Series: Spiritual Decay [#20]
UNCHECKED DECAY
Judges 21:1-25
Introduction:
This last chapter of Judges is a really sad and troubling story. It shows what happens when people forget God and do whatever they want. Their community starts to fall apart. We see a whole Tribe, Benjamin, almost wiped out, and the whole country of Israel in a mess. They try to fix things, but their fixes are also pretty messed up. This is a story about things falling apart when no one stops them.
As we look at Judges 21, we will see the bad results of not paying attention to God. We will see that when there's no good leadership, when people ignore God's rules, and when everyone just does "what felt right to them," things get worse and worse. It leads to fighting, unfairness, and even a strange solution that comes from being desperate, not from God. This chapter is a strong warning for us now. It shows us how dangerous it is to let sin and selfishness go unchecked. It reminds us that if we don't build our lives on God's truth, even our good tries can cause more harm.
Judges 21:1-6
Unchecked decay...
1. Leads to desperate and ungodly solutions.
This shows us what happens when people, or even just 1 person, stop following God's rules and promises. The Israelites, after their big fight, were in a panic because 1 of their tribes, Benjamin, was about to disappear. This happened because they made a quick, emotional promise before asking God what to do. This tells us that when a group of people gets lazy about doing what's right and starts to lose their moral compass, they stop knowing where to turn spiritually. They end up making choices based on their own fear and panic instead of listening to God's wisdom. It's like God is silent in this part of the story, which is a powerful message about how far people can get from God when they don't deal with sin and things falling apart. They stop asking God for help and try to fix things themselves, which shows they've stopped trusting that God can take care of them and fix what's broken.
In our everyday lives, this is a warning for all of us, whether we're on our own or part of a group. When we let our spiritual lives fall apart, (by not praying, reading the Bible, spending time with other believers, or admitting our wrongs) we make ourselves likely to make bad and desperate choices when trouble hits. This could look like cheating to solve money problems, lying and tricking people in our relationships, or dealing with stress in unhealthy ways. For a Church, letting things decay can cause arguments, focusing on human plans instead of growing closer to God, and eventually, not being a good example to others. The main takeaway is this- We need to actively deal with spiritual and moral problems by saying we're sorry to God, getting good advice, and purposefully relying on God. If we ignore the signs that things are falling apart, we will definitely end up in a tough spot that forces us to find solutions out of panic instead of trust in God.
Judges 21:7-15
Unchecked decay...
2. Fosters a culture of expediency over righteousness.
We see clearly how letting things fall apart in a group of people makes them care more about finding quick fixes than doing what's right in God's eyes. The Israelites had almost wiped out the Tribe of Benjamin and were stuck. They had promised not to let their daughters marry the remaining Benjamite men, but they had also promised to keep all the Tribes of Israel together. Their main worry was saving the Tribe, which sounds good; but how they went about it shows they were willing to bend God's rules. They attacked the people of Jabesh-gilead. They didn't do this because Jabesh-gilead had hurt them, but because they didn't show up for a meeting, which gave the Israelites an easy excuse. This attack, while it helped them find wives for the Benjamites, totally ignored how precious life is and the rules of fairness and right living that God expects. It shows a scary willingness to give up doing what's right just to get something done quickly, proving they had lost their way in understanding and following God's Law.
In our everyday lives, this idea of doing what's easy instead of what's right is a big deal for us and the groups we are part of. When we let things slide, (like not taking our faith seriously, not sticking to the truth, or not working on our relationships) we start caring more about what's convenient and what gets us results fast, instead of what is truly good and fair. Think about times we might be tempted to cheat a little to get ahead, or when we don't stand up for what we believe in to avoid trouble or get something for ourselves. This story warns us that these kinds of actions, even if they seem ok at the time, can make things worse morally and hurt other people. Just like the Israelites' quick fix involved fighting and trickery, our own easy choices can break trust, mess up relationships, and go against the very things we say we believe in. So, seeing how dangerous it is to let things decay unchecked means we need to actively build a way of living where we always try to do what's right according to God, even when it's hard or takes more effort.
Judges 21:16-23
Unchecked decay...
3. Justifies further sin to cover previous mistakes.
Judges 21 shows us a disturbing picture of what happens when people stop following God's ways. They messed up badly by almost wiping out the Tribe of Benjamin. Then they had a big problem- They promised not to let their daughters marry Benjaminite men, but they also promised to destroy any city that didn't fight with them. The city of Jabesh-Gilead didn't show up, so they killed almost everyone there, except for 400 young women. They gave these women to the remaining Benjaminite men, but it still wasn't enough wives. So, they came up with a terrible plan to steal women from Shiloh. The main point for us about God is this- When people or groups turn away from what God says is right, 1 sin often leads to another. The 1st mistake creates problems, and then people do even worse things to try and fix those problems. This story is a warning. It shows how sin is sneaky and grows bigger and bigger, leading to darker and more desperate actions as people try to deal with the results of their 1st wrong choices. The Israelites got caught in a mess they made themselves. It shows us how scary it is that sin doesn't just stay in 1 place; it spreads and grows, making bigger evils seem ok to solve the problems caused by smaller ones.
What happened in Judges 21 is a strong warning for our own lives and the groups we are a part of. We often see this happening when people try to hide or make up for a bad choice or a sin. If you tell a lie to cover up a mistake, you might have to tell more lies to keep the 1st 1 hidden. Doing something wrong with money can lead to more dishonesty or even stealing to avoid getting caught. In relationships, cheating can lead to complicated plans and more lies to keep it a secret. The Israelites' actions in Judges 21 are a scary example of things getting worse and worse. To avoid breaking 1 promise (not letting their daughters marry Benjamin), they broke another (destroying cities that didn't fight) and then did something awful by kidnapping women to solve the remaining issue. For us, this means we need to see how dangerous it is to try and fix a sin with another sin. Instead of trying to hide our mistakes or make excuses for what we did, the way to get better and be right with God is to admit what we did wrong, turn away from it, and ask God for forgiveness and help. This story tells us to stop the cycle of using sin to cover up sin. We need to face our 1st mistakes honestly and humbly, trusting that God's kindness is enough to handle the results without us having to do more wrong things. It calls us to be honest and willing to deal with what happens because of our actions, instead of getting deeper into a mess of sin and lying.
Judges 21:24-25
Unchecked decay...
4. Arises from a lack of central authority and moral compass.
This shows us what happens when there's no one in charge and no shared sense of right and wrong. The Israelites had no King, so everyone did whatever they thought was best. This caused a lot of trouble, fighting, and society falling apart. The terrible things that happened in Judges 19-21, where the Tribe of Benjamin was almost wiped out, were because of this lack of control. When there's no one leading and no clear rules, people just do what they want, which can lead to selfishness, unfairness, and bad behavior. This part of the Bible is a strong warning about how dangerous it is to ignore leaders and moral rules, both for a country and for each person.
For people who follow God, this means we need to let God be in charge and let the Bible guide our choices. Just like the Israelites had problems when they didn't have a leader, we can also start to fall apart inside if we don't stay close to God and listen to what He says. In our own lives, this means talking to God, reading the Bible, and trying to live the way He wants us to. In the Church and the World around us, it means standing up for what the Bible teaches and working for what is fair and right. We know that without a moral foundation, things can easily fall apart and lead to really bad outcomes.
Conclusion:
As we finish looking at Judges 21, this sad story of things falling apart gives us a strong warning for today. The people of Israel didn't have a King and didn't ask God for help. Because of this, they got caught in a cycle of fighting, trickery, and doing wrong things. Their 1st anger at the bad things the Benjaminites did turned into them just wanting their own way, which caused more unfairness and pain. This story isn't just about the past; it shows us what can happen if we ignore God's rules and let our own wants control what we do. When God isn't the most important thing, when His Word isn't our guide, the solid ground of our lives and our communities starts to break down, leading to the kind of mess and sadness we saw at the end of Judges.
So, what should we learn from this difficult part of the Bible? It's a call to be purposeful and to rely on God. The way to stop things from falling apart is not to try harder ourselves or come up with smart plans, but to humbly turn back to the Lord. We need to actively look for what He wants, follow His leadership, and let His love and kindness change our hearts and minds. Let's learn from the mistakes of the Israelites and choose a different way – a way of doing what is right, being fair, and truly loving each other, all of which comes from a deep and lasting connection with our King, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's never forget that real success and happiness don't come from doing what we think is right, but from living according to God's perfect and life-giving will.
