What was the job of the Judges in the Bible?

Answer 1

The role of the Judges was to lead and govern Israel on behalf of God. They delivered the people, administered justice and settled disputes. They were dependent upon the will and laws of God rather than on their own jurisdiction as a king or dictator might.

Answer 2

As with any society, justice had to be administered. The Book of Deuteronomy chapteres 16 (starting at verse 18) and 17 to verse 20, outlines this procedure. Every city appointed judges and officers for this purpose. Should a problem prove to difficult at this level, it was referred to the 'God's Tabernacle' to the priest or Levite and the judge appointed there together - sort of like our Supreme Court. This decision then was binding (Deuteronomy 17:8-11). It was not referred back to a lower court like our system. Indeed, only the lower level of judges could refer the matter upwards to God's Tabernacle.

At the inception of this justice process, God was Israel's King. Latter, the people would insist upon a human king like the other peoples surrounding their land. Thus King Saul became Israel's first King.

Two points central to this process is extracted from the chapters mentioned at the beginning of this answer:

* No judges were to pervert justice by accepting bribes or showing partiality to anyone (Deuteronomy 16:18-20).

* No conviction of any crime, whether worthy of death or not, could be established without the testimony of at least two witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15).

Answer:

That would be the role of "law enforcement."

"Who do you think you are? ...Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? ..." (Ex.2:14 NLT New Living Translation).

"Prince": [LIT Literal Bible]; "sar" - "...a head person (of any rank or class): KJV-captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ([-task-])master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward." (Strong's Definitions)

"Judge": [LIT]; "shaphat" - "...to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extension, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively): KJV--+ avenge... condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment)... plead, reason, rule." (Strong's Definintions)

This is the "role" that Jesus Christ and His saints [his church, as well as "Moses" and all the Old Testament "Judges"] will take up when Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God on earth: the establishment of GLOBAL "Law and Order."

"Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the Authority to JUDGE..." (Rev.20:4 NLT)

[These are God's "elect, chosen, predestined servants; whom God has been calling out of the world since "Righteous Abel," Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc... and the apostles: "...you who have been My followers will also sit on twelve thrones, JUDGING the twelve tribes of Israel." - Matt.19:28 NLT].

These are the "future leaders and rulers" of God's coming Kingdom, whom Jesus Christ has "personally trained" in God's laws and Righteous ways; who shall JUDGE the nations!

"To all who are victorious [overcome sin and death through Christ], who OBEY ME to the very end, I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER ALL THE NATIONS. They will RULE THE NATIONS with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same Authority I received from My Father..." (Rev.2:26-28 NLT)

This is the role of GOVERNMENT -- the prevailing message of the Bible.

"...the God of heaven WILL SET UP A KINGDOM that will never be destroyed; no one will ever conquer it. It will shatter all these kingdoms into nothingness, but it will stand forever." (Dan.2:44 NLT)

"...in the end, the Holy people of the Most High [God's saints] WILL BE GIVEN THE KINGDOM, and they will rule forever and ever." (Dan.7:18 NLT)

"...the Ancient One came and JUDGED in favor of the Holy people of the Most High. Then the time arrived for the Holy people to TAKE OVER THE KINGDOM." (verse 22)

"...when the Son of Man comes in His Glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His Glorious Throne... Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matt.25:31-34 NLT)

"...you have caused them to become God's Kingdom [or Kings] and His Priests [Judges]. And THEY WILL REIGN ON THE EARTH." (Rev.5:10 NLT)

THAT was, is and shall be the "role of Judges" as set forth in the Bible.

"IN THE LAST DAYS, the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People [nations] from all over the world will go there to worship. Many nations will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There HE WILL TEACH US HIS WAYS, SO THAT WE MAY OBEY HIM.' For in those days the Lord's teaching and His Word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord WILL SETTLE INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. ALL WARS WILL STOP, and military training will come to an end." (Isa.2:2-4 NLT)

This world keeps missing Christ's message - the coming Kingdom of God - and modern professing Christianity isn't teaching it. The "role of God's Judges" as set forth in the Bible is going to rock the world. Yet, His commandment to all of mankind has never changed:

"...OBEY ME..." (Ex.19:5 NLT).

"When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. This is what I told them: 'OBEY ME... ONLY DO AS I SAY, and all will be well!'" (Jer.7:22-23 NLT)

"DO AS I SAY... I will be with you and bless you... I will do this because Abraham LISTENED TO ME and OBEYED all My requirements, commands, regulations, and laws." (Gen.26:3-5 NLT)

"When YOU OBEY ME, you remain in My Love, just AS I OBEY MY FATHER and remain in His Love." (John 15:10 NLT)

The "role of God's Judges" has been and is to TEACH OBEDIENCE to the laws of God to the people. It's a lesson that even Jesus, Himself, had to learn in the flesh.

"...even though Jesus was God's Son, HE LEARNED OBEDIENCEfrom the things He suffered. In this way, God qualified Him as a Perfect High Priest [Judge], and He became the Source of Eternal Salvation for all those WHO OBEY HIM... There is so much more we would like to say about this. But you don't seem to listen, so it's hard to make you understand." (Heb.5:8-11 NLT)

"Obedience to his Creator" is "the Great Lesson of Life" mankind needs to learn. To "learn to Love and Respect one another." But, this world... spiritually blinded and deceived to God's Truth by its god... isn't "listening." Like misbehaving children when their father is away, mankind is lost in the sins of its evil god. But also, like those unruly children in their father's absence must face his wrath upon his return home -- so, will mankind give account of himself to his Creator when He stands once more on the earth:

"One that Day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives... Then the Lord my God will come, and all His Holy Ones [Judges] with Him... And the Lord will be KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. On that Day there will be One Lord - His Name alone will be worshiped." (Zech.14:4-9 NLT)

In the end... when Christ returns the "role of God's Judges" shall be to teach obedience to His laws on earth."

"I COMMAND YOU TO LOVE EACH OTHER IN THE SAME WAY THAT I LOVE YOU... You are My friends IF YOU OBEY ME." (John 15:12-14 NLT)

Jesus is KING. Mankind's CREATOR [John 1:3]. He's the BOSS. He WILL have the Respect and Honor and Glory due Him by His creation! He made man... and He Selflessly died to save him. And He and His Faithful JUDGES will soon secure that Honor and Respect and Adoration and Worship for Him when He returns.

Their collective "role as the world's Judges" will be to TEACH that Respect to the world.

"Do ye not know that the saints SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD? ..." (I Cor.6:2 KJV).

Answer 3

Judges in The Bible have two general roles. One is to be a community leader or arbitrator, where the judge would hear a dispute and issue a decision as to who as correct and what damages (if any) should be awarded. The other was as an informal military commander who would raise men from the different confederal Israelite tribe to attack nearby enemies.

Answer 4

The Book of Judges is the 7th book of the Bible. It is the period for the Israelites post entering the Promised Land. God selects 'Judges' to save or relieve the Israelites from foreign rulers who wish to subdue them through harsh means of oppression.

Answer 5

The twelve people identified as Judges in the Book of Judges are: Samson, Elon, Othniel, Deborah, Ehud, Gideon, Shamgar, Tola, Ibzan, Jephthah, Jair and Abdon.

Answer 6

The mission of the Judges was to deliver the Israelites from the opressor that would opress them after they had forsaken God.