20:1-2 The children of Israel come together, finally, in shared grief over the depravity of the treatment of the concubine woman. As one man before the Lord, the verse speaks. God's children remember their unity in this time of emotional distress.
It's interesting that we behave the same way. Brutal injustice triggers the remembrance of our kinship. Some circumstances override our minor differences and frequent disputes and remind us of the broader picture. Some hurts are felt worldwide. God's wish is that we would remain a compassionate unit, not just return to it in difficult times.
But the gathering of the children of Israel is similar to our gatherings today - the times we come together as a family, as a community, as a nation, as a planet, as one body. Circumstances which cause us to remember our sense of justice and relight the fire within us to declare and enforce it.
All of the tribes gather together except for the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin host Gibeah, the peoples who acted so cruelly against the concubine, triggering the host of Israel to respond personally.
20:3-5 The Levite husband recounts the events of his wife's death. He traveled into Gibeah, was threatened and his wife was brutally abused - which caused her unjust and cruel death.
20:6 The Levite recounts even his response to the woman's death: he spread her body throughout the land. His reaction was raw, visceral. A call to arms.
20:7 The Levite convenes with his fellow tribes. His battle cry: what are we going to do about this? Such evil cannot be allowed to persist.
20:8-11 The tribes agree to build a passionate army agaisnt Gibeah. Finally united as children under God, their spiritual ferocity is back. No longer are they helpless victims without a path or plan. Finally they are ready to demand justice.
20:12-17 The tribe of Benjamin does not align with its righteous family. Instead, they build an army to protect Gibeah. Without righteousness, they are distracted from truth and justice.
20:18 The rest of the children of Israel are working directly with God, consulting him even before initiating the battle. Consulting him on every detail. God sends the tribe of Judah out first against Benjamin for protecting and fostering evil.
20:19-23 The children of Israel wanted a battle and they received one that will be hard fought. The tribe of Benjamin has an army and they hold out against the first attack. This initial tribulation is meant to build endurance into the children of Israel. Perseverance of faith. Just how far are they, are we, willing to go against evil? Is the first hiccup enough to bump us off of the road? Evil hopes so.
And because the children of Israel are still committed in their cause, the Lord sends them out again.
20:24-25 The tribe of Benjamin continues to decimate the children of Israel's army. The symbolism is so strong, this book of Judges as taught us of just how much evil has decimated this one faithful people.
20:26-28 The children of Israel deepen their commitment, their trust in God. In addition to their communication with God, they add in a fast, a sacrifice, a time of reflection, of listening to Him. God tells us that when we search for Him with all of our heart and soul we will find Him. The children of Israel are putting in arduous, heartfelt, spiritual work.
Because of that: God finally tells them that He will deliver their enemy into their hands the next day. It does not matter that the army was decimated. It does not matter that they were pushed back before. The only thing they, and we, need to be victorious is our faith in God. For the will of God over our lives is victory. Is protection. Is justice and the defense of it.
20:29-32 The third day of battle, the tribe of Benjamin believes that it is diminishing the rest of children of Israel once again. But their enemy has a plan. Those who love and follow the Lord are always supplied with a plan, with endurance, with another chance. Endlessly.
20:33-35 Finally after strategic battle, THE LORD defeats the tribe of Benjamin on Israel's behalf. Do not read over that crucial detail. Who wins our victory? God does. Every single time. Our planning fails. Our strength gets tired. Our strategy has holes. But God's doesn't. When we submit to God as His faithful children, claims our tribulation. He responds personally and directly to our enemy.
He is so beautiful. He wants us to understand: maybe you cannot win this war, but I will win it for you. And whatever that war is in each individual's personal life, He is so vigilant and capable over it.
20:36-41 The tribe of Benjamin is completely consumed by smoke. The righteousness and faith of the rest of the children of Israel cause metaphorical fire to burn that evil right up.
20:42-46 A child of God is familiar with this: the enemy begins to feel panicked. Trapped. Defeated. For God delivers a comprehensive victory. God ensures that the enemy understands its grave mistake was to challenge Him by harming His children. The enemy finally understands who they oppose... not mere men but the God of all.
20:47-48 Some of the opposing army tried to escape. It did not last. God is thorough in extinguishing evil. God wants each of us to understand that opposition and tribulation have no power in our lives. Against Him, they are not clever or stealth. Evil will fall at His command. Every. Single. Time.
