What exactly does our world need?
This whole account in Judges 19 is told in plain language and that can be so jarring for us. It is a shocking tale of grotesque morality presented in plain prose.
It poses a question for us: How normal is evil? Do we know that we have normalised evil around us, such that we look at what is evil, wicked, cruel, shameful and bat not an eyelid?
Does your worldview have a category for evil? Or is everything a matter of choice, lifestyle, social structures and forces?
(A) The fall of God’s people and false faith (Judges 19:1-10)
Judges 19 opens with some important information about time, political and spiritual context and place. We see that the three main characters in Judges 19 are: the man/master who is a Levite, his concubine (who is also called his servant) and his father-in-law. The father-in-law disappears and is replaced by an old man later in the narrative.
We are also told that there was no king in Israel (Jdg 19:1). Judges 17:6, 18:1 and 21:25 also repeat this idea that there was no king. This is the idea that the book of Judges ends on. But why is this so important? In the world of the Bible, the king is not just a political figure.
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 contains instruction from Moses to the people of Israel. Then they also had no king but Moses gave them instructions for a future king. The king had to write out by hand a copy of the law and the priest had to check it. The man who is to rule over God’s people had to be equipped with the law of God. He does not rule absolutely.
Thus, in Judges 19, the people did not have a leader to apply spiritual truth. They were sheep without a shepherd. And they tried to be self-governing and autonomous. Judges shows us that freedom and independence are not absolute goods though they could be relative good.
From the details given in the opening verses of Judges 19, we can also learn and infer that this Levite who is a priest is not monogamous. Furthermore, he was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country (without people!) when he was supposed to be serving in the temple. He was not fulfilling his religious duties. Indeed, sometimes religious people run away from their duties, live in isolation, and also in bondage to their sexual desires.
What kind of a marriage does he have? We are told that his concubine was unfaithful to him (Jdg 19:2). They probably had some issues. Notice how she runs away from him and spends four months at her father’s house (Jdg 19:2b). Only then does he go out to look for her (Jdg 19:3).
These verses help us to see their characters, their marriage and the quality of their faith.
Notice also how Judges 19 opens with the phrase “in those days”. Judges 18:31 tells us that the house of God was not in Jerusalem but at Shiloh. At the same time, there was also an idol in its place. Thus, we get a sense of the quality of faith at this time. This is a people who are not following the law of God. Judges 19:1-3 are about the people of God. The people of God are the ones who are not paying attention to His word and defining right and wrong for themselves, sheep without a shepherd. They have broken marriages, failed relationships, unfaithful wives and cruel husbands.
As the narrative unfolds, the Levite husband goes to his father-in-law’s house intending to speak kindly with her to bring her back (Jdg 19:3). Judges 19:4-10 record for us an exchange between this man and his father-in-law. The father-in-law was glad when he came for her — perhaps there was hope for the marriage (Jdg 19:3b). Perhaps, this man was also known for a violent streak and the father-in-law had to appease him.
We see pragmatism at work here. The father-in-law adopts a practical solution to a relational problem and fails to speak to and of their real issue. The characters here are unwilling to talk about their sin, choosing to go around it, delay speaking about it and even ignoring it. It is so hard to talk about what is going on in someone’s heart. Instead, we often choose to “strengthen [y]our heart with a morsel of bread” and be merry.
Does this sound like the world we know? We think that we can use team bonding to improve our relationships at work. We think that some good times and shared memories will make us feel better. These are pragmatic solutions to a relational problem.
It is so easy to live in Judges 19:1-10, and live out of a kind of false faith. We think we are God’s people, but we also choose to strengthen our hearts with food and drink and be merry.
(B) Sadly, society is sick with sin (Judges 19:11-25)
As night draws near, the entourage did not turn aside into the city of foreigners (Jdg 19:12). There is a sense of pride and condescension, as they thought that they are better than the foreigners.
Judges 19:16-25 records for us another sequence of engagement with an old man returning home in the evening ensues. The writer of Judges records for us this sequence of events with a callback to Genesis 19:1-14 and even mirrors the account in Genesis. And the people of God are no different from Sodom and Gomorrah.
The man believes that he is being hospitable by protecting his guest and offering substitutes — in the form of his virgin daughter and the man’s concubine. The man himself also forces his wife out (Jdg 19:25), a sharp contrast to the angels’ actions in Genesis 19.
We see the true character and nature of this Levite man. When his safety is threatened, his wife is what he threw out. In fact, long before he did that, there were signs that he was going to do so. In Judges 19:19, he created a different cover story for why he was in the area, and also set up his entourage such that no one here was related. This was the same logic that Abraham had when he lied that Sarah was his sister, and Isaac also used with Rebekah. It is thus no surprised that he used this same lie.
Today’s passage show us that the people of God, the religious people, who desperately need saving, Psalm 53 show us that God’s people are desperately lost. Do not think for a minute that we are much better than them. We are so similar, and this passage is a picture of shocking absurdity that is meant to draw us in and show us ourselves. Read the newspaper today and you will see that sin is plastered on every page.
Sadly, society is sick with sin.
(C) The nausea of a nation in need (judges 19:26-30)
What happened to the man’s concubine? She is also called “the woman” (Jdg 19:26) and he is referred to as “her master” (Jdg 19:27), before referring to her again as his concubine in Judges 19:28. While she was being abused, he was indoors safe and probably asleep (Jdg 19:26-27). He relates to her without compassion and empathy in Judges 19:28 and we are told that he takes her home only to cut her body up (Jdg 19:28-29).
Why did he do so? He was probably so ashamed and also so angered that he wanted everyone to know, thus rallying them against Gibeah Now, everyone knows what had happened and it angered the people, precipitating war in Judges 20 and follows.
Do you think that the people of God are great and conflict-free? Judges shows us that the problem is within. We live in a world of chaos not because of outside problems but because of the sin within.
Until God sends His Shepherd King, we will all be trying to do what is right in our own eyes.
This is a chapter that should make us uncomfortable because it exposes our deep sense of need. We should not think that the solution is more piety, more self-control or to throw such people in jail. The real problem is that anyone of us is capable of this kind of sin.
Yet who is the one that God sends? He sends Jesus, who says these words in Matthew 5:3-12: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
What kind of kingdom is Jesus bringing in? It is one where we mourn because we know our sin and brokenness and readily acknowledge that we need a shepherd. And only His kingdom can bring peace to a chaotic world.
Have you normalised evil? Or has this narrative also made you think that evil is out there? This should be a shock to help us see what our sin is like. Praise God that if we are in Christ, we have entered into a relationship with one who has brought us peace.