The Last Five Chapters of Judges Reads Like a Modern Day TV Show

In the days when the Israelites had no king, every person did what was right in their own eyes. They were focused on their own "I" nothing else.  When you are so singularly focused on yourself, your needs, your desires it is a recipe for disaster. This post took much longer than I anticipated because I wanted to ensure its accuracy. I am simply retelling the events that transpired; the unpacking will come over time.

Micah's mom sets things in motion by creating an image and an idol for her son after her stolen money is found - a significant amount of 11,000 pieces of silver. By the way, it was Micah, her son that stole her money. (Judges 17)

Micah created a shrine in his house that included this image and idol. Micah then consecrated one of his sons as his personal priest and then a man from the tribe of Levi - the tribe of priests. So Micah had 2 priests - his son and a Levite priest for hire. The men from the tribe of Dan are passing through, recognize the priest's voice and convinced him that he should be a priest to them instead of one man. He likes their proposition and becomes their priest instead. Subsequently, Micah comes to claim his priest but he is outnumbered. The men from the tribe of Dan captured the group from Laish and they end up worshipping Micah's carved image for a very long time. (Judges 18)

This is the first set of events that happened which set the stage for the next happenings.

A Levite takes a woman as his concubine, his legal mistress. She cheats on him and ran away or ran back home to her father's house. Because she is his legal mistress her father is referred to as the Levite's father in law. After four months the Levite goes to fetch her. The man and his father in law have a good time eating and drinking so much so that he is delayed by one day in his travels. He eventually leaves with his concubine on the 5th day, late in the afternoon. As they are trying to make their way back home they stop in Gibeah for the night. They thought Gibeah would be safer since they are Israelites; they are familiar with their ways and would feel more comfortable there. An old man from the town of Gibeah takes them in and is their host for the evening. After dinner some worthless guys surround the house wanting to have sex with the Levite. What sort of place is Gibeah? This goes from bad to worse because of their host, the old man who said, "no instead take my virgin daughter or the concubine." The worthless men insisted on the Levite so he pushes his concubine outside where they rape and abuse her all night. In the morning, she is returned to the old man's house where she dies at the doorstep. Without any thought or concern for her, the Levite implored her to get ready for travel and realizes that she is dead. The Levite picks her up and carries himself and her dead body home. When he gets home he cuts her body into twelve pieces and each piece is delivered to a tribe. (Judges 19)

What madness is this? It gets worse. (Judges 20)

The Levite, the husband of the woman who had been murdered, said, “My concubine and I came to spend the night in Gibeah, a town that belongs to the people of Benjamin.  That night some of the leading citizens of Gibeah surrounded the house, planning to kill me, and they raped my concubine until she was dead. So I cut her body into twelve pieces and sent the pieces throughout the territory assigned to Israel, for these men have committed a terrible and shameful crime. Now then, all of you—the entire community of Israel—must decide here and now what should be done about this!”

In retelling his account of the events to the tribes of Israel, the Levite does not share how he played a part in his concubine being turned over to the worthless men. The tribe of Benjamin sides with the men of Gibeah and through much fighting and subsequent defeat they are tainted as a tribe because of this heinous act. After Benjamin's defeat at the hands of the other Israelites, 600 Benjamite men are remaining. Since they are tainted, the remaining tribes made an oath that no one could marry these men from the tribe of Benjamin, so they come up with a scheme. First, they found 400 women from Jabesh Gilead after killing everyone (men and women who weren't virgins). But there was still a need. So they devised this plan - go to a festival in Shiloh, and when you see single women dancing grab and run; who you grab will become your wife. (Judges 21)  All of this reminds me of episodes of SVU.

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25 

This is how the book of Judges ends.
These last five chapters provide graphic detail of what happens when people do right in their own eyes.
The Israelites had no king - this phrase was mentioned at least three times in these last chapters. Each time this statement is made, the subsequent acts are more reprehensible. This was people begging for leadership. The human condition demonstrated the need for a Savior.
They were sincerely wrong - they chose to do what they thought was right but it was clearly wrong. You can be sincere in your beliefs and yet be wrong.
There was a misunderstanding of God's word - which led to idol worship, civil war, fighting, rape, murder, you name it!
Foolish and immoral behavior led to cycles of sin - as evidenced throughout this book. Only God can break this cycle.
Every facet of society was affected; those who we thought would know better did not. Think of Micah's mother, the priest for hire, the Levite with the concubine, or the old man.
None of us are immune from depraved behavior without the Grace of God

We are no different from the Israelites when we esteem our knowledge above God's knowledge as laid out in the Bible. These chapters can be read as a cautionary tale to let us know our craven depths without God in our lives. As I was driving recently, I turned on a road that was recently paved but unlined. I was used to the lines, which indicated which lane I should be in. Without the lines, I found myself initially drifting to the wrong side of the road and then I consciously righted myself. You ever wonder why they are lines on the road? Without the lines to guide us, our natural tendency is to drive wherever we want to create mayhem. God's word is like those lines on the road. Choose to follow.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you. Psalms 32:8

Have you ever read these chapters? Were you convicted, disgusted, shocked or something else? What can you learn from these chapters?
--Nylse

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