Judges and Ruth: God in Chaos

by Barry G. Webb

The book of Judges powerfully demonstrates the chaos that can arise when sin reigns in people’s hearts. In contrast, the book of Ruth offers a message of redemption and hope following disorder. Set in a time when everyone “did what was right in his own eyes,” both books work together to highlight God’s faithfulness in the midst of Israel's disobedience.

Exploring the stories of figures such as Gideon, Samson, Naomi, and Ruth, this accessible commentary emphasizes the countless ways God protected and preserved his people in the Bible. Experienced preacher Barry Webb explores important connections between Judges and Ruth, reminding us of God’s promises to his people and offering practical applications for daily life―pointing us toward the hope of the coming King of kings, Jesus Christ.

Part of the Preaching the Word series.

Genres: Christian

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2015

Reviews

[Jonathan Sussex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was a great way to study Judges and Ruth and very easy to read with some great illustrations and applications

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judges and Ruth: God in Chaos is the third book I've read in Crossway's Preaching the Word commentary series. (The other two books I've read are Isaiah: God Saves Sinners and John: That You Might Believe.) This title released just a few months ago--late Fall 2015. Though I knew it would require a time commitment, I knew that it would prove worth it in the end.

Judges is not a "happy" book. It is strange, violent, offensive, depressing. Webb sums it up by calling it chaotic. Readers meet lost people greatly in need of saving; people who do whatever they want, whenever they want, without really ever considering if it's right or wrong, good or bad, wise or foolish. It is very much a book showing the consequences of sin, of immoral lifestyles. But Webb points out that it is also a book illustrating God's grace and mercy. He emphasizes the fact that God pities the Israelites even when they don't repent, even when they don't return to following and worshipping him. It is not a cyclical book where they have a change of heart, and, God seeing that they deserve his favor, decides to rescue them. No, they don't deserve or merit a rescue. But God loves them in spite of their sins, their hard-heartedness, their inabilities. God is a gracious God who saves. Yes, he's a God who judges between right and wrong, a God that loves justice and will act justly at all times. Readers meet judges--human judges--that are often just as flawed as the people they're "saving" or "leading." One never gets the idea or impression that God is super-impressed by them. Rather that God uses imperfect people, that God can turn our very weaknesses into strengths. Perhaps strengths is the wrong word. What I mean is that the very fact that we, on our own, CAN'T do something gives God the perfect opportunity to show what weak, foolish, imperfect people can do when they're filled with the Spirit of God and His power is flowing through them into their lives and situations. God is GREAT. God is POWERFUL. God ACTS. He acts on behalf of HIS people. They are his because he wants them to be, declares them to be, calls them to be.

Is it a commentary? a proper commentary? Yes and no. It does cover each chapter of the book of Judges (and Ruth). But it doesn't cover each chapter, verse by verse by verse. It is a series of expository sermons covering each and every chapter of Judges (and Ruth). For those interested in reading and studying the entire Bible, it's a great book. Perhaps for those just interested in looking up more information on a specific verse or passage--as a reference book--it might not be the best resource.

So. The book covers Judges AND Ruth. I don't "love, love, love" the book of Judges. I don't. But I do love, love, LOVE the book of Ruth. And Webb does it justice here!!! Ruth is just four chapters in length, but, so much theology is packed into this little book. So much about redemption and grace! God is very present in the book. God is present in the book of Judges too, of course, but Ruth is like a little love letter.

I do love how this book shows how relevant the Word of God remains, in particular, of course, the book of Judges and Ruth. It isn't always "obvious" how a book like Judges can still speak to us, and apply to us today. But Webb does a good job.

From the preface:

Judges and Ruth are both books for our times, an age of individualism when every man or woman does what is right in his or her own eyes, when love has been divorced from commitment, and when people need more than ever to discover, or rediscover, the redeeming love of God in Christ.

From chapter one:

Doing something that is inconsistent with being faithful to God can always be made to sound reasonable, but it is always wrong. And in our own day the temptations to do so are legion, and often very subtle. Under the pressure to act “kindly” (1: 24), to be tolerant, we can begin to compromise our commitment to the uniqueness of Christ and the truth of the gospel, especially in the pluralistic context in which most of us now live, in which truth is relativized and tolerance is promoted as the supreme virtue. But, of course, it is all a lie. Tolerance is a relative, not absolute virtue. Whether or not it is good depends on what is tolerated. To tolerate evil, however attractively it is packaged, is to bed with the devil and make a covenant with death. It is to be unfaithful to the Lord who saved us and rightly demands our obedience, and when we do it we lose strength, vitality, and victory. We lack moral strength, find ourselves weak in the face of the enemy, and end up weeping and ashamed. And if we manage to preserve some appearance of virtue in this life, a day will come when we will stand before the God we have betrayed and be exposed for the shams we have become.

From chapter three:

What is evil in the eyes of human beings is a matter of personal judgment: what one person considers evil another person may not. But what is evil in the sight of the Lord is unambiguously evil— it is that simple. The Lord is the one described in Genesis 2 as the Lord God, the Creator of human beings, and therefore one who has the absolute right to distinguish right from wrong and determine the bounds within which life is to be lived. He who ordered the physical universe by his word, separating heaven from earth, light from darkness, and land from sea (Genesis 1), also separated right from wrong by that same word (Genesis 2). To do what is evil in his sight is to repeat what Adam and Eve did in Genesis 3. It is to commit the primal sin, the one sin that is the source of all others, to declare one’s solidarity with fallen humanity in its defiance of its Creator. It is to choose moral autonomy. But in reality this is not to choose another good— an alternative and equally valid morality— but to do evil.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seemed so promising. The Israelites had entered by the mighty hand of God into the Promised Land. Joshua left the people with a firm reminder of the need to be mindful of their covenant with God which had as its basis obedience to God’s commands which would lead to existence in the land. If they disobeyed and turned their back on this covenant, chaos would ensue. Unfortunately, as man often does, the Israelites chose the latter option, setting in motion a repetitive process of disobedience, calling out to God for salvation, a short period of obedience, and then the cycle resumed with another period of disobedience and you get the picture.

The books of Judges and Ruth take place during this period of Israel’s history. In his excellent commentary on these pivotal books of Scripture, Barry Webb examines how God worked in the lives of His people even during this chaotic period of rebellion, repentance, rebellion, and repentance. We clearly see that God’s divine plan is never stifled by man’s proclivity to sin and in the midst of the aforementioned chaos of sinful behavior, the promise of redemption moves forward.

This is another wonderful addition to the revamped Preaching the Word Commentary Series from Crossway Books. This venerable set has undergone a bit of a facelift of late with a new cover. Despite the new look on the outside, the content remains ever vigilant to sound biblical exegesis with a distinct pastoral focus in its insight and application.

Users will quickly note this is not an academically minded type of commentary. This is not to say Webb does not insert scholarly insight regarding matters of a linguistic or historical nature when necessary. The focus of Webb is on examining the text and drawing out the application of what God is revealing to His people. Through the many examples of what disobedience looks like throughout Judges and the beautiful message of redemption and the inclusion of a Gentile woman into the fold as a member of God’s people such as we find in Ruth, Webb shows the reader the “God in Chaos” that is noted in the subtitle of this commentary. God is ever present and at work regardless of how desperate or dim the circumstances.

Having recently worked through the book of Ruth, I can attest that Webb’s commentary was quite impactful in working through the text and applying the lessons of redemption that can be gleaned from that amazing book of Scripture. He aptly notes regarding the genealogy found in the closing chapter of Ruth, “Watching these four redeemers emerge has been like watching a magician produce rabbits from his hat. But this is no magic; it’s the work of a sovereign God quietly but powerfully working all things together for good for the sake of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). It is also part of a much larger story in which the full outworking of that same loving purpose can be seen.”

This is a small sample of the valuable exegesis and application that can be found throughout this commentary on Judges and Ruth. I highly recommend this as a great tool for Bible study for not just pastors, but for all believers. In fact, the entire commentary series is well worth the investment.

I received this book for free from Crossway Books and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[David Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful to read alongside Barry Webb's more technical commentary in the NICOT series. Not sure I agree with how he applies the passages, but the groundwork he does is invaluable to read!

[Wassenario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed Ruth especially much more than expected

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful and insightful commentary. The more I read the more I like this series of books.