Who Were the Judges?

The era of the judges was full of heroic exploits. We still tell these stories today. We hear of Samson, who slew a thousand foes with the jawbone of a donkey. We remember Gideon, who destroyed an entire army with only three hundred men. God raised up these and other servants to display His power and deliver the Israelites from their enemies.

Yet before each victory, there was suffering and distress. In today’s message from his video teaching series Dust to Glory, R.C. Sproul explores the ups and downs of the book of Judges. As the Israelites imitated the pagan nations around them, God poured out His wrath and allowed His people to be defeated and plundered. Yet when they confessed their sins and called out to Him, He sent judges to liberate them. Over and over again, we see this repeating cycle of relapse, retribution, repentance, and rescue.

Much like the Israelites, we are also tempted to conform to the world around us. But although God’s people at times forsake Him, He has promised never to forsake us (Deut. 31:6; Heb. 13:5). Instead, Jesus Christ was forsaken on the cross for our redemption (Mark 15:34).

Watch today’s message, or for a limited time, request your copy of the full teaching series Dust to Glory for a donation of any amount. You can also dig deeper into the Scriptures with the Reformation Study Bible.