Judges 19 - Depravity of Man

If ever there was a chapter in scripture I would want to unread it is this one. It is a history of Israel most vile and one man is prone to repeat if our faith is placed in our own worth. Here we have a Levite, one of God's own, taking for himself a concubine. While there are a number of instances in scripture where concubines were taken, marriage has always been preferable and is blessed of God. 

We find out early on that the concubine has been unfaithful. Without the commitment of marriage there is no constraint and no commitment before God in the relationship. An unmarried couple is creating for themselves a dynamic of lust over sacrificial love. This dynamic leaves God out of the equation and the measure of success is left to the indicator to determine. Rarely will both in the relationship use the same measure.  This Levite raised my hopes however when he pursued her after her infidelity to her father's home and was welcomed. Persuaded by her father he linger there beyond the time he planned to leave with his "wife". 

Ultimately, he made a stand on the fifth day and left in the afternoon. Not willing to stay in an alien city they pressed on to a city in the territory of Benjamin and arrived at sunset. When no one offered them a place to stay they sat in the city square. Finally, an old man comes in from the fields and offers them lodging. He offers them food and shelter for them and their animals. 

As in the story of Lot living in Sodom, wicked men came and demanded that the Levite be given to them so they might abuse him sexually. The owner of the house negotiated for the Levites safety by offering one of his own virgin daughters and the Levite's concubine, saying they could take them and do as they wished. So the men raped and abused the Levite's concubine until sunrise and then abandoned her at the door. He tried to rouse her but she had died. The Levite cut her in pieces and sent a piece to each tribe of Israel to call attention to the injustice that had taken place. The Levite wanted the people of the land to consider the violence that had taken place. 

When events like this take place today, you hear cries of why was God not helping them. In reality it shows just how vile we humans can be when we do not stay in right relationship to God. This Levite was called of God but was willing to compromise for his pleasure and for his safety. He could have been the victim of violence, but he sent in a substitute to take the abuse meant for him. 

We are all in the same position at that concubine. We are doomed to suffering, terror and destruction. Ours comes as a result of our sin. We have no hope; our fate is sealed. But then Jesus steps into our story and offers to take our place and endure the suffering on our behalf so that we can have the hope of Heaven and escape from judgement we were due. Jesus doesn't sell us out for his security, but willingly takes on the judgment we deserve out of love and devotion to fallen man. God is active though the depravity of man continues to spiral downward. Mankind is doomed without the intervention of God. We have a great hope of life infused into our hardened hearts and the hope of eternity spent in heaven. 

Please if you must read his chapter, heed the warnings for us and for all who live without a relationship to the Savior. Seek the Lord and don't be deceived by sin. The Lord could return at any moment. Will we be ready?  

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.