“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”
Judges 21:25
This final verse appeared three other times in Judges, and the stories that followed each reveal serious consequences when there’s no king.
Chapter 17, Micah hired a Levite to be HIS priest for gods HE created! However, Levites were set apart to God to serve in the Tabernacle. So, for this Levite to give up serving God to serve man-made idols was utter contempt! And amazingly, Micah assumed the Lord would bless him because GOD’s priest was now serving him! No king…do whatever…disaster!
Chapter 18, the tribe of Dan stole Micah’s idol, appointed THEIR own priest, and worshipped that image until they were taken into exile! No king…do whatever…disaster!
Chapter 19, another Levite’s concubine was gang raped and left dead in a Benjamite city. Over 65,000 Israelites died trying to purge the land of that shameful crime, and the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out! No king…do whatever…disaster!
Back in the wilderness, God had specified how future Israelite kings should govern…every act in strict obedience to God’s Word. Submitting to the rule of such a king would have prevented these disasters, but sadly in those days, Israel had no king!
The same is true for me…if there is no King Jesus in my days…
I do whatever seems right in MY eyes…and disaster will most certainly rule!
