TITLE: Moral Collapse
TEXT: Judges 19-21
PROPOSITION: When men do what is right in their own eyes, morals will collapse.
QUESTION: Why?
KEY WORD: Rationalities
SCRIPTURE READING: Judges 20:41-44

INTRODUCTION:

1. This story begins and ends with the theme. (19:1; 21:25)
2. When one abandons the law of God and does what is right in their own eyes,
   everything is rational and justified.
3. The only criteria is: End justifies the means.

1. Rationality of Rape. Chapter 19

Homosexuals seek to have sex with two men. WRONG. 22

Decide giving them two women is OK. 24

Women died on his doorstep the next morning. 26-27

Dismembered them and sent the parts to Israel. 29-30

NOTE: Levite did what was right in his eyes.

Rapists did what was right in their eyes.

2. Rationality of Revenge. Chapter 20

Israel was angry at this event.

The man lied to protect himself. 5

Army of 400,000 from Israel against 26,700 15 & 17

All Israel was knit together as one man. 11

Tabernacle in Shiloh - Ark of Covenant in Bethel

Phinehas - Eleazar - Aaron - family of high priests

NOTE: Changes in his lifetime - Num. 25:7 Adultery - took javelin - killed both - - Now, nothing!

Attacked Benjamin and killed 25,000. 44-47

Only 600 men remained alive.

3. Rationality of Restoration. Chapter 21

Blamed God for the potential loss of a tribe. 2-3

Looked for someone to blame. Jabesh-gilead. 8

Add wrong to wrong - End justifies the means.

Kill all - spare only single girls - to marry Benj. 11-14

Still 200 short. What now? Young girls come to worship in Shiloh

Kidnap them - We will explain to their fathers.

You did not GIVE - so curse is not in effect -let her be. 22

READ - Judges 21:24-25. All lived happily every after???