Date:
Thursday,
March 19, 2015
Chapters: Judges 20-21
Message Title: Getting Through War With God
Hello My Friend,
When you hear about all the wars and killings going on around the world today one cannot help, but cry, if you are human, you must have some kind of compassion, especially when they really have no idea what is going on. There is a time and season for all things, and while God's judgment may or may not be what we think is fair, it's His call, He is in control. He is King of all and He takes care of His own, whether it be through rewards, trials, or chastisement. Judgment comes to every nation that goes against God, but those who are saved and living their lives with Christ in it need not fear because God will protect us one way or another. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” - 1 Peter 4:16-19.
Wars do not start over night, they build up over time through lots of pride and hatred taught to them by wicked or rebellious leaders. In chapter 19 we read about the Levite and his concubine, who died when men took her and raped her. Shortly after, a general meeting of all the congregation of Israel was assembled to examine the matter and see what needed to be done about it. The decision, a civil war between the rest of the tribes of Israel and Benjamin.
“And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel. So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.” - Judges 20:8-14.
The Levite wanted vengeance, while we are all responsible for our own actions, God will use circumstances like these to His advantage. The war was not only an act of judgment upon all of Israel, it was an act of repentance and a reminder that all who receive Christ are children of God. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” - Romans 8:16-18.
We may not understand the loss of so many people, but God allows wars and tragic events to bring people to His acknowledgment. Now, the first two times that Israel went up against the Benjamites, they actually got advice from God, but He still allowed the Benjamites to defeat them. God allowed the Benjamites to defeat Israel for one reason and one reason only, to get them to repent and turn back to Him. Instead of just asking God who to go after the Benjamites, they fasted and prayed, and that was when God handed them over to Israel.
“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.” - Judges 20:26-28,29,30,35.
What comes to mind here is, no sin goes unpunished, one might think that they have gotten away with something, but it all catches up to them eventually. And until they repent, there is no peace. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” - Romans 2:9-12.
God lead Israel to destroy nearly all the Benjamites, but after the war came peace, He used the remnant to keep their heritage going. The rest of the tribes found compassion on them and helped them get things back in order. “And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 21:2-4,24,25.
We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, yes, we are going to suffer affliction through others sinful lives, we are going to fight, but just like Jesus has love and compassion for all of us, we too are to show love and compassion to all who have wronged us. Once again, we learn that there was no king in Israel, which means if they had set their eyes on God in the first place they would have known that He was their king. The same Christ of today is the same God that Israel was to look to before He came to earth.
“I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” - Isaiah 45:19-22.
Today's Prayer: God, As one of Your children I know there are going to be times when we suffer not for our own sins, but through others. While I do not understand the affliction I face sometimes, I do understand that everything I go through has a purpose and blessing behind it. Lord, help me to keep my eyes on You so that I am prepared to handle any affliction, let me not do what is right in my own eyes, but in Yours. Show me the way to endure all the suffering I face so that I can see the blessings unfold through my faithfulness to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Chapters: Judges 20-21
Message Title: Getting Through War With God
Hello My Friend,
When you hear about all the wars and killings going on around the world today one cannot help, but cry, if you are human, you must have some kind of compassion, especially when they really have no idea what is going on. There is a time and season for all things, and while God's judgment may or may not be what we think is fair, it's His call, He is in control. He is King of all and He takes care of His own, whether it be through rewards, trials, or chastisement. Judgment comes to every nation that goes against God, but those who are saved and living their lives with Christ in it need not fear because God will protect us one way or another. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” - 1 Peter 4:16-19.
Wars do not start over night, they build up over time through lots of pride and hatred taught to them by wicked or rebellious leaders. In chapter 19 we read about the Levite and his concubine, who died when men took her and raped her. Shortly after, a general meeting of all the congregation of Israel was assembled to examine the matter and see what needed to be done about it. The decision, a civil war between the rest of the tribes of Israel and Benjamin.
“And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel. So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.” - Judges 20:8-14.
The Levite wanted vengeance, while we are all responsible for our own actions, God will use circumstances like these to His advantage. The war was not only an act of judgment upon all of Israel, it was an act of repentance and a reminder that all who receive Christ are children of God. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” - Romans 8:16-18.
We may not understand the loss of so many people, but God allows wars and tragic events to bring people to His acknowledgment. Now, the first two times that Israel went up against the Benjamites, they actually got advice from God, but He still allowed the Benjamites to defeat them. God allowed the Benjamites to defeat Israel for one reason and one reason only, to get them to repent and turn back to Him. Instead of just asking God who to go after the Benjamites, they fasted and prayed, and that was when God handed them over to Israel.
“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.” - Judges 20:26-28,29,30,35.
What comes to mind here is, no sin goes unpunished, one might think that they have gotten away with something, but it all catches up to them eventually. And until they repent, there is no peace. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” - Romans 2:9-12.
God lead Israel to destroy nearly all the Benjamites, but after the war came peace, He used the remnant to keep their heritage going. The rest of the tribes found compassion on them and helped them get things back in order. “And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 21:2-4,24,25.
We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, yes, we are going to suffer affliction through others sinful lives, we are going to fight, but just like Jesus has love and compassion for all of us, we too are to show love and compassion to all who have wronged us. Once again, we learn that there was no king in Israel, which means if they had set their eyes on God in the first place they would have known that He was their king. The same Christ of today is the same God that Israel was to look to before He came to earth.
“I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” - Isaiah 45:19-22.
Today's Prayer: God, As one of Your children I know there are going to be times when we suffer not for our own sins, but through others. While I do not understand the affliction I face sometimes, I do understand that everything I go through has a purpose and blessing behind it. Lord, help me to keep my eyes on You so that I am prepared to handle any affliction, let me not do what is right in my own eyes, but in Yours. Show me the way to endure all the suffering I face so that I can see the blessings unfold through my faithfulness to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Subscribe: Daily Devotion
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Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
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Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
