Bible Study Guide. Judges - Andrew J. Lamont-Turner

Israel has entered the promised land, but conquest gives way to compromise. Faith weakens. Idolatry spreads. The nation descends into oppression, violence, and moral confusion. Again and again, the people abandon Yahweh, cry out under judgement, and receive an undeserved deliverer. Yet each rescue is temporary, and each cycle sinks further into darkness.

This verse-by-verse study opens the Book of Judges with close attention to its historical setting, covenant theology, difficult passages, and continuing relevance. It examines Deborah’s courage, Gideon’s divided heart, Jephthah’s tragedy, Samson’s wasted strength, and the disturbing collapse that closes the book. The judges are not polished heroes. They are flawed instruments in the hands of a faithful God.

Through detailed exposition, chapter summaries, prayers, and study questions, readers will confront the danger of partial obedience and the destructive power of spiritual compromise. Judges exposes what happens when everyone does what is right in their own eyes, while directing attention towards the need for righteous leadership, lasting deliverance, and the true King who alone can rescue His people from the deeper bondage of sin.