Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 20

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.”

But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.

Judges 20:12-13 ESV

You have to read Judges 19 in order to understand Judges 20, so please start there. I wrote some thoughts on Judges 19 here. Now considering Judges 20, I’m thinking about how often people protect the perpetrators while turning their backs to the needy. Unfortunately it’s often the criminals with a good reputation who the community rallies to support while the lesser-known victims are left with no one to defend them. May it never be.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 61.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Isaiah 11:1-4 ESV

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV

May we be vessels of His mercy and justice, of His grace and truth. May we be impartial as He is. May we help the poor and broken, remembering that we are poor and broken recipients of God’s amazing grace.