Judges: Where Christ is found

Christ in Judges:

SAVIORS, PROPHETS, JUDGES: The judges were called “saviors” (2:16; 3:9, 15; verbal forms 3:31; 8:22; 10:1), the same root as the name Joshua (yashua). The term connotes a sudden and supernatural intervention. The judges were also called “prophets” (4:4; 6:8; 1 Samuel 3:20; 7:6, 15-17), anointed, led, and empowered by God’s Spirit. Judges were both statesmen and saviors, that is, both political and spiritual deliverers. Everywhere in Judges is the need for a Righteous King. The perfect Judge, therefore, would be both a Savior and a Prophet. In fact, Jephthah calls YHWH the Ultimate Judge (11:27).

GIDEON: Many scholars see Gideon as the focus of Judges. Samson is his anti-type. Gideon begins in weakness, goes to great victory, and ends in failure. Samson begins with strength, goes to great failure, and ends in victory. Gideon is the warrior who overcomes with the ram’s horn (trumpet), a light, and a shout, in a clear reminder of Joshua at Jericho (Joshua 6:5, 20), but also a foreshadowing of the Messiah to come (Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-21). With Gideon, at the shout and trump the living die. With Christ, at the shout and trump, the dead live first (Samson is the anti-type). D.W. Gooding sees it this way.

A: Introduction I (1:1-2:5)

B: Introduction II (2:6-3:6)

C: Othniel (3:7-11)

D: Ehud-Shamgar (3:12-31)

E: Deborah-Barak-Jael (4:1-5:31)

F: GIDEON (6:1-8:32)

E’: Abimelech-Tola-Jair (8:33-10:5)

D’: Jephthah-Ibzan-Elon-Abdon (10:6-12:15)

C’: Samson (13:1-16:31)

B’: Epilogue I (17:1-18:31)

A’: Epilogue II (19:1-21:25)