Judg 19:1 says there was no king in Israel.  It implies therefore that a king or Judge would have led the people in a more Godly way.  What a terrible blot on Israel's character this incident is.  Sexual sins are abhorrent to God, and have been so since the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:24)

How had this terrible atrocity occurred on the hallowed soil of the promised land?

In 17:2 a man called Micah had done an evil thing in stealing from his mother. Instead of rebuking him, she said "blessed are you of the LORD, my son!".  Built up by his mothers words, Micah went and made a household God from the silver.  A levite came to him, and instead of rebuking him, became a priest of that God, as well as to the LORD.  So, built up and encouraged by the Levite, Micah exclaimed Now I know that the LORD will be good to me!.  In 18:6 this priest told lies in the name of the LORD, blessing the evil which was going to be done by the men of Dan.  In 18:31 the idol which Micah had made was set up in place of the LORD.

God condemns those who call evil good (Isa 5:20), and those who bless their own heart (Deut 29:19). What started with a witheld rebuke ended in complete turning away from the true God, the LORD.  Is it too difficult to imagine, then, that the LORD should seek to rebuke the people for the evil they had done, since they would not rebuke the evil themselves?  Another Levite (or even the same one?) finally does that which is right in deciding to act against the evil he sees, sending messages throughout Israel and challenging them to "consider it, confer, and SPEAK UP!" (19:30).

(Compare the LORD's version: Deut 13:1-11, 17:2-7, 29:18-21, Isa 5:18-24).

19:20   So even in the midst of the evil city of Gibeah there was one faithful man, willing to bear the cost of caring for the man of God knowing that otherwise awful things would happen to him. Likewise in the ecclesia. No matter how sick it might be one might imagine one can always find at least one faithful brother or sister. We should not assume that everyone in an ecclesia is tarred with the same brush, so to speak.

Judges from chapter 19 on is separate from the previous chapters of the book and has similarities with Genesis 19 (the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the attacking at the door i.e.couldn't find Christ, etc.) and 1Samuel 9-11. Perhaps there are several levels of interpretation for Judges chapter 19. Perhaps one interpretation is the Levite echos Christ and the function of a priest while the unfaithful concubine from Bethlehem (is there an echo of God as her father?) v.1-2 to which he was joined refers to his fleshly nature which left him as he never sinned and upon the sacrifice/resurrection that fleshly nature died at the door having been sacrificed v.27 and the blood of the sacrifice covered all Israel v.29-30 including some of the Gentiles who were in Israel (spiritual Israel?) including those in the future Jerusalem "Jebus" (2982) which means "trodden, i.e. a threshing place". Looking a bit closer, we have the two donkeys and a servant and both are in the father's house v.3 and perhaps this echos the start of the triumphal entry (Matt 21:1,2,3,17) and the two towns perhaps symbolizing Jew and Gentile. V.4-5 we have the mention of 3 days eating and drinking perhaps refering to the sacrificial offering plus sleeping (sacrificial death?), rising up early after the third day (resurrection?) "refresh yourself" (NIV) or "comfort thine heart" (KJV) and v.8-9 ultimately leaving on the 5th day (the #5 thought by many to indicate mercy and grace).V.10 so with two donkeys they head for the then Gentile city of  Jebus but the Levite says lets go to an Israelite city just as Christ went first to the Jews. V.12-15 they should have been safe in Jewish "Gibeah" (1390) which means "hill" or "Ramah" (7414) which means "a hill, a height (as a seat of idolatry)" but in these apostate towns of their brethren they were rejected hospitality v.18. V.19 mentions the bread and the wine so perhaps this was the last supper hospitality and/or a symbol of the faithful few who accept Christ's sacrifice (v.24 or perhaps the welcoming man echos God, the father of the virginal pure immortal side of Christ, which is not destroyed versus the fleshly concubine which is sacrificed). V.21 we have the washing of the feet reminding us of humility and cleansing. V.22 we have wicked men (in this case Jews unlike the Gentile Sodomites of Gen 19) who want to kill the Levite (Christ?). The men were told to not act disgracefully by the man owning the house v.25 but they didn't listen (Israel didn't listen to the prophets and God's Word?) and it was only when the Levite offered his own concubine (Christ's own flesh willingly offered?) that they abused the concubine (Christ's fleshly nature sacrifice?) at Gibeah (hill of Calvary?) who then died at the door of her master (Christ mastered his fleshly nature and destroyed the power of sin and death as a ransom for many Isa 53:12) laying there v.26 until daylight. The Levite/virgin (Christ's spiritual nature?) live on. V.29 perhaps the idea of cutting up into 12 parts suggests the sacrificial shedding of blood that was offered for all Israel and those Gentiles whose hope is in the Israel to come.

19:23   Was the man right to chop his wife up and send her parts throughout Israel? The record makes no comment. Was there no other way in which he could have alerted the nation to the evil of the men of Gibeah? What do you think?

V.2 The Levite had no compunction in sacrificing his wife to save his own skin.  Perhaps, he felt little obligation towards her since she had played the whore against him before. 

V.24 The Levite's behavior, and that of his host in offering his virgin daughter, was deplorable.  The protection of a guest, in the Near East, was of utmost importance, but this behavior cannot be condoned.  

The Levite was not beyond further atrocity by chopping up his dead wife and distributing her parts to the tribes of Israel.  His violent protest against injustice was indeed hypocritical.

19:5-11 The insistent hospitality which delayed the Levite leaving with his concubine was the cause of the problems. He did not have enough time to make the full journey home and so had to break his journey that evening. Se we might say that procrastination was the cause of his problems. If he had been diligent to do as he had said he would not have had to lodge in Gibeah. It is always best to do the job planned at the appropriate time rather than putting things off.

V.2 Bethlehem-judah was earlier called Ephratah or Ephrath (Gen 48:7).  After the town was conquered by Israel, it became known as Bethlehem-judah.  The reason that judah was tagged on was to avoid confusion with another town called Bethlehem which was in Zebulun (Josh 19:15).

Vs.2,3 Israel was doing its own thing and not paying any heed to the Law.  According to the Law, the Levite should not have taken his concubine back (Deut 24:4).

V.10 The phrase which is Jerusalem (KJV) must have been added to the text at a later time.  During the time of this incident, Jebus was still in the hands of the Canaanites (See also Judg 1:8).

V.12 Gibeah means hill.  It was a town just north-west of Jebus, in the territory of Benjamin.  It is interesting that this chapter begins with the statement that: there was no king in Israel (v.1). Gibeah was the hometown of Saul, the first king of Israel (1Sam 10:26).

V.22 The word Belial (KJV) is presented as a personal noun.  In Hebrew, there is no suggestion that it should be translated that way.  The word means worthless.  Modern versions have translated belial differently.  For example: worthless (ESV); base fellows (ASRV); worthless fellows (NASB).  And so, any worthless (wicked) men are called the sons of Belial, while wicked women are called the daughters of Belial (1Sam 1:16).

19:2  The behaviour of the ‘concubine’ matched the way in which the nation behaved towards God. So her treatment by the men of Gibeah matches the way that the nations inhabiting the land of Canaan treated Israel. The behaviour and treatment of the concubine stands as a metaphor for Israel’s behaviour and punishment.

Notice the way in which names are played upon.

We will have noticed this already in Isaiah 7 and 8.

41:28 Notice the 'man' crops up again. We met him in 32:2.

V.14 It is interesting to note that Israel (God's son in the national sense) is called a worm.

In Ps. 22:6 Jesus (God's only begotten son) describes himself as a worm. The Lord is describing himself as a reproach.  Indeed, as he hung on the cross he was made to be sin (who knew no sin) (2Cor. 5:21).

The color representing sin is scarlet. The word for worm in both the cases cited above is tola. This describes the voracious maggot from which is extracted the scarlet color used for dyeing garments. 

This is the connection of the worm = color = sin in the above passages.

V.10 " Fear not for I am with thee" V.13, 14 "Fear not; I will help thee" V.17 "I will not forsake them". These words of encouragement for His people are not unlike those spoken to Israel by Moses as they prepared to cross the Jordon (Deut 31:6)  We, like the believers in the first century can also be comforted by the same words (Heb 13:5).  

41:1  In the last verse of the previous chapter Isaiah has spoken of those who ‘wait upon the Lord’ renewing their strength. He now pleads with the people that they might do just that – they should ‘wait upon the Lord’.

The LORD will once again reveal Himself as " the redeemer, the Holy One of Israel"(V.14), a guarantee that redemption would one day be final and complete, when their land would become fruitful (V.18,19), and Israel themselves would become "the right hand of rightousness" (V.10) 

41:8This is one of three occasions when Abraham is spoken of as God’s ‘friend’ –2Chron 20:7, James 2:23 and here. So being counted righteous Abraham became God’s friend. Where do we stand in this respect? Jesus calls us ‘friends’ if we keep his commandments – John 15:14

41:17 The idols that the people had been encouraging each other to follow were unable to hear – Isa 45:20 - but God will ‘hear’ Israel’s cries.

V.25 The invader (Babylon) is said to come from two directions: north and east (the rising of the sun).  This seems contradictory.  However, the word north is translated from the Hebrew word tsafon which means hidden (dark), and is meant to convey gloomy (foreboding). And so, north transmits emotion whilst east describes direction.

41:6-7 Here is a perversion of the requirement of the law to love thy neighbour –Lev 19:18 – Their encouragement of their neighbour was to make idols. However the law had required that if their neighbour suggested they follow idols they should be put to death – Deut 13:6-9

Vs.2,25 These verses refer to Cyrus who would defeat Babylon and rule in its place.

V.3 …the way that he had not gone with his feet (KJV).  Cyrus had not ventured westward until he began his conquering path.

V.4 When Cyrus started on his campaign to conquer, the idolatrous nations were fearful.

Vs.5,6 Men of these fearful nations set about to make new idols to ward off Cyrus.

Vs.8-10 But, Israel, Yahweh’s chosen, should not fear because Cyrus is coming as a liberator.

V.26 Cyrus’s being righteous (KJV) does not imply that he forsook idolatry.  It simply means that Cyrus was a just and lawful ruler.

41:10,13,14 The repeated ‘I will help thee’ plays on the meaning of the name of Hezekiah – helped of God.

3 v.6-9 - John here returns to the contrast he highlighted in chapter 2 which we spoke of yesterday. The focus is on 'as [a man] thinketh in his heart so is he' [Proverbs 23:7]

4 v.21 - The commandment which we have received of 'him' is actually from Jesus. Jesus draws together two commandments Deuteronomy 6:5 'Love the Lord' Leviticus 19:18 'Love thy neighbour' in [Matthew 22:37-39]. This is what John is drawing on.

3:12 Here we have in 'slew his brother' quoting Genesis 4:8 and 'Cain' more references to the behaviour of Cain who did not love his brother. So the example of Cain forms the basis for 3:15 'whoso hateth his brother is a murderer'.

4:4 in speaking of overcoming John is using a key word which occurs a number of times in the letter

1 John 2:13 2:14 4:4 5:4 5:5.

So we should not think of ourselves as failures. We are overcomers and as such are in a wonderful position.

3:1 If we truly are the 'sons of God' then we should not be surprised when the world does not 'know' us. Conversely if we feel comfortable in the world then we might reflect on whether we truly are 'in him'.

4:5 We learnt (2:1) that the world does not 'know' the sons of God. That is because the 'world' speaks a different language. This contrasts with (4:6) the language of the servants of God. So we have to reflect on what language we speak.

1John 3:7. This is the third time that the apostle uses this word “planao’ (4105) in this epistle. It is translated deceive here and in 1John 1:8. In 1John 2:26 the translators use the word “seduce”. One of John’s concerns as a shepherd was the safety of the lambs. They must not allow themselves to be led astray.

1John 4:18. The word fear here means; fright, or alarm. As faith and doubt cannot exist together in the heart or mind of a believer, so love (agape) and fear have nothing in common.

3:1 'behold' is a recurring idea throughout this and the next chapter :2 appear twice and see. :6 'seen' 1John 4:12, :14 'seen' :20 'seen' twice. John is focusing on the reality of the risen Lord Jesus Christ who, by now, many of his readers would never have seen.

4:1 'try the spirits' catches the sentiments of Deut 13:1-4 where the Jews were encouraged to measure what they heard against their understanding of Scripture.

3:14 'we have passed from death to life' quotes John 5:24. This is another place where John is expounding the words of Jesus as recorded in his gospel.

4:2 'in the flesh' means as a human - like Adam. As time went on heresies arose one of which said Jesus was a God during his time on earth. Possibly out of a desire to exalt Jesus in the eyes of man. However Jesus' strength is more exalted if we realise that even though he could have sinned he chose not to.

3:2,3 Is our fervent hope to be like Jesus?

3:8  Christ came to destroy the works of the devil (Gen 3:15).  Those works were the fleshly sins that came into play through the fall of Adam and Eve at the beginning of human history.  Christ was successful in overcoming the devil (sin in the flesh) and paved the way for us (Col 1:18). 

3:15 John emphasizes the importance of brotherly love.  He equates hatred of one's brother to murder which has no part in the kingdom.  We cannot love God without loving our brethren (4:20,21).

3:4 In saying ‘sin is the transgression of the law’ John is not providing us with a simple definition of sin. Rather he is reminding Jews that if they are relying on the law then they are condemned (Rom 6:7)

4:6 John had to contend with brethren who opposed the gospel message. In saying ‘he that is not of God heareth us not’ John is appealing to his apostleship and so marking those who are antichrist in his day. The antichrist in his day were those brethren who would not listen to the gospel message and respond accordingly.

3:3  Having recognised the need to ‘purify’ ourselves we need to know how to do it. David shows us – Psa 119:9 – by giving attention to Scripture.

3:15  The idea of hate being the same as the act of murder draws on Jesus’ own words – Matt 5:21-22

3:8 The word devil is translated from the Greek word diabolos and means slanderer. 

The serpent slandered Yahweh when it told the lie: Ye shall not surely die (Gen 3:3,4).  All those who choose not to obey Yahweh's commands are of the devil, as they follow the serpent's behavior. 

There is no supernatural being called the Devil.  Man has been given a free will and can choose to do good or evil.  This is part of human nature. 

4:3 Jesus was a man - flesh and blood like you and me.  God is a Spirit being (John 4:24).  The flesh and spirit are at war with each other (Gal 5:17).  Given these circumstances, how can anyone assert that Jesus is God?

3:8 Jesus destroyed the works of the devil in himself that righteousness might be imputed to us. The work of Jesus was to bring many others into the position he is in even though they cannot achieve it by their own efforts.

1John 3:12speaks of Cain. Why did he kill Abel? “Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” This is an interesting comment on Gen 4:1-8. We are not told in Genesis that there was a law which said God wanted an animal as a sacrifice, and not garden produce – but there must have been such a law. Or else John would not say that Cain’s works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. God’s laws in the early days are a fascinating study. We ARE told that there was a marriage law (Gen 2:24); a “Clean and Unclean” law (see Gen 7:2); and the expansion of the Sabbath law from Gen 2:3 (where it simply said that God blessed and sanctified it) to where the manna was not given on the Sabbath (so there must have been a Sabbath law for the people, before the Law of Moses) in (Exo 16:22-26). Do we know of any more such laws?

3:9  This does not indicate that a sanctified person will never sin.  What is being stressed here is the matter of continuing to sin.  Heb 10:26 stresses the same thing.  If we do happen to sin, we can ask for forgiveness in Jesus' Name (1John 2:1). 

4:20,21 If one has the means, but fails to help a brother or sister, that one will not enter the Kingdom (3:17).  As our brother Jesus laid down His life for us, we should be prepared to do the same for our brothers and sisters (3:16).  This is a serious consideration.  If anyone is harboring any ill will towards a brother or sister, then sort it out immediately - eternal life is at stake.

4:15 Confessing that Jesus is the son of God is more than simply making the statement. The confession is seen in the life of the one who makes the confession. If we truly believe that Jesus is the son of God then our lives will demonstrate this also.