We must also realize that the Bible does not show God’s people as the good guys and everyone else as the bad guys. There is enough sin to go around for all and not everything the Bible records is said to be a good thing. In fact, the only sinless figure in the Bible is Jesus the Messiah, who was God incarnate. God – he’s the good guy. All others, the Judges of Israel included, were very flawed human beings. Dr. Tim Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York describes what we find in the Book of Judges quite well:
And so Judges can be described as “despicable people doing deplorable things” and as “trashy tales about dysfunctional characters.” As the history unfold even the “heroes,” the judges, become increasingly flawed and failing. They do many appalling things, and their efforts have less and less redemptive effect. It is a dismal story – and it is all history. So the reader will be led to ask, again and again: what in the world is this doing in the Bible? The answer is an important one – it is the gospel!
Reid S. Monaghan
Website: https://www.jacobswellnj.org/articles/post/partial-victories-and-the-faithfulness-of-god