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Last week, in The Time Before the Kings, Part 17, we learned from a strange story about Micah and his idol that we must take every step possible to keep our lives pure, for in so doing, we will never have to worry about being responsible for causing others to sin!
The Bible records one last very sad story in the book of Judges...
The concubine of a man, an unnamed Levite from the hill country of Ephraim, is "unfaithful" to her husband and runs away to return to her father's home in Bethlehem (See Judges 19:1-2), and the husband goes to retrieve his concubine.
Her father enters the story then, and it seems he has some kind of a hidden agenda to keep his daughter from leaving; for he keeps urging the Levite stay. As a result, the Levite doesn't leave Bethlehem with his concubine until late in the fourth day.
He doesn’t make it far before the day begins to wane; but not wanting to spend the night with foreigners, he passes up Jebus and as night fell, "They turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah." (Judges 19:10-15 NASB)
As it turns out, they would have been better off staying in Jebus. No one except for an old man from the hill country of Ephraim takes them in, and even then, the men of the city come banging on the old man's door demanding, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him.” (Judges 19:22b NASB)
Now any type of sexual immorality was forbidden by the laws of Moses (See Leviticus 20). Nonetheless, to save himself, the Levite gives his poor concubine to be gang raped and abused the entire night! Could this be why she left him in the first place?
In the morning when he finds her dead on his doorstep, he, "...took a knife and … cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel." (Judges 19:29 NASB)
It gets worse! All the sons of Israel gather at Mizpah. Upon hearing the story, their response is: “Not one of us will go to his tent, … we will go up against it by lot." (Judges 20:8-9 NASB).
Of course, Gibeah was in the land of Benjamin, and the Benjaminites refuse to go up against their own countrymen. Suddenly punishment on a city turns into civil war (See Judges 20)!
It can be said that Israel did inquire of the Lord before setting out against Benjamine, and interestingly, they were given the green light. This did not result in victory, however; neither on the first day or the second! Only on day three does Israel have victory. 25,000 Benjaminite warriors are struck down, and all of the women and children, and even their cattle are killed. Only 600 Benjaminite men escape (See Judges 20:29-48).
Here we come across an interesting plot twist. Instead of rejoicing in their victory, Israel begins to ... mourn! "So the people … lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. They said, 'Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?'” (Judges 21:2-3 NASB)
Wait. Why are they blaming God? He told them to go up against Gibeah, for the people of Gibeah did need to be punished for their sin; but committing genocide, Israel, in their impulsive anger, did that on their own!
This wasn't the only impulsive choice Israel made. In their anger they also had, "... sworn by the Lord not to give them any of [their] daughters in marriage..." (Judges 21:7 NASB). This meant that the 600 Benjaminites who remained, all men, would not be able to marry!
So they sink even deeper into sin…
They had made a decision to strike down any Israelites who did not join in the war against Benjamin (See Judges 21:18). Careful counting revealed that, "not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there..." (Judges 21:9b NASB). So without asking of the Lord they make yet another impulsive decision: "… you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has lain with a man.” (Judges 21:11 NASB).
As a result, they were able to provide 400 virgin girls to the 600 men of Benjamin. Of course, this still isn't enough, so they then instruct the remaining 200 men of Benjamin to ambush and "steal" Israelite girls as they came up to Shiloh for a feast of the Lord (See Judges 21:19-24)!
Why is such a horrific story recorded in the Bible? Could it be that God wants us all to see how low idolatry can cause a nation to sink? Could it be that God wanted us to understand how impulsivity can lead to horrible sin?
How can we avoid these poisons of impulsivity?
By inquiring of the Lord! Much of this bloodshed could have all been prevented if they had simply stopped reacting on impulse and anger, and started asking God for guidance each step of the way!
And that is the take-away for each of us today. Let's resolve to avoid the poisons of impulsivity by consulting with God before we act rashly, and then continuing to consult with Him every step of the way!
It was indeed a turbulent time, this time before the kings. As we have now arrived at the end of the book of judges, we need to stop and ask ourselves a few last questions: Why would God allow this confusion? Why didn't He just set them up with a king? Please join us next Saturday to see : "Right in Our Own Eyes: The Time Before the Kings, Conclusion"!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
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