Continuing Catholic Continuing Catholic EducationEducation

2010-2011April 3rd 2011

Judges- Overview• Background – After the death of Joshua, settling in

the new land Israel conquered.• Timing – 1350 BC- 1100BC• Purpose – Narrative book about roles of many

Judges in the salvation history of Israel• Main Themes– Deterioration of Israel’s Relationship with

God(1-3:4 – Deliverance of Israel through Judges(3:5-16:31)– Fallen state of Israel (17-21)

Infidelity of Israel (1-3)

• The next generation after Joshua, did not know God and turned to ‘Baals’

• How did they forget the story?• Angel of God rebuking Israel • Israel faces defeat by local Kings• God’s Anger vs. God’s Mercy• They never get it, huh! Who?

Deliverance Through Judges (3-16)

• Cycles of Infidelity and God’s Mercy– Sin -> Servitude->Supplication-

>Salvation->Silence• Six Major Judges and Six Minor Judges• Deborah – Prophetess– Role of women in our families

• Gideon – Called by an Angel while working on the winepress

• Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar,Abimelech, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon

• Spirit of God was upon the Judges

Samson – The Story

Who is Samson?• Samson and the nazirite vow• Samson –Sunshine or Sun• Samson and Delilah(Night or Darkness)• Night eclipsing Sun• What happened when Samson broke the

vow?– Blinded, Bound and imprisoned

• Samson’s final sacrifice• Samson as a Type for Israel• Samson as a Type for me!!

Fallen State of Israel• Idolatry (Many Gods)• Immorality (Benjamine story)• In-fighting with tribes of Israel• Lack of Leader (King)• Every man did what was right in his

own eyes• God’s Mercy

Judges and Me

• Face of a Merciful God• Judges tell the story of heroic struggles of

Israel in the Promised Land• We are also facing many Canaanite Gods in

our time – Evil around us • To be Judges keeping our own ‘Israel’ safe– Do I value God-given gifts? – My value System