God's faulty heroes

Judges is one of the most puzzling books in the Bible. Violence and apostasy mingle with miraculous deliverance and triumph. Valiant heroes for God loom larger than life, yet God's people slide into deeper and deeper depravity. Some of God's heroes themselves have problems. We admire Deborah and Barak, but aren't sure about Samson. Gideon's misdeed led Israel into idolatry, and Jepthan sacrificed his daughter. What possible purpose could the Holy Spirit have had in inspiring the writer to record such ghastly events? As we follow the struggles and victories and sorrows and joys of God's ancient people, we will realize that the story of Israel is also our story, and that Israel's God is our God.