Judges 19:1-20:48
John 3:22-4:3
Psalm 104:24-35
Proverbs 14:22-24
Judges 19:10 But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites and spend the night.”
12 His master replied, “No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” 13 He added, “Come, let’s try to reach Gibeah or Ramah and spend the night in one of those places.” 14 So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin. 15 There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them in for the night.
The Levite's servant wanted them to stop and stay in Jebus because it was getting late and it is very dangerous to be on the roads at night. If you traveled at night you risked being attached robbed, beaten or even killed. But the Levite refused. It could have been dangerous to stay in a pagan town as well. He thought it would be safer with the Israelites. When you came into a town you would wait at the city square so it would be known that you needed a place to stay. Israelite law and expectation of hospitality would move people to take you in. The fact that no one offered them a place for the night speaks volumes to how far they have fallen. It shows how extreme their separation from God has become.
Judges 19:20 “You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. “Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” 21 So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
An old man who was from the Levites own region not a native of Gibeah was coming in from his work in the fields and he was the only one who was willing to offer the kind of hospitality that should be expected from people of God.
Judges 19:22 While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.”
The same demand of depravity as in Sodom. The Benjamites were just as wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah. It was so wicked that all the other tribes of Israel turned against them and just about completely wiped them out in chapter 20.
Judges 20:8 All the men rose up together as one, saying, “None of us will go home. No, not one of us will return to his house.
They all were in agreement and stood together. United. As the church of Christ we need to recognize when evil and wickedness has taken over and stand up against it and join together and fight. We need to stand up for what is right and do everything we can to wipe it out of the body of Christ. Now obviously I am not saying we need to start killing Christians we think are doing wrong but we do need to speak up and encourage each other to stay strong and walk in Christ. When our denomination started supporting wicked practices and caving into the ways of the world we as a church had to rise up together and say that no we will not be part of that. I was just talking to an elder in a pretty large Presbyterian church in the area and asked if they were still PCUA and they said that yes they were but only because of the financial hit they would take to leave. He said they don't really follow the Presbyteries rules and they tell them that they don't agree with them but I think that is the opposite of what we are called to do. If leadership is standing for and teaching things that is in direct opposition to the word of God you cannot stay and support that. No matter what the cost. The Israelites who went up against the Benjamites lost many lives. No amount of money is worth compromising your principals. God will support it and provide for you. He came through for us when we split and He will do it for any congregation that will stand up together for what is right and true and Godly.
What about you? Are you willing to rise up together when necessary and give up whatever it costs to stand to Christ and His word?
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