Jephthah's Conflict with Ephraim

January 10, 2021

 

 

Judge 12:1-7-8-15

 

Jephthah's Conflict with Ephraim

The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.”   And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people had a great dispute with the Ammonites, and when I called you, you did not save me from their hand.   And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”  Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.”   And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,”  they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan.  At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.

Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then, Jephthah, the Gileadite died and was buried in his city in Gilead.

My history of many years as a part of the body of Christ, and what many refer to as the Church, but often they are referring to a building where people go on Sunday.   We also refer to it as the local church, and it goes by many names Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, and the list goes on, and on.  Now I’ve been part of a Baptist church since a child and one thing I’ve noticed especially in the large ones, they like to pick from those who are successful in the world to serve as teachers, deacons, and most leadership roles, and that great, but is that Spirit lead or just a little bit of the values of the world system creeping into the local church?

 

As we explore the people God has picked in the Scriptures, we find murders, like Moses, and what about his brother Arron as the first High Priest, and he did not do so well in the truth department.   And as we look at our Lords Genealogy and the four ladies listed, we are shocked to see some that would not be picked to lead out in the women ministry, of most churches, such as Tamar found in Genesis 38, or Rahab of Jericho who saved the spies sent by Joshua, and Ruth was a Moabitess, and one amazing Lady, and then last we know her name but the Bible refers to her as the wife of Uriah” was a Hittite.  Yes, four Gentiles ladies in Jesus line or genealogy.  And what about Jephthah, a son of a prostitute, not going to be picked to lead out in the local church, but God ways are very different than ours, and yes He can see the heart of a person, and we can’t, but I often wonder, why we are looking to what the world calls successful and not seeking God’s leadership in many of the people we pick to teach classes and be in leadership roles?  Nor any of these four that came after him.

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel.   He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons, he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years.  Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

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

 After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel.   He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years.   Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

 

From The Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice