Evil-Run if You Can, Stand if You Must
But the people, the men of Israel, took courage and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day. (Judges 20:22)
Judges 20:18-28, 21:15; Ps. 31:24, 27:14; Eph. 6:10-17; II Thess. 3:3; James 4:7
What Is God Saying?
The final verse of Judges says it all, ‘In those days there was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in his own eyes.’ There were no standards, no values, no rules. It was Israel at its lowest ebb. Lawless confusion held the reins. The armies of Israel, knowing certain tribespeople of Benjamin were committing murder and rape, rose in a civil war against Benjamin. At first, the Israelites were repulsed but returned to the same place with a different strategy. Appearing to retreat, they outflanked the Benjaminites and ambushed them from behind. There was only a tiny remnant of Benjamm's military left. The Israelis pressed their advantage and burned every city in the entire land. It was a sombre scene. The Bible never glosses over sin. Little light can be found in this. Moral anarchy is always the prelude to confusion, misery, and defeat.
How Does This Apply To Us?
One can condone neither the acts committed by the Benjaminites nor the vengeance that rose in response. In a sense, there is nothing here but a warning for those who will defy and disregard God's will, but there is one verse that may well speak to our warfare against Satan and evil. The single ray of light in all this intense and unrelieved darkness is 1st Judges 20:22: ‘The men of Israel took courage and again formed the battle line in the same place.’
There are times when we face the same enemy in the same place. We do pray that God will not lead us into temptation, and the wisest choice is to avoid or even flee from Satan if we can, but if we have to do battle with evil again in the same place, we may (we must) draw on the courage that God can give. First, Timothy 6:11, 12 says, ‘Flee from these (evil) things.’ It also says, ‘Fight on for God.’ How do we face evil? Run if we can, fight if we must.
Pray With Me
Lord, I need this kind of courage- the courage to go back to the scene of defeat and fight in the same place. You gave the people courage, and they took it. My need and prayer today is, ‘Give me courage; I will take it.’ Sometimes, my spirit seems unequal to the challenge. Standing true when crowds mock morality calls for stronger stamina than I can muster. Believing that right will triumph when those who do wrong seem to prosper in every way and all places calls for faith more unwavering than mine. Nevertheless, right is still right, and wrong is still wrong. God is still God.
"Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph." When I dread returning to the same place, O God, fill my heart with courage. Direct my steps. Silence within me, the voice of cowardice. Help me ‘to put on the whole armour of God, that I may be able to stand’ in the same place ‘against all the wiles of the devil.’ Let the remembrance of how I once formed the battle line on the first day of youthful enthusiasm and unreserved commitment bring me back to my first love, for this is the ultimate secret of standing one's ground for Christ, and with Christ, against all His enemies and mine.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
God makes it clear that in spiritual warfare, we must ‘stand against the wiles of the devil’ (Eph. 6:11). We must stand, and we can stand, but the most courageous battles are fought on our knees. ‘Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart.’ Courage and strength are the twin blessings of prayer. Pray for courage. Go in confidence. You can stand there ... for you have knelt here.
