“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did which was right in his own eyes.”
(Bible-Judges 21:25).
Key Thoughts:
When justice collapses, tribal loyalty overrides truth, and vengeance replaces mercy, a society risks repeating the darkest chapters of its history. The Church must become a voice of truth, justice, resolution and peace.
1. MANIPUR AT A CROSSROADS OF HISTORY
Manipur stands at a painful crossroads. Violence, fear, ethnic divisions, displacement, mistrust, and the suffering of ordinary people have raised profound questions about leadership, justice, human dignity and our common future.
At such a moment, the biblical account of Israel in the period of the Judges offers a solemn warning. It describes a society in which moral authority had weakened, justice had broken down and people increasingly acted according to their own judgments.
The statement, “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes,” is more than a description of ancient Israel. It is a warning to every society in which personal interests, communal loyalties, political calculations and collective anger become more powerful than truth and justice.
The tragedy of a society begins when people stop asking, “What is right before God?” and ask only, “What is right for us?”
This biblical comparison should not be used to condemn an entire ethnic community or to equate every detail of ancient Israel with modern Manipur. Rather, it should help every community examine its conscience, its conduct and its responsibility before God.
2. THE TRAGIC HISTORY OF ISRAEL: JUDGES 19-212
A. The collapse of moral responsibility- Judges 19 collapse
Judges 19 recounts the horrific abuse of a Levite’s concubine at Gibeah, a town belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. She was subjected to sexual violence and died. The Levite then cut her body into twelve pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel. This was not merely a private tragedy. It became a national crisis that exposed the cruelty, injustice and moral failure within Israelite society.
Lesson for Manipur: When a human being is violated, murdered, or dehumanized, the suffering must not be reduced to a matter of ethnic pride or political advantage. Every victim is a human being-created in the image of God, whose life possesses dignity before God.
The first responsibility of a civilized society is to protect the vulnerable, investigate crimes, establish the truth and hold perpetrators accountable.
B. The transformation of tragedy into collective anger- Judges 20
The tribes of Israel gathered to confront Benjamin over the outrage at Gibeah. They demanded accountability, but the conflict escalated into a devastating civil war. Benjamin’s refusal to surrender the perpetrators, together with the wider escalation of hostilities, brought catastrophic consequences. Thousands died, including many from Benjamin.
Lesson for Manipur: When justice for individual victims becomes a justification for collective punishment, a society moves from seeking justice toward revenge.
The guilt of an offender must not automatically become the guilt of an entire tribe, ethnic group, or community. Likewise, the suffering of one community cannot justify the suffering of another.
C. The near-destruction of Benjamin-Judges 21
After the war, Israel recognized that the tribe of Benjamin was in danger of disappearing. The Israelites mourned the consequences of their own actions and sought ways to preserve the tribe.
The narrative ends with the disturbing diagnosis: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes “(Judges 21:25). The irony is profound: the Israelites set to confront grave wrongdoing, yet their response produced further violence, devastation and a crisis that threatened an entire tribe.
The central warning is this: a people may begin by demanding justice and end by committing another injustice if anger is not restrained by truth, wisdom and mercy.
3. FIVE WARNINGS FROM THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL FOR MANIPUR
(1) When there is no moral authority, society descends into disorder
The absence of a king in Judges 19-21 is part of the narrator’s explanation for Israel’s moral and social breakdown. The passage also exposes failures of leadership, justice and communal responsibility.
Manipur’s crisis therefore demands more than political statements. It requires responsible leadership, impartial martial law enforcement, institutional accountability and the moral courage to reject violence regardless of who commits it. Romans 13:1-4 describes the responsibility of governing authorities in maintaining law and order and restraining wrongdoing.
Message: Political authority must protect every citizen, not merely those who belong to the majority, the ruling establishment or the leader’s own community.
(2) When tribal loyalty becomes greater than justice, humanity suffers
In Judges 20, the conflict became a confrontation between the tribes of Israel. The issue was no longer confined to the original crime, the identity and solidarity of entire communities became central to the conflict.
The same danger arises wherever people defend wrongdoing simply because the accused belongs to their community or condemns innocent people because they belong to another. Christians must eject two dangerous principles:
“Our people can do no wrong.” “Their people are all guilty.”
Proverbs 17:15 warns against justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous.
Message to Manipur: Our ethnic identity must never become an excuse for moral blindness. Truth must remain truth, wrongdoing must remain wrongdoing and innocent people must never become targets because of their identity.
(3) When revenge replaces justice, everyone becomes a victim
The Israelites’ response to Gibeah eventually devastated Benjamin. Even after the fighting, the survivors faced the prospect of the tribes’ extermination.
Revenge promises satisfaction but multiplies grief. It creates new victims, deepens mistrust and passes hatred to the next generation. Romans 12:19-21 teaches believers not to take personal vengeance but calls them to overcome evil with good.
This does not mean that Christians should ignore crimes, abandon victims or prevent lawful punishment. It means that justice must be pursued through truthful investigation, due process, proportionate accountability and the protection of human life.
Message: Justice seeks to establish truth and protect society; revenge seeks to make another person suffer. The Church must know the difference.
(4) When the innocent are made to suffer for the guilty, society loses its conscience
In Ezekiel 18:20, Scripture distinguishes the responsibility of one person from that of another. Although the passage addresses individual accountability before God, it provides an important
moral principle: guilt must not be indiscriminately transferred to others.
Children, women, elderly people, displaced families and ordinary citizens should not be punished for crimes they did not commit.
No one should be attacked because of their name, ethnicity, religion, village or presumed political allegiance.
Message: A society is not judged only by how it treats its own people, but also by how it treats those whom it fears, dislikes or considers its enemies.
(5) When the destruction if complete, everyone discovers the cost too late
Judges 21 begins with Israel confronting the consequences of its own devastating campaign against Benjamin. The community mounts what has happened and struggles to repair the damage. This is one of the saddest lessons of the narrative: people may recognize the consequences of their actions only after lives have been lost and relationships have been destroyed.
Manipur must not wait until another generation has inherited irreversible wounds before choosing reconciliation. The time to protect life, restore trust and pursue peace is now.
4. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF CHRISTIAN AT THIS JUNCTURE?
The Christian community has a special moral responsibility in a society experiencing violence and division. This responsibility does not mean that Christians have all the answers or that the church is free from prejudice. It means that the church must allow the Gospel to judge its own attitudes and actions first.
(1) Christians must be the conscience of society
The church must speak properly against murder, sexual violence, ethnic hatred, corruption, injustice and the abuse of power-whoever the perpetrators may be. The pulpit must not become a platform for ethnic propaganda or the justification of violence (Micah 6:8).
(2) Christians must be the advocates for the victims
The church must stand beside displaced families, bereaved parents, survivors of violence, the injured and those who have lost homes or livelihoods. Christians compassion must be expressed in practical service, not merely in prayer meetings and public statements (Matt. 25: 35-40).
(3) Christians must be bridge-builders, not boundary-makers
Pastors, church leaders, and Christian organizations should establish channels of communication across community divisions. They should work together to prevent retaliatory violence, protect vulnerable people and rebuild relationships (Matt.5:9).
(4) Christians must demand impartial justice
Church leaders should urge the authorities to investigate crimes fairly, prosecute offenders through due process, protect witnesses and survivors, and ensure that every community receives equal protection under the law (Amos 5:24).
(5) CHRISTIANS MUST RESIST MISINFORMATION AND HATE SPEECH
Christians should verify information before sharing it, refuse to spread collective accusations, and report credible threats through appropriate channels (James 1:19-20).
(6) CHRISTIANS MUST PRAY FOR PEACE AND WORK FOR PEACE
Prayer is essential, but biblical prayer must lead to responsible action. Churches can organize peace forums, intercommunity dialogue, youth engagement, trauma care, and practical assistance for people affected by conflict. Christians should pray for victims, wisdom for leaders, repentance among perpetrators, courage among witnesses and the restoration of trust.
5. Conclusion: Let Manipur learn before it is too late
The final warning of Judges 21:25 should make every citizen of Manipur pause and reflect: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Israel’s tragedy reminds us that a society can become consumed by outrage, loyalty, and retaliation that it destroys the very people and relationships it should protect.
Manipur must not allow grief to become hatred, anger to become collective punishment or the pursuit of justice to become a justification for further injustice.
The church cannot single-handedly resolve every political, historical, or ethnic dispute. But it can refuse to sanctify hatred. It can protect victims, demand accountability, challenge its own prejudices, and build relationships across divisions. The church must become the prophetic voice of justice, the compassionate hands of Christ and the courageous instrument of resolution.
Let us pray that Manipur will not repeat the tragedy of ancient Israel, where a nation confronted evil but descended into further destruction. Let us choose truth over propaganda, justice over vengeance, compassion over hatred and resolution over collective obliteration.
May Manipur become a land where no tribe is treated as an enemy by birth, no innocent person is punished for another’s crime and no community is denied justice or dignity. May Manipur become Paradise Earth! May God bless Manipur!
Rev. Dr. Ephraim Shaiza
Senior Pastor
Phungyo Baptist Church (Mother Church Manipur), Ukhrul
