I'm getting closer to the text, it is coming. Here are some recommended books on Judges.
1. David Jackman 'Mastering The Old Testament: Vol 7: Judges and Ruth', pub 1991.
David Jackman, is in my opinion, one of the finest preacher of the last 20 years. His work is consistent good, of a very high standard and covers the text well. This book is aimed at preachers but would be of value to anyone seriously reading Judges.
2. Michael Wilcock 'The Message of Judges', pub 1992 (in the IVP The Bible Speaks Today series)
At only 175 pages this isn't a long book and probably isn't the most exciting book on Judges, if it's exciting you want try Wilcock on Revelation in the same series! It is a good treatement of the text, apart from the final five chapters which are given only 25 pages (and the text is printed in these few pages).
3. Dale Ralph Davis 'Judges: Such a great salvation', pub 2000 (in the Christian Focus ed.)
Dale Ralph Davis on the former prophets is a must have, these are truly great books on passages of Scripture which many Christians struggle with. Judges is covered in 21 chapters and although not every stone is overturned this is a very good book and probably my top recommendation from these three.
I generally don't recommend series' as a whole, most series' are good in parts. I don't have any critical texts on Judges, and nothing on the Hebrew text so I don't know what's good in these areas.
If you have, or know of any good books on Judges why not leave a comment with a recommendation.
Showing posts with label Judges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Judges. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Judges - An Overview
Still on general introduction to Judges.
An overview of the book can be given as follows:
1:1-3:6 - A general introduction to the book and the period, most of the key themes of the book are
introduced in these verses.
3:7-31 - the first three Judges
4:1-5:31 - Deborah and Barak (a very interesting section as it allows us to compare a Hebrew prose
account of an event with a poetic retelling of the same event.)
6:1-8:35 - Gideon
9:1-12:15 - various Judges, two chapters on Jephthah
13:1-16:31 - Samson
17:1-18:31 - Micah's idols
19:1-21:24 - A levite and his concubine
21:25 - programatic summary of the book
Such an overview allows us to identify the major narrative sections, Gideon, Samson, Deborah and Barak, Jephthah. Because we have not limited the key themes of Judges to the lives and events of the Judges chapters 17 to 21 do not appear as some kind of appendage roughly added to this text, but are a key part of the shape of Judges and its theological importance. These chapters are of course some of the most 'offensive' in the OT and it is good to tie them closely into the structure of the book and therefore the main story line of the whole OT.
An overview of the book can be given as follows:
1:1-3:6 - A general introduction to the book and the period, most of the key themes of the book are
introduced in these verses.
3:7-31 - the first three Judges
4:1-5:31 - Deborah and Barak (a very interesting section as it allows us to compare a Hebrew prose
account of an event with a poetic retelling of the same event.)
6:1-8:35 - Gideon
9:1-12:15 - various Judges, two chapters on Jephthah
13:1-16:31 - Samson
17:1-18:31 - Micah's idols
19:1-21:24 - A levite and his concubine
21:25 - programatic summary of the book
Such an overview allows us to identify the major narrative sections, Gideon, Samson, Deborah and Barak, Jephthah. Because we have not limited the key themes of Judges to the lives and events of the Judges chapters 17 to 21 do not appear as some kind of appendage roughly added to this text, but are a key part of the shape of Judges and its theological importance. These chapters are of course some of the most 'offensive' in the OT and it is good to tie them closely into the structure of the book and therefore the main story line of the whole OT.
Monday, 12 April 2010
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.
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.
Friday, 2 April 2010
Coming Next
Thanks to everyone who has been following the posts on Galatians. I hope they have been helpful.
Next week I'm on holiday so beginning on Monday 12 April (fanfare now ...) Judges!
A recent Bible Society survey of bible reading people reveals a great discomfort with the OT in general and the narrative portions in particular. Judges has a few of the so-called 'texts of terror', so pray that as I post and you read over the coming weeks that God will open our eyes to his word in this book.
Next week I'm on holiday so beginning on Monday 12 April (fanfare now ...) Judges!
A recent Bible Society survey of bible reading people reveals a great discomfort with the OT in general and the narrative portions in particular. Judges has a few of the so-called 'texts of terror', so pray that as I post and you read over the coming weeks that God will open our eyes to his word in this book.
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