1. It was an age of =individuality=. There was no strong government to
oppress the people, to concentrate all the life of the nation at the
court, and to repress individuality. Contrast Per'sia with Greece; Rome
under the emperors with Rome as a republic. As men were needed they were
raised up, for there was opportunity for character. Hence it was an age
of heroes--Oth'ni-el, E'hud, Sham'gar, Gid'e-on, Jeph'thah, Sam'son,
Sam'u-el, etc. Free institutions bring strong men to the front.
2. It was an age of =neglect of the law=. During all this period there
is no allusion to the law of Mo'ses. Its regulations were ignored,
except so far as they belonged to the common law of conscience and
right. The laws of Mo'ses were not deliberately disobeyed, but were
ignorantly neglected. Even good men, as Gid'e-on and Sam'u-el, built
altars and offered sacrifices (Judg. 6. 24; 1 Sam. 7. 9) contrary to the
letter of the law of Mo'ses, but obeying its spirit.
3. Nevertheless, it was an age of =progress=. There were alternate
advancements and retrogressions; yet we see a people with energy, rising
in spite of their hindrances. By degrees government became more settled
(1 Sam. 7. 15-17), foreign relations arose (1 Sam. 7. 14; Ruth 1. 1),
and the people began to look toward a more stable system (1 Sam. 8.
4-6).