JEOPARDY AND TRAGEDY (JUDGES 19)
What scares the public? A YouGov poll of the public’s global concerns reveal that international terrorism is seen in the UK as the biggest threat facing the world, with 77% of those questioned naming it as the most serious issue, significantly ahead of armed conflicts (60%), pandemics (52%), climate change (39%) and nuclear proliferation (31%).
On British soil, it is knife crime, online fraud and burglary. The most common personal fears are heights (23% were “very afraid”), snakes (21%) and public speaking (20%), followed by spiders (18%).
The biggest worry in Germany, at 58%, is the rising cost of living. After that, at 51%, comes the fear of becoming disabled in old age and being a burden to others, as well as the fear of natural disasters. In Poland, 78% of the population are frightened of Russia
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/europe-europeans-fears-terrorism-unemployment-pandemics
There is no book in the Bible more chaotic than the book of Judges and there is no account more catastrophic, cruel and controversial in the book than the last two chapters of the book. The last incident in the book of Judges is the good, the bad and the ugly rolled in one – separation and settlement, violence and virtue, danger and deliverance. In chapter 19 we meet a Levite and his wife (a concubine), the man and his new-found friend (the old man), and he and his enemy (the rapists).
What kind of precaution should you have against danger? How do you view the evil, immorality and ugliness in the world today? Why should we choose to be helpful rather than helpless in order to stay alive?
Life is Not Perfect - Extend Forgiveness
1 In those days Israel had no king. Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her parents’ home in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there four months, 3 her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her parents’ home, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him. 4 His father-in-law, the woman’s father, prevailed on him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking, and sleeping there. 5 On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh yourself with something to eat; then you can go.” 6 So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Afterward the woman’s father said, “Please stay tonight and enjoy yourself.” 7 And when the man got up to go, his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night. 8 On the morning of the fifth day, when he rose to go, the woman’s father said, “Refresh yourself. Wait till afternoon!” So the two of them ate together. 9 Then when the man, with his concubine and his servant, got up to leave, his father-in-law, the woman’s father, said, “Now look, it’s almost evening. Spend the night here; the day is nearly over. Stay and enjoy yourself. Early tomorrow morning you can get up and be on your way home.” 10 But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
When the machine is operating on a busy road, traffic is halted and the cars lined up in opposite directions are allowed to proceed alternately. A veteran operator of one of those big machines decided one day to try to relieve the tension that inevitably results from such a traffic backup. Consequently on both the front and rear of his grader a sign now appears, declaring, “The Road to Happiness is Almost Always Under Construction.”
An internet image jokes: “My doctor asked me if I ever had a stress test? YES – I replied it’s called LIFE!”
The worst of human nature was reserved for the last two incidents in the book of Judges, introduced and escalated by the term “there was no king in Israel” (Judg 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25), especially the last incident for its absence of safety, sanity, sociability, sensibility and sympathy. Evil, wickedness and violence would trouble the peace and terrorize the land. The last incident speaks of morality gone wrong in Judges, which has not been an issue previously in Canaan. The setting was Ephraim in the central of Israel and Judah in the south, so the Levite’s unfaithful concubine traveled a long way home and there was no word of her return for four months and counting.
The Levite, however, was quick to forgive and asked the straying wife to return, which delighted the concubine’s father. The Ephraimite was sweet in his words, sincere in his heart and sociable to no end. He gave her the red donkey treatment, brought cheer to her father’s heart and mended the rift the most refreshing way. The rejected husband was sincere, selfless and supportive. At no time did he blame her, berate her or bully her. All he wanted was her response, their reconciliation and returning home.
The father of the bride was more enthusiastic than most. His heart was cheered that his daughter had found the right man. The person most to be blamed was her daughter, not his son-in-law. The concubine was not fit for the Levite initially, nor was she fit to be a concubine, but she made it up in the end. Seven imperative were used by the elder (v 5 Refresh, v 6 stay + enjoy, v 8 Refresh, v 9 Spend + Stay) to sway the Levite to extend his stay. The day to depart turned to five days of delay. On the fifth day of his departure the morning turned to afternoon and the afternoon to evening when the Levite finally insisted on leaving.
Life is Not Predictable –Embrace Friends
11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites and spend the night.” 12 His master replied, “No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” 13 He added, “Come, let’s try to reach Gibeah or Ramah and spend the night in one of those places.” 14 So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin. 15 There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them in for the night. 16 That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the inhabitants of the place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. 17 When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?” 18 He answered, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the Lord. No one has taken me in for the night. 19 We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants—me, the woman and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.” 20 “You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. “Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” 21 So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
A group of friends were left one short on holiday for a 30th birthday bash when their friend dropped out – so they found a 26-year-old stranger also called Joe McGrath on Facebook to join them on the all-inclusive paid-for trip with the same name - Joe McGrath - to step in instead of letting his ticket go to waste. The resourceful bunch sent a message to the stranger, asking: ‘Hi Joe, would you consider coming on a holiday with a group of nine strangers if they had already arranged flights for you and an all-inclusive hotel?’
Joe, who works for a radio station in Manchester, initially thought it was a joke but decided to take a leap of faith. The ‘new Joe’ proved to be a great replacement. One of the friends posted a picture of him on Facebook: ‘When your friend can’t make it on holiday so you troll the internet to find someone with the same name. ‘Here is the new Joe McGrath from Manchester coming on holiday with ten strangers! Haha doesn’t know what he’s let himself in for!’
After returning from the holiday, Joe wrote: ‘Although I had my doubt if the offer was legit, I decided to take the plunge as my legendary boss gave me the time off work. ‘I drove down to Bristol on Saturday night and had a mad three days with complete strangers that I think I can call my good friends. ‘What a mega group of people! I loved every minute of it. I want to apologize to my mum who thought I knew these people all along.’
https://metro.co.uk/2017/04/07/group-invite-stranger-on-holiday-with-them-after-friend-with-same-name-pulls-out-6559181/
The servant was a faithful servant. He urged his master to stay in the land of the Jebusites because the day was spent and the streets were dangerous. The master, however, rejected his servant’s advice, which was given in the late night. The Levite thought that outsiders and Gentiles were evil, so he preferred his countrymen to the heathen. “Not Israelites” (v 12) is literally “strangers” in Hebrew. Gibeah was five miles northeast (Judges 19:13, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown).It was not a wise choice to wander the streets that late in the night, but the Levite insisted. In the end, it was the men of Gibeah, not the Jebusites, however, who turned down flat his request for a lodging. None of his countrymen received him, his wife, servant and donkeys..
The story took an unexpected turn when the Levite met a fellow Ephraimite who was sojourning in Gibeah. Straight away, the old man recognized the Levite was a wayfarer or a stranger, not a traveler, as in NIV. He recognized the Levite was out of his league and out on their own, at the wrong place at the wrong time, so he kindly approached him with two questions: Where are you going? Where are you from? The city square (v 17) is translated as broad ways (Song 3:2) and broad places (Jer 5:1), so they were easily sighted, scouted and stopped.
The Levite replied that he was going to worship, but he could not find a place to stay. His reply touched the old man, who assumed he was going to offer sacrifice for the success of his journey, and for the reconciliation of his wife to him, and pray for happiness in his family yet to come (John Gill). The old man, who had no knowledge of how prepared the man was for the trip, went out of his way to accommodate the stranger, his wife and servant, plus his two donkeys. It was a big sacrifice for the old man who had to work so late at night, possibly to make ends meet. While the stranger had enough supplies for his road trip, only needing a roof over the head, the old man, nevertheless, opened his house and his heart to him as well, offering the stranger provisions that the guest had already prepared for the trip. Lest we forget, the old man was not a local, but an immigrant. Verse 19’s need is translated elsewhere as want of (Judg 18:10), poverty (Prov 11:24) and lack (Prov 28:27).It was a no-charge, no checklist and no-conditions offer. True to form, the old man fed the Levite’s donkeys. All were tired that late at night, but sleep was far from their mind as they had a good time, eating and drinking and having fun, as fellow townsmen would.
Life is Not Permanent– Expel Fear
22 While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.” 23 The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing. 24 Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an outrageous thing.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. 26 At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. 27 When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home. 29 When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel. 30 Everyone who saw it was saying to one another, “Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Just imagine! We must do something! So speak up!”
Not only children encounter bullying, but adults experience bullying in the workplace, home and educational setting. An 2017 online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found 31 percent of Americans have been bullied as an adult. The survey defined bullying as being subjected to repeated, negative behavior intended to harm or intimidate. Victims of bullying reported significant negative impacts on their health. The poll found of those who have been bullied as an adult:
71% suffer from stress
70% experience anxiety/depression
55% report a loss of confidence
39% suffer from sleep loss, 26% have headaches and 22% experience muscle tension or pain
19% reported a mental breakdown
17% noted an inability to function day-to-day, i.e. calling in sick frequently
Other health responses to the emotional strain induced by bullying include gastrointestinal changes, nausea, elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular issues, according to osteopathic physicians.
The poll found a quarter of adults (25%) have experienced the ''silent treatment'' from an individual or group on a repeated basis as an adult, while about 1 in 5 (21%) have had someone spread lies about them that no one refutes.
Charles Sophy, DO, a psychiatrist and medical director for the County of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, said, “A bully gains power in a relationship by reducing another's, and shows little regard for the consequences to a victim's health or well-being.” He urges victims to find a way out of that situation and relationship if direct confrontation doesn't change the bully's behavior.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bullying-in-america-survey-finds-nearly-one-third-of-americans-31-have-been-bullied-as-an-adult-300556666.html
Not all the Benjamites, but a group of wicked men (Belial in Hebrew), often translated as ungodly (Ps 18:4), evil (Ps 41:8) and naughty (Prov 6:12) men, were troublemakers and thugs. The verb “bring out” is an imperative, indicating how aggressive, angry and abrasive they were. The verb “have sex” is “to know” in Hebrew, but translated as “have relations” in NASB. The owner of the house called their deed “vile,” folly (Gen 34:7) or villany (Isa 32:6). What was so brazen was the invasion of people, their privacy and property; the tone of the invaders, the trapping of the outsiders and the thrashing of the door.
The narrative suggests the physical and sexual abuse of the concubine. The Levite must have thought that surrendering his concubine was the only way to prevent worse things from happening to his host family. It seems the old man’s daughter was spared as the natives ravished the concubine all night, leaving her dead by dawn. The concubine did not say a word but fell by the doorsteps. In death her faithfulness to the Levite more than made up her unfaithfulness previously. In dying she did not utter a word – the mistakes in their marriage, the mistreatment by the mob and the miscalculations of the husband along the way, from leaving Bethlehem at night (v 9), rejecting his servant’s advice (v 13) and sacrificing her for everybody. The bonehead husband swayed from gutless to gutsy, from selfless to selfish and from thoughtful to thoughtless. The man almost left without her wife (v 27)! The concubine heroically saved her husband without complain, commotion and conditions.
The Levite’s act of cutting up his wife was so drastic, dramatic and disturbing that it was the conversation at every gathering, the conscience of the nation and the cure for tribal discord. The country was so shook up that they responded with three imperatives – imagine/consider, do/take counsel and speak up. The first is to think, the second is to interact and the third is to talk. All at once the country’s conscience, contempt and compassion surfaced, surged and spread, and ushered in a new day, a new era and a new culture of concern, conviction and cooperation.
Conclusion: Have you ever felt displeased, disgusted and disillusioned with things around you? What have you done to help make things right, help people feel safer and help people in trouble? Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Do you walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4), walk in the light (1 John 1:7) and walk worthy of God (1 Thess 2:12)?
Victor Yap
Bible.ryl.hk (Grammar Bible)
Preachchrist.com (sermons)
