April 6th

Judges 19:1-21:25

The book of Judges ended with perhaps the most repulsive story so far, that of the Levite and his concubine, the horrific behavior of the tribe of Benjamin, and the resulting civil war between Benjamin and Judah (a glimpse into the coming conflict between Kings Saul and David). It is alarming how fast and how far the Israelites fell away from the Lord and His covenant, so far, in fact, that the people of Gibeah (Benjamin) repeated the awful actions of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-11).

The book ends with a summary statement of this period, “In those days Israel had no king, so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (21:25). Here is the author’s way of saying, “The wheels have come off of the wagon and all hell has broken loose!”

While he pointed out that these things happened before there was a king, the problem was not that they didn’t have a king. The problem was that the people had been unfaithful to the King they already had. They had abandoned the King of heaven, who had delivered them from bondage and from their enemies; they had been unfaithful to their covenant, and they had “spit” in God’s face and run to the arms of false gods. As a result of their separation, they experienced life without Him; and, life without God in the picture is chaotic and revolting.

While we may think that these people were foolish, we must consider what is happening in our society today. Like the Israelites, we have abandoned our godly heritage, removed God as our guide, and welcomed evil into our midst. The prevailing philosophy of our day is that of moral relativism, the idea that there is no absolute or universal moral standard for law or behavior, that everyone is free to choose what is right in his own eyes. As the German atheist Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “You have your way; I have my way. As for the right way, it does not exist.”

Daily Reflection

Do you sense that moral relativism has become the norm? Can you predict the outcome of holding to such a perverted philosophy?

While the thought of everyone doing what’s right in his own eyes might sound “liberating,” it only gives way to license, meaning that every evil imaginable is “right” and will, in time, become legal. Living out such a philosophy is impossible, of course, because everyone can’t be right; and pursuing such a course will only end in social self-destruction, as it did in the period of judges. The wheels will come off of the wagon and all hell will break loose!

What, then, is the solution? Simple, the Gospel, changed hearts and minds and a return to God as our guide. There must be a standard of morality for all people, in a places, at all times; and, there is — God’s natural moral law. As Creator and Sovereign of the universe, He gets to make the rules, and His rules bring or- der, goodness, and justice to all people and all societies. Ignoring God’s statutes only invites every person to fulfill his sinful fleshly desires, which spells disaster for us all.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is only death. But, I — the Lord Jesus — have come that you might life and have it more abundantly” (Proverbs 14:12; John 10:10).

BiAY.org | Day 96 — 269 Days to Go