4/24/26

If one side loses 40,000 men and the other side loses 25,000 men who has won the battle?

Many would say it is the side that lost ONLY 25,000 men. However, when you know that they only had 26,000 to start with then that doesn't sound like victory.

Others would say that the side with the most men left is the one that won the battle. The side that lost 40,000 men started with 400,000. However, when you realize that they went and cried to the Lord because of their losses, and they were ready to quit then you might call that a loss in battle.

So who won?

The answer is neither.

What happened?

Several men of the tribe of Benjamin were guilty of great sin. A Levite had a concubine, who was assaulted and murdered by them. He cut up her body and sent her to the rest of Israel to show them the evil sin Benjamin had done.

This battle should not have taken place until God was consulted.

Judges 20:8-9 NASB95 Then all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us return to his house. “But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot.

They didn't consult the Lord until after they had started the battle.

The battle took place between Benjamin and the other tribes of Israel.

Benjamin was no doubt guilty of sin, but so were the others.

Men of Benjamin were guilty of sexual assault, and murder. Then they didn't seek to punish the offender according to God's word, but instead sought to protect them. They choose family over God.

Israel was guilty of not seeking God for the Judgement. At least they did not seek Him until after much loss. Both sides were guilty and neither won the battle.

Some will say Israel won because Benjamin was almost completely wiped out. Yet I don't know how losing 40,000 men, then fighting another part of your people to provide wives for the part of Benjamin that was left is considered victory. Yet that is what happened.

The problem was that both sides lost because both sides were living in selfishness. They were not seeking God and instead were living according to their own way.

The church is suffering through this same battle today. Many avoid confronting sin and use the excuse that Jesus loves and forgives all. However, Jesus said go and sin no more! He also gives instructions for handling sin within the body. Matthew 18:15-17 NASB95 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

The church today will act like Benjamin and ignore the sin or act like Israel and attempt to address it without consulting the Lord.

In both of these battles, nobody wins.

Let me correct what I just said. Nobody on Earth wins. I say this because in the end God always wins.

Let's learn from Benjamin and Israel. Ignoring sin causes a battlefield loss. Addressing sin without God, causes a battlefield loss.

When sin is not handled, you both lose.

When sin is handled without God, you both lose.

When God is consulted and sin is punished according to God then there is great victory.

Be obedient to the Lord of hosts.

Love Bro. Scott