If you’re looking for an action-packed, macabre, read maybe the book of Judges has what you need. This Bible book is crammed full of violence, deception, intrigue, and things occurring that are just wrong on a variety of levels.

In Southern Baptist liturgy, this book is often invoked as a warning to us of how important it is to have rulers. This emphasis arises from an oft-repeated sentiment found in the book.

If you’ve attended services in the South, you’ve probably heard a sermon or two yourself that quoted, or was based entirely on, a verse from the book that encapsulates this sentiment. It seems to strike a nail in the coffin for anyone who would dare to claim that folks have no business ruling other people.

It’s the last verse of the book, but it is echoed other places in the book as well.

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted.” -Judges 21:25

Seems fairly straight-forward, right?

If Israel doesn’t have a king, everything falls apart and the people run amok.

Every teacher I’ve listened to in my life asserts that the book of Judges, and this verse, in particular, proves we need people to rule over us. We just can’t manage our lives without other people telling us what is right and wrong.

Yet, little to no consideration is given to the fact that those who rule are disqualified from doing so. I mean, just think about it, if no one is qualified to run their own lives, how can they be qualified to run anyone else’s?

Am I the only one asking that question?

It seems so today. Especially with the Romans 13 misapplication crowd running the pulpits in so many of our churches. I believe the proper application of Romans 13 and the appropriate understanding of Judges differ from the mainstream messages flowing from under our steeples.

Well-Known Story

The story of Gideon and his 300 men is one of the more familiar stories that we find in Judges. The Midianites were oppressing the Israelites. God told Gideon to deliver Israel from them.

Gideon overcame his doubts, and a sizable foe, to deliver Israel. We’re fascinated by the imagery of the Angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon and then disappearing in the smoke of his offering. The damp and dry cloth test to know God’s will. Overhearing Midianite soldiers express their fears of Gideon’s army.

Then God diminished Gideon’s army from thousands, down to just 300 men who lapped water like dogs. Even Gideon’s battle plan, to surround the camp with torches in the middle of the night and bust clay jars and yell a battle cry is the stuff of blockbuster films.

But, when the victory is won, the request is made.

“Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian.”” -Judges 8:22

It seems logical. Gideon has led a mighty win over Midianite oppression. Why shouldn’t he rule?

Refusal To Rule

Yet, Gideon will not do as most would expect.

Most of us, pondering the same request, would honor it and rule to the best of our wisdom and ability. However, Gideon’s response was different.

Whether he responded as he did because he knew his own limitations, or it was a truly humble choice we can’t actually know. But, he did something that so many of us would not.

“But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; YHVH will rule over you.”” -Judges 8:23

Gideon refuses to rule Israel. He also denies his own children that opportunity as well.

What he does do is remarkable.

He tells Israel that their only King is JHVH. If only Israel had listened and followed his lead on this one item they would have been spared the ensuing bloody uprising.

Oh, and many years of turmoil as well.

Rule Gone Wrong, Again …

I don’t want to mislead you about Gideon. He made some poor choices as well. He asked for gold from the Israelites out of which he made an ephod that everyone began to worship.

Then he piled up wives and fathered 70 sons. Abimelech was one of Gideon’s sons from a concubine. Abimelech would eventually convince the people of Shechem to allow him to rule over them because he was both a descendent of Gideon and a Shechemite.

Abimelech’s first official act was the consolidation of power. He killed Gideon’s 70 sons. Eventually, the lords of Shechem decided they didn’t much care for Abimelech’s rule. They started talking trash about how they would make better rulers.

Abimelech launched an offensive to eliminate the lords of Shechem. That’s right — his solution to the rebellion was to murder his own people. On one occasion he burned a thousand of them to death in a tower.

He was looking to do the same in another city and another tower. Yet, this time he would meet his own demise. His head was crushed from above. A woman in the tower threw a millstone down, crushing his skull and his ego.

Abimelech begged his armor-bearer to kill him so that he wouldn’t die at a woman’s hand. His armor-bearer honored his request and ended the siege.

Another human ruler, another failed rule.

This is the common thread among humanity from the first time we tried to impose governments upon ourselves to those in modern times.

We Need to Be Ruled, Just Not By Other Men

We would be remiss if we don’t pay close attention to the point Gideon made. It was salient.

Gideon said no king but YHVH. Our modern equivalent is no king but Christ.

The point that I believe the Holy Spirit was making through the author of Judges wasn’t that Israel needed the right human king. The Holy Spirit was making the point that Israel was living absent of the rule of their one and only true king, JHVH.

Gideon tried to call them back to His rule.

Instead, they chose another man to rule. His flaws proved fatal.

The book of Judges details our human nature with Israel as the type. The people of Israel, time and again, reject God’s authority over their lives. They live how they want to live, worship whatever they want to worship, and reap an age of upheaval and oppression.

The same is true for us today. When we live outside of God’s rule over our lives we will be the same as Israel in the time of the Judges. We will each chase what we want instead of chasing God. We will seek our desires rather than His.

We even chase the phantom of governing each other that has eluded our grasp throughout all of earth’s history. Human government never ends well.

We need to regain the courage of the early church.

No king but Christ meant exactly what it says.

We will not find our salvation in human government. We only truly find salvation in our total submission to the government of Jesus Christ.

Our lesson from Judges is simple. Our only king is God Himself in Jesus Christ. Christ alone is our Protector and Provider. Christ alone is our Savior and King.

As Isaiah prophesied, “the government shall be on His shoulders”. (Isaiah 9:6)

#NoKingButChrist

Don’t miss Mark’s upcoming book What He Said: Living the Sermon on the Mount, Transforming American Culture

The book will be available in the Fall of 2020.