The Bible Course Muestra

Judges, Kings, and Jesus – the ultimate judge 

Reflect 

In 1953, at her coronation in Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth II was crowned Queen. Dressed in royal robes, she was adorned by the crown jewels – including the Star of Africa, the largest cut diamond in the world, valued at over £400 million. Despite all that, the Queen was handed a book and told: ‘We present you with this book, the most valuable thing this world affords.’ It was a plain copy of the Bible, just like ours. When we pick up the Bible, we hold in our hands something more precious than the crown jewels. 

This week our readings focus on some high-profile leaders in the nation of Israel. Most of us will never come close to shouldering the responsibilities of a monarch. But all of us can lead influential lives that leave a great legacy. For monarchs and mothers, prime ministers and plumbers, the Bible is more precious than the crown jewels. 

What’s the story so far?  

With God’s help, Israel took possession of the land of Canaan. By the end of the book of Joshua, Israel had settled in the territory God promised to Abraham and we read that ‘the land had rest from war’.  

The next part of the story was hardly ‘and they lived happily ever after’. Instead, Israel, meant to be the solution, actually became part of the problem. God’s covenant people compromised with the surrounding nations and ended up living like everyone else. 

The threat of Canaanite religions and the Philistine armies meant God had to raise up various judges – charismatic leaders who ruled with justice and led military campaigns to defend Israel. But as today’s video and reading shows, the book of Judges is the story of a series of cycles. Israel's stuck in a downward spiral. But as we read, we are not without hope …  

What hope can Jesus give us today? 

The book of Judges points us forward to a better judge, Jesus – the ultimate judge who can deliver us. We become enslaved to our own cycles of sin and negativity, but Jesus can break the chains. As the New Testament puts it: ‘There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ (Romans 8.1, ESV)  

Respond 

Ask that God would through this week show you the power of his word so you may live a life of influence that leaves a legacy.