Testing Storms Come

O. T. #553  "Testing Storms Come"
July 7, 2015
Judges 20-Part 2
And the LORD said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand.  Judges 20:28

LET IT GLOW

We should take heed that sin will be paid for, eventually and one way or another. Jesus has paid the price for our sins, a blood sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God. By our trusting in Him as our Savior, we do not have to pay for our sins because He did it, once and for all.
Our sins will find us out, too. So be careful what we do. Such was the case in the tribe of Benjamin.

You will recall that 400,000 Israeli soldiers rallied together after the Levite cut up his concubine into 12 pieces, sending each tribe of Israel a piece of her, informing them of the horrific occurrence of her death due to rape in the city of Gibeah, in Benjamin territory. Then only 40,000 of those went to get the those men who had violated this woman and the Law of God, which said the guilty ones were to be killed. Refusing to do so, the Benjaminites went to war with their brethren.

What happened?

• The rest of the men of Israel went to the house of God and asked counsel of God, who should go first in this battle. God's answer was Judah. (verse 18)
• On day 1 of the battle,  22,000 Israeli soldiers died.
• Weeping, the men enquired of the Lord if they were to go to battle another time. The Lord answered yes. (verse 23)
• On day 2 of the battle, 18,000 Israeli soldiers died.
• Verse 26 describes the reaction of the Israeli men-went to the house of God, wept before Him, fasted all day, and offered burnt and peace offerings.
• The Lord told the priest He would deliver the Benjaminites into their hands the next day. (verse 28)
• On day 3, only 30 Israeli men died on the highway to the house of God, but 25,000 men of the tribe of Benjamin died. (verse 31)
• Then Israel use the same tactics which Joshua used at Ai-pretending to retreat, drawing the enemy away from the city, while others attacked the city and destroyed it while unprotected. 
• This strategy worked-18,000 were killed in the ambush, 5,000 in the retreat, and 2,000 more at Gidom, totaling 25,000 killed which left only 600 men of the tribe of Benjamin and in danger of extinction. (grand total of 43,000 killed Bens and 40,030 Israelis killed)

What a sad thing to happen, a civil war in Israel. Needlessly men died, if only they had not defended those murderers, homosexuals, and rapists. (Such actions continue today.)
Do we do what is right, no matter the cost?

LET IT GROW


The 600 men of Benjamin ran to the rock Rimmon in the wilderness, staying 4 months. (verse 47)
The men of Israel went back to the towns of Benjamin and killed everything, including animals, setting all on fire.

Despite how far Israel had fallen away from their faith, Yahweh still orchestrated their battle and brought justice against Benjamin. (D. Jeremiah)

Life Application Study Bible says:

Going back, the Levite conveniently left out the fact that he had handed over his concubine to satisfy the mob's demands. He wanted justice for the threats made against himself rather than placing any value on the life of the woman or holding himself partly responsible for her death. How easy it is to give only partial facts or twist events to remove our own culpability when we are seeking to shift blame to someone else. This incident reveals the depths of perversion and violence that develop when a culture abandons God's ways.

Makes you wonder if the maybe the Benjaminite leaders had been given distorted facts or if they were too proud to admit some of their people had stooped so low to commit such a serious crime.
Anyway, they would not listen to the rest of Israel and hand over those accused criminals. Although they were loyal to their own tribe, they were not to God's Law. We see bizarre things happen when people do what is right in their own eyes.

Did Israel think they had done away with such hideous crimes? Maybe for the time being they did.

They do recover such a loss, eventually. Saul, Israel's first king, Queen Esther, and the apostle Paul were all from the tribe of Benjamin. They remained the smallest tribe of the 12.

Well, we don't know what kind of fruit our efforts will produce in years to come. We work hard to keep those weeds out of the flower bed or not. Do we work hard to keep sin out of our life and our family? Yet, the world is harsh, strong, like the wind and rain in a summer storm pushes hard on the only package of flowers I planted-sunflowers. Will they survive and bear fruit? Kids and flowers need nurturing, love, and direction. I wish I had staked those tall stems. Please, Lord, don't let them snap in the middle of the storm. My children, too, Lord. (I spent 100 more time working on vbs for children than the flowers.) Grow them both up strong looking toward the sun/Son with deep roots in your love and Word. Oh, thanks for the rain, Lord. We depend on You for all things. (By the way, thanks for wild flowers I can pick to bring to my table.) Kingdom work is so important, friends, so keep planting those seeds of love and God's ways.

LET IT GO

Repent, turning from sinful ways and go in the other direction.

Point others in the right direction.

Stay in God's Word so I know His ways.

Continue to trust Jesus as my Savior.

Plant seeds of God's love in the hearts of children.