Blaming God for Bad Events

Judges 21:1–5 (ESV) Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” 2 And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. 3 And they said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” 4 And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 And the people of Israel said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”

The book of Judges ends in infamy. The tribe of Benjamin is utterly decimated by the civil war fought against them by the other tribes for the horrific events of Judges 19. On top of that, the people have sworn an oath to no longer intermarry with the Benjaminites. Since the tribe is on the verge of extinction, this poses a serious threat to the historical continuity of one of Israel's most notable tribes.

Let's take a moment to remember the trajectory of Judges. For this has transpired as Israel slowly turned away from the holiness of God and exchanged His glory for the failing practices of the pagans around them.

Let's also remember that the pagan nations were there to influence Israel BECAUSE Israel failed to drive them out of the land completely.

Let's also remember the reason they failed was that they grew lazy and apathetic in conquest.

But mostly, let's remember they grew lazy and apathetic because a generation grew up without the Lord in their hearts. Note the second chapter's solemn description:
Judges 2:10 (ESV) And all that generation (Joshua's) also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.

Now back to the end of the book. Look closely and you'll see the people of Israel have one question for God. “O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?”

It's an amazing byproduct of disobedience. We forget how we got ourselves into our own mess with our own choices and then question God instead. Israel is living up to their forefathers Adam and Eve who blamed God shortly after the fall with incindiary accusation: "The woman you gave me...", "The serpent (you made)..." 

What a sad state of affairs to be in. Here's why. The only one who can help when you are actually in a mess is the Lord. The tribes then begin to plot and plan how they are going to keep Benjamin among them even though they swear none of their sons shall have their daughters for wives. This leads to more bloodshed (of women and children!) and a weird scheme by which Benjamin's men would steal daughters from another tribe so that tribe's fathers would not be guilty of breaking their oath. I know, it's confusing and crazy. But this is what happens when you blame the Lord instead of seek His face and ask Him to guide you out of your own foolishness.

The end of Judges is not pretty. But it's also the inevitable result of a people or person who forgets the God who made them. What else could happen when you turn from the GOOD God of heaven to mute and false idols? There's no life apart from Him.

The book of Judges ends with us begging for a righteous leader and savior, one who will do what all others failed to do, and that is to lead God's people forward faithfully in God's ways. The king Israel will eventually get will be David from Judah and his Descendant will bring all God's people out of their weird and sordid schemes into the beautiful light of His grace. 

Amen.