Judges Chapter 19 and 20
I’m Willing To Die For This Cause!
In these two chapters we see where a Levite from Ephraim marries a woman who ends up being a prostitute. She leaves him and goes to her home in Bethlehem. 4 months later the husband goes to Bethlehem to get her and take her back. On their way back to Ephraim, they stopped in the tribe of the Benjamites thinking it would be safe because it was one of the tribes of God.
However there was great evil in this city so an elderly man took them into his home for protection. However, the men of the city wanted the Levite to have sexual relations with him and abuse him. The elderly man gives the Levite’s wife to the mob who end up raping and abusing her all night so that she died.
The Levite is furious and calls all the 11 Tribes together in order to go into battle against the tribe of the Benjamites.
The 11 tribes of Israel inquire of the Lord three times on whether or not they should go into battle and God said yes all three times. Israel defeated the Benjamites but not until losing 40,000 of their own men.
Some things I learned from this account:
1. I must be willing to stand up for my wife even if it means losing my life. I should be her protector. The Levite was unwilling to do so for his wife.
2. I must be willing to love others enough to even die for them. Jesus said no greater love has someone than to lay down their life for another.
3. I must be willing to stand up for my faith even if it means evil coming against me. Even if it means being ridiculed, rejected, or even killed.
4. May I seek the Lord always for his guidance.
