When every man does that which is right in his own eyes, it can only lead to sin and chaos. The carnal mind is always contrary to the Holy Mind of God.

1. At this point in the history of Israel, There are only 600 Benjamites left alive, And they are all men . September 5, 2010 Judges 21 They had fled to the Rock of Rimmon, and were the only survivors of the war That was fought after the men of Gibeah raped and killed a concubine married to a Levite.

2. Judges 21 1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. Israel was justly angry at the sin of the Benjamites at Gibeah. God had demonstrated in the past that He would punish the entire nation for the sin of one man, If that sin was not punished by the nation. But now they realize that perhaps they have gone too far , and are in danger of losing an entire tribe.

3. 2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 3 And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel? In spite of the vile sin of the men of Gibeah, and stubbornness of the rest of the Benjamites, who stood with them in their sin , The Israelites didn't want to lose a tribe .

4. I believe that this is a right mindset and attitude. Certainly it could be said that the Benjamites got what they deserved . But it still broke the hearts of the rest of the Israelites. We can learn from this: The church wants to restore with open arms, those who have sinned, and then return .

5. 4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death. Who didn't show up to help fight the battle?

6. 6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? Act in haste, repent at leisure. … Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. James 1:19

7. 8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. About two miles east of the Jordan River.

8. 9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there. 10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children . God had commanded Israel to kill all of their enemies and drive them out of the land. But to treat Israelites as they did Canaanites was not part of God's Plan.

9. But we learn in V12 There were four hundred virgins in Jabesh-Gilead. They would be wives for the Benjamites. Two hundred Benjamites still had no wife.

10. Looking for loopholes Verses 16-22 They made a deal with the remaining Benjamites to come and steal wives from a feast at Shiloh. They wouldn't give their daughters to marry the Benjamites, But they arranged to have them kidnapped .

11. To kill the Benjamite women and children was an act of anger and vengeance . The oath they made was made rashly and without God's Command . They are doing what seems right in their own eyes, And their sin is multiplying.

12. 23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them. 24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. Sin always leads to more sin in a downward spiral ever more terrible and vicious.

13. 25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes . This last phrase totally explains all that went wrong in Israel in the time of Judges, But it also explains all that is wrong in the world at all times. When every man does that which is right in his own eyes , it can only lead to sin and chaos. The carnal mind is always contrary to the Holy Mind of God.

14. Romans 8 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. We must commit ourselves to do that which is right in the sight of God , And only that which is right in His Eyes. The Holy Spirit will always lead in accordance with the Holy Word. God never contradicts Himself !

15. Even though Israel prayed before the battle with the Benjamites, and God said go , God did not command them to kill women and children. That came out of their anger . God did not command them to take an oath refusing to give wives to the Benjamites. That too came out of their anger.

16. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. James 1:20 Romans 8 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Whenever men and women try to " figger out " the best thing to do, We always do wrong.

17. May we be men and women of God in the truest sense : Living out every Word of God, in the Power of God's Holy Spirit . We must be led by the Spirit of God according to the Word of God. The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.