A Good Start to the Book of Judges

Aim: To be encouraged to both follow good leadership; and to perpetuate it into future generations.

Doctrine: Especially in times of crisis it is necessary that the Church seek the Lord. This is particularly true when there is a leadership void, and there is still important ministry to be accomplished.

Exegesis: Possible reasons why the book of Judges got off to a good start: perhaps because Joshua had left the people such a sterling example (v. 1); certainly because the covenant Lord gladly heard His children's prayer (v. 2a); absolutely because God would keep all His promises to His Church (v. 2b).

Further application: Some special gems in these first two verses of Judges: in v. 2a, ''Judah'' points us to King Jesus (and His primacy); in v. 2b, the Church's victory in Christ is so certain (that it is spoken of in the past tense).

Key verse: v. 1 ''Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, 'Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?'''