Reasoning Through the Bible

Judges 9 introduces Abimelech, one of Gideon’s sons, and records one of the darkest chapters yet in Israel’s spiritual decline. Unlike the judges whom God raised up as deliverers, Abimelech seeks power for himself. With money taken from the temple of Baal-Berith, he hires reckless men and murders his brothers so that he can become king.

In this session, Glenn and Steve examine what happens when ambition and power operate without a moral compass. Israel was supposed to be different from the nations around them, yet the people of Shechem willingly support a violent man because he is one of their relatives and promises the kind of leadership they desire.

The only surviving brother, Jotham, responds with the parable of the trees. Valuable trees refuse to abandon their useful work in order to rule, but eventually the worthless bramble accepts the position. The warning is clear: the people have chosen a ruler who provides no real protection and will ultimately bring destruction.

The chapter then descends into betrayal, crime, civil war, and violence. Abimelech and the people who empowered him eventually turn against one another. Judges 9 also raises the difficult question of God sending an evil spirit between Abimelech and Shechem. The discussion considers this statement in its larger context of divine judgment on people already committed to violence and idolatry.

Abimelech eventually dies after a woman drops a millstone on his head. Even in his final moments, he appears more concerned about his reputation than about getting right with God.

Judges 9 reminds us that sin may appear to go unpunished for a time, but God is not mocked. It also warns us to be careful whom we trust, whom we follow, and what ultimately serves as the anchor of our lives.

Scripture: Judges 9
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

Questions discussed in this session:

• What happens when we hire relatives?
• What would cause tribes of Israel to fight each other?
• Should churches try to be like the world? 
• What happens when we make worthless people our leaders? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 7 concludes with one of the most unlikely military victories in Scripture. Gideon’s three hundred men surround the Midianite camp at night carrying trumpets, clay pitchers, and torches. When they break the pitchers, reveal the torches, and sound the trumpets, confusion spreads through the enormous enemy camp. The Midianites turn their swords against one another and flee.

The strategy makes no sense from a human military perspective. That is precisely the point. God reduced Gideon’s army so dramatically that Israel could not claim the victory came through its own strength. Yahweh alone deserved the glory.

Yet this session also shows how quickly spiritual danger can follow success. The soldiers cry, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon,” perhaps revealing the first hint that Gideon’s name is beginning to share attention that belongs to God.

Judges 8 then records Gideon’s conflict with the tribe of Ephraim. They complain that they were not called into the battle earlier, even though they had years of opportunity to resist Midian. Gideon calms them through flattering language, exposing the danger of appealing to pride rather than dealing directly with truth.

As Gideon pursues the remaining Midianite kings, the Israelite towns of Succoth and Penuel refuse to provide food. Their fear reveals how comfortable they had become living under oppression. They are more afraid of Midian’s possible return than willing to support the deliverer God has raised up.

Gideon later returns and punishes these towns with extreme violence. His response goes beyond equal justice and reveals a troubling change in his character. Instead of asking God how to respond, Gideon acts according to what seems right in his own eyes.

The decline continues when Gideon takes valuable spoil from the defeated kings and accepts a large collection of gold earrings from Israel. Although he refuses the title of king and correctly says that the Lord should rule over Israel, he increasingly adopts the wealth and privileges associated with royalty.

Gideon then uses the gold to make an ephod. Whatever his original intentions may have been, the object becomes a center of false worship and a snare to Gideon, his household, and Israel.

The man who began by tearing down an idol ends by creating an object that becomes an idol.

This passage warns that victory, recognition, wealth, and influence can become dangerous when humility and obedience are lost.

Scripture: Judges 7:16–8:35
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

 Questions discussed in this session:

• What happens when people go for a long time living around evil? 
• Why would tribes of Israel fight among themselves?
• How can Israel forget God so quickly?
• How many times should God need to remind us of His being worthy?  

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Before Gideon can confront the Midianites, God gives him a more personal assignment. He must tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to his own father, cut down the Asherah beside it, and build an altar to the Lord in its place.

In this session, Glenn and Steve examine why spiritual restoration must begin close to home. Gideon is called to deliver Israel from Midian, but the first enemy he must confront is the idolatry within his own family and community. Following God may create conflict with family traditions, established religion, or the expectations of people around us, but obedience to Christ must come first.

Gideon obeys, though he acts at night because he is afraid. His fear does not prevent him from doing what God commanded. This provides an honest picture of faith: obedience does not always require the complete absence of fear.

When the people discover that Baal’s altar has been destroyed, they demand Gideon’s death. His father Joash responds by asking why Baal cannot defend himself if he truly is a god. Gideon’s act exposes the powerlessness of the idol and earns him the name Jerubbaal, meaning, “Let Baal contend against him.”

The session also discusses Gideon’s request for the signs involving the fleece. Gideon has already seen God’s power and received the Spirit of the Lord, but he continues to seek reassurance. The conversation distinguishes between sincerely asking God for guidance and manipulating circumstances until they appear to confirm what a person already wants.

Judges 7 then records one of the most surprising battle preparations in Scripture. Gideon gathers thirty-two thousand men, but God says the army is too large. After the fearful soldiers leave and another test reduces the force further, only three hundred remain.

God gives the reason plainly: Israel might boast that its own strength produced the victory. The army must become so small that only God can receive the glory.

Even after all these signs, Gideon remains afraid. God does not condemn him. Instead, He tells Gideon to approach the enemy camp, where he overhears a Midianite dream predicting Israel’s victory. God patiently provides the encouragement Gideon needs at the moment he needs it.

Scripture: Judges 6:25–7:15
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

Questions discussed in this session:

• Did Gideon obey with full or partial faith? 
• Do we sometimes move forward on partial faith? 
• What happens when we make a public proclamation about our faith in God?
• Do we ever have confidence one minute, and have doubts another? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

 Judges 6 opens with Israel suffering under Midianite oppression because the nation has once again turned from God. For seven years, the Midianites invade at harvest time, destroy crops, steal livestock, and leave Israel impoverished and hiding in caves.

When the people finally cry out, God first sends a prophet. Before providing deliverance, He reminds Israel of everything He has already done: bringing them out of Egypt, defeating their enemies, and giving them the land. The problem was not God’s lack of power. Israel had invited evil into its life through disobedience and then forgotten the Lord’s past faithfulness.

This session then introduces Gideon, who is threshing wheat inside a winepress to hide from the Midianites. Wheat was normally threshed on an exposed hill where the wind could separate the grain from the chaff. Gideon is instead working in a confined hole, showing the fear, frustration, and defeat that had overtaken Israel.

The Angel of the Lord appears and calls Gideon a “mighty man of valor.” At that moment, Gideon does not look like a warrior. He is hiding, questioning God, and describing himself as the least important member of the weakest family in Manasseh. Yet God sees Gideon according to what he will become through divine power.

The study also examines the identity of the Angel of the Lord. The passage moves naturally from calling Him the Angel of the Lord to identifying Him as the Lord Himself, supporting the understanding that this was a physical manifestation of God and, as many scholars conclude, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.

Gideon asks for assurance, and God patiently provides a sign by consuming the offering with fire. The passage reminds us that asking for guidance is different from using signs as excuses to avoid obedience.

The central assurance is simple: “I will be with you.” Gideon’s success will not depend on his family status, confidence, resources, or natural ability. It will depend on God’s presence.

Scripture: Judges 6:7–24
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

 Questions discussed in this session:

• What should we do if we are in frustration and defeat? 
• If God says he is with us, can we move forward in confidence?
• Is it wise for us to look to God for a sign? 
• What does God do to build our faith?  

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 4 concludes with Sisera fleeing from the battlefield after God destroys his army. Once the commander of nine hundred iron chariots, Sisera suddenly finds himself running on foot and searching for safety. He enters the tent of Jael because there was peace between her household and King Jabin, but the refuge he trusts becomes the place of his death.

In this session, Glenn and Steve discuss why no true peace can be found while running from God. Sisera believed he had control during twenty years of oppression, but his situation changed within minutes. His defeat also fulfills Deborah’s prophecy that the honor of victory would go to a woman. Jael acts freely, yet her actions accomplish what God had already declared, providing an example of divine providence working through human decisions.

Judges 5 then records the Song of Deborah, a poetic celebration of God’s victory. The song praises Yahweh as Israel’s true commander and emphasizes the importance of leaders who lead and people who willingly respond. Some tribes answer the call to battle, while others remain home because everyday responsibilities become more important than joining God’s work.

The session also examines what life was like under Canaanite oppression. Roads became unsafe, travelers avoided the highways, military strength had disappeared, and Israel lacked courageous leadership. When people and societies turn from God, peace and security begin to disappear.

After God provides victory, the land rests for forty years. Yet Judges 6 begins another cycle. Israel again does evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Midianites raid the land for seven years. They destroy crops, steal livestock, and leave Israel impoverished and hiding in mountain caves.

The Midianites function like parasites, allowing Israel to labor and then returning at harvest time to consume the results. Only after seven years does Israel finally cry out to God.

This passage warns believers not to tolerate sin and spiritual oppression when God is ready to hear genuine repentance. The fastest way out is not pride, self-reliance, or trying to repair everything alone. It is returning to God and allowing Him to address what has taken root.

Scripture: Judges 4:17–6:7
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

 Questions discussed in this session:

•  Can people who are not following God also be fulfilling God’s will? 
• Are nations and cultures safe even if they disobey God? 
• How should church leaders act when there is disagreement in the church?
• Does the Bible contain good literature? 
• What happens when evil comes and stays in our life? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 4 begins another cycle of Israel’s rebellion, oppression, and deliverance. After Ehud dies, the people once again do evil in the sight of the Lord. God allows Jabin, king of Canaan, and his commander Sisera to oppress Israel cruelly for twenty years with an army supported by nine hundred iron chariots.

The problem, however, was not the strength of the chariots. Israel had already seen God defeat powerful armies and fortified cities. Their weakness came from turning away from the Lord and losing the protection and blessing that came through obedience.

In this session, Glenn and Steve introduce Deborah, a prophetess and respected leader who judged Israel beneath the palm of Deborah. She summons Barak and reminds him that God has already commanded him to gather ten thousand men and confront Sisera’s army.

Barak hesitates and agrees to go only if Deborah accompanies him. His response reveals a mixture of faith and doubt. Yet Deborah remains faithful, holds him accountable, and goes with him. Together, they demonstrate how God can use believers with different strengths: Deborah provides spiritual confidence and accountability, while Barak ultimately obeys and leads the army.

The passage reaches its turning point when Deborah declares, “Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Behold, the LORD has gone out before you.” God had already declared the victory before the battle began.

This study encourages believers who sometimes feel more like Barak than Joshua. Faith may be mixed with fear, hesitation, or uncertainty, but God can still work through those who ultimately trust and obey Him.

Scripture: Judges 4:1–16
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

Questions discussed in this session:  

• What do we do if we find ourselves with doubting God?
• When God commands us to do something, do we need experience before we trust Him? 
• Do we have to be in perfect obedience before God can bless us? 
• Does God give us signs that He is with us? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 3 introduces the first specific deliverers whom God raises up for Israel. The chapter begins by explaining that God left certain nations in the land to test Israel and to teach a new generation how to wage war. The test was not designed to give God information He lacked. It revealed Israel’s condition and exposed whether the people would obey His commandments.

Instead of remaining separate from Canaanite influence, the Israelites lived among the pagan nations, intermarried with them, and eventually served their gods. They became comfortable with the very practices God had warned would become a snare. This raises an important application for believers today: what we tolerate around us can eventually begin shaping what we accept and worship.

The chapter then repeats the familiar cycle of Judges. Israel forgets the Lord and does evil. God allows an enemy to oppress them. The people cry out, and God raises up a deliverer. After a period of peace, the people return to disobedience and the cycle begins again.

This session also explores the biblical themes of being sold under sin, redemption, and Christ paying the debt that sinners cannot pay for themselves. Israel’s bondage to foreign kings provides a picture of humanity’s deeper bondage to sin and the need for a Redeemer.

The study then turns to Ehud, the left-handed Benjaminite whom God uses to deliver Israel from King Eglon of Moab. The account is violent and graphic, reminding us that sin and judgment are not pleasant realities. Yet it also shows God’s faithfulness when His people cry out for help.

Finally, the chapter briefly introduces Shamgar, who defeats six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. Shamgar receives only one verse, but his faithfulness was no less valuable than that of judges who receive several chapters. God does not require fame, recognition, or a large audience. He calls His people to faithfully accomplish the work He places before them.

Scripture: Judges 3:1–31
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

 Questions discussed in this session:

• Were the Israelites supposed to marry outside Israel? 
• What happens when we worship what seems right to us? 
• Why would God want to teach people warfare? 
• Do people today forget the good things that God does for us? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 2:11–23 introduces the repeating cycle that will shape the rest of the Book of Judges. Israel forsakes the Lord, serves the Baals and Ashtoreth, provokes God to anger, suffers under enemy oppression, and then receives mercy when God raises up judges to deliver them.

In this session, Glenn and Steve examine the Canaanite worship of Baal and Ashtoreth and explain why this idolatry was so dangerous for Israel. Rather than completely rejecting Yahweh at first, Israel began adding Canaanite worship to the worship of the Lord. That kind of syncretism led them deeper into idolatry and away from the covenant commitment they had made in Joshua.

The study also addresses the relationship between God’s wrath and His lovingkindness. God’s anger is not arbitrary or uncontrolled. His anger burns against evil because He is holy and just. At the same time, this passage shows His mercy because He raises up deliverers for people who did not deserve His grace.

The discussion then turns to practical application. Israel repeatedly turned away from God, and believers today must recognize the same danger in their own lives. Staying close to the Lord requires daily prayer, time in Scripture, fellowship with other believers, and keeping short accounts with God when sin appears.

This session also explains the difference between feeling sorry and genuine repentance. Repentance is not merely regret over being caught or suffering consequences. It is a change of mind that results in turning back toward God.

Scripture: Judges 2:11–22
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

Questions discussed in this session:

• Did Israel deserve God’s love and grace? 
• When we come in contact with unbiblical things, what usually happens?
• Is God wrathful? Should we concern ourselves with God’s wrath?
• Why would God describe idol worship as being like a prostitute?
• Is God loving or does He get angry? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Israel’s decline continues in Judges 1:23–2:10 as the people begin making deals with the Canaanites instead of fully obeying God. What may have seemed practical in the moment became spiritually dangerous over time. The Israelites spared people they were commanded to drive out, allowed pagan influence to remain in the land, and eventually placed some of the Canaanites into forced labor for economic gain.

In this session, we examine the danger of partial obedience and why compromise often becomes a trap. The discussion contrasts Israel’s deal with the man from Bethel with Rahab’s faith in Joshua. Rahab trusted the God of Israel, but in Judges the Israelites are no longer acting from faith. They are negotiating with the very people God had warned would turn their hearts away from Him.

Judges 2 then introduces the Angel of the Lord, who confronts Israel for breaking the covenant. He reminds them that God brought them out of Egypt, gave them the land, and would never break His covenant. Yet Israel failed to tear down the pagan altars and made covenants with the inhabitants of the land. Because of this, those nations would become thorns in Israel’s side, and their gods would become a snare.

The session also explains how sin works like a snare. It is often hidden, attractive, and dangerous before a person realizes how trapped they have become. Israel’s compromise with idolatry did not remain harmless. It pulled the nation deeper into disobedience and removed the protection and blessing they had previously enjoyed.

Finally, the study turns to one of the saddest statements in the early chapters of Judges: a new generation arose that did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. The people had failed to pass down the knowledge of God’s faithfulness. This becomes a serious warning for parents, churches, and believers today.

Scripture: Judges 1:23–2:10
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

Questions in this session include:  

• Can I disobey so much that God stops working in my life? 
• What happens when I leave evil in my life? 
• What happens when Israel does not tell their children about God?
• How many of the things that caused Israel to forget the Lord do we see today? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

The Book of Judges begins after the death of Joshua and covers the period between Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land and the rise of the kings. Joshua was largely a story of faith, victory, and obedience. Judges presents a much darker picture of unbelief, defeat, oppression, and repeated spiritual decline.

In this opening session, we introduce the historical setting of Judges and examine the verse that summarizes the book: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). When people reject God’s standard and become their own authority, confusion and moral disorder soon follow.

We also examine the recurring cycle that shapes Judges. Israel enjoys God’s blessing, turns to idols, falls under enemy oppression, cries out in distress, and receives deliverance through a judge whom God raises up. After a period of peace, however, the nation repeats the same pattern.

Judges 1 begins positively when Israel inquires of the Lord. Yet the chapter soon reveals the first small compromises. Judah asks Simeon to accompany them even though God had identified Judah to go first. Israel later adopts the cruel practices of Adoni-bezek, fails to complete God’s commands, and eventually accepts defeat before iron chariots without seeking the Lord for an answer.

The problem was not that iron chariots were too powerful for God. Israel had already seen Him defeat Egypt, part the Red Sea, bring down Jericho, and conquer numerous fortified cities. The deeper problem was that the people were beginning to rely on themselves rather than inquire of God.

This study also considers the historical reliability of Judges, the role of the judges as deliverers, Caleb’s continued faithfulness, and Achsah’s wise request for springs of water.

Join us as we begin a verse-by-verse study through one of the darkest yet most relevant books of the Old Testament.

Scripture: Judges 1:1–22
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study

  Questions from this session:

• Why does Israel have trouble driving out the Canaanites?
• Was Israel supposed to make deals with the people of Canaan?
•  What happens when we do not go to God at the first sign of trouble?  

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve