Third-time winner

At the end of Judges, the Israelites are in the distasteful position of having to go to war against one of their own, the recalcitrant tribe of Benjamin. They inquire of the Lord, to make sure. The Lord gives a thumbs up. They move out with confidence.

They are soundly beaten back---22,000 fighting men are cut down. So what do they do? I imagine they are a little baffled. "But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place. . . . And the people of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening. And they inquired of the Lord, 'Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers . . . ?' And the Lord said, 'Go up against them'" (20:22-23).

They are soundly beaten back again. That's twice they venture out on the Lord's instruction, and twice they fail. It is well to ask ourselves what we would do next. I remember an email from a pastor in Paris (a man better than myself) who sounded like he was ready to throw in the towel because his beleaguered church had been vandalized by hoodlums.

Third approach to God: "Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening. . . ." (v.26).

You may be interested to know that on the third attack the Israelites succeeded. The way it worked is that God used the first two defeats to make the Benjamites cocky. I'm sure the people of God were pleased that they had hung in there with God. My desire is to be like those Israelites, hanging in there with God three times. I should perhaps start with one or two.

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