Bible notes from Judges

1. Bible Notes from Judges
Judg 1:1 Judges 1 tells of Israel’s toleration toward the Canaanites. This is where all the trouble began.
Joshua began with, Now after the death of Moses… it came to pass. Judges begins, Now after the
death of Joshua it came to pass. There the similarity ends, for there is no successor to carry on the
leadership work of Joshua. When the multitude is left without exhortation, rebuke or example they
quickly fall away.
God wanted Israel to know they were a holy people who must not mix with the wicked nations about
them. God knew that separation made His people strong. Christians today need to remember that we are
in the world but not of the world. We must keep close to God. We must war against sin. We must fight
against unrighteousness. When we are not fighting against sin we are surrendering to its conquest.
Judg 1:10-15 recap of Josh 15:13-19
Judg 1:17 Hormah Josh 19:4
Judg 1:23 Descry means to spy out from a distance
Judg 1:32 The Mosaic Law was a system of faith and works, the Jews were given the option of driving
the heathen out or getting driven out themselves (Jer 8:3, 16:15, 23:3, 24:9, 29:14; Ezek 14:13; Dan
9:7). They had been promised help from God (Ex 23:30, 33:2; Josh 3:10, 13:6). Because that seemed
harsh to them they lost their homeland.
Judg 1:34 Israel under Joshua had beat in the past but because of apostasy after Joshua's death Israel is
now the loser. (Ex 33:2, 34:11; Num 21:21-35, 32:33; Deut 1:4, 2:24, 4:47; Josh 9:10)
This failure to do battle to the end results in total apostasy of the tribe of Dan for over 200yrs and sets
up the foundation for the Roman Catholic Church (Judg 17:10-13, 18:30-31).
Judg 2:10 "knew not the LORD" now Israel is just like Pharaoh (Ex 1:8, 5:2)
Judges 2:13 Here we have the mention of Baal and Ashtaroth together, which is the worship of a sun
god and a moon goddess through sex and fertility rites (Hence: rabbits and eggs for Easter, which is from
Ishtar and Ashtaroth). The illegitimate children that were born from this religion were often offered in
sacrifice, called “passing through the fire” in the Bible (Lev. 18:21; Deu. 18:10; II Kgs. 17:17, etc.) The
names of these false gods change from one nation to the next and all through the centuries (Isis, Osiris,
Nimrod, Semaramis, Baal, Diana, Molech, Aphrodite, Ishtar, Queen of Heaven, Mary, Mother Nature,
etc), but it’s all the same pagan idolatry.

2. Judg 3:1 The record of the apostasy is Idolatry- in any form is inspired by the devil (Leviticus 17:7;
Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 10:19-22) and it results in degradation. Jehovah charges Israel with
seven sins: Judg 3:6-7
Judg 3:7
They served 2things
1- Baalim
2- the groves
666 in the book of Judges:
Six times in the book God speaks of Israel working evil (Judg 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).
As a result we read of six times in which they were made captive (Judg 3:8, 12; 4:2; 6:1; 10:7;
13:1).
And we read about six times that they were delivered (Judg 3:9, 15; 4:23; 8:28; 11:33; 16:30).
Judg 3:9 first of 13 judges Judg 1:13 Caleb's younger brother
There are thirteen judges.
1. Othniel (Judg 3:7-11)
2. Ehud (Judg 3:12-30)
3. Shamgar (Judg 3:31)
4. Barak (Judg 4:1-5:31)
5. Gideon (Judg 6:1-8:32)
6. Abimelech (Judg 8:33-9:57)
7. Tola (Judg 10:1-2)
8. Jair (Judg 10:3-5)
9. Jephthah (Judg 10:6-12:7)
10. Ibzan (Judg 12:8-10)
11. Elon (Judg 12:11-12)
12. Abdon (Judg 12:13-15)
13. Samson (Judg 13:1-16:30)
A strong individual is needed to guide a people in the right way. Deliverance, freedom and victory come
through a man, not through a movement or a multitude.
Judg 3:10 The first noticeable evidence of the Spirit of the LORD is judgment.
Judg 3:12 Israel’s enemies empowered by God
Judg 3:15 It was God's right hand that gained Israel the victory, Ps 44:3; not the right hand of the
instruments he employed.
Judg 20:16; 1Chr 12:2
Judg 3:18 "present" Pr 18:16
Judg 3:21 God uses the weak things (1 Corinthians 1:27). There are seven weak things used in Judges:
 a left hand (Judg 3:21)
 an ox goad (Judg 3:31)

3.  a woman (Judg 4:4)
 a nail (Judg 4:21)
 a piece of millstone (Judg 9:53)
 a pitcher and a trumpet (Judg 7:20)
 the jawbone of an ass (Judg 15:16)
Judg 4:6 The LORD owns it all he can sell any of it any time he wants 1King 21:25
Judges 5:1-31 The chapter offers the song of Deborah and Barak after their victory over the Canaanites.
The song includes several good references to Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. The
mention of Sier and Edom in verse four have reference to the path of the Second Advent, which includes
the area south of the Dead Sea (Isa. 63:1-6). The melting mountains of verse five match the Second
Coming prophecies of Revelation. The “new gods” of verse eight are what people will be worshiping when
Christ returns. The men on “white asses” in verse ten point to the armies of heaven on “white horses”
(Rev. 19:14). Verse twelve’s mention of an awakening woman leading captivity captive seems very similar
to the bride of Christ going up in the rapture. The “dominion” that the saints have in verse thirteen pictures
our rule with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom. The “Megiddo” of verse nineteen is Armageddon. The
fighting “stars” of verse twenty point to the “war in heaven” of Revelation 12:3-9. The smiting of Sisera of
verse twenty-six pictures the death of the antichrist with a wound to the head (Rev. 13:3; Gen. 3:15; Hab.
3:13). Finally, the sun going forth in his might (Judges 5:31) pictures Christ Himself at the Second Coming
(Mal. 4:2; Psa. 19:1-6).
Judg 7 We learn from Judges 7 that God’s army is:
 a minority (Judges 7:7)
 many begin but do not finish (Judges 7:3)
 faith will be tested before combat (Judges 7:4)
 God’s work must be done by faithful men (Judges 7:3)
 God looks for alertness (Judges 7:5-7)
 our sole need is God’s power (Judges 7:2)
God gave them a great victory. Judges 8:4 Israel did not lose a man. Three hundred were with Gideon
when they passed over the Jordan River.
 They were faint, yet pursuing (Judg 8:4).
 They sought help from others (Judges 8:5-6) but got none.
 They were outnumbered (Judg 8:10)
 They fought in the dark (Judg 8:12-13).
It is a picture of the Lord’s church in these last days.
Judg 7:25 Pic of the 2nd Adv. Isa 10:26, 9:4; Deut 32:31-32; Ps 18:2, 83:11
Judg 13:25 Had he but yielded to the impulses of the Spirit of the Lord and obeyed the word of God how
different would his story read. How many of us will have such for our legacy: the Spirit… at times.

4. Judges 17:6 this is the key verse is of the book of Judges. This is also the last sentence of the book (Judg
18:1, 19:1, 21:25). The Lord is no longer King. Self-will rules the day. Mark the expression well. The
tragedy is that man’s idea of what is right and wrong is often exactly opposite of God’s idea. Man will
always take the positive view of his own misdeeds.
Judges 17:10 Hence, Roman Catholics call their priest “father,” an idolatrous practice that violates
Malachi 1:6; Matthew 23:9.
Judg 19:2 Priest and concubine to blame Gen 38:24; Lev 21:6-7; Lev 21:6; Deut 22:21-22; Deut 22:21;
Judg 19:3 the sales pitch "speak friendly" Gen 34:3; Prov 30:19;
Judg 20:36 Gave place= set an ambush Rom 12:19-20; Eph 4:27;