Memory Verse
The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.  Isaiah 33:22

Lesson
This week we begin studying the Old Testament judges. After Joshua died, the people were left without a leader and began to sin against God. God disciplined them and when the people cried out for deliverance, God sent a leader called a judge to rescue them. Later, when that judge died, the people sinned again and the pattern was repeated.

The judges saved the people from the consequences of their sin, but not the cause of it. God’s plan was to one day send a true Deliverer—Jesus, His own Son—to be the King of His people. Jesus saves people from sin forever.

Help your kids see that all of the judges were imperfect humans and they could not rescue God’s people from the cause of their sin, just the consequences.

Starting Point
How does God accomplish His plan?  God uses people for His glory and our good.
God's people turned from Him to worship idols.