Oddbean new post about login | logout As I understand it many or most of the old testament stories are metaphors that are very difficult to understand intellectually, but are meant to impart a lesson. The book of judges may have an underlying spiritual meaning, but the interpretation I was given is that it's an example of what a culture is like without a proper implementation of justice. My personal opinion is that many Christians get far too absorbed in the old testament to the point where it overrides universal truths spoken by Christ. Especially in the context of supporting Zionism.
the last half of Judges and first part of Samuel do seem kinda whackadoodle. 50 thousand 3 score and 10 men getting "smoted" for touching the Ark irreverently when it was being toted back from the Philistines. it's like God just saw Israel as cattle. i do understand there are lessons (the strong men-->good times-->weak men -->bad times) cycle over and over. there's just a couple of times when it's kinda outrageous.
and yet in chapter 8 of samuel God warns the israelites they would suffer slavery if they took a king sorta almost seems like a progression from something more hidden to more obvious, direct tyranny like, the writers or the characters don't really seem to understand some of these Lord guys are not actually ok it's that apparent schizophrenia that makes me wonder about christians who believe the "word of god" doctrine like, read Song of Songs, and tell me that isn't soft core porn... and really, David, Solomon, these guys are absolute trash, sorry not sorry
There is a gnostic theory that the Jews were worshiping the devil during periods of the old testament. I'm not too familiar with the explanation, but it might add up.