Judges Book Study: Disobedience, Leadership, and Key Stories in Israel's Downward Spiral

What are Israel's two types of disobediences in the book of Judges

Idolatry (worshiping other gods) and moral corruption (doing evil in God's sight).

What are the two matching consequences for disobedience in the book of Judges

Oppression by enemies and loss of God's protection.

What elements make up the cycle of covenant failure

Sin → Oppression → Crying out to God → Deliverance through a judge → Peace → Sin again.

What are three themes of Israel's downward spiral in Judges

Increasing moral chaos, failure of leadership, and rejection of God as king.

What are four ways Deborah's story as a judge stands out from the rest

1) She's the only female judge. 2) She's both prophet and judge. 3) She leads with moral strength instead of violence. 4) Her victory song gives glory to God, not herself.

Who are Barak, Jael, and Sisera, and what is the gist of what they each do

Barak is Israel's military leader who fights under Deborah's command; Sisera is the Canaanite general defeated in battle; Jael kills Sisera by driving a tent peg through his head.

What does God initially call Gideon to do and how does he react

God calls him to deliver Israel from the Midianites; Gideon doubts, asks for signs, and is fearful.

How are the Midianites defeated

God instructs Gideon to use only 300 men with torches, jars, and trumpets—causing confusion in the enemy camp.

What does Gideon ask Succoth and Penuel for and how do they respond

What does Gideon do to them? He asks for food for his men; they refuse, so Gideon punishes Succoth's leaders and destroys Penuel's tower.

What does Gideon say is the reason he is killing Zebah and Zalmunna (8:18-21)

They killed his brothers.

When the Israelites ask Gideon to rule over them, what does he say (8:22-23)

How does that compare with what he actually does? He says only the Lord will rule over them, but then he acts like a king—making an ephod and taking many wives.

In Judges 10:10-16, how does God respond when the Israelites cry out for deliverance

He tells them to cry to their idols for help, showing His frustration—but later has compassion and saves them.

Who are Jephthah's mother and father, and why do his brothers not like him

His father is Gilead and his mother is a prostitute; his brothers reject him because of his illegitimate birth.

What oath does Jephthah make to God, and who comes out of his house after that

He vows to sacrifice the first thing that comes out of his house if he wins; his daughter comes out to greet him.

What does Jephthah's daughter say

She tells her father to fulfill his vow but asks for two months to mourn her virginity.

What does Jephthah's daughter do, and what annual ceremony results from this

She accepts her fate and is sacrificed; Israelite women annually mourn her memory.

How does Dr. Flanders suggest we interpret this story

As a tragic example of misunderstanding God's character—He doesn't desire human sacrifice.

What's the gist of the story with Micah, the idol, and the Levite priest (Judges 17)

Micah makes a household idol and hires a Levite as his personal priest, showing Israel's religious corruption.

What's the gist of the story with the Danites (Judges 18)

The tribe of Dan steals Micah's idol and his priest, then sets up their own corrupt worship.

What's the gist of the story of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19)

A Levite's concubine is abused and killed by men of Gibeah; he dismembers her body to shock Israel into action.

Why do the Israelites go to war against the tribe of Benjamin, and what's the main result

(Judges 20-21) Because Benjamin defends the men of Gibeah; Benjamin is nearly wiped out in the war.

What problem does the destruction of Benjamin cause, and how does Israel solve it

(21:16-21) There are no wives left for Benjamin's men, so Israel arranges for them to seize women from Shiloh to preserve the tribe.

What's the last line of the book of Judges

"In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."