Confrontation (Judges 12:4-7)

2/8/2010 8:10 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Confrontation

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Judges 12:4-7

 

          Message of the verses:  “4  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." 5  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," 6  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. 7  Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.”

            This section describes the fight that went on between Gilead and Ephraim, and it was caused by the people of Ephraim calling those of Gilead some names that they did not like because they were trying to bully them and so the battle raged on and 42,000 men of Ephraim died.  One of the tests to find out if people were from Ephraim was how they pronounced a certain word: “Shibboleth” and if they could not pronounce it correctly they would die because it gave them away that they were from Ephraim.

            This word is now in the English dictionary and the meaning of it is means:  “catchword or slogan 1. a word or phrase frequently used, or a belief strongly held, by members of a group that is usually regarded by outsiders as meaningless, unimportant, or misguided.  3. Identifying word or custom: a unique pronunciation, word, behavior, or practice used to distinguish one group of people from another and to identify somebody as either a member of the group or an outsider.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It was possible that this fight could have been avoided if the two sides could have set down and ironed out their differences.  A lot of times people get certain ideas about people that are not true and if they take the time to get to know them they will find that there is a lot of similar things they have in common and can iron out their differences before a battle enrages.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Follow Proverbs 10:19 and also 15:1.

 

2/8/2010 8:29 AM