Judges 20:25-30

Judges 20:25

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

 

Then on the second day of battle the Israelites faced the tribe of Benjamin and suffered another major defeat by their hands.  This time they lost 18,000 men which now reduced their ranks to 360,000.  Their total losses have been 40,000 men in just two days.  At this rate Benjamin will decimate their army and they will be forced to withdraw.

 

Judges 20:26

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.

 

Then the children of Israel wanted to know what was happening since their losses were so great in such a short time.  They thought that by approaching the Lord and getting His guidance that they thought an easy victory would have been theirs.  Now they once again come to the house of God weeping and with a contrite heart.  They initiated a fast plus they made burnt and peace offerings unto the Lord.  They were probably really confused at this time and thought they would have the upper hand over Benjamin.

 

Judges 20:27

And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

 

They now made inquiry before the Lord.  The Ark of the Covenant was brought up to Shiloh and was in the tabernacle during these days.  Their appearance before the Lord now was more solemn than the first time since it seemed like it was just to ascertain information.  This is like when King Ahab was going to take Ramoth-Gilead and inquired of his false prophets and they told him to go up.  Then King Jehoshaphat wanted to know if there was a prophet of God and King Ahab said there was but he heated him because he only told the truth.  So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.  (1 Kings 22:15, KJV)  So like Ahab approaching the prophets glibly, the children of Israel probably did the same thing but now they are more cognizant of the fact they should have approached God more reverently rather than superficially as if the Tabernacle was just an information kiosk.

 

Judges 20:28

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.

 

Phinehas was the one who was ministering in the Tabernacle.  Standing before the Ark was the proper posture for a priest.  Now with the children of Israel in a true worshipful mindset, the question is placed one again to the Lord and that is should they go up against Benjamin one more time or should they cease based upon the large loss of men in the last two days.  This time the response of the Lord is much different because they came to Him much differently.  This time they were told to go up tomorrow but the Lord adds something He did not in the past two responses, now He promises that they will be delivered into their hands by the Lord.  Their victory was now assured.

 

Judges 20:29

And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

 

Liers were those men placed around Gibeah which were prepared at a moment’s notice to stand up and ambush the Benjamites.  So they set these liers all around the perimeter of Gibeah.  Though God promised them the victory, they were still using contemporary military tactics since there was still a great number of them left.

 

Judges 20:30

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.

 

The children of Israel had now gone back to the battle field on the third day of battle and set themselves in array once again facing Gibeah just as they had done the prior two days.  Except this time on the third day they would have victory.  Since Judah was leading the charge, it would have been Judah that would be in the forefront of the battle. 

 

There was also one other descendant of the tribe of Judah who had victory on the third day.  The Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on the third day for the purpose of saving those He came to save.  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;  (Acts 10:40, KJV)  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.  (Romans 4:25, KJV)  The Lord Jesus was crucified for the sins of His people. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Mat 1:21, KJV) The crucifixion of Jesus was not done for the sins of the whole world but for the sins of the Elect in the whole world. Christ’s crucifixion was accepted by God the Father as payment for the sins of His Elect and when He was raised from the dead, He was raised for our justification. The true Christian was declared righteous and not guilty by reason of the resurrection of Christ.

 

The resurrection was the final confirmation of our removal of sins and our justification. Christ successfully removed the sins from the soul of every one of His children. As He was raised to life, we too shall be raised to life. First, we are raised to spiritual life by means of being born again. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Rev 20:6, KJV) The first resurrection being the resurrection of our soul from death to newness of life. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Rom 6:4, KJV) Secondly, our physical bodies will be resurrected at the last day, in the same fashion that Christ’s body was raised from the dead. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, {29} And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29, KJV)

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