For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; - 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
Hello. Last week we read the first of 2 stories recorded in an appendix attached to the end of the book of Judges. Both describe how immoral and spiritually depraved the people had become following Joshua’s death. We learned about a corrupt Levite who chose financial gain and notoriety rather than humble obedience and service to the LORD. He endorsed and promoted idolatry while serving as MIcah’s household priest and later while serving as Dan’s tribal priest.
In this morning's message, we will read about another despicable Levite. His actions will drive a wedge between the 12 tribes of Israel and pave the way for civil war. Today’s sermon will be the first of a 2-part message covering chapters 19-21. Before we begin, let me point out that both of these “supplementary” stories intentionally feature a Levite. God had chosen the Levites to serve as the priests and ministers of Israel. They had been called to exemplify godliness and righteousness before and among the remaining tribes, but they had become corrupt and sinful. Is it any wonder that the nation had fallen into spiritual decline?
I. THE LEVITE’S CONCUBINE (Judges 19:1-15)
There was a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephriam. He had a concubine who found him to be repugnant, so she fled to her father’s house in Bethlehem of Judah. After waiting 4 months, the Levite traveled to Bethlehem to retrieve his runaway concubine. His father-in-law was delighted to see him and the Levite stayed in his house for 3 days. On the fourth day, as the Levite was preparing to return home with his concubine, his father-in-law urged him to stay another night - so he did. On the fifth day the father-in-law again urged the Levite to stay, but this time he refused. However, his departure was delayed.
By the time he, his servant, and his concubine left, it was already late in the day. When they came to the nearby city of Jebus (aka, Jerusalem) his servant suggested that they stop for the night. But the Levite did not want to stay in a “city of foreigners” - the Jebusites were still living there (Judges 1:21) - and insisted they press on to Gibeah or Ramah. The sun had already set when they arrived at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. They entered the city and prepared to spend the night outside in the public square.
Apparently, this Levite was such a vile person that his concubine ran away. Unfortunately, her father wasn’t much better. She fled to her father’s house seeking refuge, but when the Levite showed up looking for her he welcomed him in. The Levite’s father-in-law thoroughly enjoyed his company, so much that he wanted him to stay. He gladly returned his daughter to the Levite, with no indication of reservation or remorse. This poor girl had nowhere to turn…
II. THE SIN OF GIBEAH (Judges 19:16-30)
An old man from the hill country of Ephraim who happened to be staying in Gibeah at the time came in that evening from his work in the fields. He noticed the Levite and his company camped out in the public square. The old man invited them to come spend the night in his house. He promised to feed the Levite’s donkeys, as well as the Levite, his servant, and his concubine (who he called a “slave”). The Levite accepted his offer and they went to the old man’s house, where he took them in and showed them hospitality.
Later that evening, several worthless men from Gibeah surrounded the house, banged on the door, and demanded that the old man turn the Levite who was lodging there over to them so that they might have homosexual relations with him. The old man refused to give them his guest, but instead offered to give them his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine to ravish and rape as they pleased. Then the Levite seized his concubine and handed her over to the men of Gibeah. They took her away, brutally raped and abused her all night long, and released her at the approach of dawn. Near death, she made her way back to the old man’s house, fell at his doorway, and laid there until the sun had risen.
When the Levite got up that morning to leave and opened the door, she was lying there with her hands on the threshold. Without any sign of compassion, he said, “Get up and let’s go.” The woman didn’t answer, which suggests that she had probably died. So the Levite placed her lifeless body on his donkey and returned to his home in Ephraim. When he arrived, he took a knife and divided her corpse into 12 pieces. He sent her body parts to the various tribes of Israel. When they received their “packages”, each tribe was appalled and disgusted. They determined that something must be done.
III. PREPARING FOR WAR (Judges 20:1-17)
So, the sons of Israel assembled together at Mizpah - including the Transjordan tribes from Gilead. In total, there were 400,000 armed men. They asked the Levite to tell them what had happened. He recounted how he and his concubine had stopped in Gibeah for the night, how the wicked men of the city surrounded the house and threatened him, and how they took his concubine and repeatedly raped her so that she died. The Levite conveniently failed to mention that he had personally handed her over to them, against her will. He went on to explain that he’d cut her body apart and sent pieces of it to the 12 tribes to stir their attention and demand action.
After listening to the Levite’s story, the tribes of Israel were united in their resolve to punish the city of Gibeah. They decided to go up against it by lot - that is, 1 tribe at a time - rather than all at once. They also made plans to supply and feed their army while it was camped at Gibeah.
The sons of Israel sent a delegation to the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin asking them to hand over the wicked men of Gibeah to be executed for their heinous crime. However, the Benjaminites refused to relinquish them to Israel Instead, the men of Benjamin gathered together to defend Gibeah. They quickly raised up an army of 26,000 soldiers, not including the 700 warriors who lived in Gibeah. Of these, some 700 were marksmen who could use a sling left handed and not miss.
The stage was set for civil war. The tribe of Benjamin would stand alone against all of his brothers - the men of Israel. We will stop here this morning and continue this story next week…
CONCLUSION
Before we dismiss this morning, I want to point out the similarities between today’s message and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). In the days of Abraham, God determined to destroy the pagan cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their vile sin and wanton sexual immorality (especially homosexuality). When 2 men arrived to rescue Lot and his family from the looming destruction, the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house and demanded to have sex with his guests. Fortunately these were no ordinary men, but rather angels, and they struck men of Sodom with blindness.
However, in the passage we read today, it wasn’t heathen Sodomites acting shamefully and immorally - it was the men of Gibeah. They were Israelites! And the entire tribe of Benjamin rallied to their defense. How does someone defend such sinful behavior? Not to mention the callous and heartless conduct of the Levite, his father-in-law, and even the old man who offered up his own virgin daughter to be raped. Were there any God-fearing, virtuous people left in Israel? These were certainly dark days…
Hello. Last week we read the first of 2 stories recorded in an appendix attached to the end of the book of Judges. Both describe how immoral and spiritually depraved the people had become following Joshua’s death. We learned about a corrupt Levite who chose financial gain and notoriety rather than humble obedience and service to the LORD. He endorsed and promoted idolatry while serving as MIcah’s household priest and later while serving as Dan’s tribal priest.
In this morning's message, we will read about another despicable Levite. His actions will drive a wedge between the 12 tribes of Israel and pave the way for civil war. Today’s sermon will be the first of a 2-part message covering chapters 19-21. Before we begin, let me point out that both of these “supplementary” stories intentionally feature a Levite. God had chosen the Levites to serve as the priests and ministers of Israel. They had been called to exemplify godliness and righteousness before and among the remaining tribes, but they had become corrupt and sinful. Is it any wonder that the nation had fallen into spiritual decline?
I. THE LEVITE’S CONCUBINE (Judges 19:1-15)
There was a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephriam. He had a concubine who found him to be repugnant, so she fled to her father’s house in Bethlehem of Judah. After waiting 4 months, the Levite traveled to Bethlehem to retrieve his runaway concubine. His father-in-law was delighted to see him and the Levite stayed in his house for 3 days. On the fourth day, as the Levite was preparing to return home with his concubine, his father-in-law urged him to stay another night - so he did. On the fifth day the father-in-law again urged the Levite to stay, but this time he refused. However, his departure was delayed.
By the time he, his servant, and his concubine left, it was already late in the day. When they came to the nearby city of Jebus (aka, Jerusalem) his servant suggested that they stop for the night. But the Levite did not want to stay in a “city of foreigners” - the Jebusites were still living there (Judges 1:21) - and insisted they press on to Gibeah or Ramah. The sun had already set when they arrived at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. They entered the city and prepared to spend the night outside in the public square.
Apparently, this Levite was such a vile person that his concubine ran away. Unfortunately, her father wasn’t much better. She fled to her father’s house seeking refuge, but when the Levite showed up looking for her he welcomed him in. The Levite’s father-in-law thoroughly enjoyed his company, so much that he wanted him to stay. He gladly returned his daughter to the Levite, with no indication of reservation or remorse. This poor girl had nowhere to turn…
II. THE SIN OF GIBEAH (Judges 19:16-30)
An old man from the hill country of Ephraim who happened to be staying in Gibeah at the time came in that evening from his work in the fields. He noticed the Levite and his company camped out in the public square. The old man invited them to come spend the night in his house. He promised to feed the Levite’s donkeys, as well as the Levite, his servant, and his concubine (who he called a “slave”). The Levite accepted his offer and they went to the old man’s house, where he took them in and showed them hospitality.
Later that evening, several worthless men from Gibeah surrounded the house, banged on the door, and demanded that the old man turn the Levite who was lodging there over to them so that they might have homosexual relations with him. The old man refused to give them his guest, but instead offered to give them his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine to ravish and rape as they pleased. Then the Levite seized his concubine and handed her over to the men of Gibeah. They took her away, brutally raped and abused her all night long, and released her at the approach of dawn. Near death, she made her way back to the old man’s house, fell at his doorway, and laid there until the sun had risen.
When the Levite got up that morning to leave and opened the door, she was lying there with her hands on the threshold. Without any sign of compassion, he said, “Get up and let’s go.” The woman didn’t answer, which suggests that she had probably died. So the Levite placed her lifeless body on his donkey and returned to his home in Ephraim. When he arrived, he took a knife and divided her corpse into 12 pieces. He sent her body parts to the various tribes of Israel. When they received their “packages”, each tribe was appalled and disgusted. They determined that something must be done.
III. PREPARING FOR WAR (Judges 20:1-17)
So, the sons of Israel assembled together at Mizpah - including the Transjordan tribes from Gilead. In total, there were 400,000 armed men. They asked the Levite to tell them what had happened. He recounted how he and his concubine had stopped in Gibeah for the night, how the wicked men of the city surrounded the house and threatened him, and how they took his concubine and repeatedly raped her so that she died. The Levite conveniently failed to mention that he had personally handed her over to them, against her will. He went on to explain that he’d cut her body apart and sent pieces of it to the 12 tribes to stir their attention and demand action.
After listening to the Levite’s story, the tribes of Israel were united in their resolve to punish the city of Gibeah. They decided to go up against it by lot - that is, 1 tribe at a time - rather than all at once. They also made plans to supply and feed their army while it was camped at Gibeah.
The sons of Israel sent a delegation to the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin asking them to hand over the wicked men of Gibeah to be executed for their heinous crime. However, the Benjaminites refused to relinquish them to Israel Instead, the men of Benjamin gathered together to defend Gibeah. They quickly raised up an army of 26,000 soldiers, not including the 700 warriors who lived in Gibeah. Of these, some 700 were marksmen who could use a sling left handed and not miss.
The stage was set for civil war. The tribe of Benjamin would stand alone against all of his brothers - the men of Israel. We will stop here this morning and continue this story next week…
CONCLUSION
Before we dismiss this morning, I want to point out the similarities between today’s message and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). In the days of Abraham, God determined to destroy the pagan cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their vile sin and wanton sexual immorality (especially homosexuality). When 2 men arrived to rescue Lot and his family from the looming destruction, the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house and demanded to have sex with his guests. Fortunately these were no ordinary men, but rather angels, and they struck men of Sodom with blindness.
However, in the passage we read today, it wasn’t heathen Sodomites acting shamefully and immorally - it was the men of Gibeah. They were Israelites! And the entire tribe of Benjamin rallied to their defense. How does someone defend such sinful behavior? Not to mention the callous and heartless conduct of the Levite, his father-in-law, and even the old man who offered up his own virgin daughter to be raped. Were there any God-fearing, virtuous people left in Israel? These were certainly dark days…