A Hard Victory (Part B)

Have you ever felt that the word of God is let you that you had righteousness on your side. Decency on your side. Love everything is on your side the enemy. Nothing. In fact, double evil, and yet not winning but you still cling to God.

Nonetheless, that's what's gonna happen here.

These tribes are going to cling to God they going to return after the first will bring get warped again. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Judges.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue his message called a hard victory as he teaches in Judges chapter 20 verse eight.

All the people rose as one man saying none of us will go to his tent, nor will any turned back to his house well is true sometimes. Such horrific news some atrocity like this comes down the road and it makes ordinary sin seemed to not matter so much. This is so bad when when the last time I guess we can really say we've seen something like this. I will my first guess would be the Holocaust.

I mean everybody was just you. Are you kidding me a lot.

Everybody there's always that percentage but most normal sensible, rational people would be just greatly alarmed arms to do something about this verse nine but now this is the thing which we will do to give you again Gibby is with the crime was committed. We will go up against it by lot now in verse eight where they make the place. None of us will go to list 10. They don't know the horror that's coming. They don't know how much is going to cost them. They think they've got 400,000 troops.

Gibby is got less than 30,000. This should not really be that difficult. They are wrong.

That's a little lessons for us whatever spiritual endeavor. We take on.

We better be ready and ready in the sense of things going wrong not as planned. So we hear it's war verse 10 we will take 10 men, out of every hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel. 100 out of every thousand thousand out of every 10,000 to make provisions for the people that when they come to give you and Benjamin. They may repay all the vileness that they have done in Israel. This is a combat supplier quartermaster Corps. This signals to us that these guys had a new war leaders not necessarily all the troops but the leaders who knew the way. We need logistics we got a have no watering then swords and supplies going to the front and that's knowledge you take the adverse out there lost love, faster, and it also means that this is how war was done and when we read about war in the earlier chapters. In the later chapters of the Old Testament. We know that the date that there were those that knew how to general war, Marshall war, so it just keeps it real to us. Verse 20. So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united together as one man.

Again, perhaps using Deuteronomy 13 verses 12 through 15 two just to have the scriptural grounds for this. It's always motivating to see a united stand against evil, and it is going to be as motivating to see them remain united in the face of defeat, but they had a duty to perform and they are ready for it as best as they can be, and they appear to be disciplined troops, which is a mark of the leadership on a positive mark on the leadership that they are under verse 12 then the tribes of Israel sent men to all the tribe of Benjamin saying what is this wickedness that has occurred among you, so they are again trying diligently trying to make sure that their justified when they go at these offenders. Verse 13 now therefore deliver up the men. The perverted men who are in Gibby a that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel but the children of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brethren and the children of Israel arrogance the child of depravity or a child of depravity. They refused to budge flat out said no we know about the crime were not going to deal with it and you are not going to deal with. So they go all they had to do is hand over the criminals they knew they were and not handing them over. They honored the vileness to the death they went to their deaths. All the 600 of them defending sickness.

We see it today.

The advocates of the deplorable of these men are deplorable and their advocating this wickedness and those who are determined to extricate execute justice to rid them of rid themselves of the land of this evil again.

They had no idea what how fiercely violent the opposition was going to be verse 14. Instead, the children of Benjamin gathered together from their cities to give me a to go to battle against the children of Israel so they put family before God put their tribe, their people, their team, something was before God, or that it already been the case in their lives as individuals and adjust just like leaven spread throughout Benjamin. So they double down. This solidarity is perverted. It is not admirable. Luke chapter 14 verse 26 with the church needs to read this from time to time because it's so easy to to stumble here if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Of course I sent the hatred he teaches not promoting hatred Seesmic he's making a contract is as compared to love you have for me. All other loves with hatred and it is. I was watching a children's show one of the characters that I love them so much as compared to me you hate him, and it was funny, not because of you know the Scripture verses will wait that's the point that the contrast not saying you have to hate the other person.

It's you know we say will why would Jesus say it like that is easy answer for that, so you never forget. As you hear it said like this you don't forget it. It may nag you may not on you to get to the bottom of what we discussed at the bottom of whole place for me. I'm good right away here in verse 14 to go to battle against the children of Israel again that do Benjamin they're willing to die defending their tribal unity, their tribal sovereignty.

How dare you come here and tell us will I thought you were in the scene with him in this with the Lord to their sin affected all the land and they knew it they said if we don't deal, would Benjamin God's going to deal with us going to be worse.

Another New Testament verse that we know well.

First Corinthians 5. The church that needed to hear this, they benefited from it. Your glorying is not good.

Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the law when Paul said that there was a man in the church committing in an egregious sin in the church with yakking it up a lot with showing grace to get over is not that bad' crazy. I do not. I'm JM telling him not even then I'm telling you is wrong is a do you not know your glorying, your your thinking that you showing grace is not good. He says the love that little leaven if you don't fix that is gonna take over your church and they did fix verse 12 verse 15 and from their cities at that time the children of Benjamin number 26,000 men who drew the sword besides the inhabitants of Gibeon numbered 700 Selectmen I'm I'm going to restrain myself from being attempts at humor because the next chapter is ridiculous and I don't want it. I'm not going to go down that road again. So this could be all serious and and hope it pays off. That's my strategy because I see humor in some of this already and am say it anyway. Benjamin. They had 26 cities given to them in the villages that that the they abide by Lottie Reed, we read that in Joshua 21. Who would've thought of Dr. 18 who thought that when Joshua say okay Benjamin just started like it had anything to do with anything ever else. What does because this is where the troops are coming from. This is with AA.

All of these cities and villages. The 400,000 would have to deal with, and they do they don't let anybody out often. In fact, one tribe doesn't show up to help the 400,000 Gb Killian they opt out. So they go put a beating on them to. This was not optional or get that in the next chapter, but that they would not tolerate that the date these men were world was pretty on the believers run the ball here and confronting this verse 16. Whenever you hear thunder in church. Do you think the pastor should preach repentance. I just ask so all right, verse 16 among all this people were 700 Selectmen, who were left-handed. Everyone could sling a stone at a hair's breath and not miss well.

A special mention to the slingshot battalion. Ironically, Benjamin's name means son of my right hand, but these are the these men are are of the wrong hand and so hello the left-handed. I know we've got some lefties it's it's okay real good in baseball pitching that difficult box to assure that if you ever faced a lefties home and adjust everything now at Wally Pam are in your head so all right sorry miss some you've never boxed in.

That's okay.

All right. Well, there we are. Verse 16 one of the lessons I love those payments from on high. One of the lessons from the 16th verse about the slingshot or's is that the enemy and her advocates have skilled and dangerous people amongst them were not to think that they just, you know, these completely silly people that have no understanding that that would be foolish. They're very dangerous. It is still that way. To this day, and when we pray we should be mindful of these things going into it and verse 17 continues now. Besides Benjamin, the men of Israel numbered for hundred thousand men who drew the sword all of these were men of war, verse 18. 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 Yahweh said Judah first. Well they go to God, which again is admirable and the leaders not all 400,000 tracking out there leaving him camps where they are where they are with their troops and the leaders are going up to Shiloh. I believe it is Shiloh interesting that the word house of God here in the Hebrew is Bethel which is house of God and not Shiloh. And that would lead one to suppose, will maybe they going to Bethel.

The this the town. The city and not up to Shiloh. I was one take a moment with that because in Joshua 18. The tabernacle was put at Shiloh that is the tent in the ark of the covenant and golden altar and all the other belongings to the tabernacle in Joshua 22 we find Phineas the grandson of Aaron who is presently the high priest in this story, ministering as high priest in Joshua 22 when Samuel, the book of Samuel opens we find Eli inch at Shiloh. The first four chapters were told it's mentioned that the tabernacle was at Shiloh and this was the case until the Philistines. Of course wanted on the battlefield and then subsequently returned to the Jews because of the pressure card put on them and then it's not in the ark of the covenant is not in Shiloh but still the tabernacle is so my point is we never read of the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle anywhere else but Shiloh until we get into the death of Eli in the book of Samuel. And so that's where I believe it is here. You might say you know why the is so. But if you read through this, of course, he has a Bible student you're always scanning for understanding know what's going on. I thought this was you know I thought the house of God was here, not there when you wanted have these answers so here in verse at the bottom of verse 18.

They said which of us shall go up first to battle against the children of Benjamin what was got to say no. Nobody course is going to be did dealt with pieces. Judah goes first unit is the largest of all the tribes.

And I'm sure when they heard that they felt nonsystem matter of hours boys before the victory is ours. Verse 19 so the children of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeon. Have you ever felt that the word of God is let you down that you had righteousness on your side. Decency on your side.

Love everything is on your side the enemy has nothing. In fact, just double evil, and yet you're not winning but you still cling to God. Nonetheless, that's what's going to happen here. These tribes are going to cling to God they going to return after the first whooping and get worked again.

Verse 20 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 Libya I give you some comments what's coming up later in case we get rapture you you have the answer is pretty thorough on my part and the battle naturally. Verse 20 Takes Pl. at give you.

That's where the crime was committed and the typography of this town is in gives the advantage to those defending the hilly terrain you fighting uphill. If you're attacking you, give you an and that does pay offer them to some degree, God gave no assurance of victory.

Incidentally, when they saw him, probably with the room and the do not know asking the question and the high priest bringing out the answer.

He just said Judah goes up first. He did and said say and you will have victory would've been a good question to ask, but with 400,000 men to 26,000.

That means it is necessary. Perhaps you know you they were thinking like that.

I would've likely been thinking like that. If I was one of them. Verse 21 then the children the bedroom and came out of give you on that day and cut down to the ground 22,000 men of the Israelites as a whole stadium of people that there's the carnage, God allowed the wicked ones to slaughter those who are trying to execute justice. A lot of searching in the hearts of Israel that day. So again, I repeat, being right is not enough got to be close to God they going to be moving close to God, to their credit there and they're not going to allow their battlefield defeats to defeat their faith.

We all should know something about that again.

Even evil just doesn't budge. Sometimes just to get to get stronger, and sometimes we suffer the initial defeats and there they are. They're very painful, very costly. How did it go with that first church when Stephen was stoned to death. Then James was killed with the sword that kinda news rocked the church. What is happening here. Did we not have Pentecost did not God give us the Holy Spirit was there or not. You know the sound of a rushing mighty wind in the tongues of fire and run that they're not the know 3000 converts. How can we suffer the loss okay. Stephen Ali was, you know, he laid it out in front of them can exceed that one, but James what kind of resources does God have when he can spare James. We don't hear much about change, but he's one of the three on the inner circle of the dust of the apostles and disciples is something to this suite, the other to a John his brother, and Peter. We know a lot about Peter peters, the guy with the size 9 1/2 miles and then John we know a lot about John but we don't know much about Jane except God put him in the midst of those two.

I think he was a stabilizing factor. I think he was the one that was solid and heat heat influence the other two.

How must you account for these things in the Bible wants us to account for these these records that we have before us the wants us to search without rightly dividing the word of God, said Paul what this is painful to read but we have to go through. Now verse 22 and the people. That is, the men of Israel encouraged themselves and again from the battle line at the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day they did not quit. This had to be settled. They weren't going away easily. May my face not go away easily when it wants to, and if they were shallow in the faith. I think they would've just fine.

I don't think the would've turned out this way they are ready while they seek the Lord in verse 23. Some commentators believe verse 23, which tells of them going up to the house of the Lord again comes before verse 22 and of the disease need to do that at all. I think that they suffered a defeat and date they set up their perimeter again and while they held that perimeter. They, the leader said all right, you just stay there.

They come out your attacker. You on them but will be back with hunger.

Seek the Lord.

Verse 23 then the children of Israel went up and went before Yahweh until evening and ask counsel of Yahweh saying shall I again drawn near for battle against the children of my brother Benjamin. Yahweh said go up against him all that kinda question what what should he have said against a go home. These men are learning to pray under pressure, and place themselves before God there drawing closer to God. So they were. They are right.

But they are closing the gap that distance that evidently existed between them.

Some of you may remember some of these past elections, and in the 90s you know the president that didn't know the meaning of if okay okay okay then the 2008 2012 we had to suffer.

You know this. Those who don't deserve to have such victories, and many Christians were emotionally devastated.

This is something that we have to make sure we don't let take take our faith or stumble loss or make us depressed. But we look to the Lord to see what our next move is going to be in Judges chapter 20 teaches us to fight through defeat. We you know were not owed victory in this life.

The cross of Christ is that lesson for us. Luke 22 verse 44 and being in agony he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like get great drops of blood falling down to the ground. In the example of Christ. This agony intensified in the presence of the Lord and defeat led to renewed and improved efforts on the part of the righteous. Then as they should.

Now then, is, as in the garden of Eden. We see the Lord's sweat, as though a great drops of blood and he did is going bleed a lot more for this role and he did on our behalf through repeated defeats Israel persevered to victory. That's part of the lesson because what oh I know what I do.

God you not answer my prayer.

Why could you let this happen, why, why even have a Bible with you going to do this. I'm totally right. I seek you all the time. How can I possibly be defeated. We go to do then rent a going to just get angry with me and leave me alone Bible tells us that those who harden their hearts don't prosper against God. Psalm 37 verse 24, though he fail he shall not be utterly cast down for Yahweh upholds him with his hand.

Verse 24, so the children of Israel approached the children of Benjamin on the second day the second try will not be easy either. They will persevere. Verse 25. Benjamin went out again against them from give your on the second day and cut down to the ground 18,000 more of the children of Israel.

All these truths sword so there is another gigantic one. He what he what is going to the minds of the leaders. These are the men that have seen move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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