Ryan Maschhoff
October 23, 2024
Join us today as we recount one of the major low points of the Israelite people in the Old Testament. The good news that comes out of this story is that God is faithful, patient, and ultimately sent his son to save us and teach us to be better people.
Play Audio
Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
Judges 19:1-2 Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim
took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But she was unfaithful to him. She left him
and went back to her parents’ home in Bethlehem, Judah.
Judges 19:11-21 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. 16 That evening an old man from the hill country of
Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the inhabitants of the place were
Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. 17 When he looked and saw the
traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did
you come from?” 18 He answered, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area
in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah
and now I am going to the house of the Lord. No one has taken me in for the
night. 19 We
have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves
your servants—me, the woman and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.”
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.
Leviticus 19:33-34 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land,
do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.
Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your
God.
Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for
this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Judges 19:22-25 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.” 23 The
owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so
vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing. 24 Look, here is my virgin
daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use
them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an
outrageous thing. ”25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and
sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the
night, and at dawn they let her go.
Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be
joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
Matthew 19:5-6 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined
to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 6 So they are no longer two,
but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to
separate.
Judges 19:26-30 At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was
staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. 27 When her master got up in
the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his
way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her
hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man
put her on his donkey and set out for home. 29 When he reached home, he took a knife and cut
up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the
areas of Israel. 30 Everyone who saw it was saying to one another, “Such a thing has never
been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Just
imagine! We must do something! So speak up!”
Judges 20:48 The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the
sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they
came across they set on fire.
·
Call 321.574.6970 if you have chosen to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.