A Teaching Outline for the Book of Judges

Christ or chaos. In a fallen world, those are the only two options. On account of Adam’s sin in the garden, all of humanity has been brought under a curse, conceived in rebellion, enslaved to Satan, alienated from God, and rightly headed toward eternal condemnation. In their natural condition, every individual—and consequently, every society—is in a downward spiral. Though outwardly there may be varying degrees of social order, thanks to the restraining hand of God, the fundamental bent of the human heart is toward idolatry such that moral dysfunction is the inevitable outcome (cf. Rom. 1:18-32). Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no legitimately transcendent basis for morality, only the philosophical and religious schemes of man that mask symptoms of a deeper depravity. Ethically unmoored from Jesus, virtue is just cultural preference. Decency is subject to public opinion. Principles are no longer derived by eternal values, but majority vote, pragmatic expediency, and the shifting sands of moral relativism. Reject the Lawgiver and you’re left with lawlessness.

The book of Judges illustrates this with striking clarity.

Opening with a “double introduction” (consisting of the first two chapters), the book begins by describing how the nation of Israel fell into apostasy after the death of Joshua by accommodating, rather than eliminating, the inhabitants of Canaan (cf. Judg. 1:19-21, 27-36). The second introductory unit then outlines the cyclical pattern of Israel’s apostasy and God’s repeated deliverance of the nation (cf. Judg. 2:11-17). Rebellion, ruin, rescue, rest—over and over for nearly three hundred and fifty years.

The Lord had warned the nation, saying, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become as thorns in your sides and their gods shall be a snare to you’” (Judg. 2:1b-3). Indeed, the inhabitants did become a snare, leading Israel into corruption through idolatry. The Israelites violated their covenant promises God, and in divine judgment they were taken captive by those of the surrounding areas. The nations became thorns in their side, just as God said.

Yet, because of His gracious covenant-keeping love, God rescued them from their trial by empowering particular Israelites (“judges,” a word referring to deliverers and rescuers) to lead the nation in overcoming their enemies. “When the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them” (Judge. 2:18). Unfortunately, the nation’s piety was short-lived: “But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways” (Judg. 2:19). This ongoing cycle represented not only the deceitfulness of sin and the folly of superficial repentance, but also highlighted the quickly disastrous effects of neglected discipleship. The fact that generation after generation would forget about Yahweh’s most recent saving work indicated that the Israelite parents were not discipling their children (cf. Deut. 6:6-7), and that the Levites were not teaching the people (cf. Deut. 33:10).

In fact, Psalm 78:5-7 perfectly summarizes the mindset that should’ve characterized each and every parent: “For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” But that didn’t happen. And the same danger presents itself for professing Christians today: those who fail to teach their children the Scriptures, allow those same children to be educated in Christless institutions, and disregard committed membership in an expositional church are likewise on the road to heartache.

After introducing the trajectory of the nation of Israel, the writer spent the majority of the book narrating various accounts of the first twelve judges of Israel (Eli and Samuel, described after the book of Judges, would bring the total number of judges to fourteen, cf. 1 Sam. 4:18, 7:15). In various ways, each judge that the Lord raised up presented a unique reminder that “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” (1 Cor. 1:27). Each episode displays an element of surprise, sin, shame, or struggle showing that it was not ultimately the judge himself (or herself) who saved Israel, but it was God—using the judge—who saved Israel. Twelve judges, twelve accounts of grace.

The first judge of Israel was Othniel, a relative of the faithful spy, Caleb (cf. Judg. 2:9). With the Holy Spirit upon him, Othniel was able to lead a military effort against Cushan-rishathaim and free Israel from slavery to Mesopotamia. Incredibly, his effort led to forty years of rest for the nation. As this was the first major act of rescue from oppressors in the land of Canaan, it also serves as the first example of undeserved well-being and solace from God. Following the template, this initial account outlined the basic cycle of apostasy: rebellion against God (cf. Judg. 3:7), ruin under an enemy nation (cf. Judg. 3:8), rescue through a judge (cf. Judg. 3:9-10), and rest in the land (cf. Judg. 3:11).

In contrast with the Old Covenant, in which only particular people, like Othniel, were filled or empowered by the Holy Spirit—and for limited, special service (cf. Judg. 16:20, 1 Sam. 16:14)—all believers in the New Covenant are indwelt by the Spirit, permanently (cf. John 14:16, Heb. 8:11, Rom. 8:11). For that reason, Christians never need to offer a worried, Old Covenant prayer that says, “Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psa. 51:11). From the least to the greatest, and from regeneration to resurrection, the Holy Spirit is forever with New Covenant believers!

Continuing on, the writer of Judges documented how the generation that enjoyed Othniel’s provided rest failed to disciple their children for those forty years (reminiscent of the forty-year failure of the wilderness generation, cf. Num. 14:33). So often, people ask God for material prosperity, when it is that very prosperity that so often becomes a spiritual snare (cf. Mark 10:23, 1 Tim. 6:9). From abundance springs apathy, and from apathy, apostasy. “Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judg. 3:12). But in repeated grace, God raised up Ehud, a left-handed deliverer from the tribe of Benjamin (cf. Judg. 3:15). In unconventional warfare, Ehud met with King Eglon in private, concealing his dagger in the opposite side of his cloak than was expected by Eglon’s guards, and assassinated the king. The Moabites would end up being defeated under Ehud’s leadership, bringing about an astounding eighty years of rest in the land (cf. Judg. 3:30). A second serving of grace yielded a double-dose of rest.

After him, Shamgar was raised up to rescue Israel from the Philistines, after (presuambly) another period of apostasy (cf. Judg. 3:31). Using a most unusual weapon in combat, an oxgoad (an eight-foot long, pointed instrument used for farming with oxen), Shamgar was but another reminder that God can use the seemingly unusable to secure victory. As the Apostle Paul said, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor. 4:7). When God uses earthen vessels—or in the case of Shamgar, a farming tool—it brings all glory to Him alone. Unique victory points to the unique ability of the unique God (cf. Exod. 15:11).

When the Israelites “again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judg. 4:1), they were conquered by the Canaanites for twenty years, and Deborah was raised up as the deliverer (cf. Judg. 4:3-4). As one who was already leading Israel at the time, Deborah’s position of power represented a pitiable lack of male leadership in the nation, which was a spiritually low point in and of itself. As Isaiah the prophet would lament centuries later, “O My people! Their oppressors are children, and women rule over them” (Isa. 3:12). Far from justifying the idea of women governing a nation, Deborah’s service as a judge was but a further indictment on Israel—and even she knew it. When Barak and other cowardly Israelites requested her help in battle, she replied, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman” (Judg. 4:9). Through the brave efforts of another woman, Jael, the Canaanite commander Sisera met his death (cf. Judg. 4:21-22). Deborah would end up singing a song to commemorate it (cf. Judg. 5:1). Once again, God used the weak things of the world to shame the strong—and in this case, specifically, the “weaker vessels” (women, cf. 1 Pet. 3:7) to shame the stronger vessels. The men of Israel should have recognized how their sinful passivity had resulted in civic dysfunction, just as Christian men today should recognize the sinful dysfunction of allowing women to govern in the spheres of church or state (cf. 1 Tim. 2:12). Though men and women are equal in value, they differ in roles, and when those roles are respected it magnifies God’s wisdom and adorns God’s gospel (cf. Titus 2:5-8, 1 Tim. 5:8).

As the chaos and confusion in the land continued, Gideon was raised up as the next judge to rescue the people (cf. Judg. 6:7-12). After a series of doubts about his fitness for leadership, Gideon was reassured by God and led a miraculous attack upon the Midianites. Rather than bringing over 30,000 Israelites into battle, God reduced the number down to 300, once again showing that the number of of troops were irrelevant when they had help “in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psa. 124:8). To determine which troops would remain to fight, God told Gideon to remove “everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, [that is,] everyone who kneels to drink” (Judg. 7:5). Those, on the other hand, who cupped the water in their hands and stood to drink were to remain. Using the remaining men, God won the victory for Israel (cf. Judg. 7:20-25).

Unfortunately, the magnificence of Gideon’s leadership in Israel was followed by the wickedness of his son Abimelech’s three-year tyranny in Israel (cf. Judg. 9:1-6). The effect of Gideon’s polygamous relationships manifested itself in strife and bloodshed, in which Abimelech murdered seventy of his brothers (only one escaped), put down a rebellion in Shechem, and ultimately died at the hands of his fellow Israelites (cf. Judg. 9:55-57). As if enemy nations weren’t enough of a problem, the nation of Israel had turned on itself. Such is the inevitable rot that comes from a people who try to live apart from God’s wisdom: “But he who sins against me injures himself; all those who hate me love death” (Prov. 8:36).

Although little is said of the next two judges, Tola and Jair, their relative obscurity speaks volumes (cf. Judg. 10:1-5). In spite of their sin (Jair’s thirty sons were undoubtedly the product of polygamy, for example), they played an instrumental role for nearly half a century as they saved the nation. Thankfully, God’s people don’t need to be famous in the eyes of man, just faithful in the eyes of God. If you “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands” (1 Thess. 4:11), that’s often the most straightforward path to hearing, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:23). Similarly, a local church need not have a large membership in order to have an outsized influence. A small church is a big deal when unknown pastors make Christ well-known.

The events surrounding the next judge, Jephthah, were far more sensational than the previous two (cf. Judg. 11:1). When the Israelites reluctantly called Jephthah into leadership, after initially rejecting him (cf. Judg. 11:2-11), Jepthah was empowered by the Spirit to go into battle against the Ammonites (cf. Judg. 11:29). Astonishingly, Jephthah made a completely unnecessary vow to God prior to battle: “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering” (Judg. 11:30-31). After making a foolish promise to give a burnt offering to the Lord (since his vow is best understood as “…and he would offer it up,” rather than “…or he would offer it up” as in other translations), his one and only child—a daughter—came out to meet him, and he subsequently committed human sacrifice. Tragically, the sacrifice of his daughter was indeed a literal burnt offering, not a sort of “lifelong dedication to work at the tabernacle” (which wouldn’t have necessitated a two-month period of mourning on her part, nor would it have justified enacting an annual commemoration). Truth be told, the horror of Jephthah’s rash vow needs no defending nor sanitizing. On the contrary, the despicable, pagan nature of the act of killing his daughter is precisely intended to show just how Canaanized the nation of Israel had become. Perhaps most twisted of all is that Jephthah’s daughter agreed to be sacrificed (cf. Judg. 11:36)! This parent’s false religion had permeated the heart of his child—as it so often does today.

After describing another group of almost entirely unknown judges, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon (cf. Judg. 12-8-15), the final account portrays the life of the most well-known: Samson. Conceived unexpectedly by a previously barren mother, Samson’s life took on the characteristics of a Nazirite vow, requiring him to let his hair grow, abstain from wine, and avoid defilement from corpses (cf. Num. 6:1-8). Although Israelites would typically take on this vow voluntarily, God initiated the vow in this case to begin saving Israel from their forty-year subjugation under the Philistines. To that point, one of the most striking features of the account is that it lacks any mention of the nation crying out for rescue. Whether the Israelites had lost all hope in being delivered, or had simply grown accustomed to life under the rule of pagans, the fact is that they made no motion toward Yahweh for relief. It was as if they had said, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us?” (Judg. 15:11) in a casual tone! And yet, in grace upon grace, God made the first move. He reached out to a nation that was in so much bondage that even their self-awareness was held captive—just as when God saves His people from their sins. Far from being “free,” every person comes into this world with a will that is enslaved to sin and Satan (cf. Rom. 6:6-7, 2 Tim. 2:26). No man seeks for God (cf. Rom. 3:11). No man has a spiritual capacity for truth (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14). No man has the desire to repent of his sin (cf. John 3:19-20). But God, according to His sovereign mercy, comes to seek and save the lost. He unilaterally tracks down those He has chosen for salvation, granting them a new heart (cf. Ezek. 36:26), saving faith (cf. Phil. 1:29), and genuine repentance (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25). We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)! This is the type of redemptive paradigm at work in the days of Samson.

While showcasing Samson’s incredible God-given strength, in which he tore a lion to pieces with his bare hands (cf. Judg. 14:5-6), caught three hundred foxes (cf. Judg. 15:4), and killed a thousand men single-handedly (cf. Judg. 15:15), the account doesn’t overlook his fatal flaw: Samson was a man who was strong enough to defeat his enemies, but not strong enough to defeat his sin. He disobeyed Mosaic Law by marrying a foreign woman simply because “she looked good” (Judg. 14:7). He violated his God-given Nazirite requirements when he touched a lion carcass and donkey jawbone (cf. Judg. 14:8, 15:15). He transgressed the most basic form of godliness when he committed sexual immorality in Gaza with a harlot (cf. Judg. 16:1). Ultimately, his demise accelerated when he pursued a third Philistine woman named Delilah (cf. Judg. 16:4). As with the other women, Samson walked according to the eyes of his flesh, and ironically, it cost him those very eyes (cf. Judg. 16:21). Delilah learned that the secret to his God-given strength was his hair, and when the rest of the Philistines—eager for revenge—found out about it, they captured him and mocked him in their temple to the false god Dagon. Yet, in one final act of repentance and faith, Samson called out to God, and God heard his prayer (cf. Judg. 16:28). No longer having the eyes of the flesh, Samson was forced to rely on the eyes of faith (cf. Heb. 11:1, 32). The result? One last burst of Spirit-empowered strength to collapse the Philistine’s temple upon all who were inside (cf. Judg. 16:29-31). So often, we think it is in spite of God’s goodness when He takes away things in this life which we hold dear, when in reality it is because of God’s goodness that He removes those things—the very things that are causing nothing but spiritual harm. Better to enter heaven eyeless than hell with 20/20 vision (cf. Matt. 5:29-30). Just ask Samson.

The third and final section of the book of Judges narrates several accounts that show the depths of depravity to which the nation fell. Although these events are presented after the descriptions of the judges, they actually occurred near the beginning of the time period. The evidence of this is found in the reference to Jonathan, the grandson of Moses (cf. Judg. 18:30) and Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron (cf. Judg. 20:28), both of whom would have been long dead by the time of Samson, the last judge in the book. Why then did the writer place these events out of chronological order? Why save them until the end? It was in order to make his thematic point clear: the crescendo of depravity in the final chapters indicates just how paganized the nation had become. In fact, the events not only show the degree of evil committed by Israel, but how widespread it was. In both depth and breadth, Israel had turned from the Lord.

This apostasy was depicted by the moral compromise of a single household (cf. Judg. 17), followed by the moral confusion of a six-hundred-person army (cf. Judg. 18), and then the moral collapse of a whole city (cf. Judg. 19), followed by moral calamity involving the entire nation (cf. Judg. 20:11). Like an infectious disease, sin had thoroughly permeated the covenant people of God (cf. 1 Cor. 5:6, 2 Tim. 2:17). They had been corrupted through and through. In fact, they were just like Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Gen. 19:4-7, Judg. 19:22-23, Isa. 1:10)!

It’s no surprise then, that the book of Judges begins, continues, and ends with the Israelites “weeping” (cf. Judg. 2:4-5, 11:37-38, 20:23). Such is the effect of sin; it always over-promises and under-delivers. Unfortunately, much of the Israelites’ sorrow was worldly rather than godly—grief over their circumstances rather than their sin (cf. 2 Cor. 7:10).

The book ends with a kind of tit-for-tat, relativistic, moral pragmatism, in which the tribes justified their actions not on the basis of God’s standards, but on the basis of comparison to the actions of others (cf. Judg. 20:1ff). The tribe of Benjamin was nearly slaughtered to extinction by their fellow Israelites—but, after all, they figured Benjamin deserved it for acting like Sodom (nevermind the fact that the rest of the nation was morally compromised!). The town of Jabesh-gilead was destroyed by their fellow Israelites—but, after all, they supposed it was deserved because the city failed to send troops into battle with them against Benjamin (ignoring the fact that God judged 40,000 Israelites for attacking Benjamin!). The daughters of Shiloh were kidnapped in order to become wives for the dwindling population of Benjamin—but, after all, that plan of action seemed necessary since the daughters technically couldn’t be given in marriage to the Benjamites due to the vow they had made (which conveniently overlooked the sheer hypocrisy of the plan!).

This ethical stew of truth mixed with error is enough to make one sick. Ironically, to walk away from the book of Judges feeling sick means that the book’s purpose has been rightly understood! This harrowing portion of Scripture is precisely intended to whet the hearer’s redemptive appetite. Is there anyone who can lead righteously?

Of course, that question should not only be asked of the book of Judges, but of the world even today. And there are still only two outcomes: Christ or chaos. When Jesus returns He will answer the question by showing the world what true law and order looks like. In the past period of the judges, there was “no king in Israel” (Judg. 21:25). In the present Church Age dispensation, God is not “restoring the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). But in the future Day of the Lord, Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives and “be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one” (Zech. 14:9). At that point, no longer will everyone do what is right in his own eyes. “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land” (Jer. 23:5). “And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3).

Until then, we must remember that although the world may be in moral chaos, it’s never in providential chaos. What looks like anarchy to man is but the outworking of our God’s omnisapient plan. In fact, the book of Judges indicates, in several places, that God was sovereign over every event—even the sins that occurred. When the Moabites killed Israelites and captured one of their cities, it was because “the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel” (Judg. 3:12). When Abimelech and the Shechemites began fighting against each other, it was only after “God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem” (Judg. 9:23). When Samson violated Mosaic Law by marrying a Philistine woman, it was “of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines” (Judg. 14:4). God had a plan then; He has a plan now. We can trust Him.

As you teach through this dark period of the book of Judges, be sure to point your hearers to the Light of the world so that they, too, can be rescued from the darkness of this present evil age. The following outline is offered to help.

The Start to Apostasy (Judges 1:1-2:5)

Conquest in the South (Judg. 1:1-18)

Compromise in the South (Judg. 1:19-21)

Conquest in the North (Judg. 1:22-26)

Compromise in the North (Judg. 1:27-36)

Condemnation at Gilgal (Judg. 2:1-5)

The Sequence of Apostasy (Judges 2:6-3:6)

Complacency in Discipleship (Judg. 2:6-10)

Corruption by Idolatry (Judg. 2:11-13)

Captivity to Enemies (Judg. 2:14-15)

Compassion from God (Judg. 2:16-19)

Causes of Testing (Judg. 2:20-3:6)

Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar: Undeserved Well-being, Unconventional Warfare, Unusual Weapon (Judges 3:7-31)

Rebellion against God (Judg. 3:7)

Ruin under Mesopotamia (Judg. 3:8)

Rescue through Othniel (Judg. 3:9-10)

Rest in the Land (Judg. 3:11)

Rebellion against God (Judg. 3:12)

Ruin under Moab (Judg. 3:13-14)

Rescue through Ehud (Judg. 3:15-29)

Rest in the Land (Judg. 3:30)

Rescue through Shamgar (Judg. 3:31)

Deborah: Undaunted Woman (Judges 4:1-24)

Sin against God (Judg. 4:1)

Slavery under Canaan (Judg. 4:2)

Spinelessness of Barak (Judg. 4:3-10)

Slaughter with Deborah (Judg. 4:11-16)

Stabbing by Jael (Judg. 4:17-22)

Safety in the Land (Judg. 4:23-24)

Deborah’s Song of Contrasts (Judges 5:1-31)

The Victorious God (Judg. 5:1-5)

The Vulnerable People (Judg. 5:6-11c)

The Courageous Tribes (Judg. 5:11d-15a)

The Cowardly Tribes (Judg. 5:15b-23)

The Fearless Woman (Judg. 5:24-27)

The Fearful Woman (Judg. 5:28-31)

Gideon: Unnecessary Worrier (Judges 6:1-40)

Rebellion against God (Judg. 6:1)

Ruin under Midian (Judg. 6:2-6)

Rebuke through a Prophet (Judg. 6:7-10)

Raising Up of Gideon (Judg. 6:11-24)

Removal of Idols (Judg. 6:25-32)

Rallying of Israel (Judg. 6:33-35)

Reassurance by a Miracle (Judg. 6:36-40)

Gideon’s Victory over Midian (Judges 7:1-25)

The People Condensed to Three Hundred (Judg. 7:1-8)

The Promise Confirmed by a Dream (Judg. 7:9-18)

The Panic Caused by God (Judg. 7:19-23)

The Princes Captured by Israel (Judg. 7:24-25)

Gideon’s Leadership in Israel (Judges 8:1-32)

The Diplomacy toward Uninvolved Israelites (Judg. 8:1-3)

The Declaration against Uncooperative Israelites (Judg. 8:4-9)

The Death of Unsuspecting Israelites (Judg. 8:10-17)

The Demand upon an Unwilling Israelite (Judg. 8:18-21)

The Disgrace among Undiscerning Israelites (Judg. 8:22-28)

The Decline of Ungodly Israelites (Judg. 8:29-32)

Abimelech’s Tyranny in Israel (Judges 8:33-9:57)

The Disloyal Apostasy after the Death of Gideon (Judg. 8:33-35)

The Devious Conspiracy between Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg. 9:1-6)

The Destructive Outcome Predicted by Jotham (Judg. 9:7-21)

The Demonic Hostility between Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg. 9:22-25)

The Defiant Rebellion against Abimelech (Judg. 9:26-34)

The Deadly Assault of the Shechemites (Judg. 9:35-49)

The Deadly Assault of Abimelech (Judg. 9:50-54)

The Divine Justice Served to Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg. 9:55-57)

Tola, Jair, Jephthah: Unknown Warrior, Uncommon Wealth, Unwanted Wanderer (Judges 10:1-11:11)

Rescue through Tola (Judg. 10:1-2)

Rescue through Jair (Judg. 10:3-5)

Rebellion against God (Judg. 10:6)

Ruin under Philistia and Ammon (Judg. 10:7-9)

Raising Up of Jephthah (Judg. 10:10-11:11)

Jephthah’s Sacrifice of His Daughter (Judges 11:12-12:7)

Multifaceted Attempt at Diplomacy (Judg. 11:12-28)

Misguided Vow for Victory (Judg. 11:29-33)

Monstrous Act of Paganism (Judg. 11:34-40)

Militant Aftermath between Tribes (Judg. 12:1-7)

Ibzan, Elon, Abdon: Unmatched Weddings, Unexplained Work, Unparalleled Worth (Judges 12:8-15)

Rescue through Ibzan (Judg. 12:8-10)

Rescue through Elon (Judg. 12:11-12)

Rescue through Abdon (Judg. 12:13-15)

Samson: Unexpected Wonder (Judges 13:1-25)

Ruin under Philistia (Judg. 13:1)

Revelation of a Deliverer (Judg. 13:2-7)

Request for Instruction (Judg. 13:8-14)

Recognition of God (Judg. 13:15-23)

Raising Up of Samson (Judg. 13:24-25)

Samson’s Marriage to a Philistine (Judges 14:1-20)

God’s Providence Unfolded through Samson’s Marriage (Judg. 14:1-4)

God’s Power Demonstrated by Samson’s Strength (Judg. 14:5-6)

God’s Plan Advanced through Samson’s Riddle (Judg. 14:7-18)

God’s Purpose Fulfilled through Samson’s Vengeance (Judg. 14:19-20)

Samson’s Strength against the Philistines (Judges 15:1-20)

Arson with Animal Tails (Judg. 15:1-5)

Assault upon Enemy Soldiers (Judg. 15:6-8)

Attack with a Donkey Jawbone (Judg. 15:9-17)

Assistance from Miraculous Water (Judg. 15:18-20)

Samson’s Downfall with the Philistines (Judges 16:1-31)

Following the Eyes of the Flesh (Judg. 16:1-3)

Forfeiting the Source of Strength (Judg. 16:4-20)

Following the Eyes of Faith (Judg. 16:21-28)

Finding the Source of Strength (Judg. 16:29-31)

Moral Compromise in a Household (Judges 17:1-13)

Parental Theft (Judg. 17:1-2)

Profane Idolatry (Judg. 17:3-4)

Privatized Worship (Judg. 17:5-6)

Priestly Dereliction (Judg. 17:7-9)

Profiteering Ministry (Judg. 17:10-12)

Pagan Superstition (Judg. 17:13)

Moral Confusion in an Army (Judges 18:1-31)

Blasphemous Peace (Judg. 18:1-6)

Baseless Plan (Judg. 18:7-13)

Brutal Plunder (Judg. 18:14-21)

Bewildered Plea (Judg. 18:22-26)

Blatant Paganism (Judg. 18:27-31)

Moral Collapse in a City (Judges 19:1-30)

Ungodly Dysfunction (Judg. 19:1-2)

Unwelcoming Disservice (Judg. 19:3-15)

Unnatural Depravity (Judg. 19:16-25)

Unparalleled Disaster (Judg. 19:26-30)

Moral Calamity in a Nation (Judges 20:1-48)

Determined Retribution (Judg. 20:1-11)

Defiant Response (Judg. 20:12-17)

Disastrous Result (Judg. 20:18-44)

Defeated Retreat (Judg. 20:45-48)

Moral Chaos without Christ (Judges 21:1-25)

Hypothetical Extinction (Judg. 21:1-3)

Heinous Execution (Judg. 21:4-15)

Hypocritical Exception (Judg. 21:16-25)