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The Bible Speaks Today: Old Testament
The Message of Judges
The book of Judges bustles with colorful characters. To Christian readers Judges is interesting, sometimes inspiring, but also puzzling. What message should we take from it? How are we to understand the ambiguous spirituality of the judges themselves? What was God doing during this wayward period between Joshua and Samuel? With wit, insight and sensitivity to the narrator's art, Michael Wilcock answers these and other questions. God himself is the Judge, he argues, who transcends the uncertain record of human judges. He is the principal actor in this drama. Always ready to respond to those who call on him, he takes the initiative and uses raw human resources to preserve Israel from her enemies and shape the nation for his purpose. In exposing the twists and turns and nuances of this story, Wilcock sends us back to Judges with a renewed quest, not only to rediscover the story of God and Israel, but to find fresh perspective on the ways of God and his church in a post-Christian world.
175 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 16, 2020
This book is an eye opener. Its ultimate message is that we have to submit ourselves to God. Do not despair, submitting yourself to God entails being purified but, remember: Jesus is the Way, bringer of Light and, the Truth.
October 11, 2025
Good, non comprehensive discussion of Judges. This series is really good. my wife has been using it extensively. Recommended for lay readers and those wanting a good reading. Not for those wanting a survey of the prior literature.
November 25, 2022
Good read to grasp many of the general themes of Judges. Helps get the juices flowing in sermon prep, but definitely no last word.
April 22, 2023
What a wonderful book to read. It showed us that God, the ultimate King was always in the midst of the children of Israel.
March 25, 2024
Readable layperson commentary on the book of Judges.
February 23, 2014
A book of heroes, anti-heroes, and villainous villains
26 May 2010
Another commentary of a very misunderstood book of the bible: the book of Judges. The book of Judges is actually a collection of stories, with heroes and villains, that occurred in ancient Israel between the settlement of the land under Joshua and the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul: a period of between three to four hundred years. The book is described as having a cyclical pattern, with the Israelites rejecting God, God sending foreign nations to oppress them, the Israelites crying out for release, and then God sending a 'judge' (or more like hero) to rescue the people. However, it is not so much cyclical, but rather it is a continuing downward spiral where everybody does what they see right in their own eyes and the rejection of an objective moral law.
As mentioned, this is a book of heroes and villains, however while the villains are, well, villainous, the heroes are anything but. If anything, they are flawed, and in Samson's case, more of an anti-hero than a hero (what indeed is he doing going into the capital city of his people's enemies simply to visit a prostitute?).
In any case, as with the other commentaries, this book does a good job of exploring the book of Judges and how this book, written probably 3000 years ago, still applies to us today.
26 May 2010
Another commentary of a very misunderstood book of the bible: the book of Judges. The book of Judges is actually a collection of stories, with heroes and villains, that occurred in ancient Israel between the settlement of the land under Joshua and the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul: a period of between three to four hundred years. The book is described as having a cyclical pattern, with the Israelites rejecting God, God sending foreign nations to oppress them, the Israelites crying out for release, and then God sending a 'judge' (or more like hero) to rescue the people. However, it is not so much cyclical, but rather it is a continuing downward spiral where everybody does what they see right in their own eyes and the rejection of an objective moral law.
As mentioned, this is a book of heroes and villains, however while the villains are, well, villainous, the heroes are anything but. If anything, they are flawed, and in Samson's case, more of an anti-hero than a hero (what indeed is he doing going into the capital city of his people's enemies simply to visit a prostitute?).
In any case, as with the other commentaries, this book does a good job of exploring the book of Judges and how this book, written probably 3000 years ago, still applies to us today.
February 6, 2018
4.5. I never intend to add commentaries to my good reads list, but this one was so... well, fun! and useful and written in a way that allows laypeople like me to grasp the particular strangeness of the book of Judges. SO, thanks, Michael Wilcock! I hope the next time I find myself needing some context and extra information, I come by another commentary written as well as this one.
May 3, 2014
Wilcock brings a sense of profundity to his study of the Judges. After you read this book you see how each of the twelve judges were alike and how they were different. He gave the reader so much to think about. The book is rather dense and requires time and thought as one peruses this book.
November 1, 2011
Great commentary on the book of Judges.
If you are wanting to dig in on Judges, this is the commentary.
If you are wanting to dig in on Judges, this is the commentary.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews