Judges 20:36

Judges 20:36 says, So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.  The Benjamites thought they were once again being victorious, which was what the men of Israel wanted them to think.  They were willingly given way, because of those lying in wait behind them. Verse thirty-seven adds, And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.  Those who were lying in wait attacked the city of Gibeah after the army of the Benjamites had been drawn away.  At times, we as Christians may be better off attacking the source of evil instead of individuals who are out and about doing evil under the power of that source.  Verse thirty-eight continues, Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.  The sign between those of Israel who were allowing themselves to be pursued and those lying in wait was a great smoke from the city.  Of course, this would mean that they had successfully taken Gibeah.  If we are working with others, we need some form of communication between us if we are to truly work together.  Verse thirty-nine states, And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.  The army of Benjamin managed to kill about thirty of the men of Israel, and expressed confidence in another victory.  We may lose some fellow believers in the battle against evil in the world today, and this may give the enemy more confidence, but we have already won the war.  Verse forty adds, But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.  The Benjamites looked behind them and saw the flame of the city, their stronghold, rising up to heaven.  In their confidence, they had not considered that this could happen.  People of the world in their battle against Christians often become too confident because they are used to winning battles and think nothing will ever change.  Verse forty-one says, And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.  When the men of Israel turned around to face them, the Benjamites knew that something was wrong.  It says that evil was upon them, but it was really the goodness of God's power that was upon them.  We do not need to meet evil with evil today, but need to meet evil with God's goodness.  Verse forty-two adds, Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.  Realizing that they had no city, no stronghold, to return to, the Benjamites fled toward the wilderness, but the people of Israel came out of the cities to fight against them.  Verse forty-three continues, Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.  The people of Benjamin were surrounded and began to be beaten down.  It would be nice if we as followers of Christ could surround and beat down our enemies today, but that is not going to happen in this lifetime.  Verse forty-four states,  And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.  Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin, who were called men of valor, fell in the battle.  This was not because the men of Israel were necessarily stronger or more filled with valor than the Benjamites, but because the men of Israel were empowered by God.  We cannot go into battle against evil today relying on our own strength, but must always be following God's will and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Verse forty-five continues, And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.  Those of the Benjamites who were left fled, but were pursued hard.  Then, five thousand more were killed then, and another two thousand were killed in Gidom.  Verse forty-six continues, So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.  The people of Benjamin lost twenty-five thousand in the battle, and they were once again called men of valor.  Unfortunately, even though they were a part of God's chosen people, they were fighting against His will.  Being courageous without putting our faith in God is never going to bring us the everlasting victory, no matter how courageous we are.  Verse forty-seven says, But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.  Six hundred of the Benjamites fled to the rock of Rimmon in the wilderness and lived there for four months.  Verse forty-eight adds, And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.  The people of Israel then destroyed all the Benjamites and burned their cities as they came to them.  One day, everything that people put their faith in other than salvation through accepting Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior and Lord is going to be destroyed. 

Judges 20:27

JDG20:27 says, And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, The people of Israel once again inquired of the LORD in the presence ofvthe ark ofvthe covenant.  Matthew Henry said that before they had only asked God's spokesman if they should go and who should go first, as yet relying on their own superiority to win, but that they now humbled themselves before God and truly sought His power to see them through.  We as followers of Christ can never start to believe that we only need to pay lip service to God to be successful.   Verse twenty-eight adds, And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.  Phinehas, a grandson of Aaron, asked God if they should go against Benjamin their brother, or give up the war against him, or his tribe more specifically.  If we find ourselves at odds with others who profess to be Christians, we need to seek God's will in how to proceed in the situation.  God told them that they should go, and He would give them the victory.  It wasn't about their superior numbers, but about relying on God.  Verse twenty-nine states, And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.  This time, instead of going into the battle head on, the people of Israel had forces lying in wait outside the city of Gibeah.  Verse thirty adds, And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.  Then, part of the army of Israel went against the army of Benjamin as before.  The army of Benjamin was becoming very confident by now.  If the people of the world, those who do not believe in Jesus Christ or even God Himself are successful in their war against Christians in one battle, they will become more and more confident, but even if they think they are winning, the victory is still ours.  Verse thirty-one continues, And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.  Once more, the army of Benjamin went out to meet the army of Israel as they had before and seemed to be being successful once again.  Those who fight against us as Christians today may seemed to be successful, but we know the ultimate outcome.  Verse thirty-two declares, And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.  The people of Benjamin expressed confidence in their ability because of their prior success, but this time the army of Israel fled in order to draw them away from the city.  We as followers of Christ may not always be successful in a head to head confrontation with the world today, but even if we are seemingly defeated, as long as we continue to put our faith in God and live under His power and authority, we will never lose the war.  Verse thirty-three adds, And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.  Once the army of Benjamin was in pursuit of the army of Israel, those of the army of Israel that had been lying in wait came out, placing themselves between the army of Benjamin and Gibeah itself.  Verse thirty-four continues, And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.  Ten thousand Israelites came against Gibeah once the army of Benjamin was cut off from them.  At first, the battle was fierce, but the army of Benjamin soon began to realize that they were not being victorious this time.  We may be in a fierce fight against evil today, and we may lose a few Christians in that battle, but we will always ultimately be victorious.  Verse thirty-five concludes. And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword. We are told that God smote Benjamin that day, and not that the army of Israel did.  Twenty-five thousand one hundred of the army of Benjamin were destroyed that day.  When we as Christians are successful in our war against evil today, it will not be because we are superior in numbers, but because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

Judges 20:18

Judges 20:18 says, And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.  At least the people of Israel were asking God for His guidance.  They asked who should go up first, and God said that Judah should go against the people of Benjamin first.  This would be God's chosen people fighting against others of God's chosen people.  We need to pray that we never reach that state as professed followers of Christ, but if we we do, we need to be on the side of those who are sure they have God's guidance.  Verse nineteen adds, And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.  The people of Israel arose that morning and encamped against Gibeah.  Verse twenty continues, And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.  They then arrayed themselves to fight against Gibeah.  I believe this means they basically besieged the city.  Verse twenty-one states, And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.  The people of Benjamin did not wait for the people of Israel to attack them, but went on the offensive instead.  The people of the world today still take the initiative in fighting against Christians.  The people of Benjamin were successful, destroying twenty-two thousand Israelites that day, even though the people of Israel were following God's guidance.  Even if we are following God's guidance today, it doesn't mean that we are always going to be victorious over evil in this lifetime.  Still, it is better to die in battle standing with God than to be victorious without Him.  Verse twenty-two adds, And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.  The people of Israel encouraged themselves, even though they had lost the battle.  We need to encourage ourselves by our faith in Jesus Christ if we lose a battle against the forces of evil today.  Verse twenty-three continues, (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)  They people of Israel then went and wept before the LORD and sought His counsel.  This time they didn't ask who should go next, but if they should go at all again.  If we lose a battle today, even though we have God's guidance in going into the battle, we cannot allow that to keep us from going back into the battle.  Of course, we need to seek God's guidance before we do.  Verse twenty-five declares, And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.  Verse twenty-five adds, And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.  The people of Benjamin were once again victorious, killing eighteen thousand of the people of Israel that day.  Matthew Henry points out that this was a total of forty thousand that had been lost in battle, which was the same number that had been sent back to resupply the army.  He also says that the people of Israel may have been too confident because of their numbers.  Verse twenty-six continues, Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.  At least the people of Israel did not give up on God, but returned to the house of God and wept, fasted and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God.  We can never give up on God as Christians, even if we have lost battles in our fight against evil in the world.

Judges 20:8

Judges 20:8 says, And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.  Verse nine adds, But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;   All the men of Isreal took a vow to not return home until they went up against the people of Gibeah for what they had done to the Levite's wife.  Verse ten continues, And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.  They said they were going to take a tenth of the men of Israel to get provisions for the rest, who would be united in going against Gibeah.  They were not concerned about what would be best for them as individual tribes, but were united in doing what was best for the nation as a whole.  We need that kind of unity today, as a nation, but even more importantly as Christians.  We need to support one another to help us do what God leads us to do for the good of the country.  Veres eleven states, So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.  All the men of Israel were joined together as one against the city of Gibeah.  This had to have been a very scary sight for the people of Gibeah, especially for those men who had acted so badly toward the Levite and his wife.  If Christians were to join together to oppose evil in the world today, we might be a force large enough to cause concern to those engaging in terribly evil things.  Verse twelve adds, And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?  The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin to ask them what the wickedness was that was among them.  They didn't just overpower them, but gave them an opportunity to defend themselves.  We should always allow people to defend themselves in we hear something bad about them and we should never just attack anyone without knowing the truth, and we should give them an opportunity to explain themselves.  Verse thirteen continues, Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:  The people of Israel gave the tribe of Benjamin the opportunity to deliver the men of Gibeah so that they could be executed for their crimes, but they refused.  We should never attempt to keep those who need to from facing the responsibility for their actions, even if they are a part of our family.  Verse fourteen says, But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.  Not only would the people of the tribe of Benjamin not turn over the men, but they went to Gibeah to join with them in fighting against the people of Israel, of which they were a part.  As followers of Christ, we are all a part of God's family, and we should never fight each other, especially if the fight is caused by someone who has committed a great evil in the world.  Verse sixteen adds, And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.  The people of Benjamin had twenty-six thousand men who could draw a sword, plus seven hundred chosen men from Gibeah.  They were badly outnumbered.  Verse sixteen continues, Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.  Among them were seven hundred left-handed men who were highly accurate with a sling.  The people of Benjamin were so full of pride that they thought they could take on all of Israel.  If we are acting on our own as Christians, without relying on the power of God, all the self-pride in the world will not save us from an overpowering enemy.  Verse seventeen concludes, And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.  We are once more told that the army of Israel numbered four hundred thousand fighting men of war.

Judges 20:1

 Judges 20:1 says, Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.  The people of Israel were united as one after hearing about what had happened to the Levite's concubine.  No one authority called them together, but they came out of common decency, gathering at Mizpeh under the LORD.  Verse two adds, And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.  There were four hundred thousand men who could draw a sword there.  When we as followers of Christ encounter great evil in the world today, we need to come together to combat it, especially if that evil is occurring within the church, who are supposed to be God's people.  Verse three adds, (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?  The people of the tribe of Benjamin heard about the assembly at Mizpeh, but evidently hadn't felt compelled to gather with them.  When God's people gather today to fight against evil in the world, don't be surprised if some people who profess to be Christians remain on the sidelines.  Those gathered asked the Levite to tell them about this wickedness.  They went to the source to find the truth, and so should we at all times, but especially when we hear about some great evil event that has occurred.  Verse four states, And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.  The Levite, who is referred to as the husband of the woman, began to tell them what happened in Gibeah, a city of those who were a part of God's chosen people, when he and his concubine went there for help.  Verse five adds, And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.  The Levite told them how the men there had assailed the house where they were staying so that they feared for their lives and had taken his concubine, and abused her until she died.  He didn't explain how they had gotten her and not him.  I believe that if we have somehow caused others to be harmed so that we can be protected we need to admit our responsibility.  Verse six continues,  And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.  The Levite then told how he had cut the body of his concubine into pieces and sent a piece to all the tribes.  This definitely got their attention.  Verse seven concludes, Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.  The Levite, one of the priests of God's people, said they were all a part of God's people and asked them for their advice and counsel.  Today preachers should not assume that they have the answer in every situation, but should rely on the counsel of other Christians, since we are all a part of the priesthood of believers. 

Judges 19:22

Judges 19:22 says, Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.  Some men of the city, who it says were making merry with their hearts, which I believe means they were drunk, began to beat on the door of the old man demanding he send the Levite out so that they could have sex with him.  It says also they followed Baal, even though they were Israelites.   These were the people the Levite passed by a Gentile city to reach.  We should never assume that just because people are born into a Christian family or nation that everyone is a Christian and ready to help us when we are in need.  Verse twenty-three adds, And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.  The old man, who was the master of the house and therefore responsible for the welfare of the Levite while he was in his house, went to the men and begged them to not do this wicked thing.  He still recognized that some things were totally outside God's will, but he was trying to reason with people who didn't.  We need to know and stand for what God's law says, but we need to also realize that not all people we encounter will acknowledge His law.  Verse twenty-four continues, Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.  The old man then made an offer that was not what God would have wanted, but was the same as made concerning Lot in Sodom.  He would send out his daughter and the Levite's wife for them to abuse instead.  We cannot propose one sin to keep another from happening.  Verse twenty-five states, But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.  Though it was the old man who originally offered his daughter and the Levite's concubine, who is also referred to as his wife at times, to the men, it seems that the Levite was the one who gave her to them.  He may have done this out of fear for his own safety, but we as followers of Christ should never allow someone else, especially someone that we should be protecting, to be abused simply so we can be safe.  The woman was abused all night.  Verse twenty-six adds, Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, till it was light.  The next morning, the woman returned to the house that her lord, the Levite, was in and fell down at the gate.  She returned to what should have been her place of safety, but it had proven not to be.  When we rely on the people of this world to keep us safe instead of putting our safety totally in God's hands, no matter what, we will find that we really have no place of safety.  Veres twenty-seven continues, And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.  When the Levite got ready to leave the next morning, evidently without his concubine, he found her fallen at the doorstep with her hand on the threshold.  We have to assume that since he made it safely through the night that he was no longer concerned about her.  Hopefully, we will never feel the same about people that we profess to love.  Verse twenty-eight declares, And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. Instead of reaching down to help her out of compassion, concern, or even guilt, the Levite simply told her to get up so they could go, but she didn't answer because she had died.  As followers of Christ, we should never be this calloused about those around us who are being beat down and abused by life because they may interfere with our plans.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.  After the Levite got the body his concubine or wife back to his house, he cut her body into twelve pieces, and sent one to each of the tribes of Israel.  Even in death, the woman was not treated with any respect, even though what happens to our body after we die is really not important.  Verse thirty continues, And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.  All that saw the pieces of her body said that there had never been so great an evil in Israel since they had been delivered from Egypt.  Evidently they were also informed of what had happened to the woman, and were encouraged to talk freely about what should happen because of what had happened to her.  

Judges 19:11

Judges 19:11 says, And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.  As the Levite and his wife were traveling on the way home, it was getting dark, and his servant said they should turn in to the city of Jebus for the night.  Since their travel was slow and there weren't that many places near by, this was a sensible suggestion.  Verse twelve adds, 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.  Since Jebus was not an Israelite city, but was a city of strangers, or Gentiles, the Levite refused to go there, saying instead they would go on to Gibeah.  We as Christians today are not to refuse to have anything to do with the lost people of the world, but are told that we are to be in the world, but not of the world.  Verse thirteen continues, And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.  The Levite told his servant that they would continue on to Gibeah or Ramah to lodge for the night.  These were cities of Israel where God's people were commanded by Him to help those in need.  This I believe was what influenced the Levite to travel on.  He expected the people in these cities to live by God's law.  We today should expect the same of those who are called by God's name, but to often it doesn't happen.  Verse fourteen states, And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.  The Levite and his group went on until they came to the city of Gibeah, in the tribe of Benjamin, who were a part of God's chosen people.  This would have seemed to be a safer place for them to stop.  Verse fifteen adds, And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.  When they got into the city, no one took them in, so they remained in the street.  Gibeah may have been a city of God's chosen people by name, but it wasn't by action.  We as the church today must make certain that our actions are consistent with God's teachings, welcoming all who come to us, especially those in need.  Verse sixteen says, And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.  After finishing his work in the field, an old man who was of the tribe of Ephraim but who was temporarily living in Gibeah came along.  This man still retained the virtue of one who followed God.  Not everyone who professes to be a Christian today lives by the virtues that God instills, but if we are truly a follower of Christ we must.  Verse seventeen adds, And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?  When the old man saw the Levite and his group in the street, he asked them where they were going and where thay were from.  I don't believe that he was just being nosy, but that he was genuinely concerned for them, which by even asking them showed more concern than anyone else in the city had shown.  We need to pray that we as God's people never become so lacking in compassion that we ignore those in need, especially our fellow believers.  Verse eighteen continues, And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.  The Levite told him where he came from and where he was returning to, and said that he was going to the house of the LORD there.  He then said that no one invited him into their house that night.  We need to pray that we are more like the old man than like the rest of the people of Gibeah.  Verse nineteen states, Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.  The Levite said that he had found provisions for all his needs except lodging.  He did not complain about his situation, but only said that they lacked lodging.  We should always be joyous about what we have instead of complaining about what we don't have as Christians.  Verse twenty adds, And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.  The old man told them to be at peace and let him provide for all their needs.  Had he just told them to be at peace, he would not have helped them at all.  If we just offer platitudes to people in need today, we are doing them no good.  We, like the old man, need to be willing to offer people in need real help.  Verse twenty-one continues, So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.  The old man brought them into his house and offered them real hospitality, as was expected of God's people.  We need to be willing to do the same thing today as followers of Christ.