As in the days of Gibeah.
The lessons of an old story
(Judges 19:20.):--
1. When men to whom we seek for protection deal falsely with us, their wickedness is great in the eyes of God.
2. We may meet with worse usage from those who profess religion than from those who profess it not.
3. God may regard those as unholy and unclean who make a fair show of religion.
4. For men to stand up impudently and boldly in the defence of wickedness committed is abomin able in the eyes of God.
5. To join with others in defence of evil is worse than to stand out ourselves in evil.
6. Those who defend evil may for awhile prosper, but they must at last perish. (Jeremiah Burroughs.)
Corrupting forms of wickedness
From the sad and dreadful story of Gibeah learn--
1. Contempt of true prophets, and delighting in deceivers and their delusions, will draw men upon abominable wickedness.
2. As men once giving way to gross sins will soon involve themselves so that they cannot recover themselves, so it is a dreadful condition to be entangled in sin without hope of recovery, and for men to be active in hardening themselves.
3. As there is no wicked course or measure of sin, wherein men have fallen, but the Church, departing from God, may fall upon it again, so the sins of progenitors will be put upon the account of the present generation who imitate them, and this will draw to a great account. (George Hutcheson.)