“Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And the Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.” v.28
Read chapter 20
The men of Benjamin receive their consequence for their sin of what they did to the woman in chapter 19 by abusing and killing her. All the other tribes are so disgusted and upset about what happened and are quick to volunteer to go and fight against the men of Gilead which is in the tribe of Benjamin; 400,000 of men go up to battle against 26,000. Seems like an easy win, yet the first two days the men of Benjamin are the ones winning the battle. The men of Israel had gone to inquire of the Lord and He responded to their question, but it wasn't till the third time that they wept, fasted, prayed, offered offerings and then asked that God's answer was that He would deliver the men of Benjamin into their hands. It might have been that although they were mad they didn't want to kill their brothers. Were they delaying the inevitable? Or were they quick to fight and ask God to make their battle successful without asking first how they should respond. Seems like after this time of praying, fasting, weeping they had their assurance and therefor led to their victory. Interesting that God responded to them in their first two days in battle to go forward, but that didn't mean they would win that day until God said so on the third day. When have you felt the Lord's answer to move forward in a matter to not turnout the way you thought? How can you still move forward in defeat when you are sure of God's answer to continue to do so?
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