Today’s devotion comes from Judges 12:1-6.
“Then the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you.” Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand. When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the sons of Ammon, 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 Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, O Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.” The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Ephraim. And it happened when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” then they would say to him, “Say now, ‘Shibboleth.’” But he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they seized him and slew him at the fords of the Jordan. Thus there fell at that time 42,000 of Ephraim.” Judges 12:1-6.
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We are reminded of a similar contention by the men of Ephraim against Gideon.
“Then the men of Ephraim said to him (Gideon), “What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him vigorously. But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.” Judges 8:1-3.
The lesson from today’s Scripture is to recognize the danger of contentions and to meditate on how we can deal with contentions, our own contentions against others and the contentions of others against us.
First, let us recognize that just because we escape punishment for the bad (without cause) contentions that we have against others, does not mean that we will escape punishment for the future bad (without cause) contentions that we have against others. Notice in today’s Scripture that although Gideon let the contentions by the men of Ephraim go unpunished; “Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim … Thus there fell at that time 42,000 of Ephraim.” Verses 4 and 6.
“Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.” Proverbs 3:30.
“A foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.” Proverbs 19:13.
“29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to taste mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it goes down smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your mind will utter perverse things.” Proverbs 23:29-35.
But, there is hope!
“For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.” Proverbs 26:20.
“Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.” Proverbs 22:10.
“10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 “You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
14 “Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the LORD, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:10-14.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 