They said, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”
The Lord answered, “Go up against them.”

Judges 20:23-28

23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and they inquired of the Lord. They said, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”
The Lord answered, “Go up against them.”
24 Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day. 25 This time, when the Benjamites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords.
26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. 27 And the Israelites inquired of the Lord. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, 28 with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?”
The Lord responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.”


Today’s title is “ Fight Against Your Own Brothers”

The history of mankind is riddled with many wars. But the most insensible and painful wars among those many wars are civil wars. In the civil wars, brothers fight against each other. That’s totally absurd and inhumane war. Brothers share the same blood. They share the same heritage. They are destined to love and help each other. But civil wars go against all of these human natures. Such wars not only destroy individual lives but also families, neighbors, and nations. So civil wars are the most inhumane wars of all. We want to avoid all wars as much as possible. We want to avoid civil wars at all costs. But what will you do when God commands us to fight against brothers? That’s what we see in today’s passage. An incident of atrocities by some Benjamite scoundrels aroused anger among other Israelite tribes. All Israelites were descendants of Jacob who later called Israel by God. That was why they were all called Israelites. The twelve tribes were supposed to remain strongly united. But somehow the Benjamites refused to apologize for the atrocities that some scoundrels of their own tribe have done. Instead, they chose to fight against all Israelites. On the other hand, the Israelites wanted to resolve the issue without war. We see such a mindset of Israelites in today’s passage. The Israelites ask God before the fight, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?” repeatedly. They asked the same question again before the ark. It is highly probable that they had expected or even begged in mind that God would tell them not to fight against their own brothers. But God repeatedly answered to them, “Go up against them. “ Why did God do so? We can hardly know what was on God’s mind. What is clear from the bible is that our God loves and blesses brethren dwelling together united (Psalm 133). He does not take joy when sinners die in their own sin, not to speak of His own people. He even pitied the ungodly nation of Nineveh and sent Jonah to save them. I believe the message from today’s passage is this: What binds us together is not the bloodline but God. When God is lost in our life, brothers, families, and countries cannot stand united. First thing, first. Seek ye first His kingdom of God, And all these things shall be added unto you. Are your brothers dwelling well together? Make God bind you all together. That's how all brothers remain united forever. Amen!