This is among the worst passages of the Bible… Even Dexter would cringe...
Judges 19:22 While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a perverse lot, surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him." 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Since this man is my guest, do not do this vile thing. 24 Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them; but against this man do not do such a vile thing." 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her, and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. 26 As morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, until it was light.
27 In the morning her master got up, opened the doors of the house, and when he went out to go on his way, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 "Get up," he said to her, "we are going." But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey; and the man set out for his home. 29 When he had entered his house, he took a knife, and grasping his concubine he cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. 30 Then he commanded the men whom he sent, saying, "Thus shall you say to all the Israelites, 'Has such a thing ever happened since the day that the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.' "
I really hate this passage.
I don't want to read it. I want to cut it out and burn it. If I got to edit the Bible this is something I would like to leave out.
But it is there.
There are so many things to discuss in this passage but the part that comes to mind is verses 29 and 30.
Over the past few years the world has become more aware of the evil that we do. Chemical warfare in Syria, sexual abuse throughout the world, slavery, racism, evil and injustice. In South Africa the 'Rainbow' nation is rising up to say that you can't just paint a giant rainbow over our problems.
We need to face the reality of our problems.
This is the emotion that Judges 19:29-30 brings to mind.
After the concubine has been raped to death - the Levite cuts her body into pieces and posts pieces to each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
This is not a parcel that anyone would want to receive. Some severed and bloody body part.
This gruesome act highlights the plight of all the victims of injustice and violence.
With the message:
"Has such a thing ever happened…. Consider it, take counsel, and speak out."
I want to ignore the horrors, the rapes, the injustice, the hopelessness of the children of our land. I want to ignore the things that ministry brings me into contact with.
But we need to be confronted by the gruesome reality of what is happening.
Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.
My reaction to the news of brokenness and injustice - the suffering of God's people is often similar to the reaction that I'd have if I got a parcel with a severed limb in it. I'd be shocked, disgusted, traumatized but I'd quickly drop it and get the necessary therapy to help me forget.
But what about the response the Levit counsels:
"Consider it, take counsel and speak out."
