God's Purpose in the Cycle of Judges in Scripture

God's purpose in the cycle of judges in Scripture is rooted in His divine justice and His ongoing relationship with His people. The concept of divine judgment is a fundamental aspect of God's nature, described as His perfection whereby He is infinitely righteous in Himself and in all His actions ^[3]. This justice is not an optional product of His will but an unchangeable principle of His very being ^[3].

The "judgments of God" in Scripture can refer to several things: the secret decisions of His will, the revelations of His will (such as laws), and the infliction of punishment on the wicked ^[4]. The cycle of judges, particularly as seen in the book of Judges, illustrates this third aspect, where God inflicts punishment upon those who disobey Him ^[4]. This cycle typically involves the Israelites falling into sin, God delivering them into the hands of oppressors, their cry for help, God raising up a judge to deliver them, and a period of peace before the cycle repeats.

This pattern demonstrates God's legislative justice, where He requires conformity to the moral law, and His rectoral or distributive justice, where He deals with His accountable creatures according to their actions ^[3]. The purpose of these judgments is not merely punitive but also redemptive and disciplinary. When God's people are judged and disciplined, it is for their ultimate good, so that they will not be condemned along with the world ^[11]. This is pictured as God's judgment beginning with His own household as a means of purifying them ^[9].

The ultimate judge is God Himself, who "puts down one, and lifts up another" ^[2]. Ecclesiastes 3:17 states, "God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him" ^[5]. This highlights God's sovereign purpose and His fixed timing for all events ^{[6, 10]}. The day of judgment is appointed by God in His eternal purposes and is certain, though its exact time is unknown to humans ^{[8, 7]}.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is identified as the mediator through whom all judgment is committed ^[1]. He is the one who will judge the world in righteousness ^[8]. Matthew Henry notes that Christ's coming involved a judicial power in the kingdom of God, distributing trouble and rest ^[12]. The judgment administered by Christ is predicted in the Old Testament and is a first principle of the gospel ^[7].

The purpose of God's judgments, even in the severe cycles seen in the book of Judges, is to demonstrate His righteousness and to bring about a reward for the righteous ^[14]. Ramban (Nachmanides) emphasizes that it is for God to execute justice between His creatures, as He created them with the intention that there be fairness and justice among them ^[13]. The cycle of judges, therefore, serves as a historical illustration of God's unchanging nature, His commitment to justice, and His disciplinary love for His people, guiding them back to obedience through a pattern of consequence and deliverance.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgment, The final — The sentence that will be passed on our actions at the last day (Matt. 25; Rom. 14:10, 11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10). The judge is Jesus Christ, as mediator. All judgment is committed to him (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; Rev. 1:7). "It pertains to him as mediator to complete and publicly manifest the salvation of his people and the overthrow of his enemies, together with the glorious righteousness of his work in both respects." The persons to be judged are, (1) the whole race of Adam without a single exception (Matt. 25:31-46; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52”
Psalms “But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another. -- Psalms 75:7”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgments of God — (1.) The secret decisions of God's will (Ps. 110:5; 36:6). (2.) The revelations of his will (Ex. 21:1; Deut. 6:20; Ps. 119:7-175). (3.) The infliction of punishment on the wicked (Ex. 6:6; 12:12; Ezek. 25:11; Rev. 16:7), such as is mentioned in Gen. 7; 19:24, 25; Judg. 1:6, 7; Acts 5:1-10, etc.”
Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 3:17 (BBE) — I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Judgment, The — Predicted in the Old Testament -- 1Ch 16:33; Ps 9:7; 96:13; Ec 3:17. A first principle of the gospel -- Heb 6:2. A day appointed for -- Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16. Time of, unknown to us -- Mr 13:32. Called the Day of wrath. -- Ro 2:5; Re 6:17. Revelation of the righteous judgment of God. -- Ro 2:5. Day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. -- 2Pe 3:7. Day of destruction. -- Job 21:30. Judgment of the great day. -- Jude 1:6. Shall be administered by Christ -- Joh 5:22,27; Ac 10:42; Ro 14:10; 2Co 5:10. Saints shall sit with Christ in -- 1Co 6:2; Re 20:4. Sh”
Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 17:31: Because he hath appointed a day,.... The day of judgment is fixed by God in his eternal purposes, and is sure and certain, and will come, though it is not known by men or angels; and this is a reason why God will have the doctrine of repentance everywhere published, both to Jews and Gentiles, since all must come to judgment: and the day for it is appointed by him, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness; the whole world will be judged, and every individual in it, good and bad, righteous and wicked; and this judgment will be a righteous one; it will proc”
1 Peter (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Peter 4:17: 4:17 God’s judgment is often pictured as beginning with God’s household—i.e., with his own people—as a means of purifying them (Jer 25:29; Ezek 9:5-6; Mal 3:1-6).”
Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 3 (introduction): (Ecc. 3:1-22) Man has his appointed cycle of seasons and vicissitudes, as the sun, wind, and water (Ecc 1:5-7). purpose--as there is a fixed "season" in God's "purposes" (for example, He has fixed the "time" when man is "to be born," and "to die," Ecc 3:2), so there is a lawful "time" for man to carry out his "purposes" and inclinations. God does not condemn, but approves of, the use of earthly blessings (Ecc 3:12); it is the abuse that He condemns, the making them the chief end (Co1 7:31). The earth, without human desires, love, t”
1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:32: 11:32 When God’s people are judged by the Lord and disciplined (cp. Deut 8:5; Heb 12:5-11), it is for their ultimate good, so that they will not be condemned along with the world (see Eph 2:1-3).”
John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on John 9:39: Christ, having spoken comfort to the poor man that was persecuted, here speaks conviction to his persecutors, a specimen of the distributions of trouble and rest at the great day, Th2 1:6, Th2 1:7. Probably this was not immediately after his discourse with the man, but he took the next opportunity that offered itself to address the Pharisees. Here is, I. The account Christ gives of his design in coming into the world (Joh 9:39): "For judgment I am come to order and administer the great affairs of the kingdom of God among men, and am invested with a judicial power in”
Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Deuteronomy 1:17: FOR THE JUDGMENT IS G-D’S. The meaning thereof is as expressed in the verse, for ye judge not for man, but for the Eternal; and He is with you in giving judgment , 89 II Chronicles 19:6. These were the words of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to the newly appointed judges. meaning to say: “It is for G-d to execute justice between His creatures for He created them with the intention that there be fairness and justice among them, and to deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor , 90 Jeremiah 22:3. and He designated you [the judges] in His s”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 58:11: So that a man shall say,.... Any man, and every man, especially, that is observing, wise, and knowing; he shall conclude, from such a dispensation of things, from God's dealing with the wicked after this manner: verily, there is a reward for the righteous; or "fruit" (k) for them: they have the fruits of divine love, the blessings of an everlasting covenant; and the fruit of Christ, the tree of life, which is sweet unto their taste, as are the benefits of his death, his word and ordinances; and the fruits of the Spirit, his several graces wrought in their souls; an”

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