OT Survey IOT Survey I

Judges and RuthJudges and Ruth

Setting of JudgesSetting of Judges

The book of Judges follows immediately The book of Judges follows immediately upon the conquest of the land upon the conquest of the land described in the book of Joshua, and described in the book of Joshua, and covers an approximately 335 year covers an approximately 335 year period from the death of Joshua (c. period from the death of Joshua (c. 1390 B.C.) until the death of Samson 1390 B.C.) until the death of Samson (c. 1055 B.C.). The events of the book (c. 1055 B.C.). The events of the book take place at various places within the take place at various places within the land of Israel.land of Israel.

Purpose StatementPurpose Statement

Israel’s failure during the time of the Israel’s failure during the time of the theocracy provides the background theocracy provides the background and demonstrates the need for a and demonstrates the need for a righteous king to lead the people.righteous king to lead the people.

The Cycle of JudgesThe Cycle of Judges Judges 2:6-23 Judges 2:6-23

provides a good provides a good summary of the summary of the book.book. Served the

Lord

Sinned/Idolatry

Became Slaves

Cried tothe Lord

Yahweh RaisedUp a Judge

Israel Delivered

Major ThemesMajor Themes God’s sovereign rule and God’s sovereign rule and

longsufferinglongsuffering Israel’s incomplete obedience and its Israel’s incomplete obedience and its

resulting consequencesresulting consequences The JudgesThe Judges

Major Judges - Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Major Judges - Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, SamsonGideon, Jephthah, Samson

Minor Judges - Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Minor Judges - Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, AbdonElon, Abdon

““There was no king in Israel; everyone There was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”did what was right in his own eyes.”

The Angel of the LordThe Angel of the Lord

StructureStructure Failure of Israel to Complete the Conquest (chap Failure of Israel to Complete the Conquest (chap

1)1) God’s Judgment for this Failure (chap 2)God’s Judgment for this Failure (chap 2) The Seven Cycles of Deliverance (chaps 3-16)The Seven Cycles of Deliverance (chaps 3-16)

From Mesopotamians (3:7-11)From Mesopotamians (3:7-11) From Moabites (3:12-30) and From Philistines (3:31)From Moabites (3:12-30) and From Philistines (3:31) From Canaanites (4:1 – 5:31)From Canaanites (4:1 – 5:31) From Midianites (6:1 – 8:32)From Midianites (6:1 – 8:32) From Abimelech (8:33 – 10:5)From Abimelech (8:33 – 10:5) From Ammonites (10:6 – 12:15)From Ammonites (10:6 – 12:15) From Philistines (13:1 – 16:31)From Philistines (13:1 – 16:31)

Israel’s Failure through Becoming Like the Israel’s Failure through Becoming Like the Canaanites (chaps 17-21)Canaanites (chaps 17-21) The Failure of Israel through Idolatry (17:1 – 18:31)The Failure of Israel through Idolatry (17:1 – 18:31) The Failure of Israel through Immorality (19:1-30)The Failure of Israel through Immorality (19:1-30) The Failure of Israel through War between the Tribes The Failure of Israel through War between the Tribes

(20:1 – 21:25)(20:1 – 21:25)

Commentary on Incidents in Commentary on Incidents in Judges 17 - 18Judges 17 - 18

““Without question these accounts portray Without question these accounts portray a shocking array of covenant violations, a shocking array of covenant violations, all under the guise of normative worship. all under the guise of normative worship. There is no doubt that the people in There is no doubt that the people in these stories are totally immersed in these stories are totally immersed in Canaanite worldviews that make even Canaanite worldviews that make even the Ten Commandments irrelevant to the Ten Commandments irrelevant to them” (Paul House, them” (Paul House, Old Testament Old Testament TheologyTheology, p. 223)., p. 223).

RuthRuth

Key Players in RuthKey Players in Ruth

Elimelech – from Bethlehem; Elimelech – from Bethlehem; husband of Naomi.husband of Naomi.

Mahlon and Chilion – Sons of Mahlon and Chilion – Sons of Elimelech and NaomiElimelech and Naomi

Orpah and Ruth – Moabite women Orpah and Ruth – Moabite women married to Mahlon and Chilionmarried to Mahlon and Chilion

Boaz – Kinsman of NaomiBoaz – Kinsman of Naomi

SettingSetting

““In the days when the judges In the days when the judges governed” (1:1). Because of the governed” (1:1). Because of the famine in Israel, Elimelech took his famine in Israel, Elimelech took his wife and sons to Moab.wife and sons to Moab.

Major ThemesMajor Themes

The sovereignty and providence of GodThe sovereignty and providence of God God’s grace and mercy to both individuals God’s grace and mercy to both individuals

and Israeland Israel Godly characters in the midst of an evil Godly characters in the midst of an evil

generationgeneration NaomiNaomi RuthRuth BoazBoaz

Kinsman redeemerKinsman redeemer

Concept of Kinsman Concept of Kinsman RedeemerRedeemer

Leviticus 25:25 “If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold.”

Leviticus 25:47-49 “Now if the means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger's family, then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.”

StructureStructure

Ruth’s Commitment to Naomi (chap Ruth’s Commitment to Naomi (chap 1)1)

Ruth’s Faithfulness to Naomi (chap 2)Ruth’s Faithfulness to Naomi (chap 2) Ruth’s Claim upon Boaz (chap 3)Ruth’s Claim upon Boaz (chap 3) Ruth’s Redemption by Boaz and an Ruth’s Redemption by Boaz and an

Important Descendant (chap 4)Important Descendant (chap 4)

Purpose and MessagePurpose and Message The book ends with the genealogy of David, and thus The book ends with the genealogy of David, and thus

highlights God’s sovereignty and providence in bringing highlights God’s sovereignty and providence in bringing about the birth of His king, even against large obstacles.about the birth of His king, even against large obstacles.

““The judges period that provided the setting was notorious The judges period that provided the setting was notorious for its apostasy and covenantal ignorance and offense; faith for its apostasy and covenantal ignorance and offense; faith was at a premium. How did the faith of Israel survive? We was at a premium. How did the faith of Israel survive? We suggest that it survived in the common folk such as suggest that it survived in the common folk such as Elimelech and Naomi. The overall picture was glum, but Elimelech and Naomi. The overall picture was glum, but there were faithful individuals. This issue is not without there were faithful individuals. This issue is not without significance for the reader’s understanding of David. As the significance for the reader’s understanding of David. As the historical narratives move from the judges period to the historical narratives move from the judges period to the monarchy, David can be viewed with great incredulity. monarchy, David can be viewed with great incredulity. How could faith like this still exist after four hundred years How could faith like this still exist after four hundred years of conditions such as those described in the book of Judges? of conditions such as those described in the book of Judges? The story of Ruth, drawn from David’s ancestry, offers an The story of Ruth, drawn from David’s ancestry, offers an explanation of the survival of faith. . . . The message is that explanation of the survival of faith. . . . The message is that God preserved families of faith and that from one such God preserved families of faith and that from one such family King David came” (Hill and Walton, family King David came” (Hill and Walton, A Survey of the A Survey of the Old TestamentOld Testament, 184). , 184).

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1 Samuel1 Samuel