Have you heard of this popular quote, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us?” I recently discovered that the quote is by Stephen King. The quote is fairly self-explanatory, but for the purposes of our article, let me elaborate on it. If someone tells you they have your back and then fails to do so, that’s their fault. However, were it to happen a second time, the fault lies with you. Based on the first occurrence, you should have realized they weren’t worth your trust again. If it were to happen a third time, the fault lies with both of you. However, you’d get a massive chunk of the blame for still believing in one who’s failed you twice.
That’s how we, as humans, operate. We don’t just trust anyone, as they have to earn our trust. That in itself isn’t wrong, as you wouldn’t want to be deceived. However, what if that ‘anyone’ was God? Is he one we still feel needs to earn our trust, or will we trust him even beyond the three times? We find a scenario that makes us reckon with this in Judges 20:18-28. The people of Israel had to decide whether they would operate as the heathens do or if they would wholly trust in God. In this article, I aim to demonstrate, through the account in Judges 20:18-28, that God is utterly worthy of our trust, even and especially beyond the proverbial three times.
Everyone Did What Was Right In Their Own Eyes
This account is found among some of the darkest chapters (Judges 17:1-21:25) in all of Scripture. These chapters would offer rich material for gory thriller films. However, the main idea the author sought to bring out, hence the gory details, was summed up in this one line: In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6; 21:25).
This statement opens and bookends these chapters. Before I continue, could it be said of you that you are doing what’s right in your own eyes? Have you submitted to the rule of King Jesus, or are you the king of your own life?
What set this story in motion was the immorality, pride, and arrogance of the Benjaminites. In Judges 19:22-30, we are told how they had become immoral and did only what was right in their own eyes. They wanted to commit an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13) by laying with a Levite. However, what transpires is that the Near-Eastern way of hospitality led to the Levite’s concubine being given over to them (Leviticus 19:25). She is abused all night to the point of death (Judges 19:28). To trigger a response, the Levite cuts her up into 12 parts to send to the 12 tribes of Israel (Judges 19:29-30). When the Benjaminites were asked to surrender those who had committed these vile acts, they refused and decided to go to war against their brothers (Judges 20:12-17).
How Far Can Your Trust Go?
The Israelites had to turn back to the Lord and ask him how they should fight the Benjaminites. God instructs them to send the people of Judah (Judges 20:18). However, things don’t go their way, and they ultimately lose 22,000 men (Judges 20:21).
If you were in charge of the army, would you trust God again? After all, it seems like he sent them to their doom. Most of us, I’m sure, would say, since God has failed, let’s do it by our own strength. Because even when it seems that God has ‘failed’ us in lesser things, we decide to discard him and try it on our own. “The shame would be yours if you were to trust him again and expect different results!” worldly wisdom would shout.
It is only through faith that we can be willing to trust God again, and again (Hebrews 11:1). The people who had been doing what was right in their own eyes turned to the Lord. This helps us see how God uses evil to guide his people back to himself.
Be More Fervent To Trust God In The Storm
By this faith, the Israelites, instead of returning to their old ways, chose to trust God again. They do this by first forming their battle lines in the same place where they’d just lost 22,000 men (Judges 20:22). Secondly, they become even more fervent in their inquiring. They not only inquire, but they do so weeping (Judges 20:23). Dear saint, herein lies a lesson that when we suffer, one of the ways we put our trust in God is by lamenting to him. The temptation is to run from him when the weight of affliction is heavy on us. However, it is at these very low moments that we must draw near to God (Matthew 11:28-30). They asked God if they should fight their brothers, and Yahweh gave them the go-ahead.
However, for the second time, things still don’t go their way, and they lose 18,000 men. Per human wisdom, the shame was now on them for trusting God, who had ‘failed’ them twice. Logically, there would be absolutely no reason for them to ever trust in God. At this point, even the Benjaminites must have thought how foolish they would be to try again (Judges 20:39). However, the Israelites entrust themselves to God again. They intensify their fervor and devote themselves fully to God through fasting and offering sacrifices.
Are you still willing to offer your body as a living sacrifice before God (Romans 12:1-2), even when things seem hopeless? The Israelites had lost 40,000 of their men, and they were still willing to trust in God. Can you trust God for grace to do the same?
Your ‘Foolish Trust’ Will Ultimately Be Rewarded
Israel had been, in essence, ‘fooled’ twice. Why then risk being ‘fooled’ again? It wasn’t anything natural in them that caused them to trust in God relentlessly. We know very well that human nature wouldn’t even try. Instead, it was their God-given faith that made them trust God. Their trust in God is rewarded for Yahweh later promises to give the Benjaminites into their hands, and that’s precisely what happens (Judges 20:28; 45-48).
Trust Beyond The Three Times
It ended well for the Israelites. However, what if your prayers are not answered even after the three times? Paul was in such a situation. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, he wrote to the Corinthians of a thorn given to him in the flesh. He pleaded with God three times for it to be removed, and it wasn’t (2 Corinthians 12:8). Yet, as he wrote to the Corinthians, he would continue to make his boast in the God who was his strength (2 Corinthians 12:10). God had shown him that he was worthy of his trust beyond the three times. That, especially in his weaknesses, God’s grace would be made sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Therefore, saint, for the joy set before you, endure everything that is thrown your way, for as we see here, it won’t be in vain. Unlike the Israelites, you may plead three times, and seemingly nothing happens. Are you still willing to go beyond the three times and continually boast in the Lord like Paul did? Will you willingly press on even more fervently, even when there is seemingly no reason to? Will you draw near to the graces that God has given you in his word, through prayer, and his saints?
By God’s grace, may we have the faith to trust him beyond the three times. Even when the world considers you foolish for trusting him beyond the three times, trust that he will vindicate you. Remember, the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. So, dear saint, trust him always.