“Major Significance of the Major Judges”
SERMON Title: Major Significance of the Major Judges
SCRIPTURE: Judges 10:1-5, 12:8-15 ESV
Introduction
Today’s message comes from two sections of the book of Judges which records the life of 5 judges that we call the Minor Judges. The total number of the minor Judges is 6 including Shamgar on whom Pastor John talked about weeks ago. Much like Shamgar, there is not much written about the other 5 minor judges. The minor judges are referred to as minor judges simply because of the length of what is recorded about them. Some scholars believe that their accounts are shorter because they’re not of any significance, but if they understand the power of God’s word they would know that nothing in the Bible is insignificant. Everything is there for a purpose.
The stories of the minor judges are nestled in between the stories of the major judges, especially the more graphic stories as if God is giving us a short breather to catch our breath. The single verse of Shamgar (3:31) comes after a bloody battle led by Ehud. Tola and Jair come after the chaos of Gideon and his sons. Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon come after the story of Jephthah where we see another bloody war, the killing of his own daughter by his own hand, and the slaughter of their own people 42000 Ephraimites.
Familiar Patterns
As the book of Judges progresses, with one judge after the next, we see a decline in the morality and spirituality of God’s people, and the ugliness of sin escalates as time goes by. To me it almost looked like the Lord had divided up the minor judges in a 1, 2, 3 person division as if He was giving us a longer breather each time to prepare us for the escalating ugliness that was to follow. And with each section of the minor judges, we see the following words:
After Shamgar - (4:1) And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord
After Tola and Jair - (10:6) The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord
After Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon - (13:1) And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord
And with the 3 person breather of Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, we walk into one of the worst parts of the book Judges.
The Minor Judges: Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
To fully grasp the message of the book of Judges, we need to zoom out and take in the whole picture. A fitting summary might simply be: “What a mess.” The cycle of disobedience, oppression, deliverance, and relapse paints a sobering picture of Israel's spiritual condition.
The twelve judges mentioned in the book likely mirror the twelve tribes of Israel, representing the people’s collective spiritual state. The so-called "minor" judges—though described briefly—are just as telling as the more prominent ones.
Judges 10:1–5 introduces Tola and Jair:
After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir. After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
No foreign oppressor is mentioned during their time, suggesting that their leadership may have been more civil than military. Tola’s judgeship comes “after Abimelech,” hinting that his role may have been to bring order following Abimelech’s violent reign. Tola's name, meaning “worm,” is also found in Psalm 22:6:
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
This imagery points to humility and sacrifice—qualities linked with Christ, who poured out His life for others.
Jair followed Tola, and the description of his thirty sons riding donkeys and ruling cities suggests wealth and influence. While some might interpret this as a sign of divine blessing, it more likely reflects the polygamous norms of the time, as seen in Deuteronomy 3:14.
In Judges 12:8–15, we meet Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon:
After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters he gave in marriage outside his clan, and thirty daughters he brought in from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.
After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years. Then Elon died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel eight years. Then Abdon died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
These brief accounts reflect continued emphasis on family legacy, social influence, and political stability, rather than direct military action. The repetition of large families and donkeys likely signals status and control rather than deep spiritual renewal.
Together, these short snapshots of the minor judges reveal not a break from the cycle of Judges, but rather more subtle expressions of Israel’s spiritual condition—marked by instability, pride, and human attempts at order in the absence of lasting transformation.
Judges 12:8 begins with the phrase “after him”, referring to Jephthah. His story is one of the darkest in Judges, filled with tragic decisions and the bitter consequences of sin. After him comes Ibzan of Bethlehem—not the Bethlehem of Judah, but a northern town in Zebulun. Like Tola after Abimelech, Ibzan likely had to deal with the aftermath of Jephthah's damage. He had thirty sons and thirty daughters, forming political alliances through marriage, a practice typical of powerful leaders.
Next is Elon, also from Zebulun. We know little about him beyond his name, which means “oak” or “pillar”, possibly indicating strength or stability in his leadership.
Then comes Abdon, who had forty sons and thirty grandsons, all riding seventy donkeys—a clear sign of wealth and status. He lived in the territory of the Amalekites, a land God had once commanded Israel to drive out, which raises questions about obedience.
These minor judges offered brief moments of stability, but the familiar pattern returns soon after:
“And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”
Why? Complacency. These judges may have stepped into God’s call, but there is no mention of repentance, spiritual revival, or renewed obedience to God’s Word. Leadership without spiritual depth led to cycles of decline. The same danger exists for us: if we experience God’s blessings but neglect to know Him or obey His Word, we risk falling into the same complacency.
Two patterns stand out when we view all the judges together:
The length of rest or peace after each judge generally decreases—Othniel and Deborah brought 40 years of peace, while Ehud brought 80.
After Gideon, there is no mention of Israel experiencing peace—only that judges “ruled.”
This steady decline warns us: without repentance and relationship with God, external stability cannot prevent internal decay. While all of this paints a bleak picture, there is good news for us all: We have a God who can’t help but love us even in the ugliness and messiness of our lives. We have a God who does not hesitate to work within the messiness of our lives because He loves us.
Why else would God bother to raise up judges to save his people and give them times of rest when they are a stiff necked stubborn people who continue to sin and disobey him? In the madness of the cycle of Israel’s sins, why else if not love, would God do that?
Our inheritance and carrying our cross
What we learn from the minor judges—and all the patterns we've seen—is that God raises up people even in the darkest times, regardless of their background, status, or brokenness. Each judge inherited some of the mess left by those before them: Tola dealt with Abimelech’s chaos, Ibzan followed Jephthah, and so on. In the same way, we each inherit a portion of life’s brokenness—what God has sovereignly allowed for us.
What is your portion? Maybe it’s a painful past, broken relationships, absent or unloving parents, financial hardship, mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, or fear. Maybe it’s physical illness, disabilities, failure in work or school, grief, or loneliness. The struggles you face—the pain, the weight of your sin, the anxiety, despair, brokenness, and all life’s mess—this is your cross to bear. You didn’t choose it, but it’s yours. And to follow Jesus means taking up that cross, just as He bore His for you.
When you surrendered your life to Christ, you declared that you would be united with Him—not just in His resurrection, but also in His suffering. He did not spare Himself; how then can we expect to follow Him without a cross of our own? And while carrying your cross, you may feel unseen or insignificant. You may never be remembered in history books—just like the minor judges—but you are known by God. Your name is written in the one book that truly matters: the Book of Life.
The minor judges had their own burdens, but they stepped forward in faith. They didn’t need to feel worthy or be perfect—they just obeyed God’s call. It’s the same for us. God has given you more than you realize to walk in obedience. As Scripture says:
“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.” – Ephesians 4:7
“All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” – 1 Corinthians 12:11
So why do you still feel powerless? Maybe you’ve heard, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” That’s not true. It’s not biblical. That idea comes from a misreading of 1 Corinthians 10:13—which is about resisting temptation, not enduring suffering. The truth is, you will face more than you can handle. That’s the entire lesson of Judges: you cannot do it alone. We were never meant to. We need God. And apart from Him, we can do nothing. But those who carry their cross through the mess of life—those who trust in Christ through the pain—are truly great in the eyes of God. So take up your cross. Trust in the One who strengthens you. And follow Him.