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JUDGES

CHAPTER 20

1 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. 2 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. 3 (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?

After the Levite sent his message to all the tribes of Israel, they assembled over 400,000 fighting men in Mispeh. Notice they met "as one man." They were in unity, and concerned for the holiness of Israel.
They were also gathered "unto the Lord." It was because of their faith, and the understanding of holiness that they were gathered to seek God's will.
This is what Christians must do to return morality to the USA. Join together as ONE and stand for HOLINESS in faith.
There in Mispeh, (very close to Shiloh - where the tabernacle was) they inquired of the Levite so that they would have FIRSTHAND information.

4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

He told them the sordid story, and requested their advice and counsel.

8 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. 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; 10 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.

Now the great army decided in unison that they would not go home until this matter was rectified. It would be sin to leave when men of their nation had defied God's Holy vengeance.
They appointed 1 out of 10 to bring food, while they encamped around Gibeah.

11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. 12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? 13 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: 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

They did not want to act in haste. They inquired and requested that the men of dishonor be turned over to them for justice. But the people of the town refused. Not only that, but the pride of the tribe of Benjamin was so huge, that they prepared to do battle!
Pride! When men will honor evil-doers more than God's will and Word, it always stems from PRIDE!
Oh, how AWFUL is our pride! The human spirit will do almost anything rather than admit wrongdoing. That is precisely the reason why we must come CONFESSING our sin before we can be forgiven.

15 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. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

The army of the tribe of Benjamin numbered only 26,000. AH! But they were proud and valiant warriors! Why 700 of them could sling stones and NOT MISS!! They felt they could defeat the entire Israelite army.
Some men are so proud of self they refuse to realize the POWER of GOD!

17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war. 18 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. 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 (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.)

First, the Israelites inquired of God to be sure that it was in HIS WILL to fight against their own "brethren."
The two forces met in battle, only the tribe of Judah going against the tribe of Benjamin first. But 22,000 men of Israel died that day against the forces of the warriors of Benjamin.
The wickedness of a few affect many.
And some good men must die to uphold righteousness and fight for holiness.
Bit it IS God's will that we FIGHT for decency and morality (verse 23).

24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 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. 26 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. 27 And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 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.

The second time they went to battle, another 18,000 men were lost! Now the people genuinely cry out to God. Notice that they did not COMPLAIN!
They wept before God, offered sacrifices, and asked of God again, "Is it REALLY Your will that we fight?"
God's answer was that He would deliver victory the next day.
Fierce battles must be fought for morality and decency when they have been neglected for a long time. But God WILL DELIVER victory if we are diligent and fight according to HIS WILL!

29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 30 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. 31 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. 32 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. 33 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. 34 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. 35 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. 36 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. 37 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. 38 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. 39 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. 40 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. 41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. 42 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. 43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour. 45 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. 46 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 first time Israel fought in the power of justness. They assumed that RIGHT makes MIGHT. The second time they assaulted with vigor again assuming that RIGHT makes MIGHT.
But just as Jesus taught, "..be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" God teaches these to use SUBTILITY in the battle against evil.
Friends, as Christians, we make a terrible mistake when we just charge right into battle. Even though we are right to fight for holiness, righteousness, and integrity - we do not honor God by the use of our own power.
THIS time though, Israel uses the same plot that Joshua employed against the town of Ai. Some meet them head on, and some go behind. When they are engaged, then burn down their strongholds!
Many today trust in self and other things, but one day will see the fire of God destroy what they thought was safe.

47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. 48 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.

God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, allowed 600 escapees from the battle, and from the ensuing rage of the other Israelites (verse 48).
The army of the Israelites set fire to the cities of the tribe of Benjamin, and killed all the men except these 600!
Such AWFUL destruction! Why? Because of the evil of their sin!
Sin DESTROYS!

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