“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

With this statement the Old Testament book of Judges comes to an end. It very aptly summarizes the content found in these 21 chapters. This sad and dark period of apostasy for the nation of Israel began when “another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel” (2:10).

As a consequence, “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” And so we read of the rampant practice of idolatry (2:11-13), pagan marriages (3:6), polygamy (8:30), murder (9:4-5), prostitution (11:1), homosexuality (19:22), rape (19:25), and kidnapping (21:20-21).

Sadly, this sort of religious apostasy and moral depravity will happen to any nation that does not know the Lord nor His great works. Tragically, in many respects this is exactly what has occurred in our own nation when more and more reject God, His perfect Word, truth and morality. As the wise man declared: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).

So, what can be done about it? Well, as we too live “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” we must “shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15), and thus point others to God and Christ (Matt. 5:16; 28:19-20). And we need to warn others of the extreme importance of NOT doing what is right in their own eyes, but rather doing what is right in “the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13).