Main Verse: Judges 21

Good morning!

What started off with “Great Joy” ended with a Civil War. The nation was also warned about what would happen when sin took root in their lives (Deuteronomy 4:25-29). Regretfully, the people did not listen to those warnings and because of it, they paid the ultimate price. The man and his concubine (A live-in Girlfriend) had stopped in Gibeah on their way to Bethlehem, which is a town that belonged to Benjamin and was welcomed by an old man who asked them to stay with him. That night a group of worthless men banged on the old man’s door demanding he send out the male newcomer for a night of debauchery. Instead, the two men put the concubine out on the door stoop and welcomed the men to have their way with her instead. In the end, Ephraim went to war against the Gibeanites and the Benjamites fought with the Gibeonites to their peril. At the end of the war, the clan of the Benjamites had fewer than 100 men remaining who had no wives or children so the clan would die out. Fortunately, a plan to restore the clan of the Benjamites was enacted.

It is said, “Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God …” (1 John 3:4). Sin also condemns people to live a sub-marginal life  (Proverbs 14:34). In every instance where sin has destroyed, there must be a restoration plan; where there is none, the problems lay dormant until another time. When Jesus Christ died on the cross for our lives or, as a “substitution”, it wasn’t just to cover the sin as to say, “Father forgive them” but to restore broken homes, broken nations, and broken lives just as he restored Peter who had abandoned him and denied knowing him (Psalms 147:1-6, John 21;15-17). When people, like in the case of the Prodigal Son, misuse us, our gifts, and our trust, the Blood-stained cross of Jesus Christ is the payment and pathway to restoration. Restoring the person does not make the things they did magically disappear, because we never trust these people again or let them into our lives but the incident will not be a root of bitterness just waiting for the right time to fight about it. My encouragement for you today is that you will take a page out of the Prodigal Son’s father and the actions of the Ephraimites to restore Benjamin to forgive and restore those who hurt you. Those that hurt us may die in their sins and that is sadly unfortunate. When we do not forgive and restore those who hurt us, and that person dies, we live with a weight of “Regret” to the end of our lives which, is a terrible thing to deal with and will keep us from having peace in our lives and hope will wane even if we are self-proclaimed Christians (Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 18:15-20).

Father,

War is the result of unresolved differences of opinion. War resolves nothing it only destroys homes, lives, kingdoms, and nations. Following the world’s version of “Peace” is taking something from one group and giving it to another thinking it will fix the problem; when it doesn’t more is taken from the one and given to the other which is a circle. Jesus’ version of peace was through “Forgiveness and restoration” which brings lives into Your Kingdom. Please help me today to be an emissary of Your Kingdom by Forgiving and restoring lives for You. I pray for my nation and the nations of the world today that, as we are ramping up for war we will find room in our hearts to forgive and restore so that weapons of destruction are torn down and fashioned into tools for growing Your peace in our lives (Isaiah 2:2-4). All Glory to the God of Heaven and Earth

In Jesus’ name.