Judges
chapter 19 is a hard and harsh example of how low mankind will sink
without the pillar of God’s standards. The first verse provides
understanding to next three chapters, “In
those days Israel had no king“.
The subtle truth was Israel refused to submit to the authority of
God. Often, the results of “doing your own thing” are tragic.
We read, “A
Levite who lived… in the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine
from Bethlehem in Judah. But she was unfaithful to him. She left
him and went back to her father’s house in Bethlehem“.
Remember a concubine did not have the same status as a wife. She
was essentially a “kept woman”. Since there is no mention of a
wife, this seems like a great show of disrespect toward her. Perhaps
that is why she was unfaithful? In our society today couples’
“living together” without the benefit of marriage is growing in
acceptance. There is even a movement to redefine God’s spiritual
union of marriage into a simple legal transaction between any two
people. This is simply contrary to God’s design. As the chapter
unfolds we see the results of this lack of commitment.
After
four months, the Levite “went to
her to persuade her to return“.
The woman’s father “gladly
welcomed him”
and “prevailed
upon him to stay; so he remained with him three days“.
The Levite prepared to leave, and two more times, he was convinced
to “Stay
tonight and enjoy yourself“.
After being delayed until late in the day we read, “unwilling
to spend another night, the man left and went toward Jebus
(Jerusalem) with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine“.
Because of their late departure, they were forced to spend the night
in an Israelite city called Gibeah. “They
went and sat in the city square, but no one took them into his home
for the night”
until an old man who was also from the hill country of Ephraim
invited them to stay with him. “You
are welcome at my house… let me supply whatever you need“.
While they were enjoying themselves, “Some
wicked men of the city surrounded the house and pounded on the door“,
they demanded, “Bring
out the man who came to your house so we may have sex with him“.
The owner of the house, being responsible for his guests, responded,
“Don’t
be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this disgraceful
thing“.
This is almost the exact same situation that Lot was in while living
in Sodom (Genesis 19:5). It is sad to see how low any society will
sink without the knowledge of God’s standards.
Next
we see how little the Levite honored his concubine. “The
men would not listen, so the man took his concubine and sent her
outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout night“.
At daybreak the woman went back to the house and fell at the door
with her hand on the threshold. When the Levite woke he was ready to
resume his journey. Seeing his concubine fallen at the doorway, he
said, “Get
up. Let’s go. But there was no answer“.
The Levite simply loaded her lifeless body onto his donkey and set
out for home. In contrast, Ephesians 5:25 explains the
responsibility of a Christian man toward his wife. “Husbands,
love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for
her to make her holy“.
A husband is to sacrifice himself for his wife; marriage itself is a
symbol of the love Christ displayed on the cross. Jesus does not
treat us like concubines, but as His one and only bride. In a bazaar
demonstration of outrage, the Levite “took
a knife and cut up his concubine into twelve parts and sent them into
all the areas of Israel“.
Perhaps it took something this disturbing to shock the nation into
action. The crucifixion of Christ is an equally disturbing image
that cannot be ignored. “The
cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to those who are
being saved it is the power of God”
(1 Corinthians 1:18). What will you do with the cross?