Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

Only the God who made the world and everything in it, including ourselves, has the absolute right to tell us how to live our lives.

He who brought order out of physical chaos by separating light from darkness (Genesis 1:3–5) also gave order to the moral universe by separating right from wrong (Genesis 2:15–17).

The creator of the world is also its lawgiver and judge.

Once we displace him from his rightful place in our lives and allow other things to take his place, we cut ourselves adrift from the only thing that can give moral stability to our lives.

The last five chapters of Judges are about a decaying society in which all the institutions that should give stability to life are failing because of the character of those who operate them.

It is the story of a nation collapsing in on itself because it has lost its anchorage in God and no longer knows how to deal with the chaos it has unleashed by its own folly.

And tragically that nation is Israel

If you thought that the Levite Jonathan (chaps.

17–18) was a reprobate, then you’ll probably conclude that this unnamed Levite was an absolute scoundrel of the basest sort.

He spent most of his time partying; he walked in darkness and jeopardized his life and the lives of those with him (vv.

9–14); he treated his concubine in the most shocking manner, while she was alive and after she was dead; and what he did to her precipitated a civil war in Israel.

What unfolds in the rest of this chapter is so distasteful that the commentator F.B. Meyer recommended not reading it.

Commenting on this first verse, he wrote: “It will be sufficient to ponder these words, which occur four times in the book, without reading further in this terrible chapter, which shows the depths of the depravity to which may sink apart from the grace of God.”

Read Judges 19:1-5

I. vs. 1-15

vs. 1a No king in Israel

vs. 1b Levite takes a concubine

A concubine is a secondary wife who has probably come into the marriage without a dowry.

They had no authority in the family, nor could they share in the household government.

Her children may only receive a portion of their father’s estate if he chooses to publicly acknowledge them as his heirs.

It is possible that this sort of arrangement became necessary when the first or principal wife was infertile.

However, in most cases in which a marriage contract is made with the father of a woman who will be considered a concubine, there is an assumption of a lesser status than a regular wife.

Thus the Levite may have simply contracted for a sexual partner, since his social status would ordinarily have required a wife of certain attributes.

This may explain why he was in no hurry to bring his concubine home

The immediate cause of concubinage might be gathered from the conjugal histories of Abraham and Jacob

But in process of time the custom of concubinage degenerated, and laws were made to restrain and regulate it

Though the law controlled concubinage the Lord did not approve or encourage it; yet you will find several Old Testament men who had concubines, including Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, Saul, David, and Solomon.

Christianity has restored the sacred institution of marriage to its original character, and concubinage is ranked with the sins of fornication and adultery

vs. 2 Concubine plays the harlot

This particular concubine was unfaithful to her husband and fled to her father’s house in Bethlehem for protection (Lev.

20:10).

Her only motive, it seems, was to escape a situation she found intolerable

The longer she was gone, the more her husband missed her; so he traveled to Bethlehem, forgave her, and was reconciled.

Here the Levite was an example of how an offended spouse should act when there is adultery.

Though she broke the bond between them, he worked hard to bring the relationship back together and succeeded.

Jesus told us that divorce is never commanded when there is adultery

If a partner in marriage is sinned against by adultery, they should still work to make the marriage survive and succeed, up to the best of their ability.

So the Levite goes to Bethlehem to retrieve his wife

vs. 3-9

He and his father-in-law discovered they enjoyed each other’s company and spent five days eating, drinking, and making merry.

To me, this Levite illustrates the careless attitude of many believers today.

They are children of the day, but they act like children of the night

Judgment is around the corner, but these people think of nothing but enjoying life.

When his nation was so far from God, how could this Levite waste his time eating, drinking, and making merry?

vs. 10 Bethlehem to Jerusalem

The geographical distances involved are not great (perhaps thirty miles), but they do represent two tribal areas and in later terms the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

In any case it would have required at least a full day’s travel to cover and thus explains why they must stop for the night after a later afternoon departure only got them as far as Jebus/Jerusalem

vs. 12-14 Gibeah

Scholarly consensus now places the site of Gibeah at Jaba’, about four miles northeast of Jerusalem.

Jaba’ sits on a hill above a canyon pitted with caves

Although it is described as a village in the tribal territory of Benjamin, Gibeah will later serve as Saul’s fortress city when he becomes Israel’s first king

The travelers would likely have passed west of Jerusalem and then taken the road northeast through Anathoth to Geba.

vs. 15 The Levite and his concubine found no hospitality in Gibeah.

This reflects poorly on the people of Gibeah because God commanded such hospitality among the people of God

There is something wrong when there is no such hospitality among God’s people.

II. vs. 16-26

vs. 16 Old Man from Ephraim

The man who comes to the city square after working in the field is from the same area as the Levite

No one from the Benjamites showed hospitality

vs. 15-17 city square hospitality.

What is implied here is that no one met the Levite’s party as they entered the village and they were forced to seek shelter in the rehob (“city square”).

This place is a poor refuge for travelers.

Having to spend the night there would be their last choice, and it would reflect on the poor hospitality of the town that strangers would have to shelter there.

The fact that the Levite in Judges 19 is forced to go to the rehob demonstrates a basic failure on the part of the citizens of Gibeah to offer him hospitality.

vs. 18 House of the Lord

The Levite tells the old man his travel plans

Interesting to note is that he mentions the House of the Lord

He says he is going home to Ephraim and the house of the Lord

This man has shown no interest in his calling

Now he is invoking the House of the Lord

Maybe he wanted to look good to the old man

vs. 21 foot washing

The Old man invites him in

He probably knows that he is saving them from the men of Gibeah

It is typical for the host to make a modest offer to the guest (usually water, food, shelter and a foot washing).

This does not preclude more being given to the guest, but it does protect the host who may find himself in the dishonored position of offering more than he can deliver.

In any case the host will make every effort to insure his guest’s comfort, and this would include cooling and cleansing hot, dusty feet

vs. 22-23

Gibeah had become like Sodom

The men of the city were indulging in immoral practices that were contrary to nature

The word “know” in Judges 19:22 means “to have sexual experience with.”

These sinners were excited because a new man was in town, and they wanted to enjoy him.

The host courageously and correctly described their desires as wickedness and folly (v.

23) and a vile thing (v.

24), and he tried to prevent them from raping his guest.

vs. 24 daughter and concubine made available.

The situation here may be intended to portray a skewed world in which no man or woman is safe from harm.

The Ephraimite’s invitation that the men do “what seems good to you” is suggestive of the final phrase in this narrative: Judges 21:25b—”everyone did as he saw fit.”

How a father could offer his own daughter as a sacrifice to the lusts of a mob is difficult to understand.

Yet many parents today allow their sons’ and daughters’ minds and hearts to be violated by what they see and hear in movies, on television, and at rock concerts.

Chastity of mind and heart is essential for chastity of the body

In this instance the Ephraimite apparently shifts his role from hospitable to inhospitable host by “callously” offering the Levite’s concubine to the crowd in order to save his honor and perhaps his own life.

Technically the concubine could not be legally separated from the Levite and should have been protected by the customs of hospitality to the same degree.

vs. 25 Concubine thrust into the crowd

There is a sense of urgency in the text, brought on by a lack of reasoning in the actions of the mob, which may explain the Levite’s action of thrusting his concubine out the door and into the hands of the crowd.

The irony of this reversal climaxes the narrative, although a sense of disgust lingers over the violence done to the Levite’s concubine.

She is a victim whose only attempt to assert her independence was thwarted by her father, her husband and the failure of the citizens of Gibeah to carry out their proper role as host.

The Levite chooses to sacrifice her to save himself.

III. vs. 27-30

vs 29 cut up pieces sent.