In the 17th and 18th chapters we were given a picture of the inner life of the tribe of Dan in the north; now we are to see the character of the tribe of Benjamin in the south, during the times of the Judges. In the former case the religious character of things among the Israelites was emphasized in the present one,—their moral character is exposed.
"When there was no king in Israel" (verse 1),—God was their King, but Israel' was self-willed and without a visible ruler they took up with anything their minds suggested and their hearts desired. How the patience of God must have been tried by the ways and thoughts of those who professed to be His people.
A Levite,—-one of that family set apart by God for His service (Numbers 3 and 4)—following a practice which then perhaps was common, but can never have received God's approval any more than divorce being permitted "because of the hardness of their hearts" (Matt. 19:3-93The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (Matthew 19:3‑9)) took a concubine,—a secondary wife. Going on in sin this woman left her husband and returned to her father's house; there the Levite went to persuade her to return to him. The woman's father was glad to meet him, and got him to stay there several days. Leaving in the afternoon of the fifth day on their way north, the little party passed the future Jerusalem, then called Jebus, and went on to Gibeah, the birthplace of Saul. What followed reminds us of that city in which Lot had his home (Gen. 19), on which judgment fell unsparingly when God's forbearance would wait no longer.
Sometimes we are moved to ask ourselves on account of the present state of the people of God, what difference is there between many Christians and the godless world? Believers are to be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of their mind that they may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:22And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)).
But here in the inspired record of the book of Judges is the sad record of the will of man—men away from God, who did not like to retain God in their knowledge and were given over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:2828And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:28)). Moved by the high-handed violence and unrestraint of the wicked men of Gibeah, the Levite, reaching home with the dead body of his concubine cut her body in twelve pieces and sent it to all the borders of Israel, arousing the feeling of the nation to a high pitch as the next chapter will show.
The world today is steadily forging toward the time, when man for a short time will be permitted to do as he pleases —really as the devil directs, for he is the god and prince of this world, the Word of God tells us. When that hour is reached, violence will be prevalent to a far greater degree than now, and the unsparing judgment of God will fall.
Happily for those who are trusting in Jesus and His blood. They will be gone to be with Him when that dreadful day comes, and it is near.