A Christological View Through the Book of Judges
The Book of Judges • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction — Why Judges Leaves Us Wanting More
Introduction — Why Judges Leaves Us Wanting More
There is a period in English history called “The Anarchy” (A.D. 1135–1153). It happened when King Henry I died and there was a dispute over who the rightful king was.
For nearly 20 years, there was no clear king on the throne. Barons and warlords began building their own castles, raising their own armies, making their own laws, and ruling their own territories.
One historian famously wrote about this time:
“Christ and His saints slept.”
Another chronicler wrote:
“There was no ling in the land…and every man did what was right in his own eyes.”
During that time:
Laws were ignored.
Violence increased.
The weak were exploited.
People built private prisons.
Land was taken by force.
Justice seemingly disappeared.
Why?
Because there was no king.
When there is no king, everyone becomes their own king. And when everyone becomes their own king, society collapses.
This is exactly the world of the book of Judges.
Judges is not just a book about Israel’s history—it is a book about what happens to any society, any church, any family, and any individual when God is no longer the Ruler in men’s hearts.
Now that we have walked verse-by-verse through the Book of Judges, we need to step back and ask an important question:
Why is this book in the Bible?
Because if we’re honest, Judges is a hard book. It’s dark. It’s violent. It’s messy. It ends in moral chaos. There is no neat ending, no national revival, no golden age — just this haunting line:
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
That is not just the last verse of Judges — that is the summary of the entire book.
And when you step back and look at Judges as a whole, you realize something very important:
Judges is not primarily about the judges.
Judges is about the failure of human leadership and the sinfulness of the human heart.
The book is meant to leave you feeling uncomfortable. It is meant to leave you saying:
We need a better deliverer.
We need a better judge.
We need a righteous king.
We need new hearts.
And that is exactly where the book is pointing us — to Jesus Christ.
So tonight, we’re going to look at Judges from a Christological view — how the whole book points us to Christ.
1. The Cycle of Sin and Deliverance
1. The Cycle of Sin and Deliverance
Throughout Judges, we see the same cycle over and over again:
Israel sins
Israel is oppressed
Israel cries out
God raises a judge (deliverer)
The land has peace
The judge dies
Israel sins again
This cycle is summarized in:
18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
Notice the key problem: The judge could not change the people’s hearts.
They could defeat enemies.
They could bring peace.
They could restore order.
But they could not stop sin.
That’s why the cycle keeps repeating.
This teaches us something very important:
The human problem is not just external — it is internal.
Jesus said the same thing:
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
The problem in Judges is not just the Canaanites.
The problem is not just bad leadership.
The problem is the human heart.
Jeremiah 17:9 says:
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
That is Judges.
And this is why temporary deliverers were not enough.
This is why Jesus did not just come to improve our circumstances — He came to save us from sin itself.
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Application:
Many people live the Judges cycle today:
Sin
Consequences
Cry out
Temporary change
Go right back to sin
Why? Because behavior modification is not the same as heart transformation.
Only Jesus breaks the cycle of sin.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
The judges brought temporary relief.
Jesus brings new life.
2. The Need for a King
2. The Need for a King
The key verse in Judges is repeated:
6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
This is not just a political statement — it is a spiritual one.
When there is no king:
Everyone becomes their own authority.
Everyone defines truth for themselves.
Everyone does what is right in their own eyes.
And the result is chaos.
Proverbs says:
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the hearts.
That is Judges.
That is our culture today.
That is the human heart apart from God.
So Judges creates a longing:
We need a king.
But not just any king — a righteous king.
And the Old Testament keeps building toward that King.
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
And then we arrive in the New Testament:
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Jesus is the King Judges was pointing to.
But here’s the key application:
The problem in Judges is not just that Israel had no king on the throne.
The problem is that they had rejected God as King in their hearts.
And the same question applies to us:
Who is on the throne of your life?
Jesus said:
46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
The Christian life begins when we step off the throne and Jesus steps on.
3. Christ the True Judge and Deliverer
3. Christ the True Judge and Deliverer
Each judge in Judges points to Jesus in a small and imperfect way.
They were deliverers, but they were flawed.
Othniel — a deliverer
Ehud — a deliverer
Deborah — a judge
Gideon — a deliverer
Jephthah — a tragic deliverer
Samson — a deliverer who died defeating enemies
They all point forward to a better Deliverer.
Samson especially points to Christ in a shadowed way — he defeats Israel’s enemies through his death.
But Samson died because of his sin.
Jesus died because of our sin.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Jesus defeated sin, death, and Satan.
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
The judges saved for a time. Jesus saves forever!
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Final Summary
Final Summary
So when we step back and look at the Book of Judges, here is what we learn:
Sin cannot be managed — it must be forgiven and defeated.
Human leaders cannot change the human heart.
Temporary deliverers are not enough.
We need a righteous King.
We need a perfect Deliverer.
We need new hearts.
And the answer to all of that is Jesus.
Jesus is the better Judge.
Jesus is the greater Deliverer.
Jesus is the righteous King.
Jesus is the one who breaks the cycle of sin.
Final Closing Exhortation
Final Closing Exhortation
Tonight we started by talking about the period in history called The Anarchy, when there was no king in England, and the historians said, “Christ and His saints slept,’ and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
The book of Judges is the same kind of time—moral chaos, violence, confusion, because there was no king in Israel.
But here is the difference between Judges and the gospel:
We are not living in a time of no king.
The King has come!
Jesus Christ has come—the righteous king, the true Deliverer, the perfect Judge. The problem today is not that there is no king. The problem today is that many people are still doing what is right in their own eyes instead of bowing to the King who has already come.
The question the Book of Judges leaves us with is not, “Is there a king?”
The question is, “Is Jesus your King?”
Because when Jesus is King:
Sin no longer rules
Self no longer rules
Culture no longer rules
Christ rules!
And when Christ rules, He bring forgiveness, peace, order, purpose, and life.
Judges ends with everyone doing what is right in their eyes.
The Christian life beings when a person finally says, “Not my well, but Yours be done. Jesus is King.”
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
