READING FOR FEBRUARY 18, 2025: JUDGES 19, MATTHEW 12, PSALM 9:1-12                 JUDGES 19 This comes with a warning label: all readers will find this content disturbing. It is an example of how fallen and really evil we as people are. Apart from the grace of God in our lives, we aren’t naturally any better. As Alexander Solzhenitsyn correctly observed: “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart—and through all human hearts.”

A Levite was living in Ephraim with his concubine (official mistress), who was from Bethlehem in Judah. The concubine left this Levite and returned to her father’s home. The Levite followed her to convince her to return to him. The girl’s father appears to have liked the Levite’scompany and kept asking him to stay one more day before leaving with his concubine. After several one more days, the Levite insisted on going, even though it was already late in the day. As could have been foreseen, they did not make it all the way back to their home that day. Rather than spend the night in a town occupied by non-Israelites, the Levite chose to spend the night at Gibeah in Benjamin. He thought that would be safer. 

From this point on the story has remarkable similarities to story of Sodom, many centuries earlier in Genesis 19. Not able to find a room that late, they settled down in the town square for the night. An older resident hailing from Ephraim spotted them, invited them in, washed their feet, and fed their donkeys. Great hospitality so far. Then some men of the town surrounded the house and demanded that the Levite be brought out so that they could sexual relations with him. The owner of the house refused to allow such wickedness to happen. Instead, he and the Levite allowed them to rape the concubine repeatedly until morning. Her master apparently slept well through the night. When he encountered his concubine lying prone at the doorway the next day, he told her to get up. When there was no response, he placed her lifeless body on a donkey and traveled home. Upon arriving, he cut her into 12 pieces and sent them throughout Israel. 

We should be sickened by this. That’s because God placed a conscious in each one of us: “They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them” (Rom. 2:15). Although we all know what is wrong, we still do wrong: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Our only escape is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus: “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Rom. 3:21-22). THIS IS THE GOSPEL.

MATTHEW 12 The chapter begins with Pharisees denouncing Jesus’s disciples for munching on heads of grain as they walked through the fields on the Sabbath. There was no law prohibiting this on the Sabbath, but

READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 18, 2025 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 12, PSALM 9:1-12                                        there was one permitting this in general (Deut.23:25). Jesus responded by giving two Old Testament examples, one involving David and one a temple priest, that might be considered legally questionable if one were focused on trying to trump up violations. In both cases they were blameless. 

Even though His disciples broke no law, Jesus used this opportunity to reveal His lordship over and fulfillment of the law. He also addressed the Pharisees’ underlying problem of trying to earn righteousness by piling on needless, even harmful rules: “I desire compassion, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6). Let’s not equate manmade rules and tradition with God’s Word! Jesus went on to show His compassion on that Sabbath day by healing a man with a withered hand. As the Pharisees plotted how to destroy Jesus, He continued to heal all who came to Him. Jesus told those He healed not to make Him known. He connected this request with an extended reference from Isaiah. This reference seems related to his trial before Pilate (no quarrelling) and the result of His resurrection (hope for the Gentiles). Thus, Jesus might have considered excessive news about his healings as hindering His main mission: the cross. The controversy about Jesus casting out demons by the Spirit gave Him another opportunity to declare the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus then said anyone not gathering with Him scatters. Finally, He connected this scattering with speaking against the Spirit, which is termed unpardonable sin. How might one be guilty of Kingdom scattering or Holy Spirit opposition? 

Quick thoughts for the rest of the chapter:

• Jesus stated that our words reveal our heart and warns that we will be accountable for our words at the final judgment. (Thus, seek a purer heart from which our words will naturally flow.)
• Jesus refused to give the scribes signs to validate His claims other than the upcoming resurrection. (For those still in doubt about the reality and importance of the resurrection, read 1 Cor. 15). 
• Jesus said Jonah and Solomon point to Him, the greater Jonah and greater Solomon. 
• Finally, Jesus said His biological family is not necessarily his genuine family. Rather it is those who do God’s will. His family did not initially believe in Him (Mark 3:21).                                                                                                

PSALM 9:1-12 David begins the Psalm committing to give joyful thanks and praise both in word and in song. What a great idea to commit to doing this regardless of our feelings, circumstances, or even available time. Can we do the same? Likely David was busy, too. Before analyzing the rest of this particular Psalm, let’s review some interpretative principles that apply to those of us on this side of Jesus’s life, resurrection, and indwelling of the Holy Spirt. These principles are necessary for a whole class of Psalms known as Imprecatory Psalms:

• Remember that in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus raised the behavioral standards from the Old Testament: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43-44). 
• We still battle against evil, but not directed against any person or people. Hear Paul: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).            

With this in mind, for verses 3-6, words like “enemies,” “wicked,” “nations,” and “cities” can refer to spiritual temptations or sins that keep challenging us. Here are some examples: anger, inappropriate sexual thoughts, jealousy, laziness, hopelessness, food obsessions, or even Satan. If the names of persons negatively still come to mind, take Jesus’s suggestion to pray for them. Finally, here is one suggestion for verse 12 where it says, “declare His deeds.” Be bold. Post on Facebook, send a text, or write an email to someone, sharing a great attribute of God, a blessing from God, or even something from today’s Bible reading.