“The Hollow Men” is a haunting, exquisite poem by T. S. Eliot. You may have heard the closing lines referenced in pop culture: “This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper.”
I reread the poem after walking backward and forward through today’s passage in Judges, the final chapter of a brutal journey. We are trained, when reading stories, to settle into a conclusion not long after the climax. We long to be satisfied. The book of Judges doesn’t do that. Earlier in the poem, Eliot writes the following.
The eyes are not here / There are no eyes here / In this valley of dying stars / In this hollow valley / This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms. // ….death’s twilight kingdom / The hope only / Of empty men.
Eliot’s “empty men” are a helpful comparison as we end our study of Judges. The weight and power of Eliot’s words capture, in ways I never could, the heart-wailing of the tribes of Israel. When death is the only hope for an end, we are left in total darkness.
We know that Jesus is our conquering King, the life and light of humankind. But Judges doesn’t end with Jesus. Judges ends with a “valley of dying stars,” empty men grasping together at nothing. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him” (Judges 21:25). As modern readers, we can read this last verse in Judges and know it’ll all be okay because Jesus is coming. Even though that is true, would you be willing to resist that temptation for closure with me today?
Let us whimper. Let us feel the ache of the ages, the desperation for something we cannot name. The longing for a king that led the Israelites in caustic circles is the same longing that leads us to fill our lives with stuff that distracts and tries to counteract that epic ache.
The inclination to grasp at goodness is the right response to reading the book of Judges. Our hearts are magnetized to light, not darkness. Judges provokes that tension in us, leaving us with an unsettled feeling. It is a historical book, a true tragedy tucked in the middle of the greatest book ever written. And yet, its darkness is unparalleled. Its darkness makes us crave light.
Chiaroscuro is an art technique that utilizes sharp contrasts—light and dark—for dramatic impact. Judges is a book of chiaroscuro. The whole picture of the Bible is made more vibrant, more impactful, more necessary because of these dark corners. We can thank God for the book of Judges, and we can thank Him for wiring our hearts to long for the goodness and light that only He provides.
Today while reading the final chapter I was reminded of something I heard “Sin will take you farther than you want to go and keep you longer than you want to stay.” So thankful for redemption through Jesus Christ.
Amen ! Thank you all for your wise comments during this difficult journey. I don’t think I would have finished without each of you. Giving thanks for each of you and prayers for your needs. Thankful for our Redeemer. Heading to NH to spend a few days with my son and his family. My daughter-in-law and I are spending some mother daughter time tomorrow, wreath making. Hugs dear sisters.
For several weeks the link for the. Very first Scripture does not work. Just letting you know.
For several weeks the link for the. Very first Scripture does not work. Just letting v you know.
I read this verse today. This is why we do not have to be discouraged after reading Judges but we can rejoice that it shows us our need for a Savior. It points us to Jesus
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”
Titus 3:4-5 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/tit.3.4-5.ESV
@Teresa Donley, praying for you today as you have the spinal tap. May God give you His peace and hold you in His arms. Praying for you as you wait for the results in the days ahead. Also praying that God would bring healing to you.
“Everyone acted freely yet none of them experienced the TRUE freedom they longed for”. Praising God today for Jesus and the freedom He gives freely! Life is tough and I am so grateful to have God by my side every step of the way! This was a beautiful study and I am so glad to be doing it with you She’s! Have a great weekend! ☮️ and ❤️
Judges is a highlight of where we are in todays world. Or that human-kind remains in the same situation time and time again. But it also highlights our deep need for our savior, Jesus Christ. After reading this, I feel that Jesus shines brighter in the darkness. Beckoning us to come towards him, to shed off our human ways, and run to Him. Taking off every weight that lingers in and on us. That our true destination is freedom, a true hope and the love of God.