Judges 19-21
An Overview of Chapter 19
A Levite’s concubine left him and returned to her father. After four months the Levite went to find her and bring her back. He met the girls father and they were glad to meet each other and stayed together for five days. On the journey home the Levite and his concubine were staying in the square of the city Gibeah, and an older man invited them into his home. In the middle of the night the men of the city surrounded the house and pounded on the door requesting that the Levite be given to them for sex. The old man refused and offered his daughter and the Levites concubine instead. The men refused, but old man forced the concubine outside. The men of the city raped and abused her all night. When the Levite was leaving the house the next morning he found his concubine dead. The man took her body home, and then cut her up into 12 pieces and sent a piece to each of the tribes of Israel to show what had happened.
An Overview of Chapter 20
The Israelites were disgusted by this act and gathered together to find out what had happened. The Levite told his story and the Israelites decided overtake the city of Gibeah. They sent men back home to gather food and bring it back for the army. Next they sent men to the tribe of Benjamin requesting that the men who were guilty of this be handed over. The people of the tribe of Benjamin refused, and instead gathered an army to fight their brothers - the rest of Israel.
The men of Israel cast lots to see who would attack first, and the lot fell to Judah, who was handily defeated by the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites cried out to God, and God told them to fight again the next day. Again the tribe of Benjamin was victorious. The Israelites cried out to God again, this time fasting and offering burnt and peace offerings. The next day Israel attacked and God helped them destroy all but 600 of Benjamins army. Those 600 hid in the rocks for four months.
An Overview of Chapter 21
The Israelites had sworn that they would not allow their daughters to marry any of the men from the tribe of Benjamin and they had killed all the non-virgin women of the tribe of Benjamin (leaving only 400 women). This left 200 men from the tribe of Benjamin without wives, and the Israelites feared that the tribe of Benjamin would seize to exist. They devised a plan that allowed them to get around their promise to not let their daughters marry the men of Benjamin. At the next feast the remaining 200 men from the tribe of Benjamin were to kidnap any women that wander out into the vineyard and take them as wives. They did this, then returned and rebuilt their cities.
Reflection
If your spouse left you would you follow and attempt to make amends? Are you hospitable to strangers? Is it important to you that guilty people are punished? Do you seek God through prayer and fasting when you are having times of trouble?
For Further Study
Benjamin - Genesis 49:27, Psalm 68:27, Zechariah 14:10, Acts 13:21, Romans 11:1, Philippians 3:5, Revelation 7:8.
CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU JUST FINISHED THE BOOK OF JUDGES!
A Levite’s concubine left him and returned to her father. After four months the Levite went to find her and bring her back. He met the girls father and they were glad to meet each other and stayed together for five days. On the journey home the Levite and his concubine were staying in the square of the city Gibeah, and an older man invited them into his home. In the middle of the night the men of the city surrounded the house and pounded on the door requesting that the Levite be given to them for sex. The old man refused and offered his daughter and the Levites concubine instead. The men refused, but old man forced the concubine outside. The men of the city raped and abused her all night. When the Levite was leaving the house the next morning he found his concubine dead. The man took her body home, and then cut her up into 12 pieces and sent a piece to each of the tribes of Israel to show what had happened.
An Overview of Chapter 20
The Israelites were disgusted by this act and gathered together to find out what had happened. The Levite told his story and the Israelites decided overtake the city of Gibeah. They sent men back home to gather food and bring it back for the army. Next they sent men to the tribe of Benjamin requesting that the men who were guilty of this be handed over. The people of the tribe of Benjamin refused, and instead gathered an army to fight their brothers - the rest of Israel.
The men of Israel cast lots to see who would attack first, and the lot fell to Judah, who was handily defeated by the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites cried out to God, and God told them to fight again the next day. Again the tribe of Benjamin was victorious. The Israelites cried out to God again, this time fasting and offering burnt and peace offerings. The next day Israel attacked and God helped them destroy all but 600 of Benjamins army. Those 600 hid in the rocks for four months.
An Overview of Chapter 21
The Israelites had sworn that they would not allow their daughters to marry any of the men from the tribe of Benjamin and they had killed all the non-virgin women of the tribe of Benjamin (leaving only 400 women). This left 200 men from the tribe of Benjamin without wives, and the Israelites feared that the tribe of Benjamin would seize to exist. They devised a plan that allowed them to get around their promise to not let their daughters marry the men of Benjamin. At the next feast the remaining 200 men from the tribe of Benjamin were to kidnap any women that wander out into the vineyard and take them as wives. They did this, then returned and rebuilt their cities.
Reflection
If your spouse left you would you follow and attempt to make amends? Are you hospitable to strangers? Is it important to you that guilty people are punished? Do you seek God through prayer and fasting when you are having times of trouble?
For Further Study
Benjamin - Genesis 49:27, Psalm 68:27, Zechariah 14:10, Acts 13:21, Romans 11:1, Philippians 3:5, Revelation 7:8.
YOU JUST FINISHED THE BOOK OF JUDGES!
posted by Shaun Sells | 8:30 AM
2 Comments:
Pastor, does it matter how long a person fasts?
Fasting is not expressly defined by lengths or times in the New Testament. It would seem that the purpose of fasting changed after Jesus. It was initially just about calling out to God, but now it would seem that it has a lot to do with calling for Christ's return. Here is a link to an online book on the subject I am reading at this time:
http://www.desiringgod.org/library/onlinebooks_index.html#hfg
Post a Comment
<< Home