Daily reflections

We're very used to reading the last verses of Matthew's gospel – verses 19 and 20 – as the 'Great Commission', Jesus' command to his disciples to go 'to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples'. Most Christians...

Judges is largely a story of disappointment and defeats, with some acts of terrible wrongdoing. The people have entered the Promised Land under Joshua, but things don't go smoothly.

Othniel was the first of the judges, and his rule sets up the pattern that's to follow: oppression, rescue, apostasy, in a continuing circuit. The people 'forgot the LORD their God' (verse 7) and worshipped idols; consequently...

The Bible often surprises us. While the right of women to be able to serve as leaders on equal terms with men has been fiercely fought for in our own times, in Judges 4 it is just assumed – and this at a time when we tend...

The 'Song of Deborah' is a celebration in verse of the great victory won by Deborah, Barak and Jael over Israel's enemies. Most scholars think it's the earliest Hebrew poetry in existence, dating perhaps from the twelfth century...

Gideon's is a rich and exciting story, packed with incident. The Israelites are being oppressed again. It is time for another judge to rescue them. The LORD's angel appears to Gideon and says, 'The LORD is with you, brave...

This chapter details Gideon's victory over the Midianites, and is packed with incident. His infiltration of the enemy camp, the surprise night attack in which a sudden blaze of light throws the enemy into confusion, and the...

Gideon's story doesn't have a happy ending. A mopping-up operation sees disgruntled Israelites placated, unco-operative Israelites punished and captured Midianite leaders executed. Gideon acts wisely and – given the times...

There's an old English proverb that says, 'When thieves fall out, honest men come by their own' – when criminals are busy robbing each other, honest people can get on with their lives.