Judges Commentaries

 

 

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Judges: Precept Upon Precept
Precept Ministries International
Inductive Bible Study

Lesson 1 can be downloaded as Pdf (click here)
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Judges
Precept Upon Precept Study
Today, as in the days of Judges, everyone does what is right in his own eyes! Absolutes and traditions are pushed aside. Many feel oppressed. The book of Judges is God's Word for our day of apathy and apostasy. 7 lessons

Thomas Constable
Commentary Notes
The Book of Judges

Conservative, Millennial

PDF file

*

Ron Daniels
Sermon Notes

Judges 1-2 The cycle of sin
Judges 3 Othniel; Ehud; Shamgar
Judges 4-5 Deborah
Judges 6 Gideon, part 1
Judges 7-8 Gideon, part 2

Judges  9 Abimelech
Judges 10-12 Tola; Jair; Jephthah; Ibzan; Elon; Abdon
Judges 13-16 Samson
Judges 17-18 Micah
Judges 19-21 A Levite and his concubine

John Gill
Commentary

Judges 1
Judges 2
Judges 3
Judges 4
Judges 5
Judges 6
Judges 7
Judges  8
Judges  9
Judges 10
Judges 11
Judges 12
Judges 13

Judges 14
Judges 15
Judges 16
Judges 17
Judges 18
Judges 19
Judges 20
Judges 21

Dave Guzik
Commentary
 Brief Notes from Conservative, Evangelical, Millennial Perspective

Judges 1
Judges 2
Judges 3
Judges 4
Judges 5
Judges 6
Judges 7
Judges  8
Judges  9
Judges 10
Judges 11
Judges 12
Judges 13
Judges 14
Judges 15
Judges 16
Judges 17
Judges 18
Judges 19
Judges 20
Judges 21

Matthew Henry's
Commentary
(1706)

Introduction
Judges 1
Judges 2
Judges 3
Judges 4
Judges 5
Judges 6
Judges 7
Judges  8
Judges  9
Judges 10
Judges 11
Judges 12
Judges 13
Judges 14
Judges 15
Judges 16
Judges 17
Judges 18
Judges 19
Judges 20
Judges 21

*

Alexander Maclaren
Sermons

Judges 2:1-10 A Summary of Israel's Faithlessness & God's Patience
Judges 2:11-23 Israel's Obstinacy and God's Patience
Judges 5:16 Recreant Reuben
Judges 5:20 All Things Are Yours
Judges 5:51 Love Makes Suns
Judges 6:24 Gideon's Altar
Judges 6:37 Gideon's Fleece
Judges 7:1-8 Fit Though Few ’
Judges 7:13-23 A Battle Without a Sword
Judges 16:3 Our Champion
Judges 16:21-31 Strength Profaned and Lost

J Vernon McGee
Thru the Bible

Mp3 Audio
Click to listen or
Right click and select "Save Target as"

Judges Intro
Judges History
Judges 1:1-8
Judges 1:9-20
Judges 1:21-36
Judges 2:1-23
Judges 3:1-8
Judges 3:9-11
Judges 3:12-30
Judges 3:31
Judges 4:1-15
Judges 4:16-24
Judges 5:1-5
Judges 5:6-8
Judges 5:9-16
Judges 5:17-23
Judges 5:24-31
Judges 6 Intro
Judges 6:1-10

Judges 6:11-12
Judges 6:13-22
Judges 6:23-35
Judges 6:36-40
Judges 7:1-4
Judges 7:5-15
Judges 7:16-25
Judges 8:1-22
Judges 8:23-29
Judges 8:30-35
Judges 9:1-57
Judges 10:1-5
Judges 10:6-18
Judges 11:1-3
Judges 11:4-27
Judges 11:28-3
Judges 11:35-3
Judges 11:38-4
Judges 12:1-7
Judges 12:8-10
Judges 12:11-1
Judges 13:1-2
Judges 13:1-2
Judges 13:3-23
Judges 13:24-2
Judges 14:1-9
Judges 14:10-2
Judges 15:1-20
Judges 16:1-9
Judges 16:10-26
Judges 16:27-31
Judges 17:1-6
Judges 17:7-13
Judges 18:1-4
Judges 18:5-31
Judges 19:1-30
Judges 20:1-21:25

 

F B Meyer
Our Daily Homily

Judges 1:27
Judges 2:18
Judges 3:20
Judges 4:9
Judges 5:31
Judges 6:14
Judges 7:13

Judges 8:18
Judges 9:3
Judges 10:16
Judges 11:12
Judges 12:6
Judges 13:23
Judges 14:14
Judges 15:18
Judges 16:20
Judges 17:10
Judges 18:24
Judges 19:1
Judges 20:13
Judges 21:7

Miscellaneous
Resources
Conservative, Evangelical

Judges: The Pattern of Defeat  Ray Stedman
Judges Precept Upon Precept Study - download lesson 1 free - 47 pages Pdf Precept Ministries
The Message of History (Historical books) Ray Stedman
Judges - 10 pictures including Jael, Gideon, et al Clip Art

Joshua, Judges, Ruth - Notes and Outlines - Pdf

J Vernon McGee
Judges - 25 Mp3's from Believers Chapel, Dallas Dan Duncan
Lectures on the book of Judges William Kelly
Judges - Meditations - click sample on Judges 3:31 or click entire book Henri Rossier
Introduction to Judges - Audio only William MacDonald
Judges - Cycles of Revival - Pdf Richard Owen Roberts
Judges, book of ISBE Article
Judges, period of ISBE Article
Judges, Extraordinary R A Torrey
Israel’s Dark Ages Bob Deffinbaugh
Judges: Introduction David Malick
An Argument of the Book of Judges David Malick
The Role of Women in the Book of Judges Hampton Keathley IV
Women of the Bible - Deborah and Jael Kathryn Capoccia
Judges 1 On Site Commentary
Judges 1-3 Feel the Power Tony Beckett
Woodrow Kroll
Judges 1: Compromise Has Consequences Steve Zeisler
Judges 1:1,2, 27-36: Incomplete Victory Theodore Epp
Judges 1:12-14 Achsah’s Asking, A Pattern Of Prayer
Judges 1:19,20 Chariots of Iron - Pdf
C H Spurgeon
Judges 2 On Site Commentary
Judges 2:1-5: The World is Looking Good Again Ron Ritchie
Judges 2:1-15 Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 2:1-3:6: A New Generation - An Old War Steve Zeisler
Judges 2:4,5 Bochim or The Weepers - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 2:6-14: Will the Next Generation Know? John Piper
Judges 2:11 Our Daily Bread
Judges 2:11-23: Results of Rebellion Theodore Epp
Judges 2:11-3:6: Whatever Became of Evil Ron Ritchie
Judges 3  On Site Commentary
Judges 3:7-31: The Cycle of Sin Steve Zeisler
Judges 3:7-11: Set Free From Self-Righteousness Ron Ritchie
Judges 3:9,10: Preparing His Heroes Streams in Desert
Judges 3:20 A Message from God - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 3:31: Use The Tools You Have (Shamgar) Warren Wiersbe
Judges 4 On Site Commentary
Judges 4-5 What's a Women to Do? Dave Roper
Judges 4-5 Devotional
Judges 4-5: When Women Wage War Steve Zeisler
Judges 4 & 5: The Prophetess Deborah Bob Deffinbaugh
Judges 4-6 Mighty Man? Tony Beckett
Woodrow Kroll
Judges 4:1-16: An Impossible Situation Ron Ritchie
Judges 4:1-16 Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 4:9 Devotional C H Spurgeon
Judges 4:22: Sin Slain C H Spurgeon
Judges 5 On Site Commentary
Judges 5:11: Songs of Deliverance C H Spurgeon
Judges 5:12 Awakening Praise C H Spurgeon
Judges 5:12: Magnificat C H Spurgeon
Judges 5:16 Our Daily Bread
Judges 5:22 Our Daily Bread
Judges 6 On Site Commentary
Judges 6:1-24 Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 6: The Lord Is With You, O Valiant Warrior Steve Zeisler
Judges 6-8 Gideon  or Faith Finding Strength Through Weakness A B Simpson
Judges 6-7 Gideon's Band Samuel Logan Brengle
Judges 6:28 Discouragement Woodrow Kroll
Judges 6: Don't Get Fleeced! Ray Pritchard
Judges 6:4ff: One War Over and Another Begun C H Spurgeon
Judges 6:14 C H Spurgeon
Judges 6:34: Fleece or Faith? Woodrow Kroll
Judges 6:39: Degrees of Faith Streams in the Desert
Judges 7:1 Glory to God Woodrow Kroll
Judges 7:1-25 Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 7 On Site Commentary
Judges 7: The Torch Bearers Steve Zeisler
Judges 7:1-22: The Gideon Venture John Piper
Judges 7:1-25: Doomed to Success Ron Ritchie
Judges 7:9 Soul Winning C H Spurgeon
Judges 7:13, 14 The Dream of the Barley Cake - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 7:20 - Devotional C H Spurgeon
Judges 7-8 A Quiet Place Tony Beckett
Woodrow Kroll
Judges 8 On Site Commentary
Judges 8,9: From Triumph To Tragedy Steve Zeisler
Judges 8:4 Faint but Not Faint-Hearted - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 8:33-35: Web of Conspiracy Woodrow Kroll
Judges 9 On Site Commentary
Judges 9: All We Are Meant to Be Ron Ritchie
Judges 9:1-25 Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 9:8, 9 The Faithful Olive Tree
Judges 9:9 The Faithful Olive Tree - Sermon Notes
C H Spurgeon
Judges 10 On Site Commentary
Judges 10:1-11:11: Our Misery, His Mercy Steve Zeisler
Judges 10:17-12:15: Failed Families, Faith in God Steve Zeisler
Judges 11-12 Jephthah or the Faith that Keeps Faith with God A B Simpson
Judges 11 On Site Commentary
Judges 11:35 Retreat Impossible - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 12 On Site Commentary
Judges 13 On Site Commentary
Judges 13: Most Likely to Succeed Ray Pritchard
Judges 13:1-14:20: The Hollow Hero Steve Zeisler
Judges 13:22-23ff: Her Excellent Argument C H Spurgeon
Judges 13:23 C H Spurgeon
Judges 13-16 Samson or the Faith that Brings Physical Strength A B Simpson
Judges 13-16 Samson and Delilah Dave Roper
Judges 13-16 Weak Samson (simple study) Middletown Bible
Judges 14 On Site Commentary
Judges 14: Out of Control Ray Pritchard
Judges 14: If We Live by the Spirit Let Us Walk by the Spirit Ron Ritchie
Judges 14:8,9 Hands Full of Honey - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 15 On Site Commentary
Judges 15: Whatever a Man Sows, That Shall he Reap Ron Ritchie
Judges 15: How an Angry Man Gets Even Ray Pritchard
Judges 15:1-20: An Angry Giant Steve Zeisler
Judges 15:18 - Devotional
Judges 15:18 The Fainting Hero - Pdf
C H Spurgeon
Judges 16 On Site Commentary
Judges 16 - Audio Only (from Revival Series 1)   Leonard Ravenhill
Judges 16: Sin is Crouching at the Door Ron Ritchie
Judges 16:1-3 Little Steps to a Big Fall Ray Pritchard
Judges 16:1-22: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places Ray Pritchard
Judges 16:1-31: Desire, Deception and Revenge Steve Zeisler
Judges 16:1-31 Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 16:1-31a Devotional Today in the Word
Judges 16:3 Our Champion
Judges 16:21-31 Strength Profaned and Lost
Alexander Maclaren
Judges 16:6 - Devotional C H Spurgeon
Judges 16:20-21: Samson Conquered
Judges 16:22 Shaven and Shorn but Not Beyond Hope - Pdf
C H Spurgeon
Judges 16:16-30 The Prison Of His Purifications
Judges 16:20-31 The High Cost Of Low Living
Alan Carr
Judges 16:20: The Lord Departed A W Tozer
Judges 16:23-31: The Comeback Kid Ray Pritchard
Judges 16-18 On Our Own Tony Beckett
Woodrow Kroll
Judges 17 On Site Commentary
Judges 17:1-18:31: Religion for Rent Steve Zeisler
Judges 17:1-18:6 Ten Shekels and a Shirt (audio version - if you have never heard this sermon it is a must listen!)
Transcript of Ten Shekels and a Shirt
Paris Reidhead
Judges 18 On Site Commentary
Judges 18:9,10: Appropriating Faith Streams in the Desert
Judges 18:7, 27, 28 The Danger of Carnal Security - Pdf C H Spurgeon
Judges 19 On Site Commentary
Judges 19: Hospitality and Inhospitality Woodrow Kroll
Judges 19:1-21:25: All Hell Breaks Loose Steve Zeisler
Judges 20 On Site Commentary
Judges 21 On Site Commentary

Net Bible Notes

 

Our Daily Bread
Excellent devotional illustrations from RBC Ministries

Judges 5:16 Are Your Plans Still in the Bottle?
Judges 2:15 God Fights Against Us
Judges 3:1-11 Something Else To Serve
Judges 6:11-16,33-40 From Worms To Wars
Judges 7:1-23 Midnight Encouragement
Judges 8:22-27 Good Intentions
Judges 14:3 Self-Indulgence or Self-Discipline?
Judges 16:13 Are you Leaning in the Wrong Direction?
Judges 17:6 Confusion

C. H. Spurgeon
All of His Sermons
On the Book of Judges

Judges 1:12-14 Achsah’s Asking, A Pattern Of Prayer
Judges 1:19,20 Chariots of Iron - Pdf
Judges 2:4,5 Bochim or The Weepers - Pdf
Judges 3:20 A Message from God - Pdf
Judges 4:22 Sin Slain

Judges 5:11 Songs of Deliverance

Judges 5:12 Magnificat

Judges 6:4ff One War Over and Another Begun
Judges 7:13, 14 The Dream of the Barley Cake - Pdf
Judges 8:4 Faint but Not Faint-Hearted - Pdf
Judges 9:8, 9 The Faithful Olive Tree
Judges 9:9 The Faithful Olive Tree - Sermon Notes
Judges 11:35 Retreat Impossible - Pdf

Judges 13:22-23 Manoah's Wife and Her Excellent Argument
Judges 14:8,9 Hands Full of Honey - Pdf
Judges 15:18 The Fainting Hero - Pdf
Judges 16:3 Our Champion

Judges 16:20-21 Samson Conquered
Judges 16:22 Shaven and Shorn but Not Beyond Hope - Pdf
Judges 18:7, 27, 28 The Danger of Carnal Security - Pdf

C H Spurgeon
Devotionals
Morning and Evening
Faith's Checkbook

Judges 4:9
Judges 6:14
Judges 7:20
Judges 13:23
Judges 15:18
Judges 16:6

Steve Zeisler
Sermons

Peninsula Bible Church

Judges 1 Compromise Has Consequences

Judges 2:1-3:6 A New Generation - An Old War

Judges 3:7-31 The Cycle of Sin

Judges 4-5 When Women Wage War

Judges 6 The Lord Is With You, O Valiant Warrior

Judges 7 The Torch Bearers

Judges 8,9 From Triumph To Tragedy

Judges 10:1-11:11 Our Misery, His Mercy

Judges 10:17-12:15 Failed Families, Faith in God

Judges 13:1-14:20 The Hollow Hero

Judges 15:1-20 An Angry Giant

Judges 16:1-31 Desire, Deception and Revenge

Judges 17:1-18:31 Religion for Rent

Judges 19:1-21:25 All Hell Breaks Loose

 

Devotionals
Our Daily Bread
Today in the Word

The following cycle though not identical to Judges does demonstrate a pattern found in the life of Israel during this 300+ year time period. Here is one historian's  “bird’s eye view of the cycle of men and nations”

(1) from bondage to spiritual faith.

(2) from spiritual faith to great courage.

(3) from courage to liberty.

(4) from liberty to abundance.

(5) from abundance to selfishness.

(6) from selfishness to complacency.

(7) from complacency to apathy.

(8) from apathy to dependency.

(9) from dependency back to bondage.

Today in the Word

JUDGES 2:11-12
FAILURE


C. T. Studd, the great missionary to China, India, and Africa, ended his life as a morphine addict. Despite all of his success, his last days were dark ones. His mission board dismissed him; he died a few weeks later.

Israel showed power and promise in escaping from Egypt. The people, however, unlike Studd, displayed their selfish addictions early. Trouble erupted only a few miles from Egypt. The faithless people, grumbling and carousing, played out a drama of disaster and death for forty years in the desert.

Joshua's leadership brought new hope to the nation when the people finally entered the Promised Land, but his successors, the judges, gave Israel a topsy-turvy season of success and failure.

Some judges ruled wisely and in peace, but others did not. And the people were mostly wicked during the whole period.

The failure of the judges led the people to demand an earthly king. Saul, David, and Solomon gave Israel some success, but many of the mad monarchs that followed wrote their stories of failure in blood.

For many, the last pretender to the throne was the greatest failure. He too wrote His story in blood—His own. But as King of kings, He turned failure into victory.

Judges 4-5

U.S. Army General George Patton was an avid student of history who believed that a knowledge of the past is critical to success in the present. After the D-Day invasion in 1944, Patton wrote to General Dwight Eisenhower that a German battle plan from World War I could be used successfully against Germany in Normandy. About a month later, a plan like the one Patton had described brought victory. That same year, Patton wrote to his son: To be a successful soldier, you must know history.

Deborah knew the God of history. This knowledge was crucial during the time of the judges, since Israel kept forgetting God and His deliverance and kept falling into sin and bondage. Throughout the Bible, God's people are commanded to remember the ways He has shown His love and faithfulness in the past, presence today and that knowledge will help keep us from trying to take things into our own hands. examples of God's faithfulness to you. Write them down and then share them with your family or friends today, and you can all praise God together. Then reaffirm your trust in Him this year.

JUDGES 5:16
ARE YOUR PLANS STILL IN THE BOTTLE?

When Deborah, Israel's fourth judge, sang her song in celebration of Israel's victory over the Canaanites (Judges 5:2-31) , she mentioned the people of the tribe of Reuben. They had "great resolves of heart," she said; but, she noted with dismay, they were content to sit "among the sheepfolds." They had not turned their plans into action.

The tribe of Reuben was like the boy who sat at his mother's desk, carefully drawing a picture. Soon he laid down his pen and proudly showed his mother his sketch of the family dog. She commented on the fine likeness, then noticed that something was missing. "Where is Rover's tail?" she asked. "It's still in the bottle," the boy explained.

Many important things in the Christian life are left undone because we don't put our plans into action. We decide to devote more time to the reading and studying of the Word of God, then get sidetracked by other activities. We resolve to be more faithful in praying for others. And for a while we do just that. Then, gradually, other things take priority.

No matter how noble our plans, no matter how good our intentions, they can't glorify God if they are "still in the bottle." —P. R. V. (
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

We may be on the right track,
but we won't get anywhere if we just sit there.

Judges 6:11-16,33-40
From Worms To Wars

It was 10-year-old Cleotis' first time fishing, and as he looked into the container of bait he seemed hesitant to get started. Finally he said to my husband, "Help me, I-S-O-W!" When my husband asked him what the problem was, Cleotis responded, "I-S-O-W! I'm Scared Of Worms!" His fear had made him unable to act.

Fear can paralyze grown men too. Gideon must've been afraid when the angel of the Lord came to him as he was threshing wheat in secret, hiding from his Midianite enemies (Judges 6:11). The angel told him he had been chosen by God to lead His people in battle (vv.12-14).

Gideon's response? "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house" (v.15). After being assured of the Lord's presence, Gideon still seemed fearful and asked Him for signs that He would use him to save Israel as He promised (vv.36-40). And God responded to Gideon's requests. The Israelites were successful in battle and then enjoyed peace for 40 years.

We all have fears of various kinds—from worms to wars. Gideon's story teaches us that we can be confident of this: If God asks us to do something, He'll give us the strength and power to do it. —Anne Cetas  (
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

When you're afraid of what's ahead,
Remember, God is near;
He'll give you strength and joy and hope
And calm your inner fear. —Sper

To take the fear out of living, put your faith in the living God.

Our Daily Bread (What Can I Do With My Worry?)

Judges 6:33-40

Hoping to relieve him of financial pressure and enable him to write more freely, the first publishers of American writer Sherwood Anderson offered to send him a weekly check. After a few weeks, however, Anderson took his latest check back to the publisher’s office. “It’s no use,” he explained. “I find it impossible to work with security staring me in the face.”

Unlike Anderson, the Israelite leader Gideon found that he couldn’t work without security staring him in the face. It was Gideon’s insecurity which caused him to ask God for two miraculous signs aimed at strengthening his faith. From a human point of view, Gideon’s fear is understandable. After all, his tiny force of 300 armed men was about to face an army of 135,000 Midianites. Gideon’s band seemed to have little or no chance against such a superior force.

However, Gideon knew that God had sent him against the Midianites (see 6:12-16). But the fear of defeat had paralyzed Gideon’s faith. That’s why he asked God to prove His presence through the two familiar requests we read about today. On the first night, Gideon put a fleece on the ground. If it was wet the next day while the ground was dry, he would know God would give him victory (vv. 36-38).

But that wasn’t quite enough for Gideon. Perhaps he realized that a fleece could remain wet even after the ground had dried. So he asked God to keep the fleece dry and the ground wet on the next night (vv. 39-40). God did as Gideon requested, and God’s servant went on to lead the Israelites in the defeat of the Midianites (7:1-25).

The miracle of Gideon’s fleece demonstrates that ours is a God of compassion. God’s command and promise were clear: He would be with Gideon, and they would “strike down all the Midianites” (6:16). Instead of rebuking Gideon for his fear, the Lord buoyed his faith with a miracle. God allowed security to stare Gideon in the face so Gideon could accomplish God’s purpose.

Today in the Word, May 8, 1993

Judges 7:1-23
Midnight Encouragement

The Midianites and their allies had invaded Israel. It was the time of the judges, and Gideon could muster only 32,000 men against an army "as numerous as locusts" (Judges 7:12). Then God cut the army down to 300 (vv.2-7). Gideon was afraid, so God sent him into the enemy camp at night. Crouching behind cover, the Israelite captain heard one soldier tell another about a dream (vv.13-14). A loaf of barley bread had tumbled into the Midianite camp, destroying one of its tents. His friend saw it as a sure sign that Gideon would win the battle.

Gideon was greatly encouraged. After worshiping God, he returned to the camp, organized his 300 men with their trumpets and lamps, and routed the superior Midianite forces (vv.15-22).

As Christ's followers we're not battling armies, but we are at war. Spiritual foes attack us (Ephesians 6:10-12). They undermine our confidence and sap our strength. We're also battling ourselves—our weaknesses, fears, doubts (Romans 7:15-25). After a while, we can get discouraged.

But our God is the great Encourager. When our resolve weakens or vision fades, by His power He will give us the strength we need (Ephesians 3:16)—even when the enemy seems more numerous than a swarm of locusts. —Dave Egner  (
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

As we meet fierce foes on the pathway of life,
Whether Satan or self or sin,
Let us look to the Lord for encouragement;
If we do, the battle we'll win! —Fitzhugh

To trust is to triumph, for the battle is the Lord's

Judges 14:3
SELF-INDULGENCE or SELF-DISCIPLINE?


Failure to exercise self-discipline can ruin a person's health and happi­ness. A girl I know will probably die young if she doesn't control her eating habits. And I'm acquainted with a young man who is destroying himself because he never learned self-discipline. He grew up in a wealthy family and inherited a position that pays a high salary, but he is on the brink of financial disaster because of his drinking and gambling.

Lack of self-discipline caused Samson to make the mistakes that led to his capture by the Philistines, who put out his eyes and forced him to work like an animal. His downfall began when he wanted to marry a heathen girl and wouldn't listen to the objections of his parents. His demand, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well," set the pattern of self-indulgence that ruined his life.

Without self-control, we can squander great talents and waste won­derful opportunities. Our appetites for food, our sexual desires, our enjoyment of recreation, and our drive to succeed can become all-consuming if we fail to hold them in check. People who excel in their sport for many years do so because they eat properly, exercise, and practice regularly. Likewise, people who consistently walk with God discipline themselves to read the Bible, pray, and obey Him.—H. V. Lugt (
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Self-indulgence guarantees failure; self-discipline assures victory.
Discipline yourself so others won't have to.

JUDGES 16:13
ARE YOU "LEANING THE WRONG DIRECTION?"

SEVERAL years ago a severe ice storm hit southern lower Michigan, causing great damage to trees. As I surveyed the destruction, I checked the two large white birches in my backyard. One had lost some of its limbs, but its partner had suf­fered a worse fate. The entire tree had toppled over and was completely uprooted. Why the one and not the other? The answer was simple. Instead of standing straight up, this thirty-five-foot tree had grown at a pronounced angle. So when the heavy ice accumulated on its branches, it fell in the direction it was leaning.

Samson was leaning in the wrong direction. As a result, he had a great downfall. Although he is numbered among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 and was one of Israel's great judges, a sad note is sounded throughout the story of his life due to a serious weak­ness in his character. He had an eye for women, and he insisted on taking a wife from a heathen nation (Judges 14:3). His down-fall came because his life was inclined toward fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.

If we don't live in fellowship with the Lord each day, our lives will lean toward some weakness or besetting sin. Then, when a crisis comes or if we are caught off guard, we will be unable to resist the pressure. Samson's fall is a tragic example of what can happen to a leaning Christian. —D J De Haan (
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Judges 16:20
The Lord Departed

"And he knew not that the LORD was departed from him"

We bear within us the seeds of our own disintegration. Our moral imprudence puts us always in danger of accidental or reckless self-destruction. The strength of our flesh is an ever present danger to our souls. Deliverance can come to us only by the defeat of our old life. Safety and peace come only after we have been forced to our knees. God rescues us by breaking us, by shattering our strength and wiping out our resistance. Then He invades our natures with that ancient and eternal life which is from the beginning. So He conquers us and by that benign conquest saves us for Himself.

With this open secret awaiting easy discovery, why do we in almost all our busy activities work in another direction from this?

Why do we build our churches upon human flesh?

Why do we set such store by that which the Lord has long ago repudiated, and despise those things which God holds in such high esteem?

For we teach men not to die with Christ but to live in the strength of their dying manhood. We boast not in our weakness but in our strength. Values which Christ has declared to be false are brought back into evangelical favor and promoted as the very life and substance of the Christian way. How eagerly do we seek the approval of this or that man of worldly reputation. How shamefully do we exploit the converted celebrity. Anyone will do to take away the reproach of obscurity from our publicity-hungry leaders: famous athletes, congressmen, world travelers, rich industrialists; before such we bow with obsequious smiles and honor them in our public meetings and in the religious press. Thus we glorify men to enhance the standing of the Church of God, and the glory of the Prince of Life is made to hang upon the transient fame of a man who shall die.  (A W Tozer)

JUDGES 17:6
CONFUSION


WHAT confusion! Never had I seen anything like it. On the road from the Leonardo da Vinci Airport to downtown Rome was an intersection where a host of cars had converged from every direction. Each driver was inching forward. Horns were blaring. Passions were flaring. No stoplights or traffic cops were there to bring order to this chaos of cars. A first-come-first­ through principle prevailed. But there was one positive note: no one was breaking the law—there was no law!

Something like that marked the time of the judges. God's peo­ple did what was right in their own eyes. And what a bitter price they paid for such freedom. The book of Judges is a sad tale of repeated waywardness requiring God to use oppression by their heathen neighbors to bring them back to their senses.

Still today, professing Christians ignore God's clear revelation of Himself in His Word. They form their own ideas of what God is like and what He expects. Strongly influenced by humanistic thinking, they live at the center of their own little world. Though claiming to be people of God, they actually walk in their own ways. And it creates moral and spiritual confusion.

When we take God's Word seriously and live by it, we will show the world the value of doing what God says is right. —D J De Haan(
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

 

DEVOTIONALS
C H SPURGEON
Morning and Evening
Faith's Checkbook

Judges 4:9
A Woman’s War

“The Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of awoman.”—Judges 4:9

RATHER an unusual text, but there may be souls in the world that may have faith enough to grasp it. Barak, the man, though called to the war, had little stomach for the fight unless Deborah would go with him, and so the Lord determined to make it a woman’s war. By this means He rebuked the slackness of the man, and gained for Himself the more renown, and cast the more shame upon the enemies of His people.

The Lord can still use feeble instrumentalities. Why not me? He may use persons who are not commonly called to great public engagements. Why not you? The woman who slew the enemy of Israel was no Amazon, but a wife who tarried in her tent. She was no orator, but a woman who milked the cows and made butter. May not the Lord use any one of us to accomplish His purpose? Somebody may come to the house today, even as Sisera came to Jael’s tent. Be it ours not to slay him, but to save him. Let us receive him with great kindness, and then bring forth the blessed truth of salvation by the Lord Jesus, our great Substitute, and press home the command, “Believe and live.” Who knoweth but some stout-hearted sinner may be slain by the gospel today?

Judges 6:14
One Look from the Lord!

“And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go inthis thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from thehand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”—Judges 6:14

WHAT a look was that which the Lord gave to Gideon! He looked him out of his discouragements into a holy bravery. If our look to the Lord saves us, what will not His look at us do? Lord, look on me this day, and nerve me for its duties and conflicts.

What a word was this which Jehovah spoke to Gideon! “Go.” He must not hesitate. He might have answered, “What, go in all this weakness?” But the Lord put that word out of court by saying, “Go in this thy might.” The Lord had looked might into him, and he had now nothing to do but to use it and save Israel by smiting the Midianites. It may be that the Lord has more to do by me than I ever dreamed of. If He has looked upon me, He has made me strong. Let me by faith exercise the power with which He has entrusted me. He never bids me “idle away my time in this my might.” Far from it. I must “go,” because He strengthens me.

What a question is that which the Lord puts to me, even as He put it to Gideon! “Have not I sent thee?” Yes, Lord, thou hast sent me, and I will go in thy strength. At thy command I go; and, going, I am assured that thou wilt conquer by me.

Judges 7:20
Morning and evening

“The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.” — Judges 7:20

Gideon ordered his men to do two things: covering up a torch in an earthen pitcher, he bade them, at an appointed signal, break the pitcher and let the light shine, and then sound with the trumpet, crying, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon! the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” This is precisely what all Christians must do. First, you must shine; break the pitcher which conceals your light; throw aside the bushel which has been hiding your candle, and shine. Let your light shine before men; let your good works be such, that when men look upon you, they shall know that you have been with Jesus. Then there must be the sound, the blowing of the trumpet. There must be active exertions for the ingathering of sinners by proclaiming Christ crucified. Take the gospel to them; carry it to their door; put it in their way; do not suffer them to escape it; blow the trumpet right against their ears. Remember that the true war-cry of the Church is Gideon’s watchword, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” God must do it, it is his own work. But we are not to be idle; instrumentality is to be used—“The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” If we only cry, “The sword of the Lord!” we shall be guilty of an idle presumption; and if we shout, “The sword of Gideon!” alone, we shall manifest idolatrous reliance on an arm of flesh: we must blend the two in practical harmony, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” We can do nothing of ourselves, but we can do everything by the help of our God; let us, therefore, in his name determine to go out personally and serve with our flaming torch of holy example, and with our trumpet tones of earnest declaration and testimony, and God shall be with us, and Midian shall be put to confusion, and the Lord of hosts shall reign for ever and ever.

Judges 13:23
The Sacrifice Has Been Accepted

“If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things.”—Judges 13:23

THIS is a sort of promise deduced by logic. It is an inference fairly drawn from ascertained facts. It was not likely that the Lord had revealed to Manoah and his wife that a son would be born to them, and yet had it in His heart to destroy them. The wife reasoned well, and we shall do well if we follow her line of argument.

The Father has accepted the great sacrifice of Calvary and has declared Himself well pleased therewith; how can He now be pleased to kill us? Why a substitute if the sinner must still perish? The accepted sacrifice of Jesus puts an end to fear.

The Lord has shown us our election, our adoption, our union to Christ, our marriage to the Well-beloved: how can He now destroy us? The promises are loaded with blessings, which necessitate our being preserved unto eternal life. It is not possible for the Lord to cast us away and yet fulfill His covenant. The past assures us, and the future reassures us. We shall not die, but live; for we have seen Jesus, and in Him we have seen the Father by the illumination of the Holy Ghost. Because of this life-giving sight we must live forever.

Judges 15:18
Morning and evening

“He was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst?” — Judges 15:18

Samson was thirsty and ready to die. The difficulty was totally different from any which the hero had met before. Merely to get thirst assuaged is nothing like so great a matter as to be delivered from a thousand Philistines! but when the thirst was upon him, Samson felt that little present difficulty more weighty than the great past difficulty out of which he had so specially been delivered. It is very usual for God’s people, when they have enjoyed a great deliverance, to find a little trouble too much for them. Samson slays a thousand Philistines, and piles them up in heaps, and then faints for a little water! Jacob wrestles with God at Peniel, and overcomes Omnipotence itself, and then goes “halting on his thigh!” Strange that there must be a shrinking of the sinew whenever we win the day. As if the Lord must teach us our littleness, our nothingness, in order to keep us within bounds. Samson boasted right loudly when he said, “I have slain a thousand men.” His boastful throat soon grew hoarse with thirst, and he betook himself to prayer. God has many ways of humbling his people. Dear child of God, if after great mercy you are laid very low, your case is not an unusual one. When David had mounted the throne of Israel, he said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king.” You must expect to feel weakest when you are enjoying your greatest triumph. If God has wrought for you great deliverances in the past, your present difficulty is only like Samson’s thirst, and the Lord will not let you faint, nor suffer the daughter of the uncircumcised to triumph over you. The road of sorrow is the road to heaven, but there are wells of refreshing water all along the route. So, tried brother, cheer your heart with Samson’s words, and rest assured that God will deliver you ere long.

Judges 16:6
Morning and evening

“Tell me I pray thee wherein thy great strength lieth.” — Judges 16:6

Where lies the secret strength of faith? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is—an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God; and faith says, “My God could not have given this promise, except from love and grace; therefore it is quite certain his Word will be fulfilled.” Then faith thinketh, “Who gave this promise?” It considereth not so much its greatness, as, “Who is the author of it?” She remembers that it is God who cannot lie—God omnipotent, God immutable; and therefore concludeth that the promise must be fulfilled; and forward she advances in this firm conviction. She remembereth, why the promise was given,—namely, for God’s glory, and she feels perfectly sure that God’s glory is safe, that he will never stain his own escutcheon, nor mar the lustre of his own crown; and therefore the promise must and will stand. Then faith also considereth the amazing work of Christ as being a clear proof of the Father’s intention to fulfil his word. “He that spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Moreover faith looks back upon the past, for her battles have strengthened her, and her victories have given her courage. She remembers that God never has failed her; nay, that he never did once fail any of his children. She recollecteth times of great peril, when deliverance came; hours of awful need, when as her day her strength was found, and she cries, “No, I never will be led to think that he can change and leave his servant now. Hitherto the Lord hath helped me, and he will help me still.” Thus faith views each promise in its connection with the promise-giver, and, because she does so, can with assurance say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!”

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DISCLAIMER: Before you "go to the commentaries" go to the Scriptures and study them inductively (Click here for 3 part overview of how to do Inductive Bible Study) in dependence on your Teacher, the Holy Spirit, Who Jesus promised would guide us into all the truth (John 16:13). Remember that Scripture is always the best commentary on Scripture. Any commentary, even those by the most conservative and orthodox teacher/preachers cannot help but have at least some bias of the expositor based upon his training and experience. Therefore the inclusion of specific links does not indicate that we agree with every comment. We have made a sincere effort to select only the most conservative, "bibliocentric" commentaries. Should you discover some commentary or sermon you feel may not be orthodox, please email your concern. I have removed several links in response to concerns by discerning readers. I recommend that your priority be a steady intake of solid Biblical food so that with practice you will have your spiritual senses trained to discern good from evil (see note Hebrews 5:14).

 

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