Judges 20:24-28: a reflection

24The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25Benjamin went out 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. 26Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27The children of Israel asked the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28and 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?” The LORD said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.”

When Israel goes to war against the tribe of Benjamin and is defeated twice, suffering great loss, they do not simply give up or press on in their own strength. After the second defeat, all the people went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted, and offered sacrifices, and asked the LORD whether they should keep fighting. Twice defeated, they turned again to God, seeking him with weeping and fasting, asking his direction, rather than giving up or trusting only themselves. Their repeated setbacks did not turn them from God but drove them to seek him more earnestly.

Notice what Israel did after repeated defeat: they turned again to God, seeking him earnestly. Two defeats, with great loss, might have led them to give up, or to conclude God was against them and abandon the effort, or to press on stubbornly in their own strength. Instead, they went before the LORD, wept, fasted, offered sacrifices, and asked his direction, seeking him more earnestly after each setback. The repeated defeats did not drive them from God but toward him; they kept seeking him, kept asking, kept turning to him for direction, even after failure. Their perseverance was joined to a deeper seeking of God; they did not give up, but sought him more earnestly in their setbacks.

That is worth taking to heart, for after repeated setbacks we can turn again to God, seeking him more earnestly, rather than giving up. When we suffer repeated setbacks, defeats, failures, we can be tempted to give up, or to conclude God is against us, or to press on stubbornly in our own strength; but Israel, twice defeated, turned again to God, weeping, fasting, seeking his direction. Repeated setbacks can drive us toward God rather than from him, to seek him more earnestly. When you suffer repeated setbacks, do not give up or press on in your own strength; turn again to God, seeking him earnestly, as Israel did after two defeats. Turn again to God and seek him earnestly after repeated setbacks, rather than giving up or trusting only yourself, as Israel wept and fasted and sought God's direction after two defeats; for repeated setbacks can drive us toward God rather than from him, and there is a perseverance that keeps seeking God more earnestly through failure rather than giving up.

Lord, when Israel goes to war against the tribe of Benjamin and is defeated twice, suffering great loss, they do not simply give up or press on in their own strength. After the second defeat, all the people went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted, and offered sacrifices, and asked the LORD whether they should keep fighting. Twice defeated, they turned again to you, seeking you with weeping and fasting, asking your direction. Their repeated setbacks did not turn them from you but drove them to seek you more earnestly. Show me what Israel did after repeated defeat: they turned again to you, seeking you earnestly. Two defeats, with great loss, might have led them to give up, or to conclude you were against them, or to press on stubbornly in their own strength. Instead, they went before you, wept, fasted, and asked your direction, seeking you more earnestly after each setback. The repeated defeats did not drive them from you but toward you. Take that to my heart, for after repeated setbacks I can turn again to you, seeking you more earnestly, rather than giving up. When I suffer repeated setbacks, defeats, failures, I can be tempted to give up, or to conclude you are against me, or to press on stubbornly in my own strength; but Israel, twice defeated, turned again to you. Repeated setbacks can drive me toward you rather than from you. When I suffer repeated setbacks, keep me from giving up or pressing on in my own strength; help me turn again to you, Lord, seeking you earnestly, as Israel wept and fasted and sought your direction after two defeats.