Ÿ Judges 20 is a continuation of chapter 19.

Ÿ The NO NAME Levite has found himself in a very precarious situation.

Ÿ First of all, he never did marry the woman he was with. That's why he continues to refer to her as his concubine.

Ÿ Next he is willing to give her to a group of ungodly men that have only one thing on their minds. Sex.

Ÿ He finds himself in a situation that a good Levite should never be in.

Ÿ He uses that situation to distract the people of Israel from his ungodly actions.

Judges 20:1-7

Ÿ Mizpah is significant because this was where the ARK of the covenant was. Mizpah was the gathering place for all of Israel to gather to worship and to conduct "business".

Ÿ All the Israeli leaders and 400,000 swordsmen!!!

Ÿ We're the Benjamite leaders there?

Ÿ It's interesting that in verse 3 it says the Benjamites knew that the rest of the tribes went to Mizpah.

Ÿ The other leaders wanted to know what took place.

Ÿ Remember, the "no name" Levite was a spiritual leader!

Ÿ Notice how his account of the story only referred to his "wife" as his "concubine".

Ÿ He was diverting the attention away from himself.

Ÿ As a Levite he knew what God said about a man sleeping with a woman. It made them "one". The definition of marriage.

Ÿ He was living a lie and was moving the attention away from the truth and hoping that this vile act would turn the attention away from him.

Ÿ This is obvious when he asked the Israeli leaders what "they" were going to do about it.

Ÿ No reference of going to God for guidance. He was a Levite!!!!! Who should he be turning to?

Judges 20:8-11

Ÿ Talk about a united group!!!

Ÿ And remember, this was about going against one of the 12 tribes. The Benjamites.

QUESTION:

Just because the men of Gibeah were evil, does that mean the that all of the Benjamites were evil?

Ÿ The Benjamites knew what was going on in Gibeah and learned to just live with it.

Ÿ The Isrealites united against the city of Gibeah.

Ÿ The Evil being done in Gibeah has been exposed for all of Isreal to see.

Judges 20:12-16

Ÿ Messengers from all the tribes except the Benjamites were giving them an opportunity to right the wrong that was committed.

Ÿ The Benjamites were not willing to step up and get rid of the evil among them.

Ÿ 26,700 soldiers formed a defense.

Ÿ 700 of them were select troops who were "left handed".

Ÿ Where have we heard that before?

Ÿ Judges 3. The Judge Ehud was left handed and killed the Moabite king Eglon.

Judges 20:17-18

Ÿ 400,000 warriors. Non-Benjamites.

Ÿ 26,700 Benjamite warriors.

Ÿ Kind of intimidating.

Judges 20:19-23

Ÿ Oh,oh. What went wrong?

Ÿ Form a prayer meeting.

Ÿ Ask God again.

Judges 20:24-28

Ÿ 18,000 Israeli troops wiped out!

Ÿ We're better and outnumber them.

Ÿ This can't be happening!!!

Ÿ After this loss they were shaken and brought in the the top dog. Phinehas.

Ÿ What is going on? We should be winning.

Ÿ God is on our side!!!

Judges 20:29-39

Ÿ 30 more Israeli troops lost.

Ÿ Then a change in strategy.

Ÿ 25,100 Benjamites killed.

Ÿ This is a very deadly civil war.

Ÿ But the battle is not done.

Judges 20:40-48

Ÿ 25,000 Benjamites dead.

Ÿ 600 escaped.

Ÿ But in the end Benjamin was destroyed.

Ÿ One less tribe in Israel.

TAKE AWAYS

Ÿ All over the death of the concubine.

Ÿ Do we give up too easily, especially when God's instructions are clear?

Ÿ Do we go to Him and pray earnestly for guidance before we charge ahead?

Ÿ God has a plan. We don't know that plan but can be assured that, with us or without us, His plan will be accomplished.

Ÿ Even when we are not following God's word, He loves us and wants us to turn away from ourself and turn to Him.