Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
June 12, 2023
Judges 20:18-28
18 Then the Israelites marched up to Bethel to ask for direction from God. They inquired, “Who should go up first to fight against the Benjaminites for us?” And the LORD said, “Let the tribe of Judah be first.” 19 So the next morning, the Israelites got up and camped near Gibeah. 20 They marched out to fight against the Benjaminites, lining up in battle formation against them at Gibeah. 21 But the Benjaminites marched out from Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelite men that day. 23 So the Israelites went back up and wept before the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD, “Should we move in again to fight our relatives the Benjaminites?” And the LORD replied, “March out against them.” 22 The Israelite troops regrouped and lined up in battle formation again in the same place they had lined up the first day. 24 The Israelites moved in against the Benjaminites the second day. 25 But the Benjaminites marched out of Gibeah to meet them on that second day and cut down another eighteen thousand Israelite men, all of whom were armed with swords. 26 Then all the Israelite troops went back up to Bethel and wept, just sitting there in the LORD’s presence. They fasted that whole day until evening. Then they offered entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices to the LORD. 27 Now in those days the chest containing God’s covenant was there, 28 and Phinehas, Eleazar’s son and Aaron’s grandson, was in charge of ministering before it. The Israelites asked the LORD, “Should we march out once again to fight our relatives the Benjaminites or should we give up?” And the LORD replied, “March up, for I’ll hand them to you tomorrow.”
Good Morning, God of Grace and God of Mercy redeem us!
In Isaiah 2:17, we read, 17So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day . . . I struggle with passages like this one in Judges. The loss of life in this and every war is astounding, yet wars continue. In today’s modern warfare, we have learned ways to minimize the catastrophic numbers of previous wars, but each life of a soldier lost is significant. This person is significant to his/her family and God.
Israel had been disobedient to God, and the Benjamites were guilty of great atrocities against man and God. How many times, Oh Lord, must we come before you to ask forgiveness? Will we never learn? Israel was sorry and wept after the first failure (day 1). But only after the second failure (day 2) did they put their repentance into action by fasting and sacrificing for sins. Sorrow and weeping are not enough if they are not matched by genuine repentance and taking care of the sin problem through sacrifice – the sacrifice of the cross.
It is challenging to find Good News within this passage. God, our Creator, guides us, but we are prideful and boastful. We are sinners! As I sit and wrestle with this passage filled with violence and horrific loss of life, I am beginning to see glimpses of prophecy filled with hope. Israel believed in the strength of their mighty forces because their numbers towered over their enemy, but Israel was filled with sin; many were lost in the first two days of battle. They came to God the first night because they knew that was expected, but they did not truly believe. After the second day’s defeat, their eyes began to see their own errors, and they humbled themselves before God.
Here is the amazing connection through which we can glean hope! On the third day, they defeated their enemy. The Benjamites had sinned against God, and now they would die for their sins, but in the end, they would be granted mercy and given the opportunity of new life. Are we the Benjamites? Jesus came, walked with us, and taught us, yet we, the prideful, crucified him. On the third day, Jesus arose from the dead and conquered death so that we could be redeemed and given the opportunity for a new life, eternal life. Only by the grace of God is this possible.
Amazing God, We thank you for Your blessings. What a mess we are! We believe that we have things in hand, but You show us the way, and when we repent, you offer us love and mercy. We Thank You! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God provides love and mercy to the righteous. Repent and be saved.
Open our eyes, Lord! Pastor Liz
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