Thoughts on Judges 12

March 15, 2010 in Other with 0 Comments

We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here within a day or two after the reading. I’d love for you to join in the discussion.

Thoughts on Judges 12

Just one main thought today, but on a longer section of the story.

Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead.

After him Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. He had thirty sons. He arranged for thirty of his daughters to be married outside his extended family, and he arranged for thirty young women to be brought from outside as wives for his sons. Ibzan led Israel for seven years; then he died and was buried in Bethlehem.

After him Elon the Zebulunite led Israel for ten years. Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite led Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. Judges 12:7-15 NET

This is a very basic life principle: regardless of our position, status, responsibilities, etc., each of us will die, and someone will replace us.

When it comes to Christian service, this is one reason Jesus told us all to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19-20) during our lives to keep his work going.

This is also  one of the reasons for my personal passion for teaching people the Scriptures and the overall theme of my blog – “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2 NASB)

What did you see in these verses? What was important to you in Judges 12 that I did not see?

Thoughts on Judges 11

March 12, 2010 in Other with 1 Comment

We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here within a day or two after the reading. I’d love for you to join in the discussion.

Thoughts on Judges 11

So here is the continuation of yesterday’s story in chapter 10.

They said, “Come, be our commander, so we can fight with the Ammonites.” Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “But you hated me and made me leave my father’s house. Why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?” Judges 11:6-7 NET

This sounds a lot like the conversation God had with Israel in 10:11-16 – “Why do you come to me now, only when you need me?”

Jephthah sent messengers back to the Ammonite king and said to him, “This is what Jephthah says, ‘Israel did not steal the land of Moab and the land of the Ammonites.’” Judges 11:14-15 NET

This whole section (11:14-28) is basically a history lesson. Instead of just going into battle, Jephthah makes a wise leadership move: find out what the other side is thinking. Once he knew where they were coming from he could try a peaceful solution to the problem. It doesn’t always work out that way (like here), but it’s a great first step.

Secondly, had he not known Israel’s history for the previous 300 years, he would not have been able to answer as wisely as he did. The Ammonite king was clearly in the wrong, and it gave Jephthah more credibility with his followers.

Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites– he will belong to the LORD and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.” Judges 11:30-31 NET

This passage throws people for a loop frequently. “Did he really do it? How could God allow that?” Notice a couple of points here:

  1. God was going to give the victory anyway. (Jephthah said, “If you really do…”) He did not command or require Jephthah to make this vow or do this thing.
  2. Solomon said, “It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). Even though God does not accept human sacrifice as worship, he also does not accept broken vows made to him.

Jephthah put himself in an unenviable position because of his foolish and rash vow. Some principles we should take away from this story are: 1) Many times the pain we experience in life is purely of our own doing; and 2) Sometimes God let’s us do stupid stuff just so we can learn to not do stupid stuff.

What did you see in these verses? What was important to you in Judges 11 that I did not see?

Thoughts on Judges 10

March 11, 2010 in Other with 0 Comments

We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here within a day or two after the reading. I’d love for you to join in the discussion.

Thoughts on Judges 10

I considered writing about Judges 10 and 11 in the same post. I read them together because it’s all a part of the same story. But my notes on chapter 11 got a little long, so I decided to keep them as two posts. So just one thought for chapter 10.

The LORD said to the Israelites, “Did I not deliver you from Egypt, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, Amalek, and Midian when they oppressed you? You cried out for help to me, and I delivered you from their power. But since you abandoned me and worshiped other gods, I will not deliver you again. Go and cry for help to the gods you have chosen! Let them deliver you from trouble!” But the Israelites said to the LORD, “We have sinned. You do to us as you see fit, but deliver us today!” They threw away the foreign gods they owned and worshiped the LORD. Finally the LORD grew tired of seeing Israel suffer so much. Judges 10:11-16 NET

Sometimes people wonder why God doesn’t show up in their lives. It seems to me that he doesn’t like to be used. We forget that God has emotion, too, and that we can hurt him like a rebellious child hurts his father.

Is your relationship with God an abusive one, where you use him when you need him and then forget him to move on to someone or something else?

What did you see in these verses? What was important to you in Judges 10 that I did not see?

Thoughts on Judges 9

March 10, 2010 in Other with 0 Comments

We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here within a day or two after the reading. I’d love for you to join in the discussion.

Thoughts on Judges 9

Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family… Judges 9:1 NET

I wonder if this story would have been any different had Gideon (Jerub-Baal) simply not named his son “Abimelech” (meaning “my father is king”). Did Abimelech – who was not a legitimate heir – feel entitled to something because of Gideon’s stupid decision to name him that?

The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’ Judges 9:15 NET

Jotham’s parable has a great principle about leadership. The first three plants the trees asked to be king (olive tree, fig tree, grapevine) all said essentially the same thing: “In order for me to lead you, I would have to stop my daily tasks and rise to the occasion, but this would not be beneficial to me or you.”

The thornbush, on the other hand, replied, “If you want me to be your leader, you come down to my level, but I’m not going to change.” God has not wired everyone to be a leader, but those he has will be willing to step up to it.

Abimelech commanded Israel for three years. Judges 9:22 NET

The change of words is significant here. All of the other leaders of Israel so far are said to have “judged” or “delivered” or “ruled” Israel for a period of time. Abimelech “commanded” Israel, and it wasn’t for very long.

When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home. Judges 9:55 NET

Such an anticlimactic end to the story. Not one Bible translation I read even tries to make it look like they ran home scared. It’s a simple statement of fact: their leader died, so they went home (ready to follow the next whomever could buy their loyalty).

What did you see in these verses? What was important to you in Judges 9 that I did not see?

Thoughts on Judges 8

March 10, 2010 in Other with 0 Comments

Note: I had some issues with my site over the weekend and lost a couple of posts. If you have already seen this, I apologize for the re-post.

We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here within a day or two after the reading. I’d love for you to join in the discussion.

Thoughts on Judges 8

The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your army?” … He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had. Judges 8:6, 8 NET

Gideon’s request and response to these city elders remind me of what Jesus told his messengers to do if their message was rejected in a city (see Matthew 10:14-15). God seems to have little patience for those who talk a good spiritual/religious game but get in the way of those actually trying to do his work.

Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.” Gideon continued, “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels. Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time. Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down. Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives. His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. Gideon son of Joash died at a very old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Judges 8:23-32 NET

Gideon did at least 5 things contrary to God’s plan that hurt him, his family, and all of Israel:

  1. Put on a face of false humility and spirituality that was not reflected in his actions (vs. 23)
  2. Took advantage of his popularity to gain great wealth at the expense of the people (vs. 24-26)
  3. Crossed the line between political leader/judge and spiritual leader/priest by making an ephod (a priest’s robe). Even though he didn’t accept worship directly, he led Israel and his family in false worship away God (vs. 27)
  4. Followed the practices of the pagan peoples around him in marrying many women (including those who didn’t worship God), thus turning his back on God’s ways for marriage and family (vs. 30)
  5. Set up a royal dynasty, even though he said he wouldn’t (vs. 23). He named his son “Abimelech” which means “my father is king” (vs. 31).

What did you see in these verses? What was important to you in Judges 8 that I did not see?

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