The Message of Judges

By Michael Wilcock

The book of Judges contains some of the most famous of the Bible's stories, as well as some of the least known. They show us the deepest sins of humanity but reveal them in the light of God's abundant grace. Behind human leaders such as Deborah, Jephthah, and Samson stands the principal actor in this drama: God as Judge, discerning and deciding.
Michael Wilcock astutely explores the message of Judges to show that God never abandons his people—then or now. In this Bible Speaks Today commentary, Wilcock illuminates the meaning that Judges still holds for us today as a story of God's grace. The Judge of all ensures that his people will never manage to destroy themselves, even though it may look as if they are on course for disaster.
Part of the loved and trusted Bible Speaks Today series, The Message of Judges offers an insightful, readable exposition of the biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how it relates to contemporary life. Used by Bible students and teachers around the world, The Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for anyone studying or preaching Scripture and those who want to delve deeper into the text.
This beautifully redesigned edition has also been sensitively updated to include modern references and use the NRSV Bible text.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Release date: Feb 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781514004661

Michael Wilcock

Michael Wilcock is a former Director of Pastoral Studies at Trinity College, Bristol and minister of St Nicholas' Church, Durham. As well as The Message of 1and 2 Chronicles he is the author of The Bible Speaks Today commentaries on Judges, Psalms, Luke and Revelation.

Reviews for The Message of Judges

[david.alfred.sarkies · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another commentary of a very misunderstood book of the bible: the book of Judges. The book of Judges is actually a collection of stories, with heroes and villains, that occurred in ancient Israel between the settlement of the land under Joshua and the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul: a period of between three to four hundred years. The book is described as having a cyclical pattern, with the Israelites rejecting God, God sending foreign nations to oppress them, the Israelites crying out for release, and then God sending a 'judge' (or more like hero) to rescue the people. However, it is not so much cyclical, but rather it is a continuing downward spiral where everybody does what they see right in their own eyes and the rejection of an objective moral law.As mentioned, this is a book of heroes and villains, however while the villains are, well, villainous, the heroes are anything but. If anything, they are flawed, and in Samson's case, more of an anti-hero than a hero (what indeed is he doing going into the capital city of his people's enemies simply to visit a prostitute?). In any case, as with the other commentaries, this book does a good job of exploring the book of Judges and how this book, written probably 3000 years ago, still applies to us today.