Colleyville Presbyterian Church - Adult Sunday School

Overview of the Old Testament: Judges

March 6, 2016

Summary: Judges is the book of the idolatry (key passage is Judges 2:11-19). Judges tells the story of
how, after the initial (partial) conquest of the land of Canaan, Israels life in the promised land after
Joshuas death fell into this pattern: 1) idolatry 2) judgment 3) repentance 4) deliverance by a
judge. After the judges death (or even sometimes before) the people would return to idolatry and
the cycle would begin again. At the end of the book of Judges the situation nearly spirals out of
control into immoral chaos and civil war. The last words of the book are telling: In those days there
was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges is an extended
apologetic for Israels (and our) desperate need for a faithful king.

! I. After Joshuas Death, the Pattern of Idolatry-Judgement-Repentance-Deliverance

! ! begins (ch. 1-3:6)

! ! a. Israel fails to drive out the Canaanites from the land (1:1-2:5)

b. Joshua dies, leaving Israel without a leader (2:6-10)

! ! c. The pattern begins (2:11-3:6)

!
! II. The Judges of Israel (3:7 - 16:31)
! ! !
!
! ! Othniel (3:7-11); Ehud (3:12-30); Shamgar (3:31); Deborah (ch 4-5);
! ! Gideon (ch. 6-9); Tola (10:1-2); Jair (10:3-4); Jephthah (10:6-12:7); Ibzan (12:8); Elon
! !
! ! (12:11-12); Abdon (12:13-15); Samson (ch. 13-16)
!
! III. Without a faithful king, Israels life spirals out of control (ch 17-21)

! ! In those days Israel had no king - 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25

! ! a. Idolatry and Syncretistic Religion (ch 17-18) b. Rape, Murder and Civil War (ch 19-21)

! ! Judges Key Theme: Without a faithful king, Israels heart will turn to other gods.

! ! -Judges is essentially the theology of Deuteronomy on display (i.e the call to love the
! ! Lord from the heart and to be distinct from the other nations, and the Lords promise to
! ! keep his covenant with both blessings and curses).

! ! -There is a underlying pro-Judah and anti-Benjamin theme throughout Judges

! ! -Judges is intended to help Israel long for a faithful king (from the tribe of Judah)
 Colleyville Presbyterian Church - Adult Sunday School
Overview of the Old Testament: Ruth
March 6, 2016

Summary: Ruth is the book of hesed (key verse is Ruth 3:20). Ruth tells the story of a bitter and
childless widow, Naomi, who is overwhelmed by the steadfast love (hesed) of the LORD through the
actions of her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, and a righteous man of Judah (& Bethlehem), Boaz.

Ruth is a book which operates on a number of levels. It is a deeply penetrating psychological portrait
of Gods love for two otherwise unknown widows (Naomi & Ruth), and it is also a typological
picture of the faithful kinsman-redeemer King (from Judah) that Israel was meant to long for (and
this typology also operates on multiple levels).

!
! ! I. In the midst of her suffering and bitterness, Naomi is loved by Ruth (ch. 1)

! ! II. Ruth and Naomi begin to receive the hesed of the LORD through Boaz (ch. 2)

! ! III. Ruth asks Boaz to serve as her (and Naomis) kinsman-redeemer (ch. 3)

! ! IV. Boaz is the faithful kinsman-redeemer for Ruth and Naomi (ch. 4)

! Ruth Key Theme: Under the leadership of faithful kinsman-redeemer, life and restoration comes (for
! ! ! ! Israel and the nations)

! -Ruths identity as a Moabite is essential for understanding the book. In her we see the nations
! ! being drawn into the redemptive life of Israel, and also a powerful reminder of Israels
! ! need to be humble in regard to the nations around them.

! -Ruth functions as a powerful polemic for Israels need for a faithful king, and in particular for
! ! the kingship of David.

! -The story of Naomi is a fascinating picture of the experience of suffering and redemption.
! ! The story of Ruth serves as one of the most extended portraits of a righteous woman in
! ! the Old Testament (connections with Proverbs 31?)