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12 June 2008
Word on the Web
Judges 21 v 1-14
At Mizpah the men of Israel had sworn, "Not one of us will let his daughter marry a man from the tribe of Benjamin."
The people went to the city of Bethel and sat before God until evening, crying loudly. They said, "LORD, God of Israel, why has this terrible thing happened to us so that one tribe of Israel is missing today?"
Early the next day the people built an altar and put burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God on it.
Then the Israelites asked, "Did any tribe of Israel not come here to meet with us in the presence of the LORD?" They asked this question because they had sworn that anyone who did not meet with them at Mizpah would be killed.
The Israelites felt sorry for their relatives, the Benjaminites. They said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel. How can we make sure that the remaining men of Benjamin will have wives?" They found that no one from the city of Jabesh Gilead had come.
So the whole group of Israelites sent twelve thousand soldiers to Jabesh Gilead to kill the people with their swords, even the women and children. The soldiers found four hundred young unmarried women in Jabesh Gilead, so they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan.
Then the whole group of Israelites sent a message to the men of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, offering to make peace with them. The Israelites gave them the women from Jabesh Gilead who had not been killed, but there were not enough women.
How stupid can you get? In the heat of their emotions, the Israelites not only made threats against the Benjaminites, who were clearly in the wrong - they also made similar threats to try to bully their own allies into joining in their madness, and then swore solemn vows which they would regret in the cold light of day.
They pestered God with questions, when the answer was that it was their own silly fault. They thought they were compassionate, but their pity was turned in on themselves because they had to live with the consequences of their own behaviour. They made sacrifices to God, but at the same time they planned the massacre of the innocent civilians of Jabesh Gilead for the sake of keeping their oath.
Come on, guys! If you had had any sense, you would have sent a delegation to Jabesh Gilead, explained your predicament and asked them to make their unmarried women available as wives for the Benjaminites. No need for any more slaughter.
Stop!!! Come to your senses! Stand back and look at the mess you are making of your life. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and give yourself a strong dose of confession, humility and self-discipline.
"Have mercy on me, o God, according to your unfailing love. According to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. .... Create in me a pure heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51) Amen
Written by James Archer
Word on the Web
Judges 21 v 1-14
At Mizpah the men of Israel had sworn, "Not one of us will let his daughter marry a man from the tribe of Benjamin."
The people went to the city of Bethel and sat before God until evening, crying loudly. They said, "LORD, God of Israel, why has this terrible thing happened to us so that one tribe of Israel is missing today?"
Early the next day the people built an altar and put burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God on it.
Then the Israelites asked, "Did any tribe of Israel not come here to meet with us in the presence of the LORD?" They asked this question because they had sworn that anyone who did not meet with them at Mizpah would be killed.
The Israelites felt sorry for their relatives, the Benjaminites. They said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel. How can we make sure that the remaining men of Benjamin will have wives?" They found that no one from the city of Jabesh Gilead had come.
So the whole group of Israelites sent twelve thousand soldiers to Jabesh Gilead to kill the people with their swords, even the women and children. The soldiers found four hundred young unmarried women in Jabesh Gilead, so they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan.
Then the whole group of Israelites sent a message to the men of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, offering to make peace with them. The Israelites gave them the women from Jabesh Gilead who had not been killed, but there were not enough women.
How stupid can you get? In the heat of their emotions, the Israelites not only made threats against the Benjaminites, who were clearly in the wrong - they also made similar threats to try to bully their own allies into joining in their madness, and then swore solemn vows which they would regret in the cold light of day.
They pestered God with questions, when the answer was that it was their own silly fault. They thought they were compassionate, but their pity was turned in on themselves because they had to live with the consequences of their own behaviour. They made sacrifices to God, but at the same time they planned the massacre of the innocent civilians of Jabesh Gilead for the sake of keeping their oath.
Come on, guys! If you had had any sense, you would have sent a delegation to Jabesh Gilead, explained your predicament and asked them to make their unmarried women available as wives for the Benjaminites. No need for any more slaughter.
Stop!!! Come to your senses! Stand back and look at the mess you are making of your life. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and give yourself a strong dose of confession, humility and self-discipline.
"Have mercy on me, o God, according to your unfailing love. According to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. .... Create in me a pure heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51) Amen
Written by James Archer
