Have you, like me, had experiences where you prayed to the Lord about a situation, felt like you clearly heard and understood His directive, yet when you followed through on it you experienced loss instead of profit? In this account of the battle between the children of Israel and the children of Benjamin, we are introduced to a concept that I call Profitable Loss.
Judges 21:25 states that “in those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Yet we read of an account in Judges 20 where the children of Israel “arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God” (vs.18). It seemed right in their eyes to know the mind of God concerning the decision that they had made to wage war against the children of Benjamin.
The children of Israel asked God, “Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first” (vs.18). So they obeyed God and went up against the children of Benjamin with 400,000 men. In their obedience, they suffered loss: the death of 22,000 men. The children of Benjamin had defeated them.
We are told in the next verse that “the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day” (vs.22). But first they went up before the Lord and again asked counsel of Him, “Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him” (vs.23). They obeyed God a second time and suffered loss a second time: the death of 18,000 men. The children of Benjamin defeated them again.
“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days….” They asked God, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?”
NOTE: This would now be the third time that they would be launching an attack. They had already lost the battle twice before and lost a total of 40,000 men; this loss occurred after trusting/believing God’s word and encouraging themselves because of it. I can imagine their thoughts: maybe Phinehas the priest had missed God. Maybe he hadn’t heard correctly. Maybe we should “cease” going forward with this warfare. They sat there at the house of God, fasting and waiting. Then the Lord answered, “Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand” (vs. 26-28).
A third time they obeyed God and “the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day 25, 100 (of their 26,700) men” (vs.35). This time around 30 men of the children of Israel lost their lives but, the men of Israel won the battle.
Friends, when we choose to obey and trust God, prepare to experience some loss. Loss is not evidence of ultimate defeat for one who is obeying (1) “Go up”, (2) “Go up again”, and (3) “Go up again.” Encourage yourself with the counsel of God. This time, the 3rd time, after you have wept, sat and waited on God, fasted, given offerings, and inquired of the Lord, you will experience the victory that outweighs your loss. NOTE: Israel lost 40,030/400,000 men….about a fraction over 10% of their army. But Benjamin lost 25,000/26,700 …. about a little over 90% of their army. Israel experienced a profitable loss.
Dear Holy Spirit, please help me to be prepared for the loss that is necessary for me to experience victory i.e. the defeat of the enemy in this battle. Prepare me for the test, the trial, the probation that comes through the loss of the 40 (18 + 22). Prepare me for the 3-day wait in the belly of the whale/earth. Help me to hang in there, encouraged, until my 3rd day when I will rise again.
Holy Spirit, teach me how to weep and help me in my infirmities: for I do not know what I should pray for as I ought to pray (Romans 8:26). Dear Holy Spirit, teach me how to just sit there and wait in Your Presence. Help me to fast the fast that you have chosen (Isaiah 58). Show me what offerings I need to give and, help me not to stop inquiring of You), even if I have to do it through Phinehas – the set man of God for Your house.
As I go this day, Holy Spirit, please keep speaking and revealing more of Your word to me and more of You to me so that I will not do according to what is right in my eyes. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!