The Stubborness of a tribe, The Assembly (Judges 20:1-11)

3/6/2010 12:34 PM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time           Focus:  The Stubbornness of a tribe; The Assembly 

 

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Judges 20:1-11

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to the LORD at Mizpah. 2  The chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 foot soldiers who drew the sword. 3  (Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this wickedness take place?" 4  So the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, "I came with my concubine to spend the night at Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 5  "But the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they ravished my concubine so that she died. 6  "And I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7  "Behold, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here." 8  Then all the people arose as one man, saying, "Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us return to his house. 9  "But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot. 10  "And we will take 10 men out of 100 throughout the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of 1,000, and 1,000 out of 10,000 to supply food for the people, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may punish them for all the disgraceful acts that they have committed in Israel." 11  Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.”

            I want to be reminded again that this portion of Judges happened long before the incident with Samson and is written as an appendix to the book of judges, for Israel would not have been able to do the things described in these three chapters if they were under the control of the Philistines.

            The Levite got what he wanted by sending the cut up portions of his concubine to all of the tribes of Israel and son now we see 400,000 men assembled at Mizpah wondering what they were going to do.  Benjamin nor did Jabesh-gilead sent representatives to this assembly. The question as to why there were there is answered by the Levite as he tells the story of what happened to him at Gibeah, which is in the land where the people of Benjamite were living.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There were some things that were done according to the book of the Law here and this is how problems are to be solved.  When problems arise, as they will, then the Bible is the first place to look for the answers.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Be Biblical in all that I do.

 

3/6/2010 12:50 PM