As the second half of Judges begins, God remains faithful and, inexplicably, men are still unfaithful. This
is the unchanging pattern of Judges. It is the story of God who is faithful to His promise to love and, at the same time, faithful to His promise to judge. The book of Judges shows us what happens not only when we seek salvation in false gods but when you put your hope for rescue in men (or ourselves), even God’s “best”. The truth is, the “best” of God’s men were bad—some really bad.
In part two, we see that the best of God’s men lead Israel from bad to worse—they are MORE unfaithful by the end than at the beginning. What began with war against God’s enemies ends with a civil war among God’s people. Watching this kind of world, and seeing God’s people, “do what was right in their own eyes” was enough proof for the author of Judges to know that they need serious help.
This is why last verse in Judges points us to where he hoped to find it: 25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. ( 21.25). The author is thinking about David. They need a King. We need a King. The irrational unfaithfulness of Israel, especially in view of God’s immeasurable faithfulness, reveals man’s urgent need not only for a king, but one who has to be more than a man. Enter King Jesus.
Week 1: Faithful Servants (10.1-5; 12.8-15)
Week 2: Total Unfaithfulness, Total Grace (10.6-10.16)
Week 3: Unfaithful Words (10.17-11:40)
Week 4: Faithful Deliverer (13.1-25)
Week 5: Faithful Calling (14.1-20)
Week 6: Faithful Spirit (15.1-20)
Week 7: Unfaithful Heart (16.1-21)
Week 8: Faithful Death (16.22-31)
Week 9: Unfaithful Worship (17-18)
Week 11: Faithful Substitute (20-21)
Week 12: {UN}FAITHFUL (Hebrews 10.19-31)