READ: Judges
12
Judges 12 describes yet another conflict with the
Ephraimites. We already witnessed Gideon douse a fire in chapter 8 and now we
see them raise their jealous heads again. They are upset with Jephthah because
he did not invite them to battle the Ammonites. Unlike the peaceful resolution
of Gideon, civil war breaks out and 42 000 Ephraimites die at the hands of
their brothers.
One purpose of the book of Judges is to make known
the need for godly leadership in Israel – the book does this well, leaving the
reader aching for someone who truly loves the Lord to direct the people towards
heartfelt repentance and lasting commitment to Yahweh. Judges was likely
written sometime after David became
king, and therefore the writer also seeks to show Judah as more of a “good guy”
tribe, knowing that David (and the promise of the Messiah) will come from
Judah. We know from 1 Kings that because of Solomon’s sin, the unified kingdom
of Israel splits into two, the north called “Israel” and the south “Judah”. Israel
is entirely wicked and is overthrown by the Assyrians, the people of Israel
dispersed forever. Judah, only slightly less wicked, is eventually taken into
Babylonian captivity, but returns to the land, rebuilds the temple and – though
earthly kingship is not restored – the tribe sticks around long enough for the King
of kings to be born in Bethlehem!
The idolatry of God’s people was great,
particularly within the kingdom of Israel. As a central tribe in the kingdom,
the name “Ephraim” was sometimes representative of the northern kingdom of
Israel as a whole (Hosea uses “Ephraim” as a reference to the whole kingdom 35
times in his prophetic book.) Ephraim as an individual tribe was known to be
hot-headed and jealous, and the portrayal of these characteristics as seen in
Judges 8 & 12 subtly points the reader to embrace the tribe of Judah and
the promise that lies in her.
The fate of Ephraim is sad and teaches us a
profound lesson. When we read the list of sealed tribes in Revelation chapter
7, Ephraim’s name (and also Dan’s) is missing from among the twelve. Both
Ephraim and Dan fell into deep idolatry in the Old Testament, playing important
roles as centres of idol worship within the kingdom of Israel. In the New
Testament, the areas that once were called “Dan” and “Ephraim” are considered
to be non-Jewish territories. Ephraim and Dan were among God’s chosen tribes,
but their insistence to walk their own ways and worship their own gods – direct
disobedience and rebellion against Yahweh – was their undoing; He allowed them
to go where their feet carried them. They experienced the curse of Deuteronomy
28:45-48 (NLT): “If you refuse to listen
to the Lord your God and to obey the commands and decrees He has
given you, all these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are
destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and
your descendants forever. If you do not serve the Lord your God
with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you
will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will
be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything.
The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly
until He has destroyed you.” And because they did not turn back to the
Lord, this was their ultimate end.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. Spend some time thanking God for the forgiveness
and compassion He has shown to you throughout your life. Thank Him for making
these things available to all people
who desire to follow Him.
2. Ephraim experienced a sad end, but her
beginnings were just “innocent little sins” like jealousy and anger… Sin is
rebellion, and continued sin brings increased apathy and greater consequence.
Ephraim did not serve the Lord with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant
benefits they had received; rather they were argumentative, angry and covetous
for glory. Ask God how He wants to speak to you personally through what
happened to Ephraim.
3. Pray now for Canada. Our nation continues to
fall further and further from the values and beliefs that she was built upon.
And the church in Canada needs to return to her first Love. Like Israel, God
has called His Church to be representative of Him in the culture. Ask Jesus to
light a fire in the Canadian church, bringing people to their knees in
repentance. Pray that Christians would recognize their deep need for Christ and
start to make Him functional Lord of
their lives.
