I’ve started a study on the book of Judges. A local church Bible group is doing a study of it, and though it didn’t work out to attend that one, the book of Judges is a good study topic, a book not often thought of for Bible study yet, as always with God’s word, quite appropriate and relevant for our day.
Dr. Alan Cairns (see previous post) did a 23-part series in the book of Judges (1989-1990)– not covering every chapter and verse but on quite a few passages, starting with Judges 1 and 3 in a look at the life of Othniel, the first judge. For more detailed study of all 21 chapters, verse by verse, a good commentary I found, from an author recommended by Charles Spurgeon, is “Notes, Practical and Expository, on the Book of Judges,” by 19th century scholar George Bush — a distant relative/ancestor of the recent U.S. Presidents.
Judges is a book relevant for our time, an age of apostasy, as Dr. Cairns noted in his first sermon. The particular apostasy he noted was the influence of Roman Catholicism and surveys showing the lack of doctrinal knowledge by Protestants (who by their answers to questions appeared to believe Roman Catholicism instead of Protestant theology). The apostasy is much more pronounced now, a generation later.
Othniel was the first of the twelve Judges in the Book of Judges — along with a 13th, Abimelech. From the references to him in Judges 1:13, and again in Judges 3:9-11, here are some interesting observations about Othniel, including ways that he can be considered a type of Christ.
First, Othniel’s name means “Lion of God,” and our Lord is referred to also as a Lion, the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” Like Christ, Othniel was called by God, raised up for conflicts and for conquest. Othniel delivered the people from their bondage (Judges 3:9). Othniel purchased his bride (Judges 1:13), again a type/illustration of what Christ accomplished for His people.
From Bush’s commentary on Judges chapter 1, another interesting observation: life for the Israelites during this era was not always one of conflict and falling away. This book highlights the times when the people were disobedient, and the continual cycle of disobedience, punishment, and deliverance — through a judge brought to the scene, to deliver the people and bring them back to the Lord. Yet peaceful times, many years at a time, are mentioned in brief sentences, years we are told almost nothing about. In Othniel’s day, for instance, after the war and conquest by Othniel we are told that the land had rest for 40 years (Judges 3:11).
Here I recall a “Chronicles of Narnia” scene in which C.S. Lewis depicted this idea, that there are times of peace during which little appears to happen, punctuated by great dramatic times of conflict and conquest: the children entering Narnia had only visited at the major, important times of crisis in the land’s history, but the Narnians recalled living through the ordinary, routine years of peace. So with the book of Judges, we do see a lot of conflict, and a lot of apostasy throughout, but (by God’s grace) there were respites, times of peace for the Israelites. Of these years, though, we are only told the consequence, in the terrible reality of human sin and depravity: those years of peace only brought about complacency and worldliness, for the people to forget about God and to quit serving Him. Then another era of oppression, also lasting several years at a time, would come, before God would again send another judge to deliver His people.
The first chapter of Judges has a few other positive lessons, from the good things that occurred before the disappointments: Judah and Simeon worked together as a team (Judges 1:3-5). One group was stronger and the leader (Judah), and Simeon assisted. Commentator George Bush notes the lessons:
Judah therefore must lead in this perilous enterprise; for God not only appoints service according to the strength and ability he has given, but ‘would also have the burden of honor and the burden of labor go together.’ Those who have the precedency in rank, reputation, or influence, should always be disposed to go before others in every good work, undismayed by danger, difficulty, or obloquy, that they may encourage others by their example. … [Regarding Simeon]: ‘Observe here that the strongest should not despise but desire the assistance even of those that are weaker. It becomes Israelites to help one another against Canaanites; and all Christians, even those of different tribes, to strengthen one another’s hands against the common interests of Satan’s kingdom.’ Henry.
Another commentary I’ll be referencing along the way is the well-known Matthew Henry commentary, a standard go-to commentary for most books of the Bible for his insights and applications in the details of these texts. (As seen in the above excerpt from Bush, he also included selections from Matthew Henry in his commentary.) All three of these — the two commentaries, and Alan Cairns’ sermons series, are good study helps as I continue this study, past the first chapter and through the rest of the book.
Scripture Thoughts 
Study: The Book of Judges, and Othniel as a Type of Christ
I’ve started a study on the book of Judges. A local church Bible group is doing a study of it, and though it didn’t work out to attend that one, the book of Judges is a good study topic, a book not often thought of for Bible study yet, as always with God’s word, quite appropriate and relevant for our day.
Dr. Alan Cairns (see previous post) did a 23-part series in the book of Judges (1989-1990)– not covering every chapter and verse but on quite a few passages, starting with Judges 1 and 3 in a look at the life of Othniel, the first judge. For more detailed study of all 21 chapters, verse by verse, a good commentary I found, from an author recommended by Charles Spurgeon, is “Notes, Practical and Expository, on the Book of Judges,” by 19th century scholar George Bush — a distant relative/ancestor of the recent U.S. Presidents.
Judges is a book relevant for our time, an age of apostasy, as Dr. Cairns noted in his first sermon. The particular apostasy he noted was the influence of Roman Catholicism and surveys showing the lack of doctrinal knowledge by Protestants (who by their answers to questions appeared to believe Roman Catholicism instead of Protestant theology). The apostasy is much more pronounced now, a generation later.
Othniel was the first of the twelve Judges in the Book of Judges — along with a 13th, Abimelech. From the references to him in Judges 1:13, and again in Judges 3:9-11, here are some interesting observations about Othniel, including ways that he can be considered a type of Christ.
First, Othniel’s name means “Lion of God,” and our Lord is referred to also as a Lion, the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” Like Christ, Othniel was called by God, raised up for conflicts and for conquest. Othniel delivered the people from their bondage (Judges 3:9). Othniel purchased his bride (Judges 1:13), again a type/illustration of what Christ accomplished for His people.
From Bush’s commentary on Judges chapter 1, another interesting observation: life for the Israelites during this era was not always one of conflict and falling away. This book highlights the times when the people were disobedient, and the continual cycle of disobedience, punishment, and deliverance — through a judge brought to the scene, to deliver the people and bring them back to the Lord. Yet peaceful times, many years at a time, are mentioned in brief sentences, years we are told almost nothing about. In Othniel’s day, for instance, after the war and conquest by Othniel we are told that the land had rest for 40 years (Judges 3:11).
Here I recall a “Chronicles of Narnia” scene in which C.S. Lewis depicted this idea, that there are times of peace during which little appears to happen, punctuated by great dramatic times of conflict and conquest: the children entering Narnia had only visited at the major, important times of crisis in the land’s history, but the Narnians recalled living through the ordinary, routine years of peace. So with the book of Judges, we do see a lot of conflict, and a lot of apostasy throughout, but (by God’s grace) there were respites, times of peace for the Israelites. Of these years, though, we are only told the consequence, in the terrible reality of human sin and depravity: those years of peace only brought about complacency and worldliness, for the people to forget about God and to quit serving Him. Then another era of oppression, also lasting several years at a time, would come, before God would again send another judge to deliver His people.
The first chapter of Judges has a few other positive lessons, from the good things that occurred before the disappointments: Judah and Simeon worked together as a team (Judges 1:3-5). One group was stronger and the leader (Judah), and Simeon assisted. Commentator George Bush notes the lessons:
Another commentary I’ll be referencing along the way is the well-known Matthew Henry commentary, a standard go-to commentary for most books of the Bible for his insights and applications in the details of these texts. (As seen in the above excerpt from Bush, he also included selections from Matthew Henry in his commentary.) All three of these — the two commentaries, and Alan Cairns’ sermons series, are good study helps as I continue this study, past the first chapter and through the rest of the book.