The Horrors of a Civil War
December 31, 2019
Commentary
Her second advance against the Benjamites was again fiercely checked as 18,000 of her warriors lay dead on the field of battle (vv. 24-25). Perhaps one reason the Lord permitted Israel to have these initial defeats was to bring then to a point of repentance. Now fasting and the offering of sacrifices accompanied Israel’s tears and the Lord assured her of victory (vv. 26-28).
However, God’s promise of victory did not lead to presumption on Israel’s part. They reviewed and improved their battle strategy by setting a trap for the Benjamites (vv. 29-30). When they set up the same battle positions as before the Benjamites expected a decisive victory as on previous days. As the Benjamites came after them they deliberately fled away from the city (vv. 31-34). At the appointed time Israel had soldiers hiding who entered and burned the city of Gibeah. The rising smoke was a signal to Israel’s troops who were in flight from the attacking Benjamites to make an about face. The Benjamites saw their city engulfed in flames and realized they were pressed from all sides with hostile forces. They lost 25,100 men which was almost their entire force of 26,700 (v. 35). Joshua had used this strategy effectively in the conquest of Ai (Josh. 8:12-13) and now Israel employs it against little Benjamin.
Application
Because I don’t have success every time I try to do something in the Christian life doesn’t mean I shouldn’t seek the face of the Lord and try it again. I need to explain to my family how when they try to win someone to the Lord and they refuse to listen doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t try again. It just may be that the next time they witness they will want to listen.
Judges 20:24– 35 (NET)
24 So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day. 25 The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down 18,000 sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.
26 So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord. 27 The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God’s covenant was there in those days; 28 Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving the Lord in those days), “Should we once more march out to fight the Benjaminites our brothers, or should we quit?” The Lord said, “Attack, for tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”
29 So Israel hid men in ambush outside Gibeah. 30 The Israelites attacked the Benjaminites the next day; they took their positions against Gibeah just as they had done before. 31 The Benjaminites attacked the army, leaving the city unguarded. They began to strike down their enemy just as they had done before. On the main roads (one leads to Bethel, the other to Gibeah) and in the field, they struck down about thirty Israelites. 32 Then the Benjaminites said, “They are defeated just as before.” But the Israelites said, “Let’s retreat and lure them away from the city into the main roads.” 33 All the men of Israel got up from their places and took their positions at Baal Tamar, while the Israelites hiding in ambush jumped out of their places west of Gibeah. 34 Then 10,000 men, well-trained soldiers from all Israel, made a frontal assault against Gibeah; the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was at their doorstep. 35 The Lord annihilated Benjamin before Israel; the Israelites struck down that day 25,100 sword-wielding Benjaminites.
Illustration: Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debate slavery
In 1858 Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were engaged in debates in Illinois. After Lincoln’s strong presentation, Mr. Douglas debated that government could stand half slave and half free. In rebuttal Mr. Lincoln is reported to have said, “Mr. Douglas has taken this debate out of my hands. It is no longer between Mr. Douglas and me, it is now a debate between Mr. Douglas and Jesus Christ who said, ‘A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.’ If Stephen Douglas says it can stand, the debate is between him and Jesus Christ.” (Source Unknown, Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).