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Believers Church Bible Commentary
Judges: Believers Church Bible Commentary
Terry L. Brensinger explains the ups and downs of the Israelites during the period of the Judges. By tracing developments under each judge, he shows how Israel's condition deteriorates to near-total chaos. The book of Judges begins with depictions of Israel's obedience and faithfulness but ends with disunited and leaderless tribes. The people tend to take their focus away from serving the Lord. Instead, they follow other gods, seek false security, and do what is right in their own eyes. The author provides practical applications for such contemporary issues as religious unfaithfulness, the nature of community, the roles and responsibilities of leaders, and war and violence.
- GenresNonfiction
272 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 28, 2019
I guess this is where I judge the book that judges Judges?
Jokes aside, this Believers series is extremely good, even if you aren't of their faith. The series does an amazing job of breaking down the focus book (in this case, Judges) down into sections, giving commentary on the actions portrayed, then offering context within the book, within the Bible, and within the Christian Church. It's a really strong pattern that helps me understand the books better, even if I'm not always 100% on board with the author's comments (we get a bit of homophobia at the end of this one, sadly, but not enough to knock the rating down).
The key to understanding Judges, per Mr. Brensinger, is to see the pattern. This is Israel, with no King, being reflected on by a writer who's writing when the power of Israel is at an ebb. The time of the Judges shows how bad Israel can become with no leader, as each successive judge manages to be less successful, until we get to Sampson, who's a total, lecherous ass. His downfall is via foreign women, adding another layer of judging to the whole proceeding. By the time we get to the Danites being really awful people, Israel is a bad way heading into the next set of biblical books.
It's a very good commentary, with lessons for us to take into our own lives and Christian ideals. Definitely worth reading as a study guide, if you can find it, as I assume it's out of print.
Jokes aside, this Believers series is extremely good, even if you aren't of their faith. The series does an amazing job of breaking down the focus book (in this case, Judges) down into sections, giving commentary on the actions portrayed, then offering context within the book, within the Bible, and within the Christian Church. It's a really strong pattern that helps me understand the books better, even if I'm not always 100% on board with the author's comments (we get a bit of homophobia at the end of this one, sadly, but not enough to knock the rating down).
The key to understanding Judges, per Mr. Brensinger, is to see the pattern. This is Israel, with no King, being reflected on by a writer who's writing when the power of Israel is at an ebb. The time of the Judges shows how bad Israel can become with no leader, as each successive judge manages to be less successful, until we get to Sampson, who's a total, lecherous ass. His downfall is via foreign women, adding another layer of judging to the whole proceeding. By the time we get to the Danites being really awful people, Israel is a bad way heading into the next set of biblical books.
It's a very good commentary, with lessons for us to take into our own lives and Christian ideals. Definitely worth reading as a study guide, if you can find it, as I assume it's out of print.
Displaying 1 of 1 review