JESUS IN JUDGES

The book of Judges is a rugged landscape of failure and mercy, a cycle of wandering hearts and rescuing grace; yet woven through every deliverer, every fragile hero, every unexpected victory, we catch glimpses of Jesus—the true and greater Deliverer who never fails His people.

Israel cried out again and again, and God raised up judges who could save for a moment but could not save their souls. But in these imperfect rescuers—Othniel’s courage, Deborah’s wisdom, Gideon’s weakness turned to strength, Samson’s final sacrifice—we see shadows pointing toward the One who would come not merely to break chains but to break sin itself (Matthew 1:21; Hebrews 2:14-15).

Jesus is the better Judge who does not wait for us to rise from our despair but steps into it.

Where the judges rose only after Israel returned to the Lord, Christ came “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).

Where the judges brought temporary relief, Christ brings eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

Where Samson stretched out his arms and died to defeat the enemies of Israel, Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross to defeat the enemies of every nation, tribe, and tongue—sin, death, and the grave.

Judges shows us humanity collapsing into chaos when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” but Jesus stands before us as the One in whom God’s righteousness, mercy, and glory gather into one perfect and saving King (John 1:14).

And in our own days—when the noise of the world grows loud, when cycles of sin feel unbreakable, when our strength proves thin—we discover again what Israel was always meant to learn: salvation is not in a system, nor in a human leader, nor in our own resolve.

Salvation is a Person.

A Deliverer.

A Judge who reigns forever.

Jesus meets us in the ruins and raises us by His grace; He restores us not only to freedom but to fellowship, not only to victory but to worship.

So let Judges teach us to lift our eyes. We do not wait for another flawed hero to arise—we run to Christ, our perfect Champion, our eternal Deliverer, our risen King.

BDD