Week 22 (May 25–31): “The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer” (Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16)

Doctrinal Foundation

From Israel’s view: covenant amnesia and repeated captivity

Come, Follow Me frames Judges as a familiar cycle: sin, regret, repentance, and relapse. It explains that Israel was “influenced by the beliefs and worship practices of the Canaanites… [and] broke their covenants with the Lord and turned away from worshipping Him.” As protection withdrew, “they lost His protection and fell into captivity.” Yet “each time this happened, the Lord gave His covenant people the chance to repent and raised up a deliverer” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).

From the Lord’s view: repeated mercy and purposeful deliverance

The same introduction anchors the week in the Lord’s consistent character: “no matter what has led us away from Jesus Christ, He is the Redeemer of Israel and is always willing to deliver us and welcome us back as we return to Him” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).

From a disciple’s view: deliverance as a pattern that points to Christ

The children’s section highlights Judges 3 as a teaching pattern about the Savior’s power to rescue from sin, using repeated phrases: “did evil,” “cried unto the Lord,” and “raised up a deliverer” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Teaching Children,” “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer”).

Scripture Deep Dive (Ascending Steps of Discovery)

1) The cycle itself: what repeated choices do to covenant life (Judges 2:1–19; 3:5–12)

Come, Follow Me invites reading Judges as both “a warning and an encouragement” and asks readers to personalize the warning in Judges 2:19 and the deliverance in Judges 3:9 (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord forgives as often as I repent.”). The focus stays on two realities held together: covenant breaking brings bondage, and repentance opens space for the Lord to send help.

2) The Lord’s deliverance is triggered by covenant turning (Judges 3:7–9; 3:12–15)

The children’s lesson proposes a close reading method: identify the repeating phrases “did evil,” “cried unto the Lord,” and “raised up a deliverer” in Judges 3:7–9 and 3:12–15, then ask, “What do we learn about the Lord from this pattern?” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Teaching Children,” “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer”). The pattern centers deliverance on the Lord’s response to cries for help.

3) Deborah: faith that steadies others under pressure (Judges 4:1–15)

Come, Follow Me asks readers to assess the setting, “How would you describe the conditions the Israelites were in at the time? (see verses 1–3),” then to trace Deborah’s influence: “What words or actions of Deborah show you that she had faith in the Lord? How did her faith influence others?” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord.”). The episode becomes a study in how one disciple’s trust can strengthen a community.

4) “Is not the Lord gone out before thee?” (Judges 4:14 with Doctrine and Covenants 84:87–88)

Come, Follow Me spotlights Deborah’s question to Barak: “Is not the Lord gone out before thee?” and directly connects it to the Lord’s promise to His servants:

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88)

This pairing (Judges 4:14; Doctrine and Covenants 84:87–88) frames courageous action as something taken with the Lord’s preceding presence, not merely human resolve.

5) Gideon: trusting the Lord’s unlikely ways (Judges 6–8)

Come, Follow Me instructs readers to watch for moments when “the Lord asked Gideon to believe something that might have seemed unlikely,” then asks, “What do you feel the Lord is trying to teach you with this account?” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can work miracles when I trust in His ways.”). Gideon’s story becomes training in recognizing that the Lord’s deliverance often comes by methods that reduce human boasting and increase reliance on Him.

6) Small means, real victory (Judges 7:1–21; especially 7:2; 7:4–7; 7:16; 7:19–21)

For children, Come, Follow Me centers on the Lord’s stated reason for shrinking the army: “Why did the Lord want Gideon’s army to be so small? (see Judges 7:2)” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Teaching Children,” “The Lord can use small things to do great work.”). It then points to the surprising “battle kit” in Judges 7:16 and the outcome in Judges 7:19–21. The learning emphasis is that the Lord can win deliverance through humble, even unimpressive means.

7) Samson: covenant power can be lost (Judges 13–16; with Numbers 6:1–6; Judges 13:7)

Come, Follow Me teaches that Samson “lost both his physical strength and his spiritual strength because he violated his covenants with God, including those that applied specifically to Nazarites” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “God strengthens me as I am faithful to my covenants.”). Readers are asked to mark where “the Lord was with Samson” and where Samson “was not fully committed to the Lord,” then to ponder personal covenants and how they bring “His power” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “God strengthens me as I am faithful to my covenants.”).

8) A modern prophetic warning about “going down” (Judges 13–16 with Sister Ann M. Dibb)

Sister Ann M. Dibb ties Samson’s decline to repeated, self-pleasing choices:

“Samson was born with great potential. His mother was promised, ‘He shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines’ [Judges 13:5]. But as Samson grew, he looked more to the world’s temptations than to God’s direction. He made choices because they ‘pleaseth [him] well’ [Judges 14:3] rather than because those choices were right. Repeatedly, the scriptures use the phrase ‘and he went down’ [Judges 14:7] as they tell of Samson’s journeys, actions, and choices. Instead of arising and shining forth to fulfill his great potential, Samson was overcome by the world, lost his God-given power, and died a tragic, early death” (May 2012, Dibb, “Arise and Shine Forth”).

Historical Context (from this week’s materials)

Come, Follow Me situates the moral and religious pressure point in Israel’s proximity to Canaanite worship: Israel was “influenced by the beliefs and worship practices of the Canaanites” and therefore “broke their covenants with the Lord” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”). The repeated captivity in Judges is presented as a covenant consequence, not random misfortune. Deliverance comes through “a military leader called a ‘judge’,” and “not all of the judges… were righteous,” yet some “exercised great faith” and helped restore covenant relationship (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).

Pattern Recognition Web (Connections across dispensations, limited to bundle references)

• Covenant cycle in Judges: sin, captivity, cry, deliverance (Judges 3:7–9; 3:12–15; see also Judges 2:1–19) (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer”; “The Lord forgives as often as I repent.”).
• The Lord “goes before” covenant servants: Deborah’s question (Judges 4:14) linked to the Lord’s promise to go “before your face” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88) (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord.”).
• Small means and reduced boasting: Gideon’s reduced army (Judges 7:2; 7:4–7) (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can use small things to do great work.”).
• Covenants and strength: Nazarite covenant context (Numbers 6:1–6; Judges 13:7) and the principle that “God strengthens me as I am faithful to my covenants” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “God strengthens me as I am faithful to my covenants.”).
• Covenant discipleship language: Mosiah 18:8–10 and sacramental covenant reminders in Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79 are offered as parallels for teaching children about covenant strength (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Keeping covenants gives me strength.”).

Discussion Framework (Observation to application)

1. In Judges 2:1–19, what specific covenant consequences appear in the Come, Follow Me description of Israel’s choices and captivity? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).
2. Using Judges 3:7–9 and 3:12–15, where do the phrases “did evil,” “cried unto the Lord,” and “raised up a deliverer” appear, and what do they show about the Lord’s response? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer”).
3. Come, Follow Me asks how Judges 2:19 might read if it described “your temptations.” What recurring temptation patterns would that question help a disciple identify? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord forgives as often as I repent.”).
4. In Judges 4:1–3, how are Israel’s conditions described, and what parallels does Come, Follow Me ask readers to consider “in individuals and society”? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord.”).
5. In Judges 4:1–15, what specific words or actions show Deborah’s faith, and how does that faith influence Barak? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord.”).
6. Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88. What does the Lord promise to do “before your face,” and how does that clarify Deborah’s question in Judges 4:14? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord.”).
7. In Judges 6–8, what “unlikely” instructions or outcomes does Come, Follow Me prompt readers to notice, and what do those teach about trusting the Lord’s ways? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can work miracles when I trust in His ways.”).
8. In Judges 7:2, what reason is given for reducing Gideon’s army, and how does that shape a disciple’s understanding of the Lord’s deliverance? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can use small things to do great work.”).
9. In Judges 13–16, where do readers see that “the Lord was with Samson,” and where do they see that Samson “was not fully committed to the Lord”? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “God strengthens me as I am faithful to my covenants.”).

Gospel Connections (Plan of Salvation themes, using provided references)

• Agency and accountability: Israel’s choice to adopt surrounding worship practices leads to captivity (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).
• Repentance and repeated mercy: Judges is presented as both warning and encouragement, with the Lord repeatedly giving “the chance to repent” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord forgives as often as I repent.”; “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).
• Jesus Christ as Deliverer: the repeated “deliverer” pattern in Judges 3 is used to teach that “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Teaching Children,” “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer”).
• Covenants as channels of strength: Samson’s Nazarite covenants (Numbers 6:1–6; Judges 13:7) serve as a cautionary study, while Mosiah 18:8–10 and Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79 are offered to teach covenant strength today (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Keeping covenants gives me strength.”).

Teaching Moments (Sharing with others)

1. Teach the “Judges 3 pattern” visually: write “did evil,” “cried unto the Lord,” and “raised up a deliverer,” then locate them in Judges 3:7–9 and 3:12–15 (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Jesus Christ is my Deliverer”).
2. Model Deborah’s question with Doctrine and Covenants 84:88: read Judges 4:14, then read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 aloud as the Lord’s explanation of how He goes “before your face” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord.”).
3. Use Gideon to teach humility in the Lord’s work: study Judges 7:2 and discuss why the Lord sometimes reduces visible resources (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can use small things to do great work.”).
4. Teach covenant strength with simple parallels: connect Samson’s covenant loss (Judges 13–16; Numbers 6:1–6) with Mosiah 18:8–10 and Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79 as covenant language that builds spiritual strength (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “Keeping covenants gives me strength.”).

Personal Reflection (Tracing the pattern in lived discipleship)

• Come, Follow Me asks: if Judges 2:19 described “your temptations,” what might it say? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord forgives as often as I repent.”).
• Where has the Lord asked for trust in something “unlikely,” as in Judges 6–8? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can work miracles when I trust in His ways.”).
• What covenants currently bring “His power” into life, and what warnings come from Samson’s divided commitment? (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “God strengthens me as I am faithful to my covenants.”).

Prophetic Echoes (Modern revelation and modern prophetic teaching in this week’s sources)

• Modern revelation echoing Deborah’s assurance:

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88)

• A modern prophetic application of Samson’s decline (quoted above) that highlights choices made because they “pleaseth [him] well” rather than because they were right (May 2012, Dibb, “Arise and Shine Forth”).

For further reading (not quoted in the bundle), see also: Dallin H. Oaks, “Covenants and Responsibilities,” Liahona, May 2024, 93–96; Ulisses Soares, “Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ,” Liahona, May 2024, 17–21.

These ancient accounts invite careful attention to the recurring cycle of covenant turning, crying to the Lord, and receiving deliverance through His appointed means.