All Articles For Judges

And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. Judges 2:10 Knowing God—that is what the Christian religion is all about. To know God is unspeakably blessed. As Jesus says in John 17:3, it is eternal life. It is the spiritual knowledge of faith whereby we love God. Knowing God we delight in Him; we walk with Him; we serve Him. So the children of Israel had been led into the land of promise by the hand...

Rev. DeVries preached his farewell sermon at Southwest Church in Michigan the evening of May 26 and was installed in our Edgerton Church in Minnesota June 6th. Rev. R. Moore was installed in our Hull Church in Iowa the evening of May 26. Rev. Kamps led the church service. Since the time that Rev. Joostens declined the call to our Lynden Church in Washington, Lynden Church has formed a trio of Rev. R. Hanko, Rev. K. Koole, and Rev. G. Van Baren. Rev. C. Haak has declined the call to Southwest Church and Rev. D. Kuiper has asked for an...

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD at Mizpeh.  Judges 11:11

This article is the text of the address of Prof. Dykstra at the Seminary Convocation held at Trinity PRC on September 2, 2008. The purpose of the speech tonight is to exhort all of us to faithfulness in our respective callings. That is one of the main reasons for a convocation. It is a calling together to remind us of the purpose of a seminary. A convocation ought also to hold before us the goal of the instruction, and of the learning. In addition, a convocation should set before us incentives to be diligent as we set our hand to...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. The events recorded in our text occurred at an important juncture in the history of Old Testament Israel. For forty years Israel had wandered in the wilderness. There were reasons for Israel’s forty years of confinement in the wilderness. The main reason, of course, was Israel’s rebellion against God and refusal to enter the land at Kadesh-Barnea. In unbelief the people had listened to the evil report of the ten spies. Because of that unbelief, God had not permitted Israel to enter the promised land but had made...

Rev. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. We concluded in the previous article that God chastised His people through the heathen whom Israel had failed to exterminate as commanded by God. As soon as they were thus disciplined, Israel repented and returned unto Jehovah. We should observe that this took place repeatedly, and that it is for this reason that we speak of the cycle of the judges. Prior to the appearance of each of the judges there was a time of prosperity in which Israel had peace and all went well. This changed as...

Lying—Is It Always Wrong? That lying is indeed always wrong is the contention of Prof. H. Hanko in his article in the Standard Bearer of August 1. 1989, entitled: Lying (2). We would have no criticism of this article except for the incidents which he cites. In this article he refers to certain incidents of lying in Scripture. He writes that, although Scripture does not specifically condemn these lies, and also that the saints who committed these lies were always properly motivated, the lie, according to the Word of God, is always wrong, and these lies must also be condemned. He refers...

Rev. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. After the Lord had given victory over the Canaanitish king Jabin, and his captain Sisera, Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise unto Jehovah. In the opening verses they describe Jehovah their God who alone is worthy of such praise (Judges 5:1-5). By contrast, the people chose new gods and forsook Jehovah; and He sent the enemy against them. The call for help went out to the governors. They responded well and God gave victory (Judges 5:6-11). We have more details how that victory came about. Certain...

Rev. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. We come now to the ninth judge, Samson. The Lord delivered Israel into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1). The angel appears unto the wife of Manoah, of the city of Zorah from the tribe of Dan, and announces that though she is barren, she will conceive and bear a son. He is to be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; hence she is to drink neither wine nor strong drink, nor eat anything unclean. When this son is born, no razor must...

Rev. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. We are in the midst of outlining the narrative of the Levite whose concubine had been abused by the men of Gibeah and killed. He had taken her body and cut it into twelve pieces and called the men of Israel to come to fight the men of Benjamin for this evil deed. The battle is now drawn, 400,000 men of Israel against 26,000 men of Benjamin along with 600 men from Gibeah. After inquiring of the Lord as to which tribe should go up first in battle,...