The congregation’s response to gross immorality among its members

• The tribe of Benjamin defended the wicked men of Gibeah as brothers.
• The other tribes, seeking to rid the land of such heinous sin, were forced to fight against the city of Gibeah and the whole tribe of Benjamin.
• Many on both sides of the three-day battle died; but, in the end, Gibeah was destroyed.

Meditation Points:

1. How sinful must we be that we defend blatant sin in others? Soft evangelism that suggests God loves those who willfully violate His commandments is much like the Benjamanite defense of Gibeah-it encourages the sinner to continue in his sin without fear of reprisal from a holy God.
2. Church discipline, the process of denouncing the public sin of members, with the goal of recovering them to the fellowship, is never easy.

[print_link]

Immorality in Israel

Chronology note:

This event took place when Jerusalem was not in Israelite control (Judges 19:10, 12); and Phineas was high priest (Judges 20:28); and there was no king (or judge) in control (Judges 21:25; 19:1). Therefore, historically, this narrative of Benjamite immorality, along with the Danite idolatry of chapters 17 and 18, belongs with earlier events in the book.

Geography note:

The central person in this event was a Levite from Bethelehemjudah, a city mentioned earlier with reference to another Levite (Judges 17:7-9) and later with reference to the ancestors of an Israelite king (Ruth 1:1-2; 1 Samuel 17:12), and even the Messiah.

Linguistic note:

Only the naive or willfully ignorant would suggest that when the city’s men wanted to “know” the visitor from another town (Judges 19:22), what they desired was to inquire of his genealogy and occupation. The old man, who offered his daughter (Judges 19:24), understood what the wicked mob wanted. And subsequent details prove that they wanted “carnal knowledge” (Judges 19:25).

Historical note:

Read again the sad story of Lot and the Angels in Sodom (Genesis 19:6-8). Who would believe that privileged Israelites could be so depraved?

Theological note:

Homosexuality was, and still is an abominable sin and a sign of depravity and estrangement from God (Leviticus 18:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10; Romans 1:24, 28).

Sociology note:

Whatever other details may be true, the concubine was truly a wife, else how could she be charged with adultery (Judges 19:2) and the man considered to be her husband (Judges 19:3) and son-in-law to her father (Judges 19:4,7)?

Yet, one wonders what kind of love the Levite had for his wife, because he quickly offers her to the devilish crowd in order to save his own life (Judges 19:25). Should not the husband love his wife, and be willing to die for her (Ephesians 5:25-29)?

The same question arises about the old man’s love for his daughter (Judges 19:24).

Psychology note:

What would cause the Levite to become so incensed at the death of his concubine wife that he would cut her lifeless body into 12 pieces and send them around the country (Judges 19:29-30). Yes, he wanted to make a statement; and yes, that statement needed to be made; and yes, his statement had the desired effect. But the question remains: should he have done it?

[print_link]

Notably missing from the list of west bank tribes in Judges 1 was the tribe of Dan. We read about their conquest today.

Micah (not the prophet) hires a priest (Judges 17).

• When Micah confesses that he stole money from his mother, she rejoices and gives 18% of it to have an idol (not American) cast (1-4).
• Micah built his own shrine and set one of his sons to be his priest (5).
• It was common for men to do what they thought was best; they had no settled leadership (Judges 2:6).
• When a Levite came by looking for a place to settle, Micah stole the opportunity to hire his own “legitimate” priest (7-13).

Dan (the tribe, not the man) hires a priest (Judges 18).

• 5 Danite spies meet Micah’s priest while they are searching out the land (1-6).
• Upon returning home, they report the ease with which they will be able to take the bountiful territory (7-10).
• When the 600 Danite soldiers enter the land, they come to the house of Micah; and the aforementioned spies enter Micah’s shrine and take all of his religious items (11-18).
• Further, they persuade the Levite to leave Micah’s employ for the much larger prestige and salary for ministering to the whole tribe of Dan (Judges 2:19-20).
• When Micah demands that they return his stuff, the Danites threaten his life, and the lives of his family, whom they had taken captive (21-26).
• Micah’s idol became the center of Danite idolatry that lasted until 605 BC (27-31).

Meditation Points:

1. Yes, we are talking about Israel, the nation that was miraculously delivered from Egyptian bondage. Yes, the same people who were told countless times not to make idols or any other likeness of God.
2. Do you feel better than others because you have a priest?  Who is your priest?
3. Common sense is not always God’s sense.
4. How many people would have refused the offer of the Danites? Who wouldn’t want the greater responsibilities and income of a larger congregation?
5. Might does not make right; but it does help one to continue in his evil ways.
6. Remember these chapters later when we read about idolatry in Israel and the reasons behind the Babylonian captivity.

[print_link]

The book of Judges is NOT in exact chronological order.

The outline goes something like this:

• Chapter 1 talks of the land that the people possessed, or didn’t, as the case may be, after the death of Joshua.
• The first half of Chapter 2, gives another brief account of Joshua’s death that ends with verse 10 – “When that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel” -in order to lead into the repeated story of their falling into idolatry, delivered into the hands of their enemies and then being rescued by a judge.
• Starting from the second half of chapter 2 till the end of chapter 16 the book IS in chronological order.
• Chapters 17-21 are two separate stories that are placed during the times of the judges. But there are hints that show that they are very early in the timeline.
  • The first story in chapters 17-18 is placed back when the children of Israel were still conquering the land, and seeking their inheritance.
  • Judges 18:1 “In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in, for until that day their inheritance among the tribes of Israel had not fallen to them.”
• The second story in chapters 19-21, is also placed really early, around the same time as the previous two chapters.
  • In 19:11-12 the man, his concubine and his servant, will not enter Jerusalem, for it does not yet belong to the Jews.
  • In 20:27-28, the priest (or High-Priest) Phinehas is mentioned. He was around at the time when the children of Israel where entering the Land.

[print_link]