judges 20-21

Read Judges 20-21 at Bible Gateway.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Jud 21:25

“You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes— for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you.” Deu 12:8-9

“So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers, because you have listened to the voice of the LORD your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of the LORD your God.” Deu 13:17-18

We saw that the LORD was to be King over Israel when they entered the land God was giving them for an inheritance. Gideon refused to become king over Israel when Israel offered it to him, for the LORD is to be Israel’s King. If the LORD is King, then all the people do what is right in the eyes of the LORD their God, their King.

That every man did what was right in his own eyes, that there was no king in Israel in those days, reveals that not even the LORD was King over them, contrary to the command of Moses.

When every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is anarchy. Anarchy is not a desirable form of government to live under. Even the oppressive government we have today is preferable to anarchy. When there is no king, when every man does what is right in his own eyes, lawlessness (torah- lessness) increases. The Law controls the spread and increase of sin, by providing for justice in a society. Societies break down when sin is not controlled, and we are seeing that in Judges. The end of lawlessness, is destruction.

Lawlessness is a characteristic of the antichrist:

“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

“Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” 2 The 2

If the history of Israel is not only history, but prophecy, as I believe it is, then what is being prophesied to us from Judges concerning the assembly of the believers, is that after they receive their Promise under Joshua (Yeshua), they will fall away from the Law or Torah of God, and every man will do what is right in his own eyes. Lawlessness leading to destruction will reign in the absence of Israel’s King. And that is the epoch we find ourselves in right now, while we cry out for the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords!

But the believers can choose to dwell in the kingdom of heaven right now, today, by refusing lawlessness which is the characteristic of the antichrist, and ordering their lives according to God’s Law, walking in all that God calls righteousness, and rejecting all that God calls evil. They can listen to the voice of the LORD their God, keeping all His commandments which He has commanded, and doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD their God!

Amen! May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!

Finding Messiah: Israel fought against Benjamin on the first day and were defeated. They fought against Benjamin on the second day and were defeated. But on the third day, they won a great victory over Benjamin, and the evil was purged from their midst (Jud 20:28-30). On the third day, Messiah Yeshua rose from the dead and won the great victory over sin, death, and all the power of the devil!