Today’s Reading: Judges 19-21; Psalm 11
The next three chapters of Judges are dark and disturbing. It would be easier to skip over them, as I have all the other times I have journeyed through the bible, but I am going to attempt to share the heaviness of my heart as I compare this story in history to the chapter we have been living out since 1973.
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. — Judges 21:25
Our story begins with a Levite traveling to Bethlehem to retrieve his concubine, who had been unfaithful to him by returning to her father’s home. Around sunset on their return home, they stopped in the town of Gibeah, which was inhabited by Israelites from the tribe of Benjamin. They sat in the town square, but no one showed them hospitality, as was the tradition.
Finally an older man invited them into his home. He fed their donkeys, gave them water to wash their feet, and then gave them something to eat and drink. But some of the wicked men in town began pounding on the older man’s door, demanding that he send out his guest so that they could have sex with him. The owner of the home described their request as vile and outrageous, and he offered to send out the man’s concubine and his own daughter instead. When they wouldn’t leave, the Levite cowardly pushed his concubine through the door so that they could do as they pleased with her. So all night long, the wicked men raped and abused the woman.
When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home. — Judges 19:27-28
As I said before, this story is dark and disturbing. What the men of Gibeah did to this young woman was horrendous, but let’s not miss the total disregard the Levite had for his concubine. Instead of protecting her, he sacrificed her for his own protection. Instead of waiting for her return, he went to sleep and did not step out to look for her until the next morning. Instead of grieving the crime that had been committed against her, he heartlessly demanded she get up so they could continue their journey home. Instead of honoring her in death, he cut her body into 12 pieces and sent them to each tribe of Israel so that all would know about this crime committed against him in Gibeah.
400,000 Israelites came with swords to give this Levite and his dead concubine justice. When they asked the tribe of Benjamin to hand over the men who had committed this awful crime, the leaders refused and gathered together 26,000 of their swordsmen to defend their right to do whatever they wanted.
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. — Judges 21:25
Having the home turf advantage, Benjamin successfully fought back the Israelites. 22,000 Israelites died on the first day and 18,000 on the second. They changed their strategy on the third day, and 25,100 Benjamites died on the battlefield. The Israelites swept through the territory killing anyone they found and setting their towns on fire.
The next morning, the Israelites grieved the loss of their 12th tribe. Having killed all of the women, they decided to take it upon themselves to find wives for the remaining Benjamites. They attacked the town of Jabesh-Gilead, abducting all the virgins and killing the rest of the people. When they still fell short of the number of women they needed, they allowed the Benjamites to seize the young women in Shiloh as they danced at the annual festival of the Lord.
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. — Judges 21:25
I find the atrocities committed in these three chapters painful to study. My heart grieves at the total disregard for the sanctity of human life and for the mistreatment of women. Oh how I wish I did not see a likeness to this degradation in our own society today. My heart breaks at the men and women who are being used as pawns in a political game that allows the abortion industry to grow more powerful, disguised as an issue of women’s rights. Sex trafficking, rape, child abuse, domestic violence, gender fluidity, prostitution — the list goes on and on. We are becoming a nation that celebrates the freedom for every individual to do whatever they see fit to do.
As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace.” — Luke 19:36-42
What a privilege it is to worship you this morning, Lord. Give us an understanding of how you grieve the sin of this world. Give us hearts that mourn when you mourn, and give us wisdom to respond to the injustices of this world. May we never stand in protection of sin, but may we be used by you to bring light into the darkness of our society. Give us an understanding of the way to peace. “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13b) Amen.
The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
What can the righteous do?”
But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth. – Psalm 11:3-4