Lord,
How hard and far did Israel fall! They went their own way and became like Sodom and Gomorrah! The tribe of Benjamin followed sinful passions, and they were nearly destroyed. Then, the surviving men of that tribe were encouraged to steal wives for themselves! And they did! How wicked and low!
You repeated the following summary to us to close this book: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
May we see ourselves, our lost family, and our nation in this mirror. This is what it means to be dead in trespasses and sins. This is who we are without Jesus. This is who we are apart from the Spirit’s new birth. We go our own way, and the end is destruction. Truly, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
In looking at this terrible ending to an increasingly terrible account, I praise You that Judges is not the end. A King, the true King, was coming and has now come. Jesus has died to set us free from sin and rebellion. He is alive to give all who come to Him new life. In Him we are new. I praise You that all who turn to Him in faith are rescued and given new life in Him.
In the time of the Judges there was no king in Israel. Now, the King has come and is coming again. He is our Head. May we be warned by the sins of Israel. May we submit to King Jesus by faith and go His way.
In His Name, by His grace,
Amen (Judges 19-21; Genesis 19; Judges 21:25; Proverbs 14:12; Ephesians 2:1-3)
Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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