Dark Sins during Dark Times

Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Judges 19:1-30.

The book of Judges continues to present accounts during the time when Israel had rejected the LORD as king, and the picture grows darker. A Levite took for himself a concubine; she became unfaithful. He went to reconcile with her, and her father showed the Levite extreme hospitality. The Levite finally pries himself away, along with his concubine and servants, to go to the house of the LORD. Events have been unusual, it is true, but there seems to be hope. Yet, the darkest events await. Their brief journey before nightfall leaves them in Gibeah. Hospitality is lacking until an old sojourner prevails upon them to stay the night with him. The Levite and his company soon find out the reason the old man was so insistent: the men of Gibeah are sodomites. At this point, any reconciliation that had been accomplished between the Levite and his concubine is thrown out the window as he chooses to use her to save himself. The men of Gibeah abuse her in unspeakable ways, leading to her murder. The Levite’s response is distant and callous; he turns his knife of sacrifice upon her corpse and sends pieces of her throughout Israel. The events of the text are chilling, a vivid reminder of the great need sinners have to place their trust in the one true God, lest their idolatry and sin consume themselves and others.

“Rebellion and Rescue” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Judges. This book is characterized by a familiar. As the generations after Joshua forget the LORD and what He has done for Israel, they fall into idolatry. The LORD gives them over into the hands of their enemies in order to bring them to their senses. When they cry out to Him in repentance, He sends a judge to rescue them and give them rest for a time, until they relapse into idolatry once more. In this cycle, we see a picture of our own Christian life. Daily, the old Adam in us is drowned in contrition and repentance, and the new man emerges in Baptismal forgiveness to live in righteousness and purity before God forever.