W. Robert Godfrey

Because they need a perfect king, an obedient king, a faithful king, a king after God's own heart who obeys him in all things.

So all of this is preparing us to see our need of King Jesus.

And that's why this is so helpful.

But we can't just say, now you don't need to read Judges and the historical books anymore because the only message is you need King Jesus.

They help us see all kinds of particular ways in which we need King Jesus.

And so that's what we're going to find, I think, in a way that's helpful and encouraging.

I hope in the long run this will be encouraging for us.

And so God, in the need of his people, institutes the office of judge.

Now the word judge is perhaps not the happiest translation.

The Hebrew word is a kind of common word and sort of means decider.

It's not a technical term.

It's nothing really like a judge in a court as we understand a judge today.

It's just kind of a leader.

and a leader who makes the decisions for the people.

It's a rather common Hebrew word, and so we have to get out of our minds that this is some judicial activity.

It's a leader who's going to lead the people against their sins, but usually also against their enemies.

Because what's been happening in Israel is that when Israel sins, God punishes his people by bringing enemies to oppress them.

And it's as if God is saying to his people, if you will ignore me, if you are going to violate my law, if you're going to embrace sin, then I'm going to show you what it's like to be controlled by sin.

And I'm going to do that by bringing in pagan enemies to oppress you.

And so the judges are regularly described as deliverers.