Judges - key themes

Before diving into the text, which is what we really want to do, let me set out what I think are a few of the key themes in this book of Judges.

1. The land.
Forming part of the promise to Abraham from Gen 12 on the land, this particular land, features prominently, not only in Judges, but in Joshua, Ruth and the latter Prophets.

2. Repeated sin.
This book is designed to highlight the cyclical nature of human sin. Over and over the people fall into rebellion against the God who has brought them up out of Egypt.

3. Repeated faithfulness.
Not from the people, but from God. Our Father's response to human sin is divine mercy and grace - yes, even if that grace is shown through the hard times of judgement and punishment upon sin.

4. Repeated failure.
The title of the book comes from the Judges who are the main characters. They are raised up by repeated fail to change the people, they cannot arrest the cycle of sin.

5. Where is the king?
21:25 is probably the programatic verse in this book. Where the Judges fail we are offered the hope that a king might succeed. This launches us into the narratives of Samuel and Kings.