Every Man Did That Which Was Right in His Own Eyes

 

Read the chapter summaries for Judges 17-21 and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Judges 17:21, “Every Man Did That Which Was Right in His Own Eyes” (pg. 261). Write a brief summary of events described in these chapters.

There was a low observance of any kind of religion towards the end of Judges and it’s apparent with the things that take place. There’s idolatry set up, the rape of the concubine in Gibeah, and all but 600 of the Benjamites were destroyed. 

Read Judges 21:25. Explain in writing why this is such an accurate description of this terrible time of Israel’s history. Read John 14:6; 2 Nephi 9:28-29; Isaiah 55:8-9. Then write the reasons these verses give for why doing things the Lord’s way is so much better than our own.

Since they were not practicing any religion during that time they were not close to God and chose to do things in ways that they thought worked best. Clearly those ways are not the ways of the Lord because look at complete wickedness that was present. Those men chose to do what they thought was right in their eyes rather than the Lord’s eyes.

Jesus is the only way that we can make it back to Heavenly Father. What you might think to be wise is really foolishness because the Lord knows best and we should seek to do things His way. To have knowledge is good only is we listen to what He tells us to do with that knowledge. The Lord knows the plan that we need to live in order to be successful in this life and in the next. He has more knowledge than us to it would benefit us to humble ourselves and listen to His counsel and do things as He asks of us.