Judges Art: Pt 1 (Chs 1-3)

Right now, I am preaching through the book of Judges. Amazing stories!  Reminder of God’s perpetual grace to His people and desire for them to fully trust and follow Him.

I would like to feature some of the extraordinary art that has been created to tell the story of the Judges.  When I started a search on this topic, I could not believe the volume and quality of the art.  So I will begin in the early chapters of Judges and move forward.

Enjoy!

Judges 1 - Judah tortures Adoni-Bezek

Judah learns from the surrounding nations.  They not only kill enemy kings, but mutilate them in the process.  This was never prescribed by God in the law.  Perhaps it sounded like a “better idea?”

Painting by Gerard Hoet, 1728

Judges 2 - Angel at Bokim

The angel appeared to the Israelites at Bokim, meaning place of weeping.  The angel announced that God had kept his covenant since bringing His people out of Egypt and into the promised land.  But they had continued to disobey and eagerly run to the altars of foreign gods.   Yahweh tells them that he will now let them have a full taste of these foreign deities.  They will learn what it means to have them as “thorns in your sides” (2:3).

Painting by James Tissot.

Judges 2 - Israel before foreign gods

Israel constantly ran to worship foreign gods breaking the first and second commandment.  “You shall have no other gods beforeme.  ⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below” (Ex 20:3-4).

Painting by HG Riviere.

Judges 3 - Othniel, the first judge

Othniel is the first judge.  What makes him so remarkable is that he is what you would expect a liberator to be!  Strong, noble, obedient.  Judges after this will not appear to be nearly as “tidy.”

Judges 3 - Ehud kills Eglon

Eglon the king from Moab was allowed to overtake the Israelites persecuting them for 18 years.  Ehud, the left-handed judge, was raised up to kill fat-king Eglon with a concealed sword.  This story is meant to be a Jewish comedy as Ehud gets past all the Moabite defenses and gives freedom to the Israelites with one swift stroke.