Comparing Judgesand Ruth

Judges 21:25 “Every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

Ruth 1:16 “Your God will be my God . . .”

Schedule

• Nov 9 – Judges 19-21: Gibeah in the Tribe of Benjamin

• Nov 16 – Ruth 1-4: Contrasts to the Judges

Nov 23 – “When Jesus Returns”: New Class by Allen and George

Judges 17-21Pervasive Spiritual Decay

Leads to Social MiseryJudges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25

Recap of Last Week: Spiritual Decay, Chapters 17, 18

The thief Micah builds a private shrine in his home to worship God via Idols. He hires a wandering Levite, who is no priest, and feels good about what he has done. Meanwhile, a group of Danites are searching for suitable land in the north, that God had not allotted to them. The Danites steal Micah’s Levite and his idols so they can use them for worship. They conquer the north land as though this is where God wanted them to be. Dan becomes a center of idol worship to God.

The Aha Moment: The Levite turns out to be a direct descendant of Moses.

Shiloh

Micah’s Home

Tribe of Dan

New Dan

SPIRITUAL DECAY LEADS TO SOCIETY’S DECAY

In chapters 19-21 we read of this moral decline.

Introducing a LeviteJudges 19:1-13• He is paying no attention to God’s directions

concerning where Levites should live.• Is not monogamous. (Gen 2:24)• His concubine leaves him and goes to her father (v2) • The penalty for adultery is not carried out. (Lev 20:10)

He should not take her back (Deut 24:4)• Instead, he seeks to bring her back to him with

insincerely kind words (v 3). Lit he “spoke to her heart.”

• He enjoys fun. “Enjoy yourself.” v 6,9 This fun will be his undoing. How did the father-in-law unwittingly

contribute to his daughter’s death?

Gibeah9 miles away

Bethlehem

Jebus6 miles away

“Don’t Stop at a Heathen City”Judges 19:14-21 – The ‘Godly’ City of Gibeah• V. 15 None of their brethren took them into their

house. They sat in the open square. (Deut 16:24; 26:12)

• V. 16 The one who offers hospitality is an old laborer who is not from Gibeah.

• V. 19 There was no reason to refuse the Levite’s request for hospitality. He brought his food, etc.

Was the Levite’s insistence that he stay at an Israelite city a good idea? v. 22, 23

Who were these Israelites of Gibeah acting like? v. 22, 23, comp’d to Gen. 19:4-5

The Crime Committed

Judges 19:22-25In v22, who is responsible? The whole

city?Lit. “men of the city” (not “the men of the

city”).“worthless fellows” – ESV“sons of Belial” - KJV“certain base fellows” ASV“sons of worthlessness” - YLT

The Crime Committed

What do the old man and the Levite have in common in v 24,25?

Do with her whatever you please – v 24.

Seize her and force her to leave, defenseless to save his cowardly skin – v 25.

He’s the master, v 26. She is the property.

Contrast these actions with love, as Christ loves the Church:

Love defends the beloved.Love offers self so the

beloved can live.

Love acts lovingly at all times, not just when it is convenient, easy.

The Aftermath

Judges 19:26-30

What can be said furtherof the Levite’s “love” for his concubine?

This generation that comes after Joshua and Eleazar is

already infected with sin that makes them, to a degree, indistinguishable from the

Gentiles.

So much hate, violence, cowardice,

callous disregard, insincerity, love of

self. Life has broken down and

unraveled. They reject God’s rule in their lives (19:1).

Civil Warfare: 65,000 Die, Tribe Near Extinction

• Rest of Israel is outraged at Benjamites behavior and gathers for war, Jdgs. 20:1-11.

• A diplomatic solutions fail when Benjamin will not extradite the guilty people of Gibeah, Jdgs. 20:12-17.

• God directs Israel to attack, but suffers two defeats, Jdgs. 20:18-28 (like in Joshua 7 with Ai, when there was sin).

• Third attack is successful, Jdgs. 20:29-48.

Tribe of Benjamin

The Land of Gilead

Dan

Mizpah

Beersheba

Oops, now what . . .

• Israel is grieved that it was so harsh on Benjamin (21:1-7).

• Israel made two extreme oaths before battle (21:8-15):– Our daughters will never marry any Benjamites.– Any Israelite city which did not help us in war

will be utterly destroyed.

Which of these two oaths did they steadfastly follow?Which oath were they selectively enforcing?

They Circumvent the Law

• Only 2/3 of the problem is solved. Need to find another 200 wives for Benjamites.

• They will allow Benjamites to kidnap 200 virgins from the town of Shiloh during the upcoming feast (21:16-25). What can we learn from this incident

about our speech during a crisis or a highly emotional situation?

Tribe of Benjamin

Bethel

Town of Jabesh Gilead

Shiloh

Who is the Hero?• The Levite who meanders around looking for fun, who has

more than one wife, who acts as a coward and a brute.• The old laborer in Gibeah who is ready to turn over his

daughter rather than defend her.• Certain evil men in Gibeah, who acted as terrorists.• The Benjamites who fought on behalf of the evil men of

Gibeah.• The Israelites with unrepented sin.• The Israelites who weaseled-around God’s law about

oaths, only keeping the ones they preferred.• The Israelites who murdered the innocent people of

Jabesh Gilead and made their daughters slaves to Benjamin.

• The Benjamites who agreed to accept as wives persons they kidnapped from the Tabernacle of God at Shiloh.

Peaceful Pastoral LifeBrotherly Love

HonorReal Love

Obedience to the LawTrue Family

Self SacrificeGenerosity

These are not in Judges!These are in the Book of Ruth

“In those days Israel had no King;Everyone did as he saw fit. . .” Judges 17:6

Ruth 1:16 “Your God will be my God . . .”