This month we take some liberties in deviating from our normal format of dealing with a single section of scripture. We wish to look at an entire book, and point out four great lessons to be learned from that book - the Book of Judges. What are these lessons?

First, we learn that neither a man nor a nation can sin with impunity. Violation of law always brings penalty - if not sooner, then later. Israel had forsaken and ignored God and his laws. She had turned to idolatry, and so God brought heathen nations against her - time and again. The purpose of this was that in the crucible of affliction the dross of idolatry would be consumed and God's people come forth refined. The lesson is plain - the people sinned and therefore judgment fell. This is still true today. People think lightly of sin. But they need to realize that punishment will surely come.

Second, upon repentance, God will forgive. Through Othniel God delivered Israel from the Mesopotamians. He used Ehud to deliver them from Moab, Gideon to bring them out from under the hand of the Midianites. He used Samson to deliver them from the Philistines. But there was one common factor in this deliverance. It did not come until the people repented! When they showed their willingness to this end, God's forgiveness came. God still deals with men this way. Repentance begins with sorrow (2 Cor. 7:10). When men's pride will not allow them to say "I am sorry," then repentance cannot come. So learn - repent of sin and God will forgive.

Third, men must learn not to trust in their own power. In the time of Gideon, Israel was oppressed by the Midianites and Gideon was chosen to deliver them. Human thinking characterized Gideon at the time, and that thinking said: "I need a large army to win this battle." And so he mustered a large army of 32,000 men on the slopes of Gilboa. But God soon reduced that number to a mere 300 men! Why would God do this? The answer is found in Judges 7:2. God said, "lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me," he then greatly reduced Gideon's army. Men today still need to learn that any victory we obtain in life worth anything is through the power and help of the Lord. We need to learn not to trust in our own power.

Fourth, there is the danger of an unconscious loss of power. An excellent example of this is seen in Samson. Here was a physical giant, but a moral weakling. He carried away the gates of Gaza without a thought. He slew 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass and killed a lion with his bare hands. But - asleep on the lap of Delilah, subject to her wiles, his strength was gone before he knew it. When he finally gave in to her constant nagging him about the secret of his strength, we are told that his strength left him and "he wist not that the Lord was departed from him" (Jud. 16:20). We think: "I am strong; weakness is not part of my make-up." When you start thinking in those terms you have already started to lose your strength - and don't even know it (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12)! The more we tamper with sin, the more our strength flows from us and before we know it, we are powerless.

Study this great book; learn its great lessons. In o ur next article we will try to get back to a more condensed study. - Bill Moseley