Judgment Begins in God’s House – I'm Following Jesus

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, April 06, 2018
Chapters: Judges 19-21
Message: Judgment Begins In God’s House

Hello My Friend,

When you hear about all the wars and mass killings going on around in the world today one cannot help, but cry, especially when so many innocent lives are lost. There is a time and season for all things, and while God’s judgment may not be what we think is fair, it is His call, He is in control, and He will often allow wars and these terror attacks as a means to rid the earth of evil, but unfortunately innocent lives always get lost in the crossfire. He is the Great I Am, the all powerful Jehovah, and judgment comes to every nation that goes against God, but it also comes to the house of God. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” – I Peter 4:17-18.

The repercussions of not letting God lead rarely affects just the individual, it affects a nation. We learn of this through another Levite who did what he thought was right in his own eyes, he married a prostitute who was not of his tribe. The woman left him and went back home to her father, four months later he came to get her, resulting in a mess, introducing them to adultery, homosexuality, rape, and murder. It all started because he chose to lodge a night in a town that had his people rather than one that were strangers.

“And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel’s father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him. And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah. And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites. And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.” – Judges 19:9-12,16,20.

“howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me;” The old man knew what the men of the town were capable of and did not want to expose the man to them, but he did not make the wisest decision either. The woman may have been a prostitute, but she did not deserve to lose her life the way she did. And the man should have listened to his servant and lodged in the strangers town. This is why we cannot always trust those who say they are Christian, sometimes their lifestyles are worse than those in the world and being exposed to it would bring suffering to us. This sad story is a reminder that no sin goes unpunished, even if we believe the sin we are committing is right, it still comes with judgment. “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” – Hebrews 10:30-31.

Now, God was well aware of what the Benjamites were doing, but all the tribes were living in some kind of sin, He was about to use turn this mess into a message by getting all the tribes to turn to Him. The Levite went on a rampage and vowed vengeance on every tribe, a meeting was held by the tribes to decide what needed to be done about the men who brought all this evil. The decision, the defenders must die, but the Benjamites refused to turn them in and a civil war began, resulting in thousands of men losing their lives.

“And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: 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, And 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? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.” – Judges 20:8-9,12-13,26-28.

“Then all the children of Israel,” It was not until the whole congregation came together and went before God that He delivered the Benjamites into their hands. Repentance is the only way to restore a broken relationship with God and get Him to help us overcome the repercussions of the sin. “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” – Revelation 2:5.

God lead Israel to destroy nearly all the Benjamites, but after the war came peace, He used the remnant to keep their heritage going. The rest of the tribes found compassion on them and helped them get things back in order. “Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death. And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.” – Judges 21:1-5,15-17.

“that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.” God never leaves one of His behind, He made a promise that every tribe would be saved from extinction, and He makes the same promise to every person who receives Christ as their Saviour. If we are saved, we are all part of the tribe of Christ. Yes, we are going to suffer affliction for sin, we are going to see people die and some will live, and we are going to be accountable for our actions, but God will never destroy one soul who comes to Him through His Son. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” – I Corinthians 9:24,25.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, And 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? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.” – Judges 20:27-28.

Today’s Prayer: God, As one of Your children I know there are going to be times when we suffer not for our own sins, but through others. While I do not always understand the affliction I face sometimes, I do understand that every thing I go through has a purpose and blessing behind it. Lord, help me get through the life that You have put me in by faith and obedience to Your Word, keep my eyes on You so that I am prepared to handle any affliction, and let me not do what is right in my own eyes, but Yours. Show me the way to endure all the suffering I face so that You can get the glory for giving me victory from all my battles. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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