A perfect illustration of what happens if we reject God 

We might look ok, like something is growing, but it won’t be anything worthwhile. 

Obviously that low bit of the field beside our yard is intentionally not planted because the ground’s not good, but it offers a reminder: We’re supposed to be growing and producing fruit, and we will if we are “good ground.”

Sadly, Judged 19 offers a way more vivid example of what happens if we reject God. 

Verse 1 says, “And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.”

Right off the bat, we see a spiritual leader in an ungodly relationship. 

Verse 12 sets the stage for the worst events of the chapter: “And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.”

It was among God’s people, not godless nations, that the horrible events of the rest of the chapter happened. 

The evil men in that city would demand the opportunity to abuse the man. When his host refused, the host offered his own daughter and the concubine to the immoral men. 

The Levite didn’t even notice his concubine had been abused to death until he was ready to go the next morning (read the details if you’ve got a strong stomach!) 

Now you might be thinking that you’d never do those horrible things, but why would we want to find out how far down we’ll go without God and His moment-by-moment leadership on our lives?

Today’s Bible reading is Judges 19.