. We are told he had 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys, but he also had 30 cities. What made him different, then, was that he was a man of significant influence, probably through some type of wealth. Having this many sons and cities, he was probably something of a king, though without the title. Keep in mind that, 20 years later, the Ammonites would come and punish this region (that’s what the rest of chapter 10 describes, and where Jephtha comes into the book). It is possible that Jair judged that part of the region to avert this crisis, but the people eventually cycled back to their sinful ways as we constantly see in this book.

Jephtha is remembered to us for his infamous “rash vow,” but his background makes him stand out among the judges. Leon Wood writes:

The man God used to bring deliverance from this Ammonite scourge was Jephthah. He was the son of a Gileadiate, named Gilead, and a harlot, meaning that Jephthah was an illegitimate son in his family. He had several half-brothers who treated him unjustly because of the nature of his birth. The family home was in the region of Gilead, perhaps at Mizpah, where much of the action of the ensuing story transpired. Jephthah finally was driven from his home by his half-brothers who said they would not let him inherit from their father along with him. (Distressing Days of the Judges, page 281)

So, God could use a displaced man from a broken home to bring about his will. By the way, despite his rash vow, Jephthah needs to be looked at as a man who had quite high morals. While we cannot pick and choose what we teach about these people, his life is one that should give some hope to folks who come from very difficult families and who have a checkered past.

In quick succession, then, we are told about Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon at the end of Judges 12. We are told that Ibzan had 30 sons and 30 daughters, but that he allowed his daughters to marry outside the clan. This probably is meant to show us his prestige in that he could arrange 30 marriages, most likely to build further influence. “Outside the clan” does not mean outside the Jewish nation, but just outside those nearest to him.

Elon has the least information about him recorded. We only know where he judged and for how long. The region he served, though, was important because it was right in the middle of Canaanite influence. So here was a man that is so relatively unimportant to us, but who was thrown right into the fire, as it were, to serve.

Abdon is very similar to Jair and Ibzan in that we are only really told about his family and their prominence. He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons (he probably had more, but these are the grandsons he knew while he was living), and they each had a donkey. Again, we probably see here a man of wealth, but it may be of some significance that we see the grandsons mentioned, because that shows us his influence to another generation.

Finally, Samson the strong man. He stands out for more than just his physical strength, however. Samson stands out because of the announcement of his birth to Manoah, and because he was to be a Nazarite from birth. Interestingly, as we follow the cycles of the book of Judges, we never see a “calling out to God” prior to the birth or work of Samson. It is possible that the people had cycled so far down into the abyss of sin that they had completely forgotten the Lord. Samson serves as the last in this book, but his wavering character serves as a warning to us.

So, there you have them. The men and women who all wear the title “judge” in this great book. As you can see, we have a very diverse and varied group. Not only did they serve over an extended period of time and in quite a few different locations, but they were individuals. Their roles in life could scarcely be any different.

Part 2: The Role of the Judges

With all that information now in the top of our funnel, let’s come to the stem and narrow our focus. Let’s come to our overall question of this session: What made them the same? What was their singular role? Though they came from very different backgrounds, and though they had different talents and abilities, what were these men and women supposed to be doing for the Lord?

One of our struggles in understanding this is the use of the word “judge.” We have a picture of what Deborah did as our only real idea of that word. Deborah heard disputes and made decisions. She rendered judgment. When we consider the word “judge” that is our idea because our English word is fairly narrowly defined.

Interestingly, the Law of Moses anticipated that the people would desire someone to have this type of role among the people. In Deuteronomy 17:9 the people were told to “come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and they shall declare to you the decision.” Obviously, God knew that the people would have disputes and struggles, so He allowed for a judge—as we think of the word—to be in place to settle these struggles. Sadly, this desire became stronger in the people. Eventually, it was one of the major factors in the rejection of Samuel as the leader of the people. In actuality, the people were rejecting God due to their desire to be like the other nations. Listen to 1 Samuel 8:4-6:

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

(By the way, as a quick side note, I wonder why it didn’t displease Samuel when they said that his own sons were not walking in his ways. Just a thought.)

Other than Deborah, though, did any of the judges in that book hold a role of an arbitrator? Maybe, but it has been put forward that they may have only done that after the accounts we have recorded in the book. Once they had gained recognition and the trust of the people, it is possible that some of these judges served in that role, but such cannot be proven.

The word translated “judges” was the Hebrew term shaphat. While that word could be used in a general sense and defined as “to make a decision,” it is clearly used in a special sense throughout this book.

As a side note, the word shaphat had a general meaning, and that led it to also being used as a proper name. For example, Shaphat was one of the 10 spies of the Promised Land who brought back the fearful report (Numbers 13:5). You may also recognize this word as the name of Elisha’s father, because four times he is called “Elisha, the son of Shaphat” (1 Kings 19:16 and 19:19; 2 Kings 3:11 and 6:31).

In his excellent book The Distressing Days of the Judges, Leon Wood wrote this paragraph on page 5:

Another source of information is found in the use of the same basic word in languages akin to Hebrew. For instance, an Akkadian word shapitu is known, and it clearly meant “officer,” or “one in a place of leadership.” Or, in Phoenicia, the word shephutim has been found, and it meant “regents,” a similar idea. Among Cartheginians far to the west, who were related to the Phoenicians, chief magistrates were called suphetes, and these appear to have been similar in status to Roman consuls.

Knowing all this, we could easily conclude that these judges were simple arbitrators. However, in the book of Judges, the term shaphat, translated as “judged,” is clearly being used in a special sense and of more than just arbitration. Othniel, as one example, “judged Israel and went out to war” (Judges 3:10). His “judging,” then, included his military service and leadership. Other languages extant in the same relative time period had very similar words, and they all meant someone who was clearly a person of rank.

The key to understanding the word “judge,” though, is found in the meaning of the word as well as in a phrase found several times throughout the book. So, what was their role? Simply stated, it was deliverance. Judges 2:16 states that, when the people would finally cry out to God, “Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of those who plundered them.” The KJV, NASB, and other translations better translate the word “saved” as “delivered.” In reality, this is the key to the rest of the book, as far as understanding the central role of these men and women.

Throughout the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua, the people of God had been told to overtake the Promised Land, but one specific order was to completely drive out the pagan nations who lived there; the nations we often collectively call the Canaanites. However, the people did not follow through with completely ridding the land of these idolatrous people.

The first time we see that is in Judges 1:21: “But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jubusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.” We can almost hear the minor tones of an orchestra in the background as we read these words, portending ominous things to come.

The people of Benjamin were not the only ones to fail to drive out the pagans, however. Notice what is written in chapter 1 from verses 27 through 35:

Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shan and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling [a Hebrew phrase that can mean, “to be determined to sit down”] in that land. When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.

And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nehalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor.

Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.

Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.

The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor.

As we read those verses, we see a tension between the people’s disobedience and God’s grace. The people, simply put, did not do what God told them to do. Amazingly, though, God still let His people, though they did not follow through with His commands, to have the upper land in the Promised Land. They enslaved the pagan people, but the phrase “did not drive out” would serve as a bane to their existence, really, through nearly the end of the Old Testament canon.

If I may say a point of application here, we are not called by our Father to physically drive out pagans from our land or from our midst. We are, however, commanded to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Christians, it is more than just a message our teenagers need to hear: we cannot straddle the fence. Far too many of us like little bits of the world mixed in with our Christianity, and God would have none of that. I read to you from the opening lines of a 2003 article from the Los Angeles Times:

To someone steeped in Christianity, Judaism or Buddhism, actor Lori Alan’s self-description — “a nice Jewish, Southern Baptist, Buddhist girl” — may appear odd, if not outright contradictory.

But she is at ease with her customized spiritual arrangement.

“It works for me,” she said. “I literally feel like I am at a buffet.”

To Alan, who has a Southern Baptist mother and a Jewish father, being inside a synagogue during the High Holy Days connects her to “something that’s way larger than myself.” Attending a Southern Baptist church service and hearing the Gospel music makes her feel as if she is soaring to a “higher place within me.” And, practicing meditation and concentrating on the Buddhist emphasis on the now, calms and centers her.

Alan also appreciates the Roman Catholic Mass because “the sense of tradition in the Catholic Church is beautiful.”

She is not alone in such multiple choices.

Increasingly, Americans are becoming eclectic in what they believe, picking and choosing from here and there, as they would their wardrobe. (http://articles.latimes.com/2003/dec/27/local/me-beliefs27)

That may seem an extreme case, but it reflects exactly what happened in the book of Judges, as the people would try to live with one foot on the pathway of God, and the other on a pathway that was continually more and more pagan. Eventually, the middle road is impossible to travel.

And, by the way, we see the introduction of this before these verses. All the way back up in 1:6, we have the detail that the Israelites cut off the thumbs and big toes of a man named Adoni-Bezek. We, depending on our bent, either cringe at that detail or maybe we chuckle a little bit at the oddity of it. But why is it there? Because this was the first small step of syncretism. You see, the people were told to kill the people, but they did this act, which was done by the Canaanites themselves as a means of torture. So, even in victory, they were trying to walk both paths.

What was the result of all of this? Judges 2:1-5 makes it abundantly clear, as the Lord sends His message by an angel, telling the people, in effect, that partial obedience is not obedience. Verse 3 is the key: “So now I say, ‘I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’” Interesting, isn’t it? The Israelites thought they had the best of both worlds. They now had the land and they also had cheap labor under their control. Instead, God makes it clear that there would be trouble from now on. Such easily is illustrated throughout this book.

Amazingly, though, God’s grace is on display in this book over and over. When the “thorns” were clear, and the “snare” had entrapped the people, God raised up judges to deliver the people. He continued to be a God of grace. He continued to be true to His covenant with Abraham. He continued to love His people. He continued to forgive. He continued to deliver.

The role of the judges in Israel was that they were an instrument of God’s grace. They provided deliverance, though they were merely human instruments. In reality, their role was to be a human manifestation of the awesome and unending love and forgiveness of a God who desires to deliver when His people call to Him.

He is always watching. / He is always willing.

He is always able. / He is always available.

He is always gracious. / He is always good.

He is always desirous. / and praise be to Him, He is always delivering!

Part 3: Application

So, finally, having put the information about the judges into our funnel, and having brought our attention to the central role of deliverance, let us make just four quick points of application that we can take with us for our own lives.

1. God will punish sin, even among His chosen people.

One of the hardest things to consider when we read the book of Judges is that these are God’s chosen people. Each time I read through the Old Testament, I find myself shaking my head at how often the people just forget Him and go the way of the world. Then, when I am honest, I look at my own life and realize how often I have done the same thing. We may not bow down before a bronze figurine, but we may bow down in our hearts to ourselves or to Wall Street or to a political party.

And when we do, we must remember that God will punish sin. Two New Testament verses make that abundantly clear.

Hebrews 12:6: “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.”

Revelation 3:19: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”

We need to remind ourselves on a regular basis that God will punish sin, and that includes our sin. We can call ourselves a Christian and read the Bible all we want, but God knows our heart and will not let sin stand in our lives. While a difficult lesson to hear, it is one I need often.

2. God plus anything else is not acceptable.

We already talked about this for a few moments, but we need to build into our lives and into the lives of our fellow Christians that we simply cannot be people who try to walk two paths at the same time.

God is love, for sure, but He is also a jealous God! He will not stand for being just one among several allegiances. I can be faithful to my wife and children, but they can never take the place of God. I can enjoy hobbies or work, but they are not God; in fact, I am to do those things to His glory.

Most of us in this room would never think of mixing religions (I hope) and thinking that is acceptable to God, but some of us need to remind ourselves that this is not just a religious statement. We cannot add anything to God’s position of first in our lives. We must “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

3. God utilizes human leaders to accomplish great things.

We never need to cause people to be arrogant, but if there was ever a time when people need to hear that they can accomplish great things with God, it is now. People are being fed the line that they can accomplish great things apart from God, or that they can only accomplish great things on their own.

These judges, so far as we can tell, were just average people. They might have had some specific skill or talent, but it doesn’t seem as if they all had amazing connections or were the most popular person among God’s people. Yet, when you look at what they did, there can be no doubt that God was behind their work.

I think we used to preach a lot more about how God used the ordinary and made it extraordinary. My friend Gary Knuckles preached a sermon that I have basically, well, ripped off from one of the judges: Shamgar. If you read the two verses dealing with his life, Judges 3:31 and 5:6, you will see that Shamgar did, he did what he could, he did what he could with what he had, and he did what he could with what he had where he was.

That lesson can be applied to so many men and women in Scripture, and people need to hear that! Whether it is David’s sling or Moses’ staff; whether it is Esther’s courage or Tabitha’s tunics; whether it is Samson’s strength or Peter’s foot-shaped mouth; God used some very ordinary people to do amazing things, and He still does.

4. We should be grateful for our great Deliverer.

The judges were deliverers. They did God’s will in leading the people out of foreign oppression and other difficult circumstances, but they were still just people.

We have a far-greater Deliverer. He leads us out of a kingdom of darkness and into a kingdom of light. He provides continual cleansing for our sins if we will but walk the path of His deliverance. He will deliver over His kingdom to His Father for eternal bliss in heaven at the end of time.

Conclusion

Each time the people cried out to God in the book of Judges, He was gracious and merciful. Through that grace and that mercy, He sent a deliverer who did just what was required in that hour of need. Once the foreign army had been put down or the people of God were free, they had to think that it was all done.

Tragically, the cycles in this book continued, and the whole thing had to start over again. People are truly stubborn sometimes. So, another judge had to come…and then another and another.

Today, we do not have human deliverers like Gideon or Deborah. We have One glorious Judge who did not just offer deliverance; He took our place.

And, in His grace and mercy, He gave the word of victory, tetelistai!

It. Is. Finished.

Praise God! We have been delivered.

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Sources:

1. Distressing Days of the Judges by Leon Wood. $42.00 on Amazon (this book is out of print, but worth the investment)

2. Hearts of Fire, Feet of Clay by Gary Inrig. $13.99 on Amazon (this book has some denomination dogma in it, but is a very helpful guide to the book of Judges, especially for preachers)

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