Judges Israel ruled by Judges

Four hundred years 17 Judges ruled Israel Some were governors, some military leaders, most were warriors like Samson or Gideon One was a priest – Eli One was a prophet – Samuel The 3 most important offices appointed by God for the Israelites were: Prophet, Priest, King

Judges is the book of repeated failures, a dark age, filled with corruption Seven cycles of Israel’s disobedience and repentance – infidelity and return to fidelity Cycle would begin with fidelity and God’s favor leading to Blessing, blessing would lead to Luxury, luxury would lead to Pride, to Disaster, to Suffering and finally to Repentance and renewed Fidelity when the cycle would begin again.

Cause of ills: 21:25, “Everyman did what was right in his own eyes.” Judge means savior, deliverer, from the Hebrew word shophet.