WHEN EVIL REIGNS

Judges 19:21-23,29-30

So he took them home with him and fed the donkeys. After they washed their feet, they ate and drank together.

While they were enjoying themselves, a crowd of troublemakers from the town surrounded the house. They began beating at the door and shouting to the old man, “Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with him.”

The old man stepped outside to talk to them. “No, my brothers, don’t do such an evil thing. For this man is a guest in my house, and such a thing would be shameful.

When he got home, he took a knife and cut his concubine’s body into twelve pieces. Then he sent one piece to each tribe throughout all the territory of Israel.

Everyone who saw it said, “Such a horrible crime has not been committed in all the time since Israel left Egypt. Think about it! What are we going to do? Who’s going to speak up?”

When a people neglect God, they should not be surprised when evil reigns. When you cut off light, the option remaining is darkness for darkness is the absence of light.

This darkness becomes more eminent when there is no good leadership. The reoccurring statement as we go through the book of Judges is:

Judges 17:6

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

There is a need for order, for even the wicked ones will fear the wrath of the law if there was good leadership over the people.

However this was not the case in Israel. In the town of Gibeah in Benjamin the people allowed the abomination that occured in Sodom and Gomorrah to reign there.

Judges 19:12-14

“No,” his master said, “we can’t stay in this foreign town where there are no Israelites. Instead, we will go on to Gibeah.

Come on, let’s try to get as far as Gibeah or Ramah, and we’ll spend the night in one of those towns.”

So they went on. The sun was setting as they came to Gibeah, a town in the land of Benjamin,

This man in wisdom didn't want to spend the night in the place where there was no Israelites, he went further so that he could stay in a town where fellow Israelites lived, but what happened:

Judges 19:15

so they stopped there to spend the night. They rested in the town square, but no one took them in for the night.

No one took them in. This man was not even asking for any favours, he had all he needed to cater for himself, his concubine, servant and donkey but he was rejected by all:

Judges 19:18-19

“We have been in Bethlehem in Judah,” the man replied. “We are on our way to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim, which is my home. I traveled to Bethlehem, and now I’m returning home. But no one has taken us in for the night,

even though we have everything we need. We have straw and feed for our donkeys and plenty of bread and wine for ourselves.”

It was an old man returning from work in the evening who saw them in the town square that insisted that they come stay with him the night. He was from another part of Israel but dwelt with the people of Gibeah.

Judges 19:16-17,21

That evening an old man came home from his work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, but he was living in Gibeah, where the people were from the tribe of Benjamin.

When he saw the travelers sitting in the town square, he asked them where they were from and where they were going.

So he took them home with him and fed the donkeys. After they washed their feet, they ate and drank together.

This reminds us of Lot who came to stay with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, the same event happened only in Lot's time the visitors were heavenly beings!

In the case of this city it was a crowd of trouble makers that went to raid the house of this old man to abuse the man he gave hospitality to, what an abomination, yet the people did not stop this evil actions.

What do we learn from this record?

Where are we as believers making the same error?

We refuse to speak up against an evil because the people are from our tribe or race!

We see wrong and ignore, feeling that it doesn't concern us, even when we have the avenue, platform or influence to speak or act against it?

There is no love for others, we only speak about it but never live up to it.

We see the action as abominable as we read through this events in the land of Gibeah, but we see churches supporting abominable relationships that God called an abomination. Some of these so called churches champion the movement that encourages and participates in this abominable lifestyle.

We should not be surprised when evil reigns if we have given ourselves over to it. 

Scriptures says:

1 Peter 4:17

For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?

We should understand that the temptations come more to those who have chosen the way of the Lord, for the powers of darkness are not too bothered about the territories they have already captured but will do anything to contaminate, infiltrate and then capture cities who have given themselves to the way of the Lord.

This, Paul warned by the Spirit:

1 Peter 5:8

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Evil must not reign in the life of a believer, neither in the home or wherever they have an influence. 

We therefore must build Godly alters and maintain them.

Romans 12:21

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

It always begins from the home, to our schools, our church gatherings, the local community and the nation. We do not wait for the powers of darkness to take over. We do not wait for the flesh to supercede, we bring all to the authority of the Heavenly Father.

God must reign in our lives, else evil will have preeminence. Let us fill the whole Earth's media space with God's word and presence, use your media spaces, your handles to spread the truth, the gospel, love and all that is light.

You can begin by sharing this devotional. Let it be on your status that others can click on and share also.

Jesus said:

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Evil will not reign, we overcome evil with good.

Glory to God.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to be that light that will lead all to your path, evil will not reign in my territory but your righteousness, let me be your vessel of honour to shine your light. We need You Lord in all areas of our lives. Let the good hearted not fall into the trap of the enemy. Instead they will come to Your light. Glory to Your name Lord forevermore.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher.