CHAPTER ONE

Contents: The incomplete victories of Judah, Benjamin and Manasseh. Characters: God, Judah, Simeon, Adoni-bezek, Caleb, Achsah, Othniel. Conclusion: God appoints service according to the strength He has given

(v. 2) but distrust of His power and promise, lose for us our advantages

and run us into a thousand troubles.

Key Word: Partial victory, (vv. 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33). Strong Verses:   2, 7. Striking Facts: v. 2. Judah was the tribe out of which the Saviour sprang.

Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, engaged the powers of darkness and

in Him we are more than conquerors.

CHAPTER TWO

Contents: Review of Israelitish invasion of Canaan up to Joshua's death. Results of incomplete obedience. Judges instituted.

Characters: God, angel of Jehovah (Jesus) Joshua.

Conclusion: God never designed defeat for His own; let them be faithful to Him and they will find Him unchangeably constant to them. His covenants never break except on our side.

Key Word: Sold, v. 14.

Strong Verses:   18, 20, 21.

Striking Facts: The Angel of Jehovah, v. 1, was none other than Christ Himself. He seemed to come up from Gilgal, the place where their covenant had been renewed, of which they would be reminded. The remembrance of what we have received and heard from God, prepares us for special messages from Christ to hold fast. (Rev. 3:2, 3).

CHAPTER THREE

Contents: Apostasies of Israel. Deliverances through Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar.

Characters: God, Othniel, Chushan-rishathian, Eglou, Ehud, Shamgar.

Conclusion: Man's memory is treacherous in that it easily forgets God and he must be repeatedly tested that God might be kept in sight. It often takes affliction to make him cry to God with importunity, when before he would scarcely think of Jehovah. A deliverer is always ready to answer the prayer of a contrite heart.

Key Word: Proved (tested), vv. 1, 4.

Strong Verses: 9,15.

Striking Facts: vv. 1, 2. War is sometimes God's will. When a country is exceedingly rich and fruitful, abounding with dainties of all sorts, if the people are not sometimes brought to know hardship, they are in danger of sinking into the utmost degree of luxury and effeminacy.

CHAPTER FOUR

Contents: Victories of Deborah and Barak. Characters: God, Jabin, Deborah, Barak, Sisera, Jael.

Conclusion: Those who slight God in their prosperity, will find themselves under a necessity of crying mightily to Him when they are in trouble. He is faithful in spite of our unfaithfulness, and when we sincerely turn to Him, He will give the victory.

Key Word: Prevailed, v. 24.

Strong Verses:   14.

Striking Facts: It is a sure mark of apostasy in a nation when a woman is found in the place of leadership.

CHAPTER FIVE

Contents: Song of Deborah and Barak.

Characters: God, Deborah, Barak, Jael, Sisera, Shamgar.

Conclusion: When we have received mercy from God, we should be speedy in our returns of praise while the impressions of the mercy are fresh. Song is a good expedient for perpetuating the memory of God's special favors.

Key Word: Song of praise, vv. 2, 12.

Strong Verses:   31.

Striking Facts: v. 20. "Stars fought" the elements were against Sisera. Those to whom God is an enemy because of rejection of His Son and His Gospel are at war with the whole creation.

CHAPTER SIX

Contents: More apostasy in Israel. Call of Gideon.

Characters: God, Angel of Jehovah (Jesus), Holy Spirit, Gideon, prophet, Joash.

Conclusion: In times of apostasy, God often calls His mightiest servants from places of obscurity, and inspiring them with the assurance of the divine presence, He works through them great deliverances for His people.

Key Word: Valour, v. 12, (in God's hands).

Strong Verses:   34.

Striking Facts: v. 24. Jehovah-shalom (God our peace). See Eph. 6:15. The peace of God, found alone in Christ who "is our peace," is the only preparation for intense conflict. In the midst of strife, one who has Christ for his peace, may be possessed of perfect tranquility within. If the Christian is called to battle, let him set up the altar of Jehovah-Shalom.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Contents: Gideon's three hundred and the victory over Midian and Amalek.

Characters: God, Gideon, Phurah, Oreb, Zeeb.

Conclusion: God wants prepared men to fight God's battles with God's weapons in God's way. A Christian's unfitness for the battle is often seen in the unconscious and trifling acts of his life, which betray his utter lack of faith, (v. 5).

Key Word: Victory, v. 15.

Strong Verses:   2, 7.

Striking Facts: Empty pitchers (v. 16) type of earthly body, emptied of self (2 Cor. 4:7) but filled with God's Word, the lamp (Psa. 119:105). The pitcher was not to be spared in the advance, and the lamp was to be held forth (v. 20 Phil. 2:16). With the trumpet, the tidings of victory were sounded (Mark 16:15).

CHAPTER EIGHT

Contents: Jealousy of Ephriam. Events to the death of Gideon. Apostasy.

Characters: God, Gideon, Zebah, Zalmunna, Abimelech, Jerubbaal, Jether.

Conclusion: Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man (v. 27). False worship soon makes way for false deities.

Key Word: Snare, v. 27 (whoring, 27,33).

Strong Verses:   23, 34.

Striking Facts: v. 22. The Lord Jesus has delivered us out of the hands of our dangerous spiritual enemies, and it is fitting that He should rule over us. See Luke 1:24, 25.

CHAPTER NINE

Contents: Conspiracy of Abimelech.

Characters: God, Abimelech, Jerubbaal, Jocham, Gaal, Zebul.

Conclusion: Evil pursues sinners and sometimes overtakes them when they are apparently triumphant. The mighty things of the world may be confounded by the weakest, if God so wills.

Key Word: Vengeance, vv. 24, 56.

Strong Verses:   56.

CHAPTER TEN

Contents: Further apostasy; servitude to Philistines and Amorites.

Characters: God, Tola, Jair.

Conclusion: The pleasures of sense, the gods of this world, cannot be our satisfaction (v. 14). True happiness and safety are only in God, to whom a true penitent will refer himself for correction as God may see fit, owning that his sin is highly malignant in its deserts (v. 10).

Key Word: Vexed, oppressed, v. 8.

Strong Verses:   10, 14, 16.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Contents: Jeptha's awful vow and the victory over the Ammorites.

Characters: God, Holy Spirit, Jeptha, his daughter.

Conclusion: A Christian in the hands of the Spirit is assured of success in the undertaking to which God has called him. v. 29.

Key Word: Subdued (enemy), v. 33.

Strong Verses:   35, 36.

Striking Facts: v. 30. One should be cautious and well advised in the making of vows, lest by indulging a present emotion even of pious zeal, they involve themselves in a great mistake.

Jeptha's sacrifice is a figure of the great sacrifice of Christ. The daughter was a chaste sacrifice, devoted to death by the father and so made a curse. She submitted after a period of agony, to her father's will.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Contents: Second jealousy of Ephriam.

Characters: God, Jeptha, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon.

Conclusion: Proud men think all the honors wasted that they themselves did not win. Envy brings serious contentions in the ranks of those who should be as one to fight God's battles. He who rolls the stone of reproach unjustly upon another, let him expect that it will justly return upon himself.

Key Word: Envy, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   3.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Contents: Parents of Samson and Samson's birth.

Characters: God, Angel (Jesus), Holy Spirit, Manoah.

Conclusion: A promise is given to try our faith and a precept to try our obedience for God requires both faith and obedience from those on whom He would bestow special favors. (It is desirable that our children be devoted to God even before their birth.)

Key Word: Conceive, 3, 24.

Strong Verses:   18, 23.

Striking Facts: v. 18. "Secret" is lit. "Wonderful," the name applied to Christ in Isa. 9:6. v. 22 declares they were face to face with God who is I manifested only in His Son. As the flame ascended from the altar He ascended. We owe the acceptance of all our praises and prayers to His mediation. It is Christ in our hearts by faith that makes our offering a sweet smelling savour.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Contents: Samson as Judge. “His victory over a lion; his riddles; his wife.

Characters: God, Holy Spirit, Samson, parents, woman of Timnah.

Conclusion: He that in the choice of a wife is guided only by his eye and governed by his fancy must afterward thank himself if he finds a Philistine in his arms. (v. 3). We should not be “unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (God often overrules our mistakes to take occasion against the enemies of His Truth).

Key Word: Wife, v. 2.

Strong Verses: 6,19.

Striking Facts: When God, by His providences, brings good out of evil to the followers of Christ when that which has threatened their ruin turns to their advantage and the wrath of men turns to His praise then comes meat out of the eater and sweetness out of the strong.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Contents: Samson takes vengeance on the Philistines.

Characters: God, Holy Spirit, Samson, his family and friends.

Conclusion: There is nothing too hard or too much for him to do on whom the Holy Spirit comes in power, even though there are only the most contemptible instruments at hand with which to work (foxes, jawbone).

Key Word: Avenged, v. 7.

Strong Verses:   16, 18.

Striking Facts: In the bursting of Samson's bands, we find an illustration of the way the Lord Jesus was loosed from the cords of death and came forth from the tomb and grave-clothes. Thus, He triumphed over the powers of darkness that shouted against Him.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Contents: Samson and Delilah; his fatal error and his death.

Characters: God, Holy Spirit, Samson, Delilah.

Conclusion: Beware of Satan who ruins men by rocking them to sleep, nattering them into a good opinion of their own safety, then robbing them of their strength and honor, leading them captive at his will. (God often leaves men to do foolish things to punish them for indulging in the lusts of uncleanness.)

Key Word: Strength, v. 6, (departed, v. 20).

Strong Verses:   20, 28.

Striking Facts: Samson's strength was not in his hair but in his Nazarite consecration, of which his long hair was but a badge. By losing the badge, he forfeited the strength. What was real in Samson was his great faith in times of awful apostasy and God honored this faith. Heb. 11:32.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Contents: Micah's worship in self will.

Characters: Micah, his mother, a Levite.

Conclusion: The love of money makes much mischief; destroys the duty and comfort of every relation and frequently leads to the setting up of a false worship.

Key Word: Graven image, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   6.

Striking Facts: v. 13. Apostates who please themselves with their own delusions infer, if providence brings anything to their hands that helps them in their way, that God is pleased with them. With all false worship there is usually an exaltation of false priesthood, usurping the place of Christ.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Contents: The Danite invasion. Civil and religious confusion.

Characters: Micah, Jonathan, priests.

Conclusion: Many seek to justify themselves in their idolatrous impiety by the prosperity that seemingly attends them, not knowing that many are brought to destruction by their false security and that departing from the revealed will of God concerning worship is a dangerous move for a people to make.

Key Word: Seeking inheritance, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   9, 10.

Striking Facts: v. 24. An excellent definition of idolatry. Anything put in place of God, which man is concerned about as if life and comfort, hope and happiness were bound up in it, is an idol.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Contents: The Levite and his concubine. Wickedness of Gibeonites.

Characters: Levite, concubine, her father.

Conclusion: Because men like not to retain God in their knowledge, God gives them up to vile affection through which they dishonor themselves and turn His glory into shame. Rom. 1:24, 28.

Key Word: Abused, 25.

Strong Verses:   30.

Striking Facts: In the miserable end of this woman, we see the hand of God punishing her for her uncleanness. v. 2.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Contents: Civil war in which the Benjamites are punished.

Characters: God, a Levite, Phinehas.

Conclusion: We cannot expect the presence of God with us in our enterprises unless we seek it by humbling ourselves before Him. (v. 26). He is not under obligation to prosper us. Men are often so confident that God owes them His favor because they think their cause a good one, that they think it needless to humble themselves before God in penitence.

Key Word: Vengeance, vv. 9, 28.

Strong Verses:   11, 18, 26.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Contents: Mourning for the lost tribe of Benjamin.

Characters : God .

Conclusion: There may be overdoing in well doing. Great care must be taken in the government of our zeal, for even necessary justice must be rendered with compassion. Many a war is ill-ended which was well begun. (2, 6, 13).

Key Word: Depleted tribe, vv. 3, 6.

Strong Verses:   2, 13.

Striking Facts: v. 25. Men should learn to be thankful for magistrates, both supreme and subordinate for they are ministers for God unto us for good. Any government is better than no government or anarchy.