Judges 20:18-21 “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

 ”Then the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God to inquire of God. They said, “Which of us shall go up first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” The Lord said, “Judah first!” So the children of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel put themselves in battle array to fight against them at Gibeah.“ ”Then the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭20‬:‭18‬-‭21 ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Went up to the house of God to inquire of God: In the first battle, Israel sought the LORD - yet they were defeated. We can speculate that though they inquired of God, they still trusted in the might of their army and in the goodness of their cause, but not in the LORD.

b. The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites: This was a staggering, severe loss in the first battle of this small civil war. After this first day of battle it seemed that single tribe of Benjamin might successfully resist the other tribes of Israel.

i. Perhaps there was something wrong in the way that Israel sought the Lord before this battle; or, it is also just as likely that this was simply part of God’s plan to discipline and correct His disobedient nation.

ii. The American President, Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, spoke on this very theme in relation to the American Civil War:

Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” (1865)

iii. Perhaps, something of the same dynamic was at work with Israel at this time – God correcting a disobedient nation through the tragic loss of 22,000 soldiers of Israel. (Guzik)

I’m reminded of another time in the OT that the Israelites were defeated because of sin!

The Sin of Achan

”And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water. Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!“

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭7‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Achan sinned because he had taken forbidden spoils of war from the Jericho campaign and buried them under his tent. 

“the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

Discipline from the Father can come to the Christian when we hide sin. Let us examine our hearts today for anything that displeases Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, reveal to us today anything that displeases You and guide us to repent, forgive and give us a heart of Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Blessings