Judges

Judges 20: The LORD judges evil within Israel

Begin in prayer

Before we follow how the LORD judges evil among His people and gives the victory He promises, let us come to Him together. Ask Him to give us humble hearts and to help us see Christ, who bore the judgment that sin deserves.

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

Zephaniah 1:18

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Please teach us to hear Your warnings and see why we need Christ. Help us face sin honestly and seek Your mercy. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Israel gathers to hear the Levite's account, then demands Gibeah's guilty men, but Benjamin protects them and gathers for war. The LORD sends Judah first, yet Benjamin kills twenty-two thousand Israelites, then eighteen thousand more after God commands a second advance. Israel weeps, fasts and offers sacrifices before asking again, and the LORD promises victory the next day. An ambush draws Benjamin away from Gibeah, the city burns, and the LORD strikes Benjamin before Israel. Six hundred men escape to the rock of Rimmon while the rest are killed. Israel then strikes Benjamin's cities, livestock and all it finds, burning the cities.

As you read Judges 20, look for the answers:

• What does Benjamin refuse to do when its brothers demand the guilty men? (verses 12 to 14)
• What promise does the LORD give before the third battle? (verse 28)

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD judges evil within His people and gives the victory He promises.

The Levite tells the tribes the men meant to kill him, and he leaves out that he brought her out to them (verse 5). Benjamin refuses to listen to its brothers and gathers for war instead. The LORD names Judah to go first, yet Israel loses twenty-two thousand men in the first battle. He commands another advance, and eighteen thousand more fall. These commands direct Israel's actions without yet promising victory. After weeping, fasting and offerings, Israel asks again before the ark, where Phinehas serves, and God promises deliverance the next day. Israel uses an ambush, but the chapter names the LORD as the One who strikes Benjamin. Six hundred escape, while the war ends with slaughter, burning cities and dead livestock across Benjamin.

How does Judges 20 show us that the LORD judges evil within His people and gives the victory He promises?

The LORD's people must face the evil among them.

The Levite tells Israel about the woman's murder, and the tribes demand Gibeah's guilty men. Benjamin refuses the voice of its brothers and gathers to fight (verses 12 to 14). Protecting the offenders draws the tribe into war against the rest of Israel.

Israel must keep seeking the LORD through painful losses.

God sends Judah first and later commands Israel to advance again, yet Israel loses forty thousand men across two battles. The people then weep, fast and bring offerings before the LORD (verses 18 to 28). This time He promises to deliver Benjamin into their hand the following day.

The LORD strikes Benjamin as He has promised.

Israel draws Benjamin from Gibeah while an ambush takes the city. The LORD strikes Benjamin before Israel, and the survivors see disaster coming upon them (verses 35 to 41). Only six hundred men escape, while Israel turns upon the cities, livestock and all it finds.

Memorise

Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel.

Judges 20:35

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, whose sin am I tempted to defend because I love them?

The battle's outcome is stated, “Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel.” The tribe that protects Gibeah's guilty men suffers dreadful ruin. God's people cannot treat their own evil as safe because it belongs to someone they know.

The holy judgment sin deserves fell on Jesus Christ when He died for His people. He was innocent, yet carried their sins and suffered under God's wrath on the cross. His completed offering is enough to secure their forgiveness. He rose to life as the victorious Savior, and those who trust Him have peace with the righteous Judge.

Turn from your sin and trust Jesus. Stop defending what God condemns and seek mercy through Christ's finished work. For every sinner who relies on Him, there is pardon through His blood. The Savior who receives guilty people also calls them to follow Him in truth.

Parent's note

Tell your children that only Jesus saves them from the judgment their sins deserve. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Explain the deaths among Israel, Benjamin's ruin, the burning cities and the slaughter of livestock in your own words. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for His righteous judgment and the pardon Christ gives to those who come, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

Revelation 5:9

Righteous Lord, please forgive the ways we excuse evil and protect our own pride. Bring us to trust Jesus and accept Your judgment on our sin. Teach us to follow Your Word with humble and obedient hearts. Amen.