Focus Chapters:
- Judges 19-21
Standout Verse(s):
Judges 20:18-25, 27-30, 35 NLT
Before the battle the Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe should go first to attack the people of Benjamin?”
The Lord answered, “Judah is to go first.”
So the Israelites left early the next morning and camped near Gibeah. Then they advanced toward Gibeah to attack the men of Benjamin. But Benjamin’s warriors, who were defending the town, came out and killed 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.
But the Israelites encouraged each other and took their positions again at the same place they had fought the previous day. For they had gone up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord until evening. They had asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again?”
And the Lord had said, “Go out and fight against them.”
So the next day they went out again to fight against the men of Benjamin, but the men of Benjamin killed another 18,000 Israelites, all of whom were experienced with the sword.
The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord. (In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel, and Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron was the priest.) The Israelites asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again, or should we stop?”
The Lord said, “Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”
So the Israelites set an ambush all around Gibeah. They went out on the third day and took their positions at the same place as before.
So the Lord helped Israel defeat Benjamin, and that day the Israelites killed 25,100 of Benjamin’s warriors, all of whom were experienced swordsmen.
Observation (s):
- The first time Israel went up to fight Benjamin, as directed by God, they lost 22,000 of their men.
Before the battle the Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe should go first to attack the people of Benjamin?”
The Lord answered, “Judah is to go first.”
So the Israelites left early the next morning and camped near Gibeah. Then they advanced toward Gibeah to attack the men of Benjamin. But Benjamin’s warriors, who were defending the town, came out and killed 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.
- Despite their loss on the first day, Israel went up to fight again a second time, per God’s directive. This time they lost 18,000 men.
But the Israelites encouraged each other and took their positions again at the same place they had fought the previous day. For they had gone up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord until evening. They had asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again?”
And the Lord had said, “Go out and fight against them.”
So the next day they went out again to fight against the men of Benjamin, but the men of Benjamin killed another 18,000 Israelites, all of whom were experienced with the sword.
- Israel sought God following their second loss. Per his directive, they went up to fight a third time. This time they defeated Benjamin.
The Israelites asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again, or should we stop?”
The Lord said, “Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”
So the Israelites set an ambush all around Gibeah. They went out on the third day and took their positions at the same place as before.
So the Lord helped Israel defeat Benjamin, and that day the Israelites killed 25,100 of Benjamin’s warriors, all of whom were experienced swordsmen.
Application:
We tend to give up too easily. At the first sign of obstacles, some of us throw in the towel. We toss our faith and forget that God was the one who had led us on our path to our fight.
Israel’s reaction when faced with the challenge of defeating Benjamin has a lot to teach us. Can you imagine suffering defeat twice when God had been the one to tell you to go fight? It must have been hard and humiliating and devastating to suffer such heavy losses, yet Israel stuck to their guns. At each loss, they sought God, confirmed his directions, encouraged each other and got back into the fight. Eventually, on the third try they gained the victory.
God’s guidance is not the guarantee of an easy win. Don’t lose faith if you experience losses on your first few tries. If God has brought you to it, He will surely bring you through it. Take a page out of Israel’s book, encourage yourself and get back into the fight. Your victory is surely coming.
