One Year Bible Readings and Commentary for Wednesday, May 4th
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Click Here to Read Judges 19-20
Chapter 19
What unfolds in the rest of this chapter is so distasteful that the commentator F.B. Meyer recommended not reading it. Commenting on this first verse, he wrote: “It will be sufficient to ponder these words, which occur four times in the book, without reading further in this terrible chapter, which shows the depths of the depravity to which may sink apart from the grace of God.”
The fact that there was no king in Israel shows itself in this chapter, and the following one. There was no leadership either politically or spiritually. As the leaders go so goes the church.
We see the Levite taking a concubine. While this happened quite often in the Old Testament it doesn't mean it was God's will or that He blessed it.
In this sense a concubine was a legal mistress. Many prominent men in the Old Testament had concubines. Examples include Abraham (Genesis 25:6), Jacob (Genesis 35:22), Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:46), Saul (2 Samuel 3:7), David (2 Samuel 5:13), Solomon (1 Kings 11:3 – 300 concubines), and Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:21). Significantly, we never see this kind of family life blessed by God. The New Testament makes it clear that from the beginning God’s plan was one man and one woman to be one flesh forever (Matthew 19:4-6), and each man is to be a “one-woman man” (1 Timothy 3:2). - Guzik
This story ends on a very dark note. When the Levite discovers his concubine was raped and died, and he called for national judgment. The Levite took his concubine and divided her up into twelve pieces. One piece to send to every tribe of Israel.
"This was an obviously grotesque way to deliver a message, but the method worked. It was tragic that the Levite did not show this kind of concern for righteousness earlier."
Chapter 20
Chapter 20 details the war between Benjamin and the rest of Israel, which stood by the Levite and vowed to punish the tribe of Benjamin. "It was a positive sign to see Israel gather for such a reason. This showed that they were willing to deal with the problem of sin in their midst." Guzik
When Israel attacks Benjamin, it says they sought the Lord before they set out though they were soundly defeated.
In the first battle, Israel sought the LORD – yet they were defeated. We can speculate that though they inquired of God, they still trusted in the might of their army and in the goodness of their cause, but not in the LORD.
Give the Israelites credit, they did not give up on the Lord even after the defeat. This time they came before the Lord and wept before the Lord. Yet they were still defeated by the tribe of Benjamin.
To their credit, the children of Israel did not stop seeking the LORD after the first disaster in battle. They properly humbled themselves before God and sought Him regarding the next battle.
You would think at this point that they might have given up. But they went before the Lord a third time and repented. They humbled themselves at the Lord's feet.
After the first failure, Israel was sorry and wept. But it was only after the second failure that they put their repentance into action by fasting and made a sacrifice for sins. Sorrow and weeping are not enough if they are not matched by real repentance and taking care of the sin problem through sacrifice – the sacrifice of the cross.- Guzik
Finally, on the third day they defeated Benjamin with the Lord's blessing. But they may have taken it too far.
The two days of defeat made the tribes of Israel ruthless towards the tribe of Benjamin, and they killed thousands of men of Benjamin. As a result of the battle, there remained only a 600-man remnant from the tribe of Benjamin. The men of Israel turned back against the children of Benjamin, and struck them down with the edge of the sword; from every city, men and beasts, all who were found: The tribe of Benjamin was undeniably guilty, but there was no need for the complete slaughter as described here. This too-severe judgment against the tribe of Benjamin would soon be regretted by Israel.
John continues his account of the life of Jesus with the emphasis on what He did in Judea. The other Gospels focus on the work of Jesus in the Galilee region.
John first answered his worried disciples that everything he had – including those who responded to his ministry – were a gift from God. If they are God’s gift, then they should be received gratefully. I said, “I am not the Christ,” but, “I have been sent before Him”: John then reminded his disciples that he knew who he was, and he also knew who Jesus was. Understanding that, he could keep his proper place; not too high (thinking he was the Christ) and not too low (thinking he had no call or place in God’s plan).
John the Baptist understood it was good for him to become less visible and known, for Jesus to become more visible and known. In even larger aspects, this should be the motto of every Christian, especially leaders among God’s people. Jesus should become greater and more visible, and the servant should become less and less visible.
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