What Cost

Today's Verse is Judges 20:26-28
     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 inquired 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.

A terrible thing had been done in Israel, and eleven tribes faced the one tribe which had transgressed the law. The one tribe refused to deliver those which had done the evil, so Israel fought them twice, even asking the Lord if they should fight the second time, which brings us to the current text. When Israel fought the former inhabitants of the land, the only loss we are told about are the thirty six which died at Ai, here 30,000 fell as they faced a transgressing brother. There are times even though we are on God's side, that what we do will come at a cost, even a terrible cost, (consider Christ on the Cross,) but we need to do it anyway. In these times fail not to seek God's council, as the Children of Israel did here, for without him all would be in vain, but if he is present, all will "work together for good."

To God be the Glory
Scott