Week 16 Reading Guide
God’s Deliverance Through Imperfect Leaders
Judges 1-11
Big Idea: Israel repeatedly turns away from God, falling into cycles of sin, suffering, and temporary rescue. Though God raises up judges to deliver them, these human leaders are flawed and unable to bring lasting peace. This points us to our ultimate need for Jesus, the perfect Deliverer who breaks the cycle of sin once and for all. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we receive eternal rescue and freedom.
Reading Plan
Monday: Judges 1-2 (Israel Fails to Drive Out the Canaanites)
Tuesday: Judges 3-4 (Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah)
Wednesday: Judges 5-6 (Deborah’s Song; the Call of Gideon)
Thursday: Judges 7-8 (Gideon’s Victory Over Midian)
Friday: Judges 9-10 (Abimelech’s Rise and Fall; Israel’s Continued Rebellion)
Saturday: Judges 11 (Jephthah and His Vow)
Weekly DNA Questions
Discover
Where do you see cycles of rebellion, repentance, and deliverance in the world today? What does this reveal about human nature and God’s mercy?
Nurture
How do you wrestle with feelings of inadequacy like Gideon, or with the consequences of poor choices like Jephthah? What helps you trust in God’s ability to use you despite imperfections?
Act
Identify one area in your life where you see a need for God’s deliverance. How can you lean into His mercy and strength this week?
Key Verse: Judges 2:16
Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
Reflection for the Week
How do the repeated failures of Israel and their judges reveal the human heart’s tendency to wander from God? In what ways does the longing for a greater deliverer point to Jesus? Reflect on how Jesus has freed you from the power of sin. How can you live in response to His rescue, trusting Him as your true Deliverer in every area of your life?
Bible Project Resources
Guide to the book of Judges: The book of Judges explores humanity’s tendency to trust themselves over God and do what is right in their own eyes. This habit highlights humanity’s need for God’s grace and a future king who will rescue people from their self-centeredness.
Judges and Messianic Hope: Discover how the Book of Judges, far from showcasing heroes, exposes Israel's moral collapse and points to the need for a true king to rescue them from themselves.