(Sunday)
I just have to reflect briefly on 10:1-5. Here are two judges of Israel their whole lives are summed up in five verses of scripture. Not very noteworthy information. On the one hand their names will be remembered and they didn’t do anything bad, but what did they do with their lives? How did they serve God? Or did they serve God. Having 30 sons and donkeys makes me think that Jair was wealthy, but what else? It makes me wonder how much of my life, our lives are having an impact on the people around us? What am I doing, if anything, that will make a difference, that will have a positive effect on someone’s eternity? Am I sharing the gospel enough, am I talking about Jesus to those I come in contact with?
So we enter into another era of Judges. Jephthat is next in line and he is called to serve God at a time when the people had rebelled against God and God’s anger burned against them. For 18 years the Philistines oppressed the Israelites (how can they not see the pattern, how can we not see the pattern) anyway they cry out to God – who in turn tells them to cry out to their other gods… but when they repented and cried out to God again, God “could bear Israel’s misery no longer.” (10:16) I think they broke His heart. It’s like we only need you when things are going bad, Daddy.
So Jephthat, the son of Gilead and a prostitute, who was driven away by his half-brothers is now called upon to rescue Israel. Jephthat tries to negotiate with the Ammonite king but in the end fails to find a peaceful settlement and so was called to war.
Unfortunately for Jephthat he makes a rash vow that costs him the life of his only child.
It would be extremely beneficial for us to be careful, very careful about the vows we make. I think this deal making really comes about from a lack of faith. I promise to God to do something, if He answers my prayer/request. Shouldn’t we just be obedient and know that however God answers our prayers, we don’t need to make a deal with Him, and just trust that He will do what is in our best interest.
I think about the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They could have made a deal with God. “Save us from the fiery furnace and we will serve you the rest of our lives.” No, what they said was God can save us we know this – but no matter what He decides to do, we will not turn our backs and worship a false god.
I think when we make a deal with God, what we are really saying is that I need to manipulate God to my way of thinking and do what I want, not what He wants for me. And if in that deal with God we promise to do “whatever”, shouldn’t we already be doing “whatever”?
What is your “whatever” that you need to be doing now? Maybe you should be doing it. Just sayin’.
Blessings
PK