Week 16, April 13–19: Judges 19–21; John 1–18

• Sun      Apr 13 Judg. 19–21
• Mon     Apr 14 John 1–3
• Tue      Apr 15 John 4–6
• Wed     Apr 16 John 7–9
• Thu      Apr 17 John 10–12
• Fri        Apr 18 John 13–15
• Sat       Apr 19 John 16–18

Things have gone from bad to worse to horrific in the book of Judges. It has been a difficult book to read; and yet, it is an important part of the canon of Scripture and God’s word to us. Its most important contribution to the message of the Bible may be in the negative image it portrays, which illuminates a positive longing in contrast. What is missing in these dark stories is what we are left hoping for as the book comes to an end. With each cycle of Israel’s idolatry, oppression from their enemies, then God’s deliverance by the hand of a judge, it becomes clearer and clearer that something is wrong. When chapter 21 concludes and we are ready to turn the page, we are left with a strong perception that something, or someone, is missing. The last verse summarizes the problem, and hope, succinctly and poignantly:

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Jdg. 21:25; cf. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1)

Ultimately, the Lord God is king of all, and he is the one Israel is to worship and obey. Since Genesis, we have also seen a thread of expectation for a king God himself will establish, one who will reign in righteousness over God’s kingdom among his people and all the nations for his glory. This faithful king would reign under the Lord’s sovereign rule with the Torah as his guide (Gen 49:10–12; Num 24:7–9, 15–19; Deut. 17:14–20). This hope of a coming king parallels the hope for an offspring, or seed, from Eve’s lineage (Gen. 3:15), one who will come and crush the head of the serpent and reverse the curse of sin.

When we get to the books of Samuel, right after Judges, we will see these two strands of hope come together in God’s promise to David. A king would come from David’s family line, from the tribe of Judah. David’s seed will be the one to reign on God’s throne forever. From our vantage point, with the NT as our guide, we know this messianic promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Here in Judges, however, that king has not yet come. The sin and chaos of Judges increases the sense of anticipation for God’s promises to be fulfilled and for his king to reign. The need for God’s messianic king will become increasingly clear as we come back to the OT and continue reading where we leave off here at the end of Judges.

For now however, we turn over again to the NT and begin reading through the fourth Gospel, the Gospel of John. Like Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John tells the story of Jesus’ life and ministry, and death and resurrection. There are many similarities between John and the other Gospels, but there are also quite a few differences. Sometimes the first three Gospels are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels, because they share affinities with each other that differ from John. As we have seen, the Gospels all cover basically the same material, but each one has its own distinctive features and message. It is important to read them with this in mind. Notice the different emphases and tone of John as you’re reading through it this week.

John presents Jesus as the Eternal Son—God made flesh to dwell among us and reveal his glory to us. One of the major themes, and the main purpose of the book, is related to belief. Near the end, John helpfully tells his readers exactly why he has written these things:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30–31)

As you read through John, notice how often you come across “believe” and “faith” (which convey basically the same idea). In the first half of John (chapters 1–12), the acts of Jesus demonstrate who he is as the Son of God. His miracles and mighty acts serve as signs to reveal his nature. They help the world, and us today, believe in him and have life in his name. Then the second half of the book (chapters 13–21) tell of Jesus’ final words to his disciples before his death then the story culminates in his death and resurrection for the salvation of all who believe in him. The glory of the Father and the glory of the Son are most fully revealed in the cross and the empty tomb.