Abraham Kuruvilla

T he illicit thirst for power, destructive in its ramifications, brings about fitting retribution from God. Of all the narratives in the book of Judges, Yahweh’s presence is felt the least in this account of Abimelech. Deity is present, but almost always as  ’elohim,  “God,” not “Yahweh” (8:34; 9:7, 9, 13, 23, 56, 57). And in every instance, this occurs as part of a pejorative statement by the narrator or a character. There is no direct link between Abimelech and God at all! There is much...

Rebellious disdain of one’s divine calling, expressed in uncontrolled lusts and vengeful actions, can lead to destruction. At some unspecified time in the recent past, Samson, in a rage, had abandoned his wife (14:20). Now he wants sex—“I will go in to my wife”—and so he decides to make amends. Bearing a goat’s kid (like a box of chocolates, I suppose?), Samson proceeds to his wife’s house (15:2) where he is told that she has been given away to one of his companions (14:20; 15:2, 6)....

G odless leadership leads to godlessness in society that invites the discipline of God. Othniel is the perfect model of a judge; Ehud is deceptive; Barak is fearful; Gideon is skeptical and hubristic (and Abimelech is a bloodthirsty butcher—not a judge figure); Jephthah is a manipulator and a child-sacrificer; Samson cannot control his fleshly passions and defects from his calling. It is no wonder, then, that at the end the book of Judges, in the Epilogues (17:1–21:25), the nation collapses...

F aithful trust in God, without pridefully taking credit for divine action, leads to blessing. After the lofty praises sung to Yahweh in Judges 5, we are brought down to  terra firma  with an unmistakable thud: the Israelites returned to their evil ways (6:1). Usually, at this juncture Yahweh would be raising up a deliverer. Instead we have a detour—a round of deserved divine excoriation of the nation’s behavior (6:8–10). Israel had chosen to fear and obey not Yahweh, but the gods of the...

F aithfulness to God manifest in uncompromising godliness and reliance on God brings blessing. Joshua, the one who had begun to lead the Israelites so successfully against the Canaanites, and who was God’s agent for assigning land to the various tribes, was now gone. An era had concluded with the death of Joshua. A new beginning was at hand, and with it the challenge of finding godly leaders. Who would be the next godly servant to lead Israel? The Israelites do not ask Yahweh for a leader,...

The Book of Judges closely parallels the times we live in today. We can learn much about our culture from studying this Bible book! Scholar Abraham Kuruvilla introduces us to this study: The verb “to judge” does not always indicate a judicial functionary. In Judges, the function of these God-raised leaders is best as seen as military judge-deliverers, as indicated in 2:16–17: And Yahweh raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. Judges 2:16–17 The book...

Talking of ants  and not being a sluggard …. Good news for those of us who decided—quite reluctantly—that we needed more exercise! Well, we do. But not in the way we thought we did: running like hamsters and generally behaving wildly, sweating and panting, in garments of “athleisure” (with fancy names like Lululemon, Lucy, Lorna Jane, Gap Body, and UnderArmor). Finally, good news for us who hated that kind of working out (though we did love  looking  like we were working out). The...

D isciples commissioned by the divinely powerful Jesus are themselves divinely empowered by him to meet any need. “You yourselves give them to eat!” Mark 6:37 The crowds gathered are like “sheep not having a shepherd” (6:34), a proverbial metaphor in the OT, used of Israel in a leadership vacuum (Num 27:17; 1 Kgs 22:17; Ezek 34:5–6). This sets the stage for the leadership role disciples are directed by Jesus to play. But they have apparently given no thought to providing for the crowd as...

D isciples’ commission from Jesus, that attracts the world’s opposition, is enabled by God’s provision. And He said to them ,“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” Mark 6:31 This pericope is another Markan “sandwich” (outer story: 6:7–13 and 6:30–32; inner story: 6:14–29). Jesus and John are strikingly similar in description: both are reported as raised from the dead (6:14; and 16:6–7), both are “arrested” and “bound” (6:17; and 15:1), both suffer under a reluctant...