WEBVTT

00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:06.640
 Thanks, Alistair. Can I just add my welcome this evening? I'm Tim. I'm one of the interns here at Brunsfield.

00:00:07.580 --> 00:00:13.040
 And my job just at this moment is just to give you three minutes of introduction of where we've been.

00:00:13.740 --> 00:00:22.820
 In chapter one of Judges, way back at the start of the summer, we began with such hope for the fledgling nation of Israel.

00:00:22.820 --> 00:00:29.280
 Israel seemed to be living up to its high calling as a light among the nations.

00:00:29.780 --> 00:00:39.420
 Remember how God, we've been singing and reading about how God took them from Egypt and brought them into this land to give it to them.

00:00:40.480 --> 00:00:44.240
 And in the first chapter, there was teamwork and collaboration.

00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:47.880
 The people were inhabiting the land and all seemed well.

00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:55.500
 But even as we looked at that first chapter, there were issues bubbling beneath the surface.

00:00:56.440 --> 00:01:05.400
 And as we've gone through the whole cycle of the Judges, we've seen time and time again that Israel did not match up to what it was meant to be.

00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:17.480
 And as we've seen God striving for His people, bringing them to their senses through hostile neighbours and then raising up from among them deliverers.

00:01:19.080 --> 00:01:26.880
 At this stage in the cycle, I am just awestruck that God has continued to have dealings with these people.

00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:31.459
 Even though it seems that every chance they get, they err.

00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:41.399
 Yet God still follows them, pursues them, looks after them, cares for them, longs to draw them back to Himself.

00:01:43.219 --> 00:01:51.659
 But even in our wonder of God's faithfulness, we ought to be perturbed with where Judges has been leading us.

00:01:51.659 --> 00:02:00.539
 From the flawed Gideon to Jephthah to Samson, the last few Judges that we've looked at in the book,

00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:08.639
 they're given a lot of space and a great deal of material is taken up with the stories of their flawed manners.

00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:12.599
 And so as we round off our studies in the book tonight,

00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:17.379
 we find that our subject matter for this evening is harrowing.

00:02:18.900 --> 00:02:20.000
 It's difficult.

00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:22.500
 It is not comfortable.

00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:30.340
 Much of what is described in our passage may well be distressing for many of us and painful.

00:02:31.860 --> 00:02:36.420
 There is little light or joy in the narrative that we're going to study.

00:02:37.699 --> 00:02:44.060
 But in all that, I am utterly convinced and I believe that we are utterly convinced

00:02:44.060 --> 00:02:48.939
 that all of Scripture is God-breathed and that it is profitable to us.

00:02:49.740 --> 00:02:54.140
 And so as we think and as we pray and as we read,

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 would God be made glorious among us even tonight,

00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:06.039
 even in the dirty, hard, troubling parts of the Word of God that we have to deal with.

00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:08.000
 I'm just going to hand back to Alistair now.

00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:22.599
 Can we come and pray to begin with and ask God to help us to engage with this challenging portion of God's Word this evening?

00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:23.560
 Let's pray.

00:03:26.939 --> 00:03:35.659
 Father God, we come before you this evening and we come as those who are your children,

00:03:36.099 --> 00:03:39.659
 as those who know you as Savior.

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 And we long that you would come and meet with us here this evening.

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 That you would give us humility as we deal with your Word.

00:03:53.620 --> 00:03:58.419
 That you would give us love and honour and honesty.

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 Father, would you help me?

00:04:16.419 --> 00:04:18.139
 Would you take my words?

00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:24.019
 And would you ensure that nothing that is against your glory would be said?

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 And would you help all of us as we hear your Word?

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 That we would understand.

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 That we would apply it to our lives.

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 And that we would go away changed men and women.

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 Father, help us, we pray.

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 In Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

00:04:44.299 --> 00:04:45.699
 We're going to read tonight.

00:04:45.799 --> 00:04:49.299
 We're not going to read the whole passage as we've done most of the other weeks.

00:04:49.300 --> 00:04:54.540
 We're just going to read a scattering of verses through the few chapters.

00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.319
 So we're starting in Judges chapter 19.

00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:02.860
 And we're just going to take out a scattering of verses.

00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:09.120
 Before us, we have three chapters that form three acts in a story.

00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:11.819
 In chapter 19, we find act 1.

00:05:12.259 --> 00:05:14.960
 That is the spark that starts a war.

00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.799
 Then in chapter 20, we find that civil war itself and how it plays out.

00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:27.799
 Finally, in act 3 in chapter 21, we find something of a reconciliation narrative.

00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.699
 And so that's where we're reading from this evening.

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 So chapter 19, and just the first kind of half line there, begins,

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 In those days, Israel had no king.

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 And then we'll skip down to verse 29, down to the end of the chapter.

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 And it says,

00:05:49.540 --> 00:05:59.660
 When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine limb by limb into 12 parts

00:05:59.660 --> 00:06:03.060
 and sent them into all the areas of Israel.

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 Everyone who saw it was saying to one another,

00:06:06.699 --> 00:06:09.979
 Such a thing has never been seen or done.

00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:13.339
 Not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt.

00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:15.420
 Just imagine.

00:06:16.420 --> 00:06:17.759
 We must do something.

00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:19.579
 So speak up.

00:06:20.620 --> 00:06:23.819
 Then all Israel and from Dan to Beersheba

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 and from the land of Gilead came together as one

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 and assembled before the Lord in Mizpah.

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 The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel

00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:38.579
 took their places in the assembly of God's people.

00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:43.459
 400,000 armed men with swords.

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 The Benjamites had heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.

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 Then the Israelites said,

00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:53.859
 Tell us how this awful thing happened.

00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:58.319
 So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said,

00:06:59.400 --> 00:07:04.639
 I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.

00:07:05.540 --> 00:07:08.800
 During the night, the men of Gibeah came after me

00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:12.699
 and surrounded the house intending to kill me.

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 They raped my concubine and she died.

00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:21.139
 I took my concubine, cut her into pieces

00:07:21.139 --> 00:07:26.600
 and sent one piece into each region of Israel's inheritance

00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:32.480
 because they committed this lewd and outrageous act in Israel.

00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:35.519
 Now all you Israelites, speak up

00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:39.120
 and tell me what you have decided to do.

00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:41.879
 Skipping down to verse 12.

00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:47.459
 The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin

00:07:47.459 --> 00:07:48.439
 saying,

00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:52.540
 What about this awful crime that was committed among you?

00:07:53.339 --> 00:07:57.279
 Now turn those wicked men of Gibeah over to us

00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:02.199
 so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from the land.

00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:07.159
 But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites.

00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:11.300
 From their towns, they came together at Gibeah

00:08:11.300 --> 00:08:14.620
 to fight against the Israelites.

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 Down again to verse 17.

00:08:18.300 --> 00:08:20.740
 Israel, apart from Benjamin,

00:08:21.259 --> 00:08:23.759
 mustered 400,000 swordsmen,

00:08:23.840 --> 00:08:25.240
 all of them fit for battle.

00:08:26.520 --> 00:08:29.180
 The Israelites went up to Bethel

00:08:29.180 --> 00:08:31.139
 and inquired of God.

00:08:31.139 --> 00:08:32.799
 They said,

00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:36.200
 Who of us is to go up first

00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:39.560
 to fight against the Benjamites?

00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:41.139
 The Lord replied,

00:08:41.319 --> 00:08:42.959
 Judah shall go first.

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 Down to verse 26 then.

00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:47.579
 Then all the Israelites,

00:08:47.739 --> 00:08:48.519
 the whole army,

00:08:48.899 --> 00:08:50.099
 went up to Bethel

00:08:50.099 --> 00:08:52.619
 and there they sat weeping

00:08:52.619 --> 00:08:54.159
 before the Lord.

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 They fasted that day until evening

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 and presented burnt offerings

00:08:59.339 --> 00:09:01.179
 and fellowship offerings to the Lord.

00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:03.739
 And the Israelites inquired of the Lord.

00:09:03.740 --> 00:09:05.639
 In those days,

00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:07.159
 the Ark of the Covenant was there

00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:08.000
 with Phinehas,

00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:09.279
 son of Eleazar,

00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:10.039
 son of Aaron,

00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:11.299
 ministering before it.

00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:11.980
 They asked,

00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:13.120
 Shall we go up again

00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:14.519
 to fight against the Benjamites,

00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:15.740
 our fellow Israelites,

00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:16.860
 or not?

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 The Lord responded,

00:09:19.060 --> 00:09:19.259
 Go,

00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:21.720
 for tomorrow I will give them

00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:23.519
 into your hands.

00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:27.259
 Skipping down to verse 46,

00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:28.639
 the end of the chapter.

00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.360
 On that day,

00:09:30.740 --> 00:09:34.019
 25,000 Benjamite swordsmen fell,

00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:36.720
 all of them valiant fighters.

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 But 600 of them turned

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 and fled into the wilderness

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 to the Rock of Rimmon,

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 where they stayed for four months.

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 The men of Israel

00:09:47.340 --> 00:09:49.460
 went back into Benjamin

00:09:49.460 --> 00:09:51.779
 and put all the towns

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 to the sword,

00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:54.620
 including the animals

00:09:54.620 --> 00:09:56.700
 and everything else

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 they found.

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 All the towns

00:09:59.340 --> 00:10:00.320
 they came across,

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 they set on fire.

00:10:03.659 --> 00:10:04.860
 The men of Israel

00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:05.779
 had taken an oath

00:10:05.779 --> 00:10:06.460
 at Mizpah.

00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:07.940
 Not one of us

00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:09.620
 will give his daughter

00:10:09.620 --> 00:10:10.460
 in marriage

00:10:10.460 --> 00:10:11.899
 to a Benjaminite.

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 The people went

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 to Bethel,

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 where they sat

00:10:17.139 --> 00:10:19.379
 before God

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 until evening,

00:10:21.060 --> 00:10:21.960
 raising their voices

00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:23.080
 and weeping bitterly,

00:10:23.080 --> 00:10:24.620
 Lord God of Israel,

00:10:24.700 --> 00:10:25.180
 they cried.

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 Why has this happened

00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:28.060
 to Israel?

00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:30.360
 Why should one tribe

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 be missing

00:10:31.020 --> 00:10:32.920
 from Israel today?

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 And finally,

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 just down to the end

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 of the chapter again,

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 down to 23.

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 So that is what

00:10:40.300 --> 00:10:41.560
 the Benjamites did.

00:10:42.300 --> 00:10:43.320
 While the young women

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 were dancing,

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 each man caught one

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 and carried her off

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 to be his wife.

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 Then they returned

00:10:52.779 --> 00:10:54.120
 to their inheritance

00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:56.500
 and rebuilt the towns

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 and settled in them.

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 At that time,

00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:00.539
 the Israelites

00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:02.480
 left that place

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 and went home

00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:04.139
 to their tribes

00:11:04.139 --> 00:11:05.179
 and clans,

00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:06.480
 each to his own inheritance.

00:11:07.700 --> 00:11:08.539
 In those days,

00:11:08.659 --> 00:11:10.059
 Israel had no king.

00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:12.080
 Everyone did

00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:15.080
 as they saw fit.

00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:19.620
 Apologies for skipping

00:11:19.620 --> 00:11:20.420
 through the reading.

00:11:20.900 --> 00:11:22.300
 It's one of the longest readings

00:11:22.300 --> 00:11:23.780
 in the whole of Judges

00:11:23.780 --> 00:11:25.160
 and it would have taken

00:11:25.160 --> 00:11:26.280
 an awfully long time

00:11:26.280 --> 00:11:27.300
 to have gone through

00:11:27.300 --> 00:11:28.560
 the whole section.

00:11:29.660 --> 00:11:31.100
 We begin our passage

00:11:31.100 --> 00:11:32.180
 in Act 1,

00:11:32.280 --> 00:11:33.840
 the spark of the Civil War.

00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:35.540
 And we began our passage

00:11:35.540 --> 00:11:36.160
 this evening

00:11:36.160 --> 00:11:37.280
 with the return

00:11:37.280 --> 00:11:37.980
 of a motif

00:11:37.980 --> 00:11:38.680
 that turned up

00:11:38.680 --> 00:11:39.580
 last time

00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:40.820
 when Ian was taking us

00:11:40.820 --> 00:11:41.500
 through.

00:11:41.920 --> 00:11:43.440
 There was no king

00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:44.400
 in Israel.

00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:46.620
 And that ought to be

00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:48.120
 something of a warning sign

00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:48.900
 to us

00:11:48.900 --> 00:11:50.480
 as we have read

00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:52.180
 about Israel's idolatry

00:11:52.180 --> 00:11:52.960
 over the past

00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:54.080
 couple of chapters

00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:55.920
 and here

00:11:55.920 --> 00:11:57.259
 no less than before.

00:11:58.080 --> 00:11:58.960
 As the curtain

00:11:58.960 --> 00:11:59.680
 comes up

00:11:59.680 --> 00:12:00.600
 on the stage,

00:12:00.680 --> 00:12:01.379
 we're met again

00:12:01.379 --> 00:12:03.240
 with a nameless Levite.

00:12:04.300 --> 00:12:05.480
 We should note

00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:07.480
 that only one character

00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:09.040
 in all three chapters

00:12:09.040 --> 00:12:10.180
 is given an identity

00:12:10.180 --> 00:12:12.900
 and that he merely

00:12:12.900 --> 00:12:13.460
 helps us

00:12:13.460 --> 00:12:14.580
 to date the events.

00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:15.740
 It's early

00:12:15.740 --> 00:12:16.780
 in the Judges period

00:12:16.780 --> 00:12:18.780
 and he concretes

00:12:18.780 --> 00:12:20.379
 this whole narrative

00:12:20.379 --> 00:12:21.560
 as real,

00:12:21.780 --> 00:12:22.440
 true history.

00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:25.480
 The rest of the characters

00:12:25.480 --> 00:12:26.820
 have no identity,

00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.420
 no names,

00:12:28.660 --> 00:12:29.500
 no lineages,

00:12:30.280 --> 00:12:30.620
 nothing.

00:12:31.820 --> 00:12:32.420
 The writer,

00:12:33.060 --> 00:12:34.600
 it's as if he's

00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:35.960
 generalizing them,

00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:37.680
 dehumanizing them.

00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:38.799
 It's a ploy

00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:40.120
 to pull us in.

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.199
 Another Levite,

00:12:44.299 --> 00:12:45.579
 just like the last story

00:12:45.579 --> 00:12:46.699
 which Ian led us through.

00:12:47.079 --> 00:12:47.799
 We're introduced

00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:49.759
 to one of these men

00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:51.159
 who should have been

00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:52.439
 leading the people

00:12:52.439 --> 00:12:53.099
 of Israel

00:12:53.099 --> 00:12:53.899
 in covenant

00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:54.519
 obedience

00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:55.479
 towards God.

00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:57.059
 This man should have

00:12:57.059 --> 00:12:58.259
 known the law

00:12:58.259 --> 00:12:59.239
 and he should have

00:12:59.239 --> 00:13:00.259
 been doing it.

00:13:00.259 --> 00:13:03.939
 but his initial action

00:13:03.939 --> 00:13:04.720
 in the chapter

00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:05.639
 is startling.

00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.080
 He takes a concubine

00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:08.000
 to himself,

00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:10.360
 a second class wife.

00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:13.100
 It isn't overtly stated,

00:13:13.379 --> 00:13:14.340
 very little is

00:13:14.340 --> 00:13:15.100
 in these chapters

00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:16.439
 because we're meant

00:13:16.439 --> 00:13:17.679
 to infer from the story

00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:18.620
 what is going on

00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:19.639
 and this ought to be

00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:20.919
 a second warning sign

00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:21.799
 that something is going

00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:23.340
 badly wrong.

00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:26.799
 And then she leaves

00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:30.479
 and there's a

00:13:30.479 --> 00:13:31.819
 four month gap

00:13:31.819 --> 00:13:34.059
 before our friend

00:13:34.059 --> 00:13:34.679
 the Levite

00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:35.279
 goes off

00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:36.299
 in search of her

00:13:36.299 --> 00:13:37.859
 and we see

00:13:37.859 --> 00:13:39.019
 no motivation

00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:39.939
 in this.

00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:41.899
 Perhaps this is

00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:42.299
 honorable.

00:13:43.539 --> 00:13:44.579
 Perhaps he is doing

00:13:44.579 --> 00:13:45.479
 the right thing

00:13:45.479 --> 00:13:48.500
 and we find him

00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:50.620
 greeted by his wife

00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:52.959
 and welcomed

00:13:52.959 --> 00:13:55.019
 into his father-in-law's

00:13:55.019 --> 00:13:55.579
 house

00:13:55.580 --> 00:13:56.940
 in Bethlehem.

00:13:57.840 --> 00:13:59.160
 All seems well.

00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:00.840
 Celebrations

00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:02.379
 are had

00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:03.220
 and everyone

00:14:03.220 --> 00:14:03.879
 seems to be

00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:05.020
 enjoying themselves.

00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:06.920
 The father-in-law,

00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:07.280
 notice,

00:14:07.940 --> 00:14:09.900
 is a lavish host.

00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:12.240
 But notice again

00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:13.259
 that the son-in-law

00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:15.080
 wants to get home.

00:14:16.860 --> 00:14:18.320
 Down in verse 8

00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:20.520
 and beforehand even.

00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:22.900
 He tries to leave

00:14:22.900 --> 00:14:23.720
 on day 4

00:14:23.720 --> 00:14:25.360
 only to be coerced

00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:26.240
 into another day

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.680
 of his father-in-law's

00:14:27.680 --> 00:14:28.279
 feasting.

00:14:29.060 --> 00:14:29.879
 On day 5

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:30.800
 he gets up to go

00:14:30.800 --> 00:14:31.560
 but again

00:14:31.560 --> 00:14:32.340
 isn't treated

00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:34.039
 by his father-in-law's

00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:34.720
 generosity.

00:14:35.820 --> 00:14:36.580
 But as the day

00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:37.480
 drags on

00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:38.360
 on day 5

00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:39.279
 the Levite

00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:39.960
 decides he'll

00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:40.899
 stay no more

00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:42.019
 and he leaves.

00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:44.019
 I wonder

00:14:44.019 --> 00:14:45.019
 can you almost

00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:46.100
 feel for the Levite

00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:48.300
 detained and coerced

00:14:48.300 --> 00:14:50.220
 by his father-in-law

00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:51.580
 just wanting

00:14:51.580 --> 00:14:52.460
 to get home.

00:14:53.060 --> 00:14:53.560
 Perhaps you've

00:14:53.560 --> 00:14:54.200
 been to some

00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:55.040
 Christmases like

00:14:55.040 --> 00:14:55.320
 that.

00:14:56.160 --> 00:14:57.639
 I can sympathize

00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:58.180
 with this

00:14:58.180 --> 00:14:58.600
 and perhaps

00:14:58.600 --> 00:14:59.200
 in our British

00:14:59.200 --> 00:14:59.620
 mindset

00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:01.160
 we might wonder

00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:01.920
 if there's some

00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:03.019
 ulterior motives

00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:04.120
 in the father-in-law's

00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:04.700
 generosity

00:15:04.700 --> 00:15:06.080
 and his constant

00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:07.240
 desire to keep him.

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.080
 Oh maybe

00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:09.000
 he'll move closer.

00:15:09.780 --> 00:15:10.379
 Maybe we can

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:11.060
 build a house

00:15:11.060 --> 00:15:11.680
 next door

00:15:11.680 --> 00:15:12.420
 as an add-on.

00:15:13.800 --> 00:15:14.879
 But don't be

00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:15.379
 too quick

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:15.879
 to jump

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:16.340
 to those

00:15:16.340 --> 00:15:16.860
 conclusions.

00:15:18.780 --> 00:15:19.460
 They leave

00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:20.120
 Bethlehem

00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:21.379
 and we have

00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:21.920
 the Levite

00:15:21.920 --> 00:15:22.620
 and his concubine

00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.360
 and a servant

00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:23.960
 and a couple

00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:24.600
 of donkeys

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.160
 and within

00:15:25.160 --> 00:15:25.600
 a couple

00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:26.100
 of hours

00:15:26.100 --> 00:15:27.060
 they approach

00:15:27.060 --> 00:15:27.660
 Jebus

00:15:27.660 --> 00:15:29.200
 the city

00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:29.759
 that we will

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:31.340
 come to be

00:15:31.340 --> 00:15:31.920
 very familiar

00:15:31.920 --> 00:15:32.740
 with as

00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:33.320
 Jerusalem

00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:35.820
 but it's

00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:36.340
 still in the

00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:36.840
 hands of the

00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:37.500
 Canaanites.

00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:38.560
 It's still

00:15:38.560 --> 00:15:39.920
 enemy territory

00:15:39.920 --> 00:15:41.680
 and it seems

00:15:41.680 --> 00:15:42.340
 like too much

00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:43.220
 of a risk

00:15:43.220 --> 00:15:43.940
 to seek

00:15:43.940 --> 00:15:45.240
 hospitality there.

00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:46.820
 Goodness only

00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:47.440
 knows what

00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:48.300
 might befall

00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:49.740
 a good Israelite

00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:50.359
 among those

00:15:50.359 --> 00:15:51.099
 pagans.

00:15:52.199 --> 00:15:52.659
 It would be

00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:53.339
 like if some

00:15:53.339 --> 00:15:53.899
 of us east

00:15:53.899 --> 00:15:54.479
 coast folk

00:15:54.479 --> 00:15:55.099
 were driving

00:15:55.099 --> 00:15:55.819
 across the

00:15:55.819 --> 00:15:56.379
 M8 and

00:15:56.379 --> 00:15:57.120
 you saw

00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:57.740
 the Hilton

00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:58.719
 for Glasgow

00:15:58.719 --> 00:15:59.059
 and you

00:15:59.059 --> 00:15:59.620
 thought well

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:01.219
 I don't know

00:16:01.219 --> 00:16:01.899
 Glasgow

00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:02.799
 can any good

00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.359
 thing happen

00:16:03.359 --> 00:16:03.879
 in Glasgow

00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:04.319
 to an

00:16:04.319 --> 00:16:04.620
 Edinburgh

00:16:04.620 --> 00:16:05.139
 man.

00:16:05.579 --> 00:16:06.299
 We'll keep

00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:06.919
 on going

00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.519
 until we

00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.219
 reach more

00:16:08.219 --> 00:16:09.240
 hospitable

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.039
 territory.

00:16:11.159 --> 00:16:11.959
 And so

00:16:11.959 --> 00:16:12.379
 they keep

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:12.759
 on going

00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:13.219
 until they

00:16:13.219 --> 00:16:13.539
 reach

00:16:13.539 --> 00:16:15.359
 Gibeah.

00:16:15.959 --> 00:16:16.539
 It's

00:16:16.539 --> 00:16:17.159
 Benjamite

00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:17.779
 territory.

00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:19.120
 It's a

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:19.579
 walled

00:16:19.579 --> 00:16:20.120
 city so

00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:20.379
 it should

00:16:20.379 --> 00:16:20.979
 be safe

00:16:20.979 --> 00:16:21.819
 and secure

00:16:21.819 --> 00:16:22.679
 and it

00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:23.079
 should be

00:16:23.079 --> 00:16:23.819
 filled with

00:16:23.819 --> 00:16:24.399
 Israelites

00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:25.459
 who will

00:16:25.459 --> 00:16:26.039
 be friendly

00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:26.479
 to this

00:16:26.479 --> 00:16:27.099
 little band

00:16:27.099 --> 00:16:27.539
 of weary

00:16:27.539 --> 00:16:28.299
 travellers.

00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:29.819
 Worth a

00:16:29.819 --> 00:16:30.419
 late walk

00:16:30.419 --> 00:16:30.859
 surely.

00:16:32.059 --> 00:16:32.699
 They come

00:16:32.699 --> 00:16:33.179
 through the

00:16:33.179 --> 00:16:33.639
 gate into

00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:34.339
 the square

00:16:34.339 --> 00:16:35.379
 and they

00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:35.839
 wait for

00:16:35.839 --> 00:16:36.339
 someone to

00:16:36.339 --> 00:16:36.559
 offer

00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:37.379
 hospitality.

00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:38.779
 This would

00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:39.039
 have been

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:39.459
 the normal

00:16:39.459 --> 00:16:41.599
 custom and

00:16:41.599 --> 00:16:41.899
 it would

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:42.219
 have been

00:16:42.219 --> 00:16:43.240
 an absolute

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:44.299
 shame on

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:44.979
 the city

00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:46.200
 if they

00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:46.860
 didn't

00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:47.240
 offer

00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:47.980
 hospitality

00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:48.320
 to

00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:48.940
 strangers.

00:16:51.060 --> 00:16:52.220
 In any

00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:52.560
 of the

00:16:52.560 --> 00:16:53.120
 nations

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.240
 never mind

00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:54.700
 Israel

00:16:54.700 --> 00:16:57.659
 and in

00:16:57.659 --> 00:16:58.320
 the context

00:16:58.320 --> 00:16:58.659
 of the

00:16:58.659 --> 00:16:59.460
 father-in-law's

00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:00.080
 lavish

00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.720
 generosity

00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:01.740
 in Bethlehem

00:17:01.740 --> 00:17:02.700
 this is

00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:03.180
 meant to

00:17:03.180 --> 00:17:03.720
 scream

00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:04.460
 volumes

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.360
 to us

00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:06.259
 that there's

00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:06.660
 something

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.279
 awfully

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.259
 wrong to

00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:08.680
 us

00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:09.259
 in

00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:09.740
 Gibeah.

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:12.559
 And then

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:12.880
 a new

00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:13.480
 character is

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:13.839
 brought into

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:14.339
 the story

00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:15.440
 this sojourner

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.900
 late from

00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:17.620
 his work

00:17:17.620 --> 00:17:18.240
 and he

00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.019
 notices these

00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:20.819
 strangers in

00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:21.359
 the square

00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:22.180
 and it

00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:22.720
 turns out

00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:22.960
 that they're

00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:23.319
 from the

00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:24.180
 same clan

00:17:24.180 --> 00:17:25.019
 and he

00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:25.680
 invites them

00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.579
 in and

00:17:26.579 --> 00:17:27.900
 it seems

00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:28.440
 to make the

00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:30.339
 point that

00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:31.039
 it wouldn't

00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:31.720
 be wise

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:32.059
 for them

00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:32.579
 to stay

00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:32.880
 in the

00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:33.259
 square.

00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:35.799
 Isn't it

00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:36.200
 odd that

00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:36.579
 in this

00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:37.000
 city it

00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:37.400
 takes an

00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:38.140
 outsider to

00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:38.480
 do the

00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:38.819
 decent

00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:39.279
 thing?

00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:40.980
 And they

00:17:40.980 --> 00:17:42.539
 go and

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.079
 they join

00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:44.579
 him and

00:17:44.579 --> 00:17:45.079
 soon they're

00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:46.519
 comfortable and

00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:47.279
 the party is

00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:47.740
 off to a

00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:48.680
 great start

00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:51.339
 but soon

00:17:51.339 --> 00:17:51.799
 there is a

00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:52.339
 noise and

00:17:52.339 --> 00:17:52.920
 the party is

00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:53.420
 interrupted.

00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:55.160
 Not a

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:55.759
 group of

00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:56.480
 well-wishing

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:57.059
 neighbours

00:17:57.059 --> 00:17:58.880
 bringing pots

00:17:58.880 --> 00:17:59.460
 of food

00:17:59.460 --> 00:18:00.740
 but a

00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:01.079
 mob.

00:18:02.579 --> 00:18:03.740
 They throw

00:18:03.740 --> 00:18:04.420
 themselves

00:18:04.420 --> 00:18:05.740
 against the

00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:06.160
 door of

00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:06.660
 the house

00:18:06.660 --> 00:18:07.579
 that the

00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:08.440
 word used

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:08.680
 in the

00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:09.160
 NIV is

00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:09.500
 weak.

00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:10.500
 They throw

00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:11.099
 themselves

00:18:11.099 --> 00:18:11.660
 against the

00:18:11.660 --> 00:18:11.940
 door of

00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:12.380
 the house

00:18:12.380 --> 00:18:12.940
 and they

00:18:12.940 --> 00:18:13.720
 demand that

00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:14.559
 this traveller

00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:15.180
 be given

00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:15.920
 into their

00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:16.500
 hands.

00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.400
 We've heard

00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:19.759
 what the

00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.640
 Levite said

00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:21.099
 they wanted

00:18:21.099 --> 00:18:21.480
 to do

00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:21.880
 with him

00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:23.640
 and this

00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:23.960
 is a

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:24.740
 horrendous

00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.640
 request

00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:27.380
 and our

00:18:27.380 --> 00:18:28.779
 minds ought

00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:29.500
 to instantly

00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:30.940
 recognise this

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:31.660
 as what

00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:32.620
 happened to

00:18:32.620 --> 00:18:34.079
 the visitors

00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:34.839
 that came to

00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:35.420
 Lot in

00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:36.440
 Genesis 19

00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:37.700
 in Sodom

00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:38.500
 and Gomorrah

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:42.160
 and notice

00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:42.700
 the host

00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:43.519
 tries to

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.320
 bargain

00:18:44.320 --> 00:18:45.160
 with them.

00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:47.660
 He offers

00:18:47.660 --> 00:18:48.259
 them his

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:49.080
 own daughter

00:18:49.080 --> 00:18:50.380
 as well as

00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:51.140
 the Levite's

00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:51.860
 concubine.

00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:52.660
 It does

00:18:52.660 --> 00:18:53.400
 exactly what

00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:53.940
 Lot did

00:18:53.940 --> 00:18:54.700
 or very

00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:55.420
 very similar.

00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:57.920
 But the

00:18:57.920 --> 00:18:58.279
 men of

00:18:58.279 --> 00:18:58.860
 this city

00:18:58.860 --> 00:19:00.120
 are insatiable

00:19:00.120 --> 00:19:01.060
 in their

00:19:01.060 --> 00:19:02.019
 evil desire

00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:03.140
 and they

00:19:03.140 --> 00:19:03.840
 are utterly

00:19:03.840 --> 00:19:04.560
 depraved.

00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:07.240
 And do

00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:07.579
 you notice

00:19:07.579 --> 00:19:07.919
 that we

00:19:07.919 --> 00:19:08.579
 see here

00:19:08.579 --> 00:19:09.839
 the characters

00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.759
 are tested.

00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:12.679
 We see

00:19:12.679 --> 00:19:13.179
 what makes

00:19:13.179 --> 00:19:13.579
 up these

00:19:13.579 --> 00:19:14.720
 people and

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:15.000
 what we

00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:15.919
 discover is

00:19:15.919 --> 00:19:16.519
 dark.

00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:19.019
 The host

00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:19.799
 is so

00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:20.720
 twisted in

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.720
 thinking that

00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.220
 he's willing

00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:22.819
 to offer

00:19:22.819 --> 00:19:23.519
 even his

00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.240
 own daughter

00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:25.500
 and the

00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:26.039
 concubine

00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:26.819
 to save

00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:27.460
 himself and

00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:28.159
 his guest.

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.159
 But then

00:19:30.159 --> 00:19:30.740
 up steps

00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:31.539
 the Levite

00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:34.980
 and without

00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:35.859
 any hint

00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:36.460
 of love

00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:39.059
 or anything

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:40.500
 that drove

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:41.399
 him to

00:19:41.399 --> 00:19:42.119
 go and

00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:42.980
 win back

00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:43.879
 his concubine

00:19:43.879 --> 00:19:45.299
 he takes

00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.279
 her and

00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:47.159
 he throws

00:19:47.159 --> 00:19:47.659
 her out

00:19:47.659 --> 00:19:48.119
 to this

00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:48.700
 mob.

00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:50.019
 Out to

00:19:50.019 --> 00:19:51.000
 this pack

00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:52.960
 of ravenous

00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:53.680
 wolves.

00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:55.700
 And she

00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:56.359
 is taken

00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:57.659
 and she

00:19:57.659 --> 00:19:58.420
 is tortured.

00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:00.599
 And meanwhile

00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:01.420
 he goes to

00:20:01.420 --> 00:20:01.860
 bed.

00:20:04.460 --> 00:20:05.019
 And after

00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:05.840
 the horror

00:20:05.840 --> 00:20:06.660
 of what

00:20:06.660 --> 00:20:07.220
 you see

00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:07.700
 in those

00:20:07.700 --> 00:20:08.200
 verses

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:10.779
 26,

00:20:11.080 --> 00:20:11.860
 25,

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:12.660
 26,

00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:15.740
 in 27

00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:16.840
 we ought

00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:17.180
 to be

00:20:17.180 --> 00:20:17.600
 utterly

00:20:17.600 --> 00:20:19.060
 staggered

00:20:19.060 --> 00:20:20.960
 because it

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.400
 seems that

00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:22.100
 the Levite

00:20:22.100 --> 00:20:23.080
 has lost

00:20:23.080 --> 00:20:24.160
 no sleep

00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:24.880
 whatsoever.

00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:27.860
 He seems

00:20:27.860 --> 00:20:28.180
 to have

00:20:28.180 --> 00:20:28.620
 gone to

00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:29.060
 bed

00:20:29.060 --> 00:20:29.940
 and slept

00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:30.820
 soundly

00:20:30.819 --> 00:20:31.700
 and risen

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:32.240
 again in

00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:32.659
 the morning

00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:33.240
 without a

00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:34.259
 second thought.

00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:36.000
 And he

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.679
 rises and

00:20:36.679 --> 00:20:37.159
 opens the

00:20:37.159 --> 00:20:37.480
 door and

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.019
 finds the

00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:38.519
 concubine

00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:39.500
 lying

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:41.359
 basically

00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:42.159
 across the

00:20:42.159 --> 00:20:42.899
 threshold.

00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:43.659
 She's lying

00:20:43.659 --> 00:20:44.220
 on the

00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:44.740
 welcome

00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.439
 mat

00:20:45.439 --> 00:20:47.039
 grasping

00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:47.480
 for

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:48.379
 shelter

00:20:48.379 --> 00:20:49.319
 and for

00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:50.039
 protection.

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:50.099
 temptation.

00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:52.159
 But as

00:20:52.159 --> 00:20:52.980
 he steps

00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:53.940
 over her

00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:54.680
 body,

00:20:55.139 --> 00:20:56.039
 the only

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:56.819
 words that

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:57.519
 we hear

00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:58.680
 from him

00:20:58.680 --> 00:20:59.099
 are those

00:20:59.099 --> 00:21:00.119
 of impatience

00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:02.559
 and callousness.

00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.359
 Come on,

00:21:03.639 --> 00:21:04.339
 get up.

00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.220
 Do you hear it?

00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:07.539
 You're holding me

00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:08.720
 back down there.

00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:10.099
 What's wrong

00:21:10.099 --> 00:21:10.619
 with you?

00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:13.859
 And there's

00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.579
 no response.

00:21:16.459 --> 00:21:17.299
 And his

00:21:17.299 --> 00:21:18.259
 callousness

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:18.959
 is gut

00:21:18.959 --> 00:21:19.619
 wrenching.

00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:21.079
 There's no

00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:21.919
 remorse.

00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:23.079
 There's no

00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:23.759
 sorrow.

00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:24.959
 Just a desire

00:21:24.959 --> 00:21:25.779
 to go on

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.500
 and get back

00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.159
 home and be

00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:28.000
 done with it.

00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:30.919
 And when he

00:21:30.919 --> 00:21:31.779
 arrives home,

00:21:31.919 --> 00:21:32.719
 he takes his

00:21:32.719 --> 00:21:33.299
 concubine

00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:36.059
 and cuts her

00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.079
 into pieces

00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:38.579
 like he would

00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:39.059
 have done

00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:39.799
 with an

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.319
 animal

00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:42.419
 and he

00:21:42.419 --> 00:21:43.200
 sends them

00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:43.919
 throughout the

00:21:43.919 --> 00:21:44.359
 land.

00:21:46.899 --> 00:21:48.099
 The levels

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:50.200
 of depravity

00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:51.519
 exhibited here

00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:52.200
 are

00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:54.059
 off the

00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:54.539
 charts.

00:21:55.859 --> 00:21:56.539
 This poor

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.019
 woman

00:21:57.019 --> 00:21:58.419
 is treated

00:21:58.419 --> 00:21:58.980
 with no

00:21:58.980 --> 00:21:59.940
 respect either

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:00.659
 in life

00:22:00.659 --> 00:22:01.240
 or in

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:01.799
 death.

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:04.579
 We can't

00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:05.179
 even tell

00:22:05.179 --> 00:22:05.679
 when she

00:22:05.679 --> 00:22:06.259
 died

00:22:06.259 --> 00:22:07.379
 from the

00:22:07.379 --> 00:22:07.740
 Hebrew

00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.980
 whether

00:22:08.980 --> 00:22:09.740
 it's due

00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:10.099
 to the

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:10.480
 mob's

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.079
 violence

00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:11.980
 while she

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:12.620
 is waiting

00:22:12.620 --> 00:22:13.640
 at the

00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:14.279
 daybreak

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:15.420
 or whether

00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:15.920
 on the

00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:16.220
 journey

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:16.819
 home

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.620
 or even

00:22:17.620 --> 00:22:18.160
 at the

00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:18.779
 hands

00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:19.240
 of her

00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:19.779
 master.

00:22:21.140 --> 00:22:21.880
 The

00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:22.819
 callousness

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.319
 and the

00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:24.559
 cold-heartedness

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:25.360
 and the

00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:26.160
 depravity

00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.079
 of everyone

00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:27.860
 involved

00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:28.960
 is brutal.

00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:31.960
 These

00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:32.539
 people

00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:33.839
 who were

00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:34.480
 meant to

00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:34.920
 be the

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.420
 shining

00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:36.319
 light of

00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:36.679
 God's

00:22:36.679 --> 00:22:37.039
 goodness

00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:37.619
 to the

00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:38.179
 nations

00:22:38.179 --> 00:22:39.399
 are living

00:22:39.399 --> 00:22:39.839
 out the

00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:41.019
 very worst

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:41.859
 of the

00:22:41.859 --> 00:22:42.659
 Canaanites

00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:43.419
 sin.

00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:44.919
 And so

00:22:44.919 --> 00:22:46.019
 debauched

00:22:46.019 --> 00:22:46.379
 have they

00:22:46.379 --> 00:22:47.240
 become

00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:49.319
 that anyone

00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:50.119
 in Gibeah

00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:50.779
 who walked

00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.599
 past them

00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:51.939
 in the

00:22:51.939 --> 00:22:52.559
 square

00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.279
 they maybe

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:54.859
 didn't take

00:22:54.859 --> 00:22:55.579
 part in the

00:22:55.579 --> 00:22:56.399
 sin but

00:22:56.399 --> 00:22:56.819
 they just

00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:57.539
 walked on

00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:58.319
 past

00:22:58.319 --> 00:22:59.759
 these soon

00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:00.159
 to be

00:23:00.159 --> 00:23:00.659
 victims

00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:01.060
 of the

00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:01.360
 mob.

00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:05.000
 But notice

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.340
 that in

00:23:05.340 --> 00:23:06.080
 every case

00:23:06.080 --> 00:23:06.500
 it comes

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.040
 back to

00:23:07.040 --> 00:23:07.440
 the same

00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:07.900
 stem.

00:23:09.620 --> 00:23:10.200
 Every

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:10.900
 person is

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:11.560
 just doing

00:23:11.560 --> 00:23:12.000
 what is

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.060
 right in

00:23:13.060 --> 00:23:13.580
 their own

00:23:13.580 --> 00:23:14.220
 eyes.

00:23:15.320 --> 00:23:16.000
 Those words

00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:16.440
 are even

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:17.080
 put into

00:23:17.080 --> 00:23:18.360
 the mouth

00:23:18.360 --> 00:23:19.180
 of the

00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:19.759
 host while

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:20.040
 he's

00:23:20.040 --> 00:23:20.640
 bartering

00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:21.800
 with the

00:23:21.800 --> 00:23:22.380
 crowd.

00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:25.560
 In

00:23:25.560 --> 00:23:25.880
 verse

00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:27.740
 24 he

00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:28.200
 talks about

00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:28.860
 bringing out

00:23:28.860 --> 00:23:29.560
 these women.

00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:30.359
 I will

00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:30.700
 bring them

00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:31.099
 out for

00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:31.619
 you now

00:23:31.619 --> 00:23:32.419
 and you

00:23:32.419 --> 00:23:32.740
 can

00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:34.460
 it's not

00:23:34.460 --> 00:23:35.440
 clear that

00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:36.039
 it's the

00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:36.700
 same phrase

00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:37.059
 but it's

00:23:37.059 --> 00:23:37.460
 the same

00:23:37.460 --> 00:23:38.000
 phrase as

00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:38.319
 at the

00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:39.720
 end of

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:40.240
 the chapter

00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:42.139
 that you

00:23:42.139 --> 00:23:42.720
 could do

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:43.419
 whatever you

00:23:43.419 --> 00:23:44.099
 want to

00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:44.359
 them.

00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:44.700
 Whatever

00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:45.319
 is right

00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:46.240
 in your

00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:46.980
 eyes.

00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:52.019
 This is

00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:52.399
 the moral

00:23:52.399 --> 00:23:53.039
 system of

00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:53.700
 their lands.

00:23:55.619 --> 00:23:56.339
 This is

00:23:56.339 --> 00:23:57.259
 the overriding

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.299
 idea behind

00:23:58.299 --> 00:23:59.480
 this people's

00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:00.039
 culture.

00:24:01.620 --> 00:24:02.420
 And isn't

00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:03.140
 it sickening

00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:03.779
 to behold?

00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:07.660
 But can

00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:08.200
 we take a

00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:08.759
 moment maybe

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.519
 to consider

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:10.180
 our own

00:24:10.180 --> 00:24:11.960
 land and

00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:12.400
 even our

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.120
 own culture?

00:24:14.059 --> 00:24:14.819
 Because the

00:24:14.819 --> 00:24:15.500
 mantra of

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:17.019
 our age is

00:24:17.019 --> 00:24:17.880
 not so very

00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.539
 far from

00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:19.180
 this repeated

00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:19.940
 refrain in

00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:20.660
 these chapters.

00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:22.799
 The people

00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.740
 do what is

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:24.720
 right in

00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:25.319
 their own

00:24:25.319 --> 00:24:25.980
 eyes.

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:28.920
 perhaps that

00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:29.599
 is part of

00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:30.120
 the reason

00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:31.539
 why women

00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:31.940
 are

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:33.079
 objectivized

00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:34.519
 and dehumanized

00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.700
 and attacked

00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:37.880
 even on our

00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.500
 streets and

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:38.839
 in our

00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:39.380
 parks.

00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:39.440
 lives.

00:24:42.320 --> 00:24:43.160
 If you

00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:44.000
 want a

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:45.000
 startling

00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:47.620
 reminder of

00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:48.160
 the

00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:50.020
 barbarianism

00:24:50.020 --> 00:24:50.440
 of our

00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:50.880
 culture,

00:24:51.580 --> 00:24:51.940
 go and

00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:52.300
 look at

00:24:52.300 --> 00:24:52.700
 some of

00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:54.020
 the statistics

00:24:54.020 --> 00:24:55.420
 of sexual

00:24:55.420 --> 00:24:55.920
 crime in

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:56.460
 this country.

00:24:56.460 --> 00:25:00.960
 and do

00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:01.640
 we wonder

00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:02.920
 that the

00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:03.460
 culture

00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:04.200
 shapers,

00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:04.779
 that the

00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:05.279
 people that

00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:06.000
 we allow

00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.079
 to speak

00:25:07.079 --> 00:25:07.700
 into our

00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:09.000
 lives through

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:10.900
 culture are

00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:11.460
 revealed to

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.220
 be sexually

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:14.200
 immoral and

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:14.539
 that they're

00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:15.220
 displayed to

00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:15.500
 be.

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:20.920
 Oddly, I

00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:21.900
 noticed a

00:25:21.900 --> 00:25:22.460
 message on

00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:22.819
 my Twitter

00:25:22.819 --> 00:25:23.500
 just today

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:25.339
 of a

00:25:25.339 --> 00:25:25.819
 Christian

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:27.039
 commenting on

00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.319
 it and

00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:27.700
 saying,

00:25:28.099 --> 00:25:28.420
 isn't it

00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:29.119
 strange how

00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:29.640
 all these

00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.119
 things can

00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:30.400
 be done

00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:31.099
 in films

00:25:31.099 --> 00:25:32.400
 and yet

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:32.799
 when one

00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:33.119
 of their

00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:33.819
 own does

00:25:33.819 --> 00:25:34.880
 it in

00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:35.539
 real life

00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:35.940
 they're all

00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:36.400
 ashamed.

00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:43.420
 The body

00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:44.059
 parts of

00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:45.119
 this poor

00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:45.619
 woman are

00:25:45.619 --> 00:25:46.259
 sent throughout

00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:47.000
 the land

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.259
 and all

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:48.920
 who look on

00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:49.220
 it are

00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:51.259
 horrified and

00:25:51.259 --> 00:25:51.640
 so they

00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:52.220
 should be.

00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:54.039
 And so we

00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:54.799
 transition into

00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:55.359
 the next

00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.759
 act of

00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:57.400
 the story.

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.500
 Act two,

00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:00.440
 the civil

00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.160
 war.

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:04.640
 It's an

00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:05.299
 odd thing at

00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:05.740
 the start of

00:26:05.740 --> 00:26:06.519
 chapter 20

00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:07.920
 because these

00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:09.380
 horrific acts

00:26:09.380 --> 00:26:10.359
 manage to

00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:11.279
 produce something

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.519
 positive that

00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:13.359
 we haven't

00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:15.000
 seen ever.

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:16.960
 The people

00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.200
 are united.

00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:19.259
 The whole of

00:26:19.259 --> 00:26:20.279
 Israel, the

00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:21.000
 author makes a

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.640
 very telling

00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:23.520
 point from

00:26:23.520 --> 00:26:25.600
 Land O'Groats

00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:27.960
 to, I'm

00:26:27.960 --> 00:26:28.380
 going the

00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:28.759
 wrong way

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:29.340
 now, am I?

00:26:30.620 --> 00:26:31.380
 Land's End

00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:32.280
 to John O'Groats

00:26:32.280 --> 00:26:33.700
 and even to

00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:34.600
 Straban, you

00:26:34.600 --> 00:26:35.160
 could say, if

00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:35.620
 you want to

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:37.140
 include Northern

00:26:37.140 --> 00:26:38.280
 Ireland in our

00:26:38.280 --> 00:26:39.800
 collection.

00:26:40.920 --> 00:26:41.980
 The people are

00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:45.320
 united, but

00:26:45.320 --> 00:26:46.040
 this is so

00:26:46.040 --> 00:26:47.180
 bitter in the

00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:48.000
 mouth because

00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.380
 their unity is

00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:50.140
 based on such

00:26:50.140 --> 00:26:50.620
 horrific

00:26:50.620 --> 00:26:51.680
 circumstances.

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.400
 And it

00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:54.220
 isn't for the

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:54.780
 worship of

00:26:54.780 --> 00:26:56.720
 God or for

00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.300
 the fulfilling

00:26:57.300 --> 00:26:57.920
 of God's

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:58.500
 purposes.

00:26:59.540 --> 00:27:00.300
 It's for

00:27:00.300 --> 00:27:01.600
 retribution and

00:27:01.600 --> 00:27:02.360
 to fight within

00:27:02.360 --> 00:27:02.940
 each other.

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.580
 The man is

00:27:06.580 --> 00:27:07.180
 called to give

00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:08.540
 his account and

00:27:08.540 --> 00:27:09.120
 we read it.

00:27:09.180 --> 00:27:09.780
 Did you notice

00:27:09.780 --> 00:27:10.740
 how airbrushed

00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:11.720
 the tale was?

00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.420
 Something that

00:27:13.420 --> 00:27:15.300
 I was taught

00:27:15.300 --> 00:27:16.620
 recently.

00:27:16.619 --> 00:27:17.659
 never trust

00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:18.219
 what comes out

00:27:18.219 --> 00:27:18.759
 of people's

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:19.899
 mouths in the

00:27:19.899 --> 00:27:20.219
 Bible.

00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.659
 Trust what the

00:27:21.659 --> 00:27:22.659
 narrator says,

00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:23.859
 but don't always

00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:25.079
 trust what the

00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:26.239
 person says of

00:27:26.239 --> 00:27:27.059
 his own actions.

00:27:27.919 --> 00:27:28.619
 And here's a

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.599
 perfect case.

00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:32.559
 The man

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:34.019
 airbrushes

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:34.739
 his

00:27:34.739 --> 00:27:37.779
 account and

00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:38.219
 it's a

00:27:38.219 --> 00:27:39.099
 masterpiece of

00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:39.619
 playing the

00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:40.000
 victim.

00:27:41.419 --> 00:27:42.079
 Nothing is

00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:42.759
 mentioned about

00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:43.119
 his own

00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:43.879
 culpability.

00:27:45.159 --> 00:27:45.739
 Nothing is

00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:46.380
 mentioned about

00:27:46.380 --> 00:27:46.900
 his own

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.400
 pardon,

00:27:47.620 --> 00:27:48.180
 the murder

00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:48.799
 or the

00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:49.660
 death of

00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.920
 his concubine.

00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:53.579
 And instantly

00:27:53.579 --> 00:27:54.519
 the people hear

00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:55.039
 this and they

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:57.000
 respond in

00:27:57.000 --> 00:27:57.740
 verses 8 to

00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:58.039
 10.

00:27:58.359 --> 00:27:58.980
 They know

00:27:58.980 --> 00:27:59.420
 what they

00:27:59.420 --> 00:28:00.079
 should do.

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:02.140
 Or at least

00:28:02.140 --> 00:28:02.539
 they think

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:02.960
 they do.

00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:05.240
 The passage

00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.980
 again isn't

00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:07.180
 clear, but I

00:28:07.180 --> 00:28:08.079
 wonder if even

00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:09.200
 this decision,

00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:10.700
 which many of

00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:11.460
 us would think

00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:12.319
 of positively,

00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:13.859
 I wonder if

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:14.799
 this is the

00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:15.339
 people just

00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:15.819
 doing what's

00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:16.099
 right in

00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:16.359
 their own

00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:16.759
 eyes.

00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:19.740
 Notice that

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.099
 they don't

00:28:20.099 --> 00:28:20.720
 inquire of

00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:21.039
 God at

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:21.659
 this stage.

00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:23.759
 There's no

00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.539
 mourning, no

00:28:24.539 --> 00:28:25.240
 sorrow, no

00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:25.799
 repentance,

00:28:26.419 --> 00:28:27.379
 merely outrage

00:28:27.379 --> 00:28:28.039
 in a plan.

00:28:29.879 --> 00:28:30.919
 But if the

00:28:30.919 --> 00:28:32.079
 eleven tribes

00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:32.919
 that met

00:28:32.919 --> 00:28:34.119
 are rash

00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:34.959
 and foolish,

00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:36.819
 perhaps we

00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:37.459
 should go on

00:28:37.459 --> 00:28:38.759
 to consider

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:39.699
 the Benjamites.

00:28:40.879 --> 00:28:41.740
 They're called

00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:42.379
 to give over

00:28:42.380 --> 00:28:43.040
 their guilty

00:28:43.040 --> 00:28:44.200
 men to

00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:44.980
 be punished.

00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:46.660
 But Benjamin

00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:47.960
 chooses those

00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:49.140
 rapists over

00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:49.860
 the nation of

00:28:49.860 --> 00:28:50.240
 Israel.

00:28:51.800 --> 00:28:52.840
 Blood seems

00:28:52.840 --> 00:28:53.680
 to be thicker

00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:55.180
 than all

00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:56.560
 else here.

00:28:57.220 --> 00:28:57.840
 And rather

00:28:57.840 --> 00:28:58.460
 than dealing

00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.320
 with the sin

00:28:59.320 --> 00:29:00.300
 of Gibeah,

00:29:00.600 --> 00:29:01.140
 Benjamin

00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:02.360
 musters its

00:29:02.360 --> 00:29:03.280
 army and

00:29:03.280 --> 00:29:03.920
 prepares for

00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:04.460
 full-scale

00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:05.260
 civil war.

00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:07.600
 The camera

00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:09.200
 pans back to

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:10.140
 the camp of

00:29:10.140 --> 00:29:10.580
 Israel in

00:29:10.580 --> 00:29:11.259
 verse 18.

00:29:11.780 --> 00:29:12.240
 And if we're

00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:12.980
 not careful,

00:29:13.360 --> 00:29:14.020
 we may

00:29:14.020 --> 00:29:14.620
 misinterpret

00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:15.380
 what we see

00:29:15.380 --> 00:29:15.840
 and hear.

00:29:17.280 --> 00:29:18.300
 The Israelites

00:29:18.300 --> 00:29:19.180
 go to God

00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:19.620
 with their

00:29:19.620 --> 00:29:20.660
 plan and

00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.140
 ask who

00:29:21.140 --> 00:29:22.620
 should attack

00:29:22.620 --> 00:29:23.420
 first.

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:25.160
 And the

00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:26.080
 response from

00:29:26.080 --> 00:29:27.000
 God is that

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.660
 Judah should

00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:28.680
 go up first.

00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:30.920
 And in that

00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:31.700
 we get this

00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:32.620
 little poignant

00:29:32.620 --> 00:29:33.900
 reminder of

00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:34.940
 what happened

00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:36.700
 way back in

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.300
 the start of

00:29:37.300 --> 00:29:38.400
 Judges again.

00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:41.300
 Judges 1

00:29:41.300 --> 00:29:42.100
 it says,

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:42.940
 after the

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:43.340
 death of

00:29:43.340 --> 00:29:43.740
 Joshua,

00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:44.300
 the Israelites

00:29:44.300 --> 00:29:45.240
 asked the

00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:45.560
 Lord,

00:29:45.860 --> 00:29:46.320
 who of us

00:29:46.320 --> 00:29:46.860
 should go up

00:29:46.860 --> 00:29:47.340
 first to

00:29:47.340 --> 00:29:47.980
 fight against

00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:49.180
 the Canaanites?

00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:50.080
 The Lord

00:29:50.080 --> 00:29:50.480
 answered,

00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:51.200
 Judah shall

00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:51.800
 go up.

00:29:52.360 --> 00:29:53.020
 I have

00:29:53.020 --> 00:29:53.720
 given the

00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.560
 land into

00:29:54.560 --> 00:29:55.940
 their hands.

00:29:58.040 --> 00:29:58.480
 And do you

00:29:58.480 --> 00:29:59.060
 notice how

00:29:59.060 --> 00:30:00.300
 similar it is,

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.480
 but yet how

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.100
 different.

00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:07.500
 Judah was

00:30:07.500 --> 00:30:08.380
 meant to

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:08.740
 go up

00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:09.440
 first.

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.580
 but not

00:30:10.580 --> 00:30:11.000
 in this

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.240
 way,

00:30:11.340 --> 00:30:11.779
 not to

00:30:11.779 --> 00:30:12.820
 lead a

00:30:12.820 --> 00:30:13.680
 civil war.

00:30:14.840 --> 00:30:15.400
 Again,

00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:16.000
 the passage

00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:16.600
 isn't clear

00:30:16.600 --> 00:30:16.940
 here,

00:30:17.600 --> 00:30:18.059
 but it's

00:30:18.059 --> 00:30:19.559
 my view

00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:20.660
 that Israel

00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:21.880
 is merely

00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:22.860
 seeking God

00:30:22.860 --> 00:30:23.299
 to rubber

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:24.039
 stamp their

00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:24.900
 own plans.

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.779
 And there

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.279
 are three

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.160
 battles that

00:30:29.160 --> 00:30:29.820
 then follow

00:30:29.820 --> 00:30:30.740
 between Israel

00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:31.900
 and Benjamin.

00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:32.860
 The first

00:30:32.860 --> 00:30:33.539
 two days,

00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:34.200
 there are

00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:35.140
 harrowing

00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:35.840
 losses

00:30:35.840 --> 00:30:36.820
 incurred by

00:30:36.820 --> 00:30:37.400
 the Israelites.

00:30:37.400 --> 00:30:37.640
 Israelites.

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:39.259
 Israel is

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:39.759
 literally

00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.519
 decimated

00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:41.519
 with one

00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:42.140
 in ten

00:30:42.140 --> 00:30:42.600
 men

00:30:42.600 --> 00:30:43.840
 falling to

00:30:43.840 --> 00:30:43.980
 the

00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.700
 Benjamites.

00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:45.860
 But on

00:30:45.860 --> 00:30:46.380
 the second

00:30:46.380 --> 00:30:46.880
 night,

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:48.400
 they seek

00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:49.040
 God with

00:30:49.040 --> 00:30:49.880
 seemingly a

00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:50.820
 fresh zeal.

00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:51.780
 They're

00:30:51.780 --> 00:30:52.640
 assured of

00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:52.980
 victory,

00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:53.300
 and on

00:30:53.300 --> 00:30:53.759
 the third

00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.060
 day,

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:54.980
 they lay

00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:55.820
 an ambush,

00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:57.600
 very

00:30:57.600 --> 00:30:58.680
 similarly to

00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.440
 what the

00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:00.100
 children of

00:31:00.100 --> 00:31:00.560
 Israel did

00:31:00.560 --> 00:31:00.940
 against

00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:01.480
 Ai,

00:31:02.100 --> 00:31:02.840
 way back

00:31:02.840 --> 00:31:03.480
 in Joshua.

00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:04.360
 and they

00:31:04.360 --> 00:31:04.779
 utterly

00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:05.440
 defeat the

00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:06.360
 army of

00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:06.779
 Benjamin.

00:31:07.940 --> 00:31:08.599
 The defeat

00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:09.059
 is given

00:31:09.059 --> 00:31:09.720
 in two

00:31:09.720 --> 00:31:10.380
 formats,

00:31:10.759 --> 00:31:11.660
 but the

00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:12.420
 overview is

00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:14.019
 that 25,000

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:14.740
 Benjamites

00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:15.360
 die,

00:31:16.059 --> 00:31:16.579
 and only

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:18.140
 600 men

00:31:18.140 --> 00:31:18.519
 of the

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:18.980
 whole of

00:31:18.980 --> 00:31:19.360
 Benjamin

00:31:19.360 --> 00:31:20.140
 survive.

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:22.440
 But notice

00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:23.220
 what happened.

00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:23.900
 We read it

00:31:23.900 --> 00:31:24.319
 in verse

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:24.940
 48.

00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:26.620
 The men

00:31:26.620 --> 00:31:27.319
 of Israel,

00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.160
 chapter 20,

00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:28.799
 verse 48,

00:31:28.860 --> 00:31:29.259
 the men of

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:29.940
 Israel went

00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:31.259
 back to

00:31:31.259 --> 00:31:31.880
 Benjamin,

00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:33.760
 and put

00:31:33.760 --> 00:31:34.320
 all the

00:31:34.320 --> 00:31:35.260
 towns to

00:31:35.260 --> 00:31:36.080
 the sword,

00:31:37.060 --> 00:31:37.920
 even the

00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:38.500
 animals,

00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:40.560
 and everything

00:31:40.560 --> 00:31:41.500
 else they

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:42.140
 found.

00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:47.980
 Not

00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:48.940
 content with

00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.600
 the defeat

00:31:49.600 --> 00:31:50.140
 of the

00:31:50.140 --> 00:31:50.980
 Benjamites,

00:31:51.840 --> 00:31:53.060
 it seems

00:31:53.060 --> 00:31:53.460
 that the

00:31:53.460 --> 00:31:53.980
 army of

00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:54.520
 Israel,

00:31:55.020 --> 00:31:55.820
 because of

00:31:55.820 --> 00:31:56.460
 the losses

00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:57.860
 they incurred,

00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:58.860
 turned to

00:31:58.860 --> 00:31:59.560
 genocide,

00:32:00.460 --> 00:32:01.160
 and they

00:32:01.160 --> 00:32:01.900
 wipe out

00:32:01.900 --> 00:32:02.600
 the tribe.

00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:04.580
 This is

00:32:04.580 --> 00:32:05.240
 vicious

00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.060
 retribution,

00:32:06.620 --> 00:32:07.140
 and this

00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:07.820
 is totally

00:32:07.820 --> 00:32:08.519
 unnecessary.

00:32:12.820 --> 00:32:13.460
 And I

00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:14.040
 wonder if

00:32:14.040 --> 00:32:14.920
 we could

00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:15.720
 step back

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.259
 a little

00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:16.900
 and consider

00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:17.700
 this chapter,

00:32:18.080 --> 00:32:19.740
 because I

00:32:19.740 --> 00:32:20.400
 confess that

00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:20.940
 on my first

00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:21.320
 reading of

00:32:21.320 --> 00:32:21.720
 this chapter,

00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:22.340
 I completely

00:32:22.340 --> 00:32:23.279
 missed what

00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:23.680
 was going

00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.259
 on here.

00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:25.100
 In fact,

00:32:25.140 --> 00:32:25.480
 I missed

00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:25.880
 it on my

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:26.340
 second and

00:32:26.340 --> 00:32:26.759
 my third

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.019
 reading,

00:32:27.100 --> 00:32:27.279
 and it

00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:27.860
 wasn't until

00:32:27.860 --> 00:32:28.960
 I read

00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:29.960
 someone else's

00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:30.539
 work on

00:32:30.539 --> 00:32:30.840
 it that

00:32:30.840 --> 00:32:31.380
 I started

00:32:31.380 --> 00:32:31.900
 to piece

00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:33.079
 together what

00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:33.660
 was actually

00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:34.340
 going on.

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:35.819
 And I

00:32:35.819 --> 00:32:36.620
 wonder if

00:32:36.620 --> 00:32:37.019
 at the

00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:37.620
 end of

00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:38.259
 our series

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:38.819
 of judges,

00:32:39.340 --> 00:32:40.019
 whether some

00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:40.480
 of us are

00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:41.460
 maybe realizing

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.860
 that this

00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:44.319
 incredible book,

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:45.840
 it does not

00:32:45.840 --> 00:32:46.539
 give up its

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:47.960
 treasure to

00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:48.539
 an idle

00:32:48.539 --> 00:32:49.279
 glance.

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:51.299
 And I

00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:52.019
 wonder if

00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:53.079
 among the

00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:53.880
 horrors of

00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:54.759
 these chapters,

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:56.620
 we might find

00:32:56.620 --> 00:32:57.200
 that we need

00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:57.940
 to approach

00:32:57.940 --> 00:32:58.840
 our Bibles

00:32:58.840 --> 00:32:59.340
 with a

00:32:59.340 --> 00:33:00.400
 fresh resolve,

00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:02.660
 to come

00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:03.700
 with open

00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:04.380
 minds,

00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:05.819
 and to

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:06.900
 wrestle with

00:33:06.900 --> 00:33:07.700
 this book

00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:08.779
 that will

00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:09.660
 challenge our

00:33:09.660 --> 00:33:10.539
 presuppositions

00:33:10.539 --> 00:33:11.680
 and demolish

00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:12.420
 our cultural

00:33:12.420 --> 00:33:13.019
 assumptions.

00:33:14.660 --> 00:33:15.440
 Because the

00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:16.559
 sad reality is,

00:33:16.840 --> 00:33:17.779
 I can be far

00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:18.360
 too familiar

00:33:18.360 --> 00:33:19.299
 with this book,

00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:20.400
 not in the

00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:21.059
 good way,

00:33:21.980 --> 00:33:22.740
 but in the

00:33:22.740 --> 00:33:23.519
 way that allows

00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.279
 me to skim

00:33:24.279 --> 00:33:25.100
 a passage and

00:33:25.100 --> 00:33:25.740
 not actually

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:26.440
 get what it's

00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:26.799
 saying.

00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:31.200
 There was

00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.259
 an author

00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:32.920
 who famously

00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:34.580
 asked of

00:33:34.580 --> 00:33:35.140
 a man who

00:33:35.140 --> 00:33:35.620
 read his

00:33:35.620 --> 00:33:36.039
 Bible,

00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:36.940
 he said,

00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:37.360
 does the

00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:37.960
 Bible read

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.660
 you back?

00:33:40.420 --> 00:33:40.779
 And I

00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:41.220
 wonder if

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:41.779
 that's true

00:33:41.779 --> 00:33:42.319
 for many

00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:42.920
 of us

00:33:42.920 --> 00:33:43.779
 anymore who

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.080
 have been

00:33:44.080 --> 00:33:44.700
 Christians for

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.180
 quite some

00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:45.480
 time.

00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:50.120
 And here

00:33:50.120 --> 00:33:50.620
 at the end

00:33:50.620 --> 00:33:51.259
 of chapter

00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:52.000
 20 and

00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:52.420
 the end

00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:52.779
 of this

00:33:52.779 --> 00:33:53.480
 second act,

00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:53.980
 we're forced

00:33:53.980 --> 00:33:54.620
 to stop

00:33:54.620 --> 00:33:55.900
 and to look

00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.519
 back at the

00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:57.220
 wreckage of

00:33:57.220 --> 00:33:57.700
 the past

00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:58.379
 two chapters,

00:33:59.379 --> 00:34:00.180
 which go

00:34:00.180 --> 00:34:01.119
 from societal

00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:02.000
 breakdown to

00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:02.539
 personal

00:34:02.539 --> 00:34:03.079
 troubles,

00:34:03.460 --> 00:34:04.259
 to a lack

00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:05.000
 of hospitality,

00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:06.180
 to raw

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:07.000
 and blatant

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:07.619
 evil,

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:08.860
 to cowardice,

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:09.920
 to treachery,

00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:10.400
 to rape,

00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:10.940
 to murder,

00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:11.880
 to callousness,

00:34:12.259 --> 00:34:12.880
 to horror,

00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:14.400
 to civil war,

00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:15.920
 to the decimation

00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:16.900
 of the nation,

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.659
 to the

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:19.239
 genocide of a

00:34:19.239 --> 00:34:19.960
 tribe.

00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:24.880
 and dare we

00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.500
 turn on our

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:27.720
 television and

00:34:27.720 --> 00:34:28.300
 claim that we

00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:28.800
 live in a

00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:29.500
 world that has

00:34:29.500 --> 00:34:30.579
 progressed beyond

00:34:30.579 --> 00:34:31.139
 this.

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.240
 Alistair in his

00:34:34.240 --> 00:34:34.940
 prayer very

00:34:34.940 --> 00:34:36.159
 poignantly brought

00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:36.960
 out some of what

00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:37.720
 happens in our

00:34:37.720 --> 00:34:38.380
 world today.

00:34:39.240 --> 00:34:40.420
 This is brutal.

00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:43.820
 And as we

00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:44.740
 look back across

00:34:44.740 --> 00:34:45.579
 everything that

00:34:45.579 --> 00:34:46.260
 has happened,

00:34:46.260 --> 00:34:48.740
 the key that I

00:34:48.740 --> 00:34:49.560
 see is that

00:34:49.560 --> 00:34:50.540
 everyone has

00:34:50.540 --> 00:34:51.160
 done what

00:34:51.160 --> 00:34:52.120
 seems right in

00:34:52.120 --> 00:34:53.060
 their own eyes.

00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:54.180
 There is no

00:34:54.180 --> 00:34:55.400
 king, there is

00:34:55.400 --> 00:34:56.100
 no moral

00:34:56.100 --> 00:34:58.340
 authority, and

00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.560
 God seems very

00:34:59.560 --> 00:35:00.440
 far away from

00:35:00.440 --> 00:35:01.380
 these situations.

00:35:03.020 --> 00:35:03.900
 Yet there is

00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:04.760
 one more chapter.

00:35:05.800 --> 00:35:07.060
 Perhaps we

00:35:07.060 --> 00:35:08.100
 will end with a

00:35:08.100 --> 00:35:09.000
 silver lining.

00:35:10.220 --> 00:35:11.340
 Perhaps something

00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:12.240
 will turn around

00:35:12.240 --> 00:35:13.180
 good out of all

00:35:13.180 --> 00:35:13.720
 of this.

00:35:13.719 --> 00:35:14.359
 And I have

00:35:14.359 --> 00:35:15.099
 kind of called

00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:15.599
 this the

00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:16.399
 reconciliation.

00:35:18.539 --> 00:35:19.339
 And the

00:35:19.339 --> 00:35:20.279
 chapter seems

00:35:20.279 --> 00:35:21.559
 to begin well

00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:22.159
 given the

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:22.959
 circumstances.

00:35:23.639 --> 00:35:24.439
 Israel comes

00:35:24.439 --> 00:35:25.399
 to their senses,

00:35:25.779 --> 00:35:26.779
 they realise

00:35:26.779 --> 00:35:27.219
 what has

00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:28.399
 happened, and

00:35:28.399 --> 00:35:28.659
 there is

00:35:28.659 --> 00:35:29.579
 mourning at

00:35:29.579 --> 00:35:30.219
 the destruction

00:35:30.219 --> 00:35:31.119
 of Benjamin.

00:35:32.879 --> 00:35:34.159
 At least, but

00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:35.459
 notice how it is

00:35:35.459 --> 00:35:36.059
 set up.

00:35:36.899 --> 00:35:37.619
 Notice what

00:35:37.619 --> 00:35:38.399
 the people say

00:35:38.399 --> 00:35:39.059
 in verse 3,

00:35:39.159 --> 00:35:40.279
 another translation

00:35:40.279 --> 00:35:41.259
 puts it this

00:35:41.259 --> 00:35:41.500
 way.

00:35:41.799 --> 00:35:42.299
 Why, O

00:35:42.299 --> 00:35:43.239
 Lord, God of

00:35:43.239 --> 00:35:43.879
 Israel, has

00:35:43.879 --> 00:35:44.479
 this come

00:35:44.479 --> 00:35:44.979
 about in

00:35:44.979 --> 00:35:45.939
 Israel so

00:35:45.939 --> 00:35:46.439
 that one

00:35:46.439 --> 00:35:47.019
 tribe should

00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:47.839
 be missing

00:35:47.839 --> 00:35:48.619
 in Israel?

00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:51.759
 Perhaps the

00:35:51.759 --> 00:35:53.019
 obvious answer

00:35:53.019 --> 00:35:54.859
 was that your

00:35:54.859 --> 00:35:56.619
 own army went

00:35:56.619 --> 00:35:57.459
 on a scorched

00:35:57.459 --> 00:35:58.479
 earth policy.

00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:00.739
 I mean, isn't

00:36:00.739 --> 00:36:01.519
 that fairly

00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.299
 obvious?

00:36:03.939 --> 00:36:04.879
 And it seems

00:36:04.879 --> 00:36:05.639
 that the

00:36:05.639 --> 00:36:06.539
 Israelites are

00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:08.159
 completely unwilling

00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:08.719
 to take

00:36:08.719 --> 00:36:09.739
 responsibility for

00:36:09.739 --> 00:36:10.359
 their actions.

00:36:10.360 --> 00:36:10.559
 servants.

00:36:12.740 --> 00:36:13.140
 And so

00:36:13.140 --> 00:36:13.680
 there's this

00:36:13.680 --> 00:36:14.460
 problem.

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.300
 These 600

00:36:16.300 --> 00:36:17.240
 men of

00:36:17.240 --> 00:36:17.980
 Benjamin are

00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:19.120
 without families,

00:36:19.640 --> 00:36:20.579
 and if only

00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:21.360
 there were some

00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:22.220
 way to furnish

00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:22.660
 them with

00:36:22.660 --> 00:36:23.920
 wives, so

00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:24.579
 that the tribe

00:36:24.579 --> 00:36:25.160
 of Benjamin

00:36:25.160 --> 00:36:25.660
 can be

00:36:25.660 --> 00:36:26.260
 restored.

00:36:28.380 --> 00:36:28.900
 But the

00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:29.480
 men of Israel

00:36:29.480 --> 00:36:30.079
 have sworn

00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:30.820
 this oath

00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:31.800
 that none

00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:32.320
 of them

00:36:32.320 --> 00:36:33.460
 would give

00:36:33.460 --> 00:36:34.340
 their daughters

00:36:34.340 --> 00:36:36.559
 another rash

00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:37.360
 oath like

00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:37.800
 one we've

00:36:37.800 --> 00:36:38.519
 seen before.

00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:40.800
 And do you

00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:41.280
 see this

00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:42.360
 recurring theme?

00:36:42.860 --> 00:36:43.220
 They've

00:36:43.220 --> 00:36:44.220
 hastily done

00:36:44.220 --> 00:36:45.100
 what they

00:36:45.100 --> 00:36:45.700
 see to be

00:36:45.700 --> 00:36:45.960
 right in

00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:46.240
 their own

00:36:46.240 --> 00:36:46.700
 eyes, and

00:36:46.700 --> 00:36:47.060
 now there's

00:36:47.060 --> 00:36:47.320
 another

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:47.820
 problem.

00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:49.120
 And so

00:36:49.120 --> 00:36:49.780
 they hatch

00:36:49.780 --> 00:36:50.220
 another

00:36:50.220 --> 00:36:50.960
 harebrained

00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:51.660
 idea.

00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:53.060
 To heal

00:36:53.060 --> 00:36:53.560
 the wounds

00:36:53.560 --> 00:36:53.960
 of this

00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:54.640
 unfortunate

00:36:54.640 --> 00:36:55.820
 civil war,

00:36:56.340 --> 00:36:56.960
 they're going

00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:57.400
 to send

00:36:57.400 --> 00:36:57.920
 an army

00:36:57.920 --> 00:36:59.320
 to go

00:36:59.320 --> 00:36:59.900
 and to

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.820
 massacre a

00:37:00.820 --> 00:37:01.700
 town who

00:37:01.700 --> 00:37:02.080
 hadn't

00:37:02.080 --> 00:37:02.720
 contributed

00:37:02.720 --> 00:37:03.220
 to the

00:37:03.220 --> 00:37:03.580
 army.

00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:04.780
 Doesn't

00:37:04.780 --> 00:37:05.220
 that sound

00:37:05.220 --> 00:37:05.539
 like a

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:05.860
 wonderful

00:37:05.860 --> 00:37:06.620
 way to

00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:07.420
 create

00:37:07.420 --> 00:37:08.099
 reconciliation

00:37:08.099 --> 00:37:08.859
 and peace

00:37:08.859 --> 00:37:09.139
 in your

00:37:09.139 --> 00:37:09.679
 land?

00:37:12.139 --> 00:37:13.079
 Not only

00:37:13.079 --> 00:37:13.579
 that, but

00:37:13.579 --> 00:37:14.420
 in response

00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.159
 to the

00:37:15.159 --> 00:37:15.900
 evil of

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:16.679
 Gibeah,

00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:17.819
 which centered

00:37:17.819 --> 00:37:18.579
 around the

00:37:18.579 --> 00:37:19.519
 mistreatment

00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:20.159
 and abuse

00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:20.599
 of a

00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:20.940
 woman,

00:37:21.339 --> 00:37:22.000
 they're going

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.519
 to go

00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:23.599
 and become

00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:24.179
 a state

00:37:24.179 --> 00:37:25.039
 sponsor of

00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:25.980
 human trafficking

00:37:25.980 --> 00:37:26.980
 and forced

00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:27.539
 marriages.

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:29.259
 Oh,

00:37:29.319 --> 00:37:29.799
 wonderful,

00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:30.659
 you men

00:37:30.659 --> 00:37:31.319
 of Israel,

00:37:32.119 --> 00:37:33.000
 how clever

00:37:33.000 --> 00:37:33.679
 of you

00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:34.719
 to work

00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:35.199
 out that

00:37:35.199 --> 00:37:35.719
 plan.

00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:37.900
 it's so

00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:38.539
 twisted

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:39.500
 and so

00:37:39.500 --> 00:37:40.339
 perverted

00:37:40.339 --> 00:37:41.920
 that we

00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:42.420
 read this

00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:42.659
 and we

00:37:42.659 --> 00:37:43.359
 almost don't

00:37:43.359 --> 00:37:43.920
 comprehend

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:45.079
 the immensity

00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:45.719
 of the

00:37:45.719 --> 00:37:46.639
 evil that

00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.039
 is going

00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:47.319
 on.

00:37:47.659 --> 00:37:47.940
 Seven,

00:37:48.339 --> 00:37:48.659
 sorry,

00:37:48.799 --> 00:37:50.199
 400 young

00:37:50.199 --> 00:37:50.819
 women,

00:37:51.259 --> 00:37:52.059
 probably no

00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:52.679
 older than

00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:53.359
 14 or

00:37:53.359 --> 00:37:53.920
 15,

00:37:55.319 --> 00:37:56.460
 are brought

00:37:56.460 --> 00:37:56.940
 to this

00:37:56.940 --> 00:37:57.559
 remnant of

00:37:57.559 --> 00:37:58.019
 Benjamin,

00:37:58.279 --> 00:37:58.799
 seeing their

00:37:58.799 --> 00:38:00.179
 families slaughtered

00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.619
 and so peace

00:38:01.619 --> 00:38:02.000
 is made

00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:02.719
 between Israel

00:38:02.719 --> 00:38:03.299
 and Benjamin.

00:38:03.300 --> 00:38:07.460
 And notice

00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:08.200
 the audacity

00:38:08.200 --> 00:38:08.820
 of verse

00:38:08.820 --> 00:38:09.800
 15.

00:38:10.940 --> 00:38:11.539
 The people

00:38:11.539 --> 00:38:12.360
 were sorry

00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:13.180
 for Benjamin.

00:38:13.660 --> 00:38:14.039
 Why?

00:38:14.660 --> 00:38:15.920
 Because the

00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:16.780
 Lord had

00:38:16.780 --> 00:38:17.120
 made a

00:38:17.120 --> 00:38:17.820
 breach in

00:38:17.820 --> 00:38:18.320
 the tribes

00:38:18.320 --> 00:38:18.880
 of Israel.

00:38:19.680 --> 00:38:20.340
 They blamed

00:38:20.340 --> 00:38:20.960
 God for

00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:21.780
 this mess.

00:38:24.360 --> 00:38:25.160
 And you

00:38:25.160 --> 00:38:25.780
 notice there

00:38:25.780 --> 00:38:26.460
 were 600

00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:27.500
 and they

00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:27.920
 only got

00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:29.200
 400 of

00:38:29.200 --> 00:38:29.860
 these women.

00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.039
 There's not

00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:31.340
 enough,

00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:31.880
 there's still

00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:32.539
 lack.

00:38:34.240 --> 00:38:34.660
 And so

00:38:34.660 --> 00:38:35.099
 they come

00:38:35.099 --> 00:38:35.619
 up with a

00:38:35.619 --> 00:38:36.519
 second plan,

00:38:36.619 --> 00:38:36.880
 a yet

00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:37.940
 another plan.

00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:39.119
 This time

00:38:39.119 --> 00:38:39.840
 the Benjamites

00:38:39.840 --> 00:38:40.680
 are instructed

00:38:40.680 --> 00:38:41.220
 to go up

00:38:41.220 --> 00:38:42.039
 and kidnap

00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:42.820
 children as

00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:43.220
 they take

00:38:43.220 --> 00:38:44.099
 part in

00:38:44.099 --> 00:38:44.539
 the local

00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:45.059
 gala.

00:38:46.420 --> 00:38:46.780
 Doesn't

00:38:46.780 --> 00:38:47.220
 that sound

00:38:47.220 --> 00:38:47.579
 like a

00:38:47.579 --> 00:38:47.940
 wonderful

00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:48.480
 plan?

00:38:49.780 --> 00:38:50.180
 And the

00:38:50.180 --> 00:38:50.840
 army would

00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:51.400
 smooth it

00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:51.920
 over with

00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:52.579
 their fathers

00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:53.320
 and brothers

00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:54.280
 under the

00:38:54.280 --> 00:38:54.720
 threat of

00:38:54.720 --> 00:38:55.500
 another town

00:38:55.500 --> 00:38:56.160
 massacre.

00:38:59.200 --> 00:39:00.019
 And so

00:39:00.019 --> 00:39:00.460
 ends the

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:00.820
 book of

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:01.400
 Judges.

00:39:01.880 --> 00:39:04.940
 with the

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:05.460
 Benjamites

00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:05.960
 going home

00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:06.640
 to rebuild

00:39:06.640 --> 00:39:07.579
 their cities

00:39:07.579 --> 00:39:09.539
 with these

00:39:09.539 --> 00:39:12.180
 children for

00:39:12.180 --> 00:39:12.559
 women,

00:39:12.840 --> 00:39:14.000
 for wives,

00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:14.920
 and the

00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:15.480
 rest of the

00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:16.360
 people of

00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:17.180
 Israel returning

00:39:17.180 --> 00:39:17.680
 to their

00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:18.280
 inheritance.

00:39:19.900 --> 00:39:20.720
 These are

00:39:20.720 --> 00:39:21.599
 dark days

00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:22.000
 indeed.

00:39:23.740 --> 00:39:24.519
 And we

00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:25.019
 see how

00:39:25.019 --> 00:39:25.640
 utterly

00:39:25.640 --> 00:39:27.240
 twisted the

00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:27.680
 minds of

00:39:27.680 --> 00:39:28.180
 the Israelites

00:39:28.180 --> 00:39:28.960
 have become.

00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:29.019
 them.

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:31.019
 They're

00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:31.500
 full of

00:39:31.500 --> 00:39:32.199
 this sort

00:39:32.199 --> 00:39:33.000
 of loophole

00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:33.619
 logic.

00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:34.980
 They claim

00:39:34.980 --> 00:39:35.320
 to do

00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:35.900
 everything by

00:39:35.900 --> 00:39:36.460
 the book.

00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:37.400
 They claim

00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:38.039
 to do this

00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:39.539
 for God's,

00:39:40.079 --> 00:39:40.840
 and yet what

00:39:40.840 --> 00:39:41.380
 they do is

00:39:41.380 --> 00:39:42.740
 utterly vile.

00:39:42.739 --> 00:39:46.039
 they are so

00:39:46.039 --> 00:39:46.719
 far from the

00:39:46.719 --> 00:39:47.379
 light that

00:39:47.379 --> 00:39:47.659
 they were

00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:48.000
 meant to

00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:48.479
 be to the

00:39:48.479 --> 00:39:49.039
 nations.

00:39:49.719 --> 00:39:50.679
 Because they

00:39:50.679 --> 00:39:51.599
 have well

00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:52.039
 and truly

00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:53.019
 conformed to

00:39:53.019 --> 00:39:53.579
 the pattern

00:39:53.579 --> 00:39:54.039
 of this

00:39:54.039 --> 00:39:54.439
 world.

00:39:56.379 --> 00:39:57.319
 Merely using

00:39:57.319 --> 00:39:58.059
 God's name

00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:58.559
 as a

00:39:58.559 --> 00:39:59.079
 convenient

00:39:59.079 --> 00:40:00.539
 shield for

00:40:00.539 --> 00:40:00.739
 their

00:40:00.739 --> 00:40:01.500
 immorality

00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:03.039
 and idolatry

00:40:03.039 --> 00:40:03.439
 and their

00:40:03.439 --> 00:40:03.659
 evil

00:40:03.659 --> 00:40:04.259
 practices.

00:40:04.260 --> 00:40:08.500
 And I

00:40:08.500 --> 00:40:09.100
 wonder if

00:40:09.100 --> 00:40:10.240
 for a

00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:10.840
 moment we

00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:11.780
 can just

00:40:11.780 --> 00:40:12.480
 focus in on

00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:13.220
 the refrain of

00:40:13.220 --> 00:40:13.980
 these chapters

00:40:13.980 --> 00:40:14.860
 which topped

00:40:14.860 --> 00:40:15.380
 and tailed our

00:40:15.380 --> 00:40:15.940
 passage for

00:40:15.940 --> 00:40:16.300
 tonight.

00:40:16.760 --> 00:40:17.120
 In those

00:40:17.120 --> 00:40:17.680
 days there

00:40:17.680 --> 00:40:18.440
 was no

00:40:18.440 --> 00:40:19.600
 king in

00:40:19.600 --> 00:40:20.040
 Israel.

00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:21.380
 Everyone

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:22.920
 did what

00:40:22.920 --> 00:40:23.560
 was right

00:40:23.560 --> 00:40:24.180
 in their

00:40:24.180 --> 00:40:25.280
 own eyes.

00:40:29.220 --> 00:40:29.900
 Because

00:40:29.900 --> 00:40:31.200
 as Alistair

00:40:31.200 --> 00:40:31.880
 pointed out

00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:32.680
 thankfully a

00:40:32.680 --> 00:40:33.240
 king has

00:40:33.240 --> 00:40:33.640
 come.

00:40:34.260 --> 00:40:36.320
 not David

00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:37.140
 or Solomon

00:40:37.140 --> 00:40:37.760
 who were

00:40:37.760 --> 00:40:38.580
 but types

00:40:38.580 --> 00:40:39.620
 and shadows

00:40:39.620 --> 00:40:40.880
 and yet

00:40:40.880 --> 00:40:41.640
 they solved

00:40:41.640 --> 00:40:42.160
 so much

00:40:42.160 --> 00:40:42.960
 of this.

00:40:44.200 --> 00:40:44.680
 No,

00:40:44.740 --> 00:40:45.000
 they were

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:45.920
 only forerunners

00:40:45.920 --> 00:40:46.220
 of a

00:40:46.220 --> 00:40:47.060
 greater king.

00:40:48.600 --> 00:40:49.140
 No,

00:40:49.200 --> 00:40:49.640
 the answer

00:40:49.640 --> 00:40:50.340
 to these

00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:50.880
 horrific

00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:52.140
 acts and

00:40:52.140 --> 00:40:52.900
 sins is

00:40:52.900 --> 00:40:53.580
 found in

00:40:53.580 --> 00:40:54.460
 Jesus Christ.

00:40:56.180 --> 00:40:57.020
 Because

00:40:57.020 --> 00:40:58.480
 only in

00:40:58.480 --> 00:40:59.700
 Jesus Christ

00:40:59.700 --> 00:41:00.240
 can we

00:41:00.240 --> 00:41:01.180
 find how

00:41:01.180 --> 00:41:02.440
 a perfectly

00:41:02.440 --> 00:41:03.600
 holy God

00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:04.319
 can be

00:41:04.319 --> 00:41:04.880
 continually

00:41:04.880 --> 00:41:05.420
 gracious

00:41:05.420 --> 00:41:06.639
 to such

00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:08.420
 an atrociously

00:41:08.420 --> 00:41:09.400
 vile nation

00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:10.519
 as this.

00:41:11.319 --> 00:41:11.940
 Far beyond

00:41:11.940 --> 00:41:12.659
 the point

00:41:12.659 --> 00:41:13.299
 that we

00:41:13.299 --> 00:41:13.659
 would have

00:41:13.659 --> 00:41:14.159
 given up

00:41:14.159 --> 00:41:14.460
 hope.

00:41:16.819 --> 00:41:18.079
 Only in

00:41:18.079 --> 00:41:19.039
 the atoning

00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:19.719
 death of

00:41:19.719 --> 00:41:20.819
 Christ is

00:41:20.819 --> 00:41:21.440
 there any

00:41:21.440 --> 00:41:21.980
 way that

00:41:21.980 --> 00:41:22.679
 these men,

00:41:23.420 --> 00:41:24.299
 any way that

00:41:24.299 --> 00:41:25.139
 this nation

00:41:25.139 --> 00:41:25.900
 can be brought

00:41:25.900 --> 00:41:26.339
 around.

00:41:26.340 --> 00:41:29.780
 and yet

00:41:29.780 --> 00:41:30.600
 also in

00:41:30.600 --> 00:41:31.240
 Christ we

00:41:31.240 --> 00:41:32.240
 find the

00:41:32.240 --> 00:41:32.800
 one who

00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:33.200
 is the

00:41:33.200 --> 00:41:34.200
 king that

00:41:34.200 --> 00:41:35.000
 brings us

00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:35.720
 into obedience

00:41:35.720 --> 00:41:36.340
 with God's

00:41:36.340 --> 00:41:36.600
 will.

00:41:39.059 --> 00:41:39.920
 It was

00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:40.920
 interesting this

00:41:40.920 --> 00:41:41.280
 morning,

00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:42.120
 we were

00:41:42.120 --> 00:41:43.059
 hearing of

00:41:43.059 --> 00:41:43.920
 one who

00:41:43.920 --> 00:41:44.620
 demands our

00:41:44.620 --> 00:41:45.559
 decision making

00:41:45.559 --> 00:41:45.980
 to be

00:41:45.980 --> 00:41:46.800
 determined by

00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:47.680
 cross bearing

00:41:47.680 --> 00:41:48.600
 rather than

00:41:48.600 --> 00:41:49.320
 by comfort.

00:41:49.320 --> 00:41:51.880
 I wonder

00:41:51.880 --> 00:41:52.580
 if that's

00:41:52.580 --> 00:41:53.180
 another way

00:41:53.180 --> 00:41:53.920
 of representing

00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:54.680
 what's said

00:41:54.680 --> 00:41:55.080
 here,

00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:56.720
 that their

00:41:56.720 --> 00:41:57.620
 decision making

00:41:57.620 --> 00:41:58.320
 is determined

00:41:58.320 --> 00:41:59.000
 by what was

00:41:59.000 --> 00:41:59.500
 right in their

00:41:59.500 --> 00:42:00.200
 own eyes,

00:42:00.720 --> 00:42:02.360
 when actually

00:42:02.360 --> 00:42:02.920
 they should

00:42:02.920 --> 00:42:03.600
 have been

00:42:03.600 --> 00:42:04.420
 determining it

00:42:04.420 --> 00:42:05.140
 by the law

00:42:05.140 --> 00:42:05.580
 that God

00:42:05.580 --> 00:42:06.340
 gave them

00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:07.900
 as a

00:42:07.900 --> 00:42:08.260
 nation.

00:42:11.539 --> 00:42:12.500
 Now when I

00:42:12.500 --> 00:42:13.120
 say that

00:42:13.120 --> 00:42:14.760
 we look

00:42:14.760 --> 00:42:15.420
 forward to

00:42:15.420 --> 00:42:16.120
 Christ,

00:42:16.260 --> 00:42:16.680
 I'm not

00:42:16.680 --> 00:42:18.160
 making light

00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:18.839
 of the pain

00:42:18.839 --> 00:42:19.719
 that have

00:42:19.719 --> 00:42:20.480
 been caused

00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:21.779
 by these

00:42:21.779 --> 00:42:22.359
 men nor

00:42:22.359 --> 00:42:23.000
 by those

00:42:23.000 --> 00:42:23.420
 even of

00:42:23.420 --> 00:42:23.679
 God's

00:42:23.679 --> 00:42:24.119
 family in

00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:24.480
 our day

00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:24.779
 and age

00:42:24.779 --> 00:42:25.059
 who have

00:42:25.059 --> 00:42:25.980
 done what

00:42:25.980 --> 00:42:26.299
 is right

00:42:26.299 --> 00:42:26.619
 in their

00:42:26.619 --> 00:42:27.159
 own eyes.

00:42:29.019 --> 00:42:30.000
 It is

00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:31.899
 maybe only

00:42:31.899 --> 00:42:32.319
 a slight

00:42:32.319 --> 00:42:33.179
 comfort to

00:42:33.179 --> 00:42:33.739
 some of

00:42:33.739 --> 00:42:35.299
 us that

00:42:35.299 --> 00:42:35.980
 our Saviour

00:42:35.980 --> 00:42:37.000
 knows and

00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:39.420
 cares that

00:42:39.420 --> 00:42:40.239
 he lived

00:42:40.239 --> 00:42:40.879
 on this

00:42:40.879 --> 00:42:41.460
 earth with

00:42:41.460 --> 00:42:41.960
 all of its

00:42:41.960 --> 00:42:42.420
 pains,

00:42:43.279 --> 00:42:44.539
 that he

00:42:44.539 --> 00:42:45.359
 even died

00:42:45.359 --> 00:42:46.159
 taking the

00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:46.679
 wrath of

00:42:46.679 --> 00:42:47.259
 God and

00:42:47.259 --> 00:42:47.960
 feeling the

00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:48.960
 pain of

00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:49.800
 every sin.

00:42:51.820 --> 00:42:52.780
 As Hebrews

00:42:52.780 --> 00:42:53.320
 puts it,

00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:53.760
 we have a

00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:54.240
 great high

00:42:54.240 --> 00:42:56.519
 priest who

00:42:56.519 --> 00:42:57.480
 cares for

00:42:57.480 --> 00:42:59.039
 us and

00:42:59.039 --> 00:42:59.720
 he is our

00:42:59.720 --> 00:43:00.019
 king.

00:43:03.320 --> 00:43:04.280
 And so

00:43:04.280 --> 00:43:04.639
 as we

00:43:04.639 --> 00:43:05.159
 finish

00:43:05.159 --> 00:43:05.880
 Judges,

00:43:07.159 --> 00:43:07.800
 this

00:43:07.800 --> 00:43:09.320
 incredible

00:43:09.320 --> 00:43:10.199
 catalogue of

00:43:10.199 --> 00:43:10.699
 Israel's

00:43:10.699 --> 00:43:11.199
 failures,

00:43:11.860 --> 00:43:12.900
 mingled with

00:43:12.900 --> 00:43:13.720
 the utterly

00:43:13.720 --> 00:43:15.099
 amazing grace

00:43:15.099 --> 00:43:16.159
 of God in

00:43:16.159 --> 00:43:17.000
 preserving his

00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:17.400
 people,

00:43:17.539 --> 00:43:18.380
 despite their

00:43:18.380 --> 00:43:19.179
 being conformed

00:43:19.179 --> 00:43:19.440
 to the

00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:20.039
 patterns of

00:43:20.039 --> 00:43:20.539
 the prevailing

00:43:20.539 --> 00:43:21.300
 society,

00:43:22.099 --> 00:43:23.619
 may we

00:43:23.619 --> 00:43:24.500
 never be so

00:43:24.500 --> 00:43:26.900
 foolish as

00:43:26.900 --> 00:43:27.579
 to think that

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:28.239
 we will not

00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:28.780
 fall as the

00:43:28.780 --> 00:43:29.699
 Israelites did.

00:43:31.699 --> 00:43:32.760
 But would

00:43:32.760 --> 00:43:33.760
 we be filled

00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:35.380
 with a

00:43:35.380 --> 00:43:36.500
 fresh zeal

00:43:36.500 --> 00:43:37.880
 to seek

00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:39.099
 God anew

00:43:39.099 --> 00:43:40.800
 and to be

00:43:40.800 --> 00:43:42.000
 conformed to

00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:43.039
 the image of

00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:44.300
 his son,

00:43:44.300 --> 00:43:46.659
 the king of

00:43:46.659 --> 00:43:47.360
 kings who

00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:48.840
 leads us in

00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:49.659
 being salt

00:43:49.659 --> 00:43:50.300
 and light

00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:51.519
 among dark

00:43:51.519 --> 00:43:51.960
 and dying

00:43:51.960 --> 00:43:52.739
 generations.

00:43:54.320 --> 00:43:55.420
 May we

00:43:55.420 --> 00:43:57.940
 see even in

00:43:57.940 --> 00:43:58.619
 the darkness

00:43:58.619 --> 00:43:59.320
 of the

00:43:59.320 --> 00:44:00.380
 horrors of

00:44:00.380 --> 00:44:02.099
 judges that

00:44:02.099 --> 00:44:02.579
 God is

00:44:02.579 --> 00:44:04.820
 light and

00:44:04.820 --> 00:44:05.460
 that his

00:44:05.460 --> 00:44:06.179
 love and

00:44:06.179 --> 00:44:07.079
 his mercy

00:44:07.079 --> 00:44:08.380
 shine even

00:44:08.380 --> 00:44:09.259
 in the muck

00:44:09.260 --> 00:44:10.260
 and the

00:44:10.260 --> 00:44:11.180
 mire of

00:44:11.180 --> 00:44:11.840
 these tragic

00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:12.480
 accounts.

00:44:14.860 --> 00:44:15.760
 And as

00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:16.480
 we live in

00:44:16.480 --> 00:44:17.160
 this world,

00:44:18.600 --> 00:44:19.220
 would we

00:44:19.220 --> 00:44:20.080
 be able to

00:44:20.080 --> 00:44:21.020
 minister that

00:44:21.020 --> 00:44:21.700
 grace to

00:44:21.700 --> 00:44:23.440
 others who

00:44:23.440 --> 00:44:23.940
 are so

00:44:23.940 --> 00:44:25.000
 entangled by

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:25.780
 the darkness

00:44:25.780 --> 00:44:27.600
 that only the

00:44:27.600 --> 00:44:28.120
 God of

00:44:28.120 --> 00:44:29.500
 judges is

00:44:29.500 --> 00:44:30.480
 relatable for

00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:30.740
 them?

00:44:33.620 --> 00:44:34.720
 Let's pray

00:44:34.720 --> 00:44:35.900
 just before we

00:44:35.900 --> 00:44:37.080
 close this

00:44:37.080 --> 00:44:37.320
 evening.

00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:40.600
 Father,

00:44:42.160 --> 00:44:46.000
 we look

00:44:46.000 --> 00:44:46.700
 at what

00:44:46.700 --> 00:44:48.100
 went on

00:44:48.100 --> 00:44:49.100
 there in

00:44:49.100 --> 00:44:50.140
 those days

00:44:50.140 --> 00:44:51.240
 in Gibeah

00:44:51.240 --> 00:44:52.220
 and the

00:44:52.220 --> 00:44:52.539
 surrounding

00:44:52.539 --> 00:44:54.760
 area and

00:44:54.760 --> 00:44:55.559
 our question

00:44:55.559 --> 00:44:56.440
 must be

00:44:56.440 --> 00:44:56.960
 why?

00:45:00.539 --> 00:45:01.700
 We are

00:45:01.700 --> 00:45:02.980
 horrified by

00:45:02.980 --> 00:45:03.680
 the sin

00:45:03.680 --> 00:45:05.039
 of your

00:45:05.039 --> 00:45:05.660
 people.

00:45:07.320 --> 00:45:09.440
 and we

00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:10.360
 wonder how

00:45:10.360 --> 00:45:10.700
 it could

00:45:10.700 --> 00:45:11.180
 ever have

00:45:11.180 --> 00:45:11.980
 happened that

00:45:11.980 --> 00:45:12.940
 way with

00:45:12.940 --> 00:45:14.059
 all that

00:45:14.059 --> 00:45:15.420
 they had

00:45:15.420 --> 00:45:16.320
 of you,

00:45:17.039 --> 00:45:17.539
 with all

00:45:17.539 --> 00:45:17.860
 that they

00:45:17.860 --> 00:45:18.519
 had seen

00:45:18.519 --> 00:45:18.980
 of your

00:45:18.980 --> 00:45:19.420
 goodness,

00:45:19.800 --> 00:45:20.340
 with all

00:45:20.340 --> 00:45:21.059
 that they

00:45:21.059 --> 00:45:21.580
 must have

00:45:21.580 --> 00:45:22.740
 heard of

00:45:22.740 --> 00:45:23.400
 your law.

00:45:26.180 --> 00:45:27.420
 And in

00:45:27.420 --> 00:45:28.039
 our day

00:45:28.039 --> 00:45:28.680
 and age,

00:45:29.640 --> 00:45:31.660
 we would

00:45:31.660 --> 00:45:32.900
 pray that

00:45:32.900 --> 00:45:34.580
 we would

00:45:34.580 --> 00:45:35.240
 not become

00:45:35.240 --> 00:45:35.860
 like them.

00:45:35.860 --> 00:45:38.620
 either like

00:45:38.620 --> 00:45:39.320
 the men

00:45:39.320 --> 00:45:39.860
 who just

00:45:39.860 --> 00:45:40.860
 walked past

00:45:40.860 --> 00:45:41.539
 those

00:45:41.539 --> 00:45:42.300
 sojourners

00:45:42.300 --> 00:45:42.780
 in the

00:45:42.780 --> 00:45:43.820
 square waiting

00:45:43.820 --> 00:45:44.840
 for the

00:45:44.840 --> 00:45:45.320
 eventual

00:45:45.320 --> 00:45:46.079
 mob to

00:45:46.079 --> 00:45:46.620
 come upon

00:45:46.620 --> 00:45:47.039
 them,

00:45:49.140 --> 00:45:49.900
 nor like

00:45:49.900 --> 00:45:50.440
 any of the

00:45:50.440 --> 00:45:51.260
 other characters

00:45:51.260 --> 00:45:52.019
 who acted

00:45:52.019 --> 00:45:53.519
 with callousness

00:45:53.519 --> 00:45:55.220
 and evil

00:45:55.220 --> 00:45:55.640
 in their

00:45:55.640 --> 00:45:56.220
 hearts.

00:45:56.219 --> 00:45:58.219
 men.

00:45:58.219 --> 00:45:58.939
 But would

00:45:58.939 --> 00:45:59.359
 we be

00:45:59.359 --> 00:45:59.919
 those

00:45:59.919 --> 00:46:02.059
 who,

00:46:02.439 --> 00:46:03.319
 gazing at

00:46:03.319 --> 00:46:03.619
 your

00:46:03.619 --> 00:46:04.219
 son,

00:46:05.339 --> 00:46:05.859
 would be

00:46:05.859 --> 00:46:06.819
 like him,

00:46:08.879 --> 00:46:09.579
 who would

00:46:09.579 --> 00:46:10.219
 be

00:46:10.219 --> 00:46:12.299
 transformed

00:46:12.299 --> 00:46:14.659
 from the

00:46:14.659 --> 00:46:15.179
 image of

00:46:15.179 --> 00:46:15.980
 this world

00:46:15.980 --> 00:46:18.399
 into the

00:46:18.399 --> 00:46:18.919
 image of

00:46:18.919 --> 00:46:19.359
 him,

00:46:20.359 --> 00:46:22.019
 and who

00:46:22.019 --> 00:46:22.839
 would be

00:46:22.840 --> 00:46:24.039
 of great

00:46:24.039 --> 00:46:24.559
 use in

00:46:24.559 --> 00:46:25.240
 this world,

00:46:25.460 --> 00:46:26.079
 pointing

00:46:26.079 --> 00:46:27.740
 sinners

00:46:27.740 --> 00:46:28.600
 back to

00:46:28.600 --> 00:46:28.940
 you.

00:46:31.880 --> 00:46:32.480
 Father,

00:46:33.059 --> 00:46:34.519
 only you

00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:34.860
 can do

00:46:34.860 --> 00:46:35.300
 this by

00:46:35.300 --> 00:46:35.559
 your

00:46:35.559 --> 00:46:36.059
 spirit,

00:46:36.820 --> 00:46:37.380
 and only

00:46:37.380 --> 00:46:37.940
 in Jesus'

00:46:38.220 --> 00:46:38.440
 name.

00:46:39.640 --> 00:46:40.079
 So we

00:46:40.079 --> 00:46:41.860
 pray in

00:46:41.860 --> 00:46:42.480
 his name.

00:46:42.640 --> 00:46:42.920
 Amen.

00:46:42.920 --> 00:46:43.019
 Amen.

00:46:43.019 --> 00:46:43.059
 Amen.

00:46:43.059 --> 00:46:43.120
 Amen.

00:46:43.120 --> 00:46:43.140
 Amen.

00:46:43.140 --> 00:46:43.160
 Amen.

00:46:43.160 --> 00:46:45.059
 Amen.

00:46:45.059 --> 00:46:45.140
 Amen.

00:46:45.140 --> 00:46:47.059
 Amen.

00:46:47.059 --> 00:46:47.140
 Amen.

00:46:47.140 --> 00:46:49.059
 Amen.

00:46:49.059 --> 00:46:49.140
 Amen.

00:46:49.140 --> 00:46:49.160
 Amen.

00:46:49.160 --> 00:46:51.059
 Amen.

00:46:51.059 --> 00:46:51.100
 Amen.