The Parable of Gibeah - Part 2 of 3
The Travail of Agitators
By Adams Allison 

21 October 2020

The prophetic picture for what is happening in Nigeria can be seen in Judges Chapter 19 to 21. Let’s break it down to draw the prophetic parallel that this passage of scripture presents us.

The Violation of Social Contract

It all began with a clan from the tribe of Benjamin that breached the social contract that bound all the children of Israel together. 

How did they do this?

A Levite who had travelled to the city of Bethlehem in Judah to bring back his run away concubine was returning with her to his hometown which was in the remote mountains of Ephraim when he decided to lodge in the city of Gibeah in the Land of Benjamin because the night was fast approaching. (See Judges 19:1, 13-15)

He had the option of stopping and lodging at Jebus, a Gentile city, but they preferred to travel further in order to get to an Israelite city. Jebus would have been faster but going to a city of Israel would be safer, they thought. Sadly, they were mistaken, the people of Gibeah in the land of Benjamin who they thought will embrace them, be hospitable to them and grant them security instead unanimously decided to rape his concubine and leave her for dead. The Levite woke up to meet his concubine dead on the doorsteps of the house he was lodging at.

The Benjamites had killed their guest, they had shed innocent blood. They had violated the code of hospitality and the social contract that held them as a nation. And what was the crime of this innocent couple? They were ‘guilty’ of being beautiful and of being affluent. (See Judges 19:19-20)

Today’s Parallel

The act of the people of Gibeah is very similar to the impunity of #SARS, those who should save lives, waste lives instead. Lives they should serve and protect, simply because these lives could afford a decent living. Just as Gibeah ‘criminalized’ beauty and affluence, the SARS officers have wrongfully profiled young and successful Nigerians. Someone help me tell them, iPhone no be gun.

The Agitations

This heart wrenching experience sparked an uproar in all Israel when the atrocities of the people of Gibeah, (clansmen of Benjamin) were made known to all Israel.

They said in unison;

So all the people arose as one man, saying, 
“None of us will go to his tent, nor will any turn back to his house;
Judges 20:8 (NKJV) 

In fact, they went to Benjamin and demanded for justice to be served and for their clan’s men to be brought to book, but Benjamin refused. The entire tribe of Benjamin decided to defend rapist and murderers instead of the nation and their social contract as a united people. (See Judges 20:12-13)

The Parallel

All Israel filled the streets just as Nigerians protesters did in the last 8 days. All Eleven Tribes of Israel gathered as one man and united their forces against One Tribe. In the same way, Nigerians were united against an indifferent government and it’s “clan’s men” -SARS.

Benjamin, is like the Nigerian government, and it’s clan’s men of Gibeah – SARS. And like Benjamin protected Gibeah in spite of their atrocities, our government protects SARS in spite of several instances of exploitation and extra judicial killings. By FG’s constant refusal to prosecute any offending officer they provide cover for the SARS. Over the years Nigerians have protested the extra judicial killing of innocent Nigerians by SARS and all we have gotten so far has been lip service. “We will reform, …disband, …dissolve” and now they replace with, or is it rebrand SARS as SWAT? But no real solutions.

The God Factor

Israel had the numbers, but they did not put their trust in their numbers. They were humble enough to seek the face of God before engaging their brothers in war. (See Judges 20:18)

But what was the outcome of that? The scripture says;

Then the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites.
Judges 20:21 (NKJV)

The outcome was defeated! Wow! How did that happen? Was their campaign for justice not ordered by the Lord? Was their cause not a just cause? Yet they faced defeat. What went wrong?

The eleven tribes of Israel went back to God and inquired again. They did not say in frustration, “It is like God is not working, let’s try something else or someone else”. No, instead they went back to God. And this time around, they specifically asked for permission and authorization from God and not just for strategy as they did the first time. ‘And the LORD said, “Go up against him.”’ (see Judges 20:23). Interestingly, the result was no different, they failed again.

Over and over again they kept facing defeat. On three consecutive times they inquired of the Lord but yet failed. Why?

We found out why in their last inquiry of the Lord. This time they fasted AND offered sacrifices to God. What did God say?

'...And the LORD said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”'
(See Judges 20:26-28)

That was all that was missing – the offering of proper sacrifices to God before the war.

The Parallel Today

There has been many prophecies before the springing forth of the protest that indicate that the time had come for the people of Nigeria to rise up with one voice and demand for justice and for their rights as citizens. The fulfilment of this word was the protests and agitations that ignited across the face of Nigeria and the diaspora.

Many Christians have thrown in their weight and support for this movement, and rightly so. But right from the beginning there were red flags that showed this movement would fail, but each time someone tried to point it out they were shut down and seen as “werey”.

What people failed to realise is that two birth-pangs were determined from the council in Heaven.

Across the nations of the earth, many young and old prophets alike had prophesied birth-pangs in Nigeria which will be identified by the cries and agitations of her people as they travail in birth for a New Nigeria. But a rare privilege it was disclosed to us by prophecy, as far back as October 1st, 2020, that there were going to be two birth-pangs;

One travail will bring forth wind (see Isaiah 27:18), this travail is described as the agitation of the masses. And that is what we have seen in the protests across the nation.

The other travail will bring forth the New Nigeria (See Isaiah 66:8-9), this is the travail of prayer and intercession which will guarantee the victory. 

It is indeed the time of great travails and birth-pangs but the one that will bring the much needed salvation that Nigeria needs is not the “headless” agitations of the protesters, but the intercession of the saints. We will deliver and disciple this nation on bended knees. In Jesus name. Amen and Amen.

©️ Pagemaster 21 October 2020