Today’s devotion comes from Judges 11:1-28. Here is a link to this Scripture – Judges 11 NASB1995 – – Bible Gateway
I quote only the following verses.
“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead was the father of Jephthah. Gilead’s wife 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.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob; and worthless fellows gathered themselves about Jephthah, and they went out with him.
It came about after a while that the sons of Ammon fought against Israel. When the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob; and they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief that we may fight against the sons of Ammon.” Then Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me from my father’s house? So why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?” The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “For this reason we have now returned to you, that you may go with us and fight with the sons of Ammon and become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the LORD gives them up to me, will I become your head?” The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is witness between us; surely we will do as you have said.” Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD at Mizpah.
Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” Judges 11:1-12.
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“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. …” Verse 1.
“Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” Verse 12.
It is a little surprising that Jephthah, who was described that way in verse 1, would go to such lengths to try to regain peace through his pleas and arguments in the following verses (verses 13-27 which I do not have space to quote them herein) rather than immediately go to war.
“But the king of the sons of Ammon disregarded the message which Jephthah sent him.” Verse 28.
Even though Jephthah was unsuccessful in his attempts, it was the right thing for him to try to do.
The lesson for today’s devotion is that sometimes we are called to do the right thing even though it will not be successful.
“A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good,
But the desire of the treacherous is violence.” Proverbs 13:1-2.
“Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the LORD.” Zephaniah 1:4.
If many did not listen or give heed to the LORD, why should we be surprised when there are those who do not listen or give heed to us?!
Moreover, when we speak to them, even though they may not listen to us or heed us, they will be held accountable for their actions.
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.” John 15:20-22.
“Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;” Romans 3:19.
And, there may be some whom we do not expect will listen to us or heed us, but they do so.
“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5.
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