A Tragedy of Our Own Making

Jephthah in Judges was a man of war. He was only wanted, however, when the war was hurting the people of Israel. He was a man of Gilead, the son of his father’s second wife, and so he was kicked out of his home because the people despised his mother. It was only when the enemies of Israel were plaguing them that they called him back. This morning, as I read about Jephthah, it hit me: that’s what Israel was doing with God. I the time of the Judges, and even from the time of the Exodus until then, the People wanted miracles, signs, wonders, and the provision of God but only when they felt they needed them. When following God got hard, they complained. When all was peaceful, they would go in to idolatry. And it was only when they were being judged by God, whether by a plague, or another nation, that they would cry out for rescue. They treated Jephthah like they treated God: they only wanted him when they could not handle the problem themselves.

In many respects, isn’t that how we treat God? Don’t we seek our own fortunes and favor, and cry out when we’re in trouble? Sure, we may not fall in to the same forms of idolatry that Israel did, but pursuing the blessing and despising the one who blesses IS a form a idolatry in and of itself! We can take nothing with us when we die, but we fight all of our lives to pursue things that ultimately end. Shouldn’t we, then, not merely make God first in our lives, but make Him the center of it all? If we have wealth, let it be to honor Him! If we have families, let our families be treated as belonging to Him so that we all may attain the fulness of Christ. If we have Jobs, we’re not working for a boss, but we’re working for the Lord, and our job is to also point people to Jesus! Everything we have IS a blessing from the Lord, but it is not the point of life. We are at our best when we know Christ and when we make Him known. He rescues us, not so that we can “enjoy life,” the blessings we receive are perks, not the point. We depend on God in and through and for all things, and nothing else will master us. Trust Him. Surrender. Depend on Him fully, and don’t just run to Him when you’re in need!

Judges 10:6-11:11

The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him. 7So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.

Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. And Gilead’s wife also bore him sons. And when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him.

After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel. And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. And they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our leader, that we may fight against the Ammonites.” But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.” And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will be witness between us, if we do not do as you say.” So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.

Revelation 3:14-22

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”