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Judges – Sold to be Redeemed
The word “redeem” is not used in Judges, but it might help us better understand redemption than we know. That is because the opposite action is found several times: “And he sold them into the hands” (Judges 2:14; 3:8; 4:2; 1:7). Sin, Suffering, Solicitation, Salvation are the four stages Israel continues to find itself in Judges. They sin which causes suffering. Their suffering leads them to solicit God’s help. Their soliciting God leads to their salvation from their enemies until Israel starts the cycle all over again.
The “suffering stage” is where we have the phrase “and he sold them into the hands” of their enemies. Ironic, it is, that they were worshipping false gods as were their enemies and that didn’t save them from their enemies. When they were different from the enemies is when God was on their side.
To redeem means to buy back. It is a major theme within Exodus, both in being freed from slavery and in their sacrifices where the first born were redeemed. Judges is a return to pre-exodus times in that they are again and again enslaved. Judges also foreshadows the exile, the difference being instead of enslavement within their own land they are enslaved in a foreign land, like in Egypt. Often we think of being redeemed because people have sold themselves; but Judges shows God sells because of sins too…waiting to redeem us. Jesus is that Redeemer.
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