Judges – Page 4 – Be Still…

Judges 11:29-40 – Keeping Your Vow

two wedding rings in sitting on an open page with words blurred out

When we think of vows in our day, our minds go immediately to a bride and groom standing before God and a room full of people. The wedding vow is meant to be the promise or pledge that seals the marriage with God looking on. Fun fact: In doing a little google search, I learned that not all cultures or religions use vows during a wedding ceremony.

Unfortunately, some people don’t take their vows as seriously as they should. If you aren’t able to keep your word, you shouldn’t give it in the first place. I held on for years as a battered wife because of the vow I had made to my first husband. I had made this vow in the presence of God. For me to break it and seek divorce would mean I was letting God down, didn’t it? I struggled with that for years.

Judges 11:12-28 – The Negotiation

Read Judges 11:12-28

The words "War" and "Peace" are spelled out in block letters in a crossword fashion on a white background. On this image, "Peace" is falling apart, possibly signifying that peace talks have fallen apart. There is plenty of copy space available.

What a negotiator! Despite the fact Jephthah was known as a brilliant warrior, he used his words first. He was not trying to avoid action but to begin the action. You might think of it as setting the stage. If you can avoid unnecessary bloodshed that is still a victory. We can tell early on in the negotiations that the Ammonites were set on getting their revenge on the Israelites.

Jephthah was not afraid to use other means when the verbal attempt failed. He had done his best to recount the history of the Israelites travels to put them in the best light possible. In fact, it was actually God who had orchestrated the events that had the Ammonites so upset.

Judges 10:17 – 11:11 – The Best Option

Read Judges 10:17-11:11

lots of little papers with the word OPTION on it in different colors and fonts

It was about to get real. The Israelites were going to be attacked, and they had to feel a bit exposed. From our last reading, it would seem that God has left them to fend for themselves. But, the “leaders of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever attacks the Ammonites first will become ruler over all the people of Gilead.” Were they sensing God’s intervention was yet to come, or were they simply looking for the best option for success?

They knew they needed a strong leader. Who would it be? Sometimes our best candidates are those who we have overlooked. Certainly, the individual the leaders chose to recruit was even one who had been shown no favor in the past. How fitting that God would use even the son of a prostitute to rescue his people. He was a mighty warrior after all and well-equipped for the mission.

Judges 10:6-16 – Tough Love

Read Judges 10:6-16

Did you ever push the boundaries when you were a child growing up? I certainly did. Even though I was a bit afraid of my mother and her paddle, I would still “sass back” and try to get my way. Looking back, being the oldest had its drawbacks. I watched my younger brother get away with a lot of the same things I had gotten scolded for!

On the parental side, I know how frustrating it is to watch our children test and learn. I also know how difficult it can be to employ the discipline called for or expected. In our reading today, we see the Israelites falling back into the same evil trap of following other gods and angering our one, true God. It seems that God has finally had enough!

Judges 10:1-5 – A Reboot

Read Judges 10:1-5

a pocket watch nestled in white flowers on the sand

I wasn’t sure what to make with the reading today. The rules of our judges, Tola and Jair, comprise a total of 45 years. We don’t see any big conquests or bloodshed. Personally, that’s a bit of a relief for me.

We also don’t see the familiar “cycle” called out of (1) Israel’s rebellion and turning away from God, followed by (2) oppression from a foreign power, followed by (3) crying out to God for help, and (4) God raising up a judge to rescue his people. After the fiasco with Abimelech, it’s almost as if we see a “reboot” going on. God was giving the people a bit of a reprieve by having back-to-back judges to keep the peace for this period of time.