Biblical Hermeneutics

PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL HERMENETICS ; M. M. NINAN
In these two verses we find the pattern for the entire book.
Enemy
Years of
Bondage
(Breach)
Judge
Deliverance
and Rest
(Promise)
Scripture
Mesopotamia 8 Othniel 40 3:7-11
Moab 18 Ehud 80 3:12-31
Canaan 20 Deborah 40 4:1-5:31
Midian 7 Gideon 40 6:1-8:28
Ammon 18 Jephthah 6 10:6-12:7
Philistia 40 Samson 20 13:1-16:31
(c) Breach of Promise Concerning Occupancy of Canaan
God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that their seed would inherit the land of Canaan,
have dominion over their enemies, and also that their seed would possess the land for ‘an
everlasting possession’ (Gen.17: 8; 48:4).
Israel was to keep the sabbaths of the land every seventh year, plus the jubilee year, which
was every fiftieth year (Lev.25:1-22). If they failed to do this, then the people, the cities, the
sanctuaries and the land would be brought to desolation (Lev.26:14-46; 18:24-30; 20:22-
26; Deut.28: 56-68).
This brought about the following calamities. God’s breach of promise ensued. The House of
Israel was carried captive to Assyria about BC 721. The House of Judah was carried into
Babylonian Captivity about BC 606, and this for a period of seventy years (Jer.25: 12; 29:10;
Dan.9: 2). Time for them, out of the land, has been lost time!
(d) Breach of Promise Concerning the Sceptre.
The word to Jacob’s son, Judah, was that the sceptre would not depart until Shiloh came
(Gen.49:8-12). In the Davidic Covenant this was reaffirmed: " David would never lack a man
to sit on his throne" (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89).
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