Jephthah - Disinherited by Family yet Chosen by God: Lessons from Judges 11:1-33

JEPHTHAH - DISINHERITED BY FAMILY YET CHOSEN BY GOD: LESSONS FROM JUDGES 11:1-33

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

THE ALIENATION OF JEPHTHAH 

We shall today pick up on our devotional study series through the Book of Judges. We shall examine the passage of Judges 11:1-33 that is dedicated to a Bible character called Jephthah. As noted in our previous study series, we should bear in mind one overarching theological principle that relates to the period of the judges - that Israel was under moral apostasy. The society was spiritually and morally fallen. 

In Judges 11:1, we are introduced to Jephthah who is described as "a mighty man of valor" and "the son of a harlot". He was the son of Gilead by a strange woman - a prostitute. Some Bible scholars have argued that the name "Gilead" as applied in this passage could not specifically describe a Jewish family since it was a clan name. They claim that the name was suggestive of the  implications of the obscurity associated with Jephthah's heritage. They insist that Jephthah's paternity was impossible to determine and that he could have been sired by any Gileadite male. The passage context however suggests that his father and family could be identified. It is therefore safe to assume that Jephthah's father bore the name Gilead. 

The writer of the Book of Judges reports that the sons of Gilead's lawful wife bid their time until they were grown and at that point they resolved to chase away Jephthah from their midst. They ganged up and kicked him out of the family and in so doing, they denied him their father's inheritance. 

Jephthah took refuge in the land of Tob. Little is known about this region in Scripture. It is mentioned four times in the Old Testament Scriptures (Judges 11:3, 5; 2 Samuel 10:6, 8). The mention of Ish-Tob (Hebrew for "men of Tob") in connection with an Ammonite battle conscription suggests that it was an established territory during the days of the judges and was possibly a section of the wider Assyrian kingdom. Bible scholars say that it was located south east of the Sea of Galilee. This confirms that it was part of Gentile territory. 

Jephthah never fought back. He chose to move on with his life as he sought refuge in the land of Tob. Perhaps his half brothers outnumbered him militarily. Having been dispossessed of legitimate means of living, Jephthah gathered for himself a raiding band consisting of some outlaws, here described as "worthless men" (Judges 11:3, NKJV). His ungodly activities are consistent with the moral decline in Israel during the period of the judges (see Judges 17:6, 18:1, 21:25). 

THE RESTORATION OF JEPHTHAH 

After the lapse of time, perhaps after a number of years, the people of Ammon made war against Israel. Ammonites are descendants of Ben Ammi, the second son of Lot by incest (Genesis 19:30-38). They were idolators and were completely separated from God's covenant people (Ezekiel 25:1-7). 

It is instructive that the people of Israel sought Jephthah at this point. The man who had been estranged from them was now the man of the moment. None of his brothers could match the skills and abilities that Israel sought in a leader at this time of crisis except Jephthah! Besides, Jephthah was possibly more familiar with the Ammonite warfare at this point, given his experience in the Gentile territory!  

This reminds us of the circumstances of desperation that drove the sons of Jacob to seek grain in Egypt during a period of famine. God took them through a humiliating experience.  They were utterly shocked when they discovered that their brother whom they had sold to slave traders and lied to their father about it was now the second in command in Egypt. The man they had demeaned and rejected was now their ruler! 

Jephthah's reaction in Judges 11:7 is instructive of the broken relationship between the two sides. He asks "Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” 

The elders of Israel must have been utterly ashamed at this point. Nonetheless, they took a vow pledging to make Jephthah head over them if he successfully leads them to war. This confirmed his elevation to the position of military leader and judge in Israel after Tola and Jair, respectively (see Judges 10:1-5). This move undoubtedly reinstated Jephthah's status as a legitimate son of Gilead. It also restored his family inheritance. The account on his death and burial in the cities of Gilead after his six year reign attests to this fact (see Judges 12:7).  

Judges 11:11 indicates that the people of Israel crowned Jephthah as head and commander over them. The mention of Mizpah suggests that he possibly gathered a solemn assembly of God's people at Mizpah in order to seek divine intervention on the crisis and to reaffirm their covenant relationship with God in the same manner that Samuel would later do (see 1 Samuel, 7:7-17). This demonstrates that the people of Israel were in a desperate situation. 

In Judges 11:12-28, the writer records the exchange between Jephthah and the king of Ammon. Jephthah underscores the historical legitimacy behind Israel's claim to the territory under dispute which is described in Judges 11:22 as "the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan." 

Judges 11:28-29 describes Jephthah's military advance as he headed to Ammon to take on the enemies of Israel. He was possibly consolidating the battle conscription through the cities or regions mentioned.

Judges 11:30-31 conveys Jephthah's vow to God. He undertook to sacrifice anything that comes out of the doors of his house as a burnt offering if God shall grant him victory against the Ammonites. This text is a prelude to a theological controversy relating to the interpretation of the succeeding passage of Judges 11:34-40 which we shall examine under our next study.  

To the glory of God, Jephthah resoundingly defeated the Ammonites in battle. The victory proclamation is relayed in Judges 11:33 as thus: "And he defeated them from Aroer as far as Minnith—twenty cities—and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel." 

MORAL LESSONS

1). God is not a respecter of persons. Jephthah was a mighty man of valor, a mighty warrior in Israel, yet he bore a disgraceful tag; a social disadvantage as a son of a harlot. Worse even, he was rejected and disowned by the very people whose identity he treasured - his family of Gilead! 

Thankfully, his stigmatization and expulsion by his family did not amount to God's rejection of him. There are great people today that grew up from humble or difficult family or societal backgrounds yet God graciously used them to lead nations and societies. Do not give up on God under your circumstances of disadvantage. 

2). Our true heritage in God cannot be snatched from us. We learn from this passage that God restored the dignity of Jephthah after he was fraudulently dispossessed by his evil half brothers. He finally ruled over them in the end! 

3). We should not judge people by their circumstances of disadvantage. God can radically transform their future at His appointed time. He lifted Joseph from prison to the palace; He raised Daniel from the lion's den to the royal corridors of power and elevated Esther from orphan to queen. God alone writes the closing chapter of the biography of His covenant people. 

Psalm 75:6-7 says "For exaltation comes neither from the east

Nor from the west nor from the south.

7 But God is the Judge:

He puts down one,

And exalts another." 

King David, himself a person of family disadvantage, proclaims: "I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread" (Psalm 37:25). 

4). God never forsakes His covenant people. Our family, relatives, neighbours, employers or even society may deprive us of what is legitimately due to us because of some social disadvantage or stigma tag in our lives but God will never forsake us. He preserves and honors those who faithfully observe their covenant relationship with Him. There are countless people who lost jobs and business opportunities because of their racial or ethnic tags but God came in for them later in their lives. 

5). We should seek the Lord at all times, not just during our moments of distress.  Keeping a covenant relationship with God is what ultimately counts. Turning to God is the godly thing that we can do when confronted with the burdens of life. This is what Jephthah and the elders of Israel did and God gave them victory. Israel was at one of its lowest moral ebbs during the period of the judges but God graciously preserved them for His divine purposes. There is no society that is beyond redemption. 

6). Victory belongs to God. No matter how much arsenal, skills or resources may be at our disposal, we shall never succeed in life without the hand of God. The fact that the Spirit of God came upon Jephthah is evidence of God's divine approval and empowerment. He overcame because God was with him. We too shall overcome when we faithfully walk with God. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that God strengthened Jehoshaphat during the period of siege over Jerusalem, The writer of Scripture proclaims, "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s" (2 Chronicles 20:15). 

Where is your trust anchored? (Read Psalm 20:7-8; 121).  

7). Vengeance belongs to God.  Jephthah did not revenge against his brothers when he took over Israel's leadership. He could have completely wiped them out in revenge but he chose to treat bygones as bygones and opted for reconciliation even as God lifted him up and honored him.  We should not carry  bitterness against our offenders for years on end. Let us lift our pains and afflictions to God and leave them to him. The Bible says  "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord" (Romans 12:19). 

CONCLUSION

Have you ever been dispossessed, prejudiced or abused in life? No matter what tag or stigma society has assigned you, never give up on God. Every person, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender or social class is important before the eyes of God. Never despise the skills and opportunities that God has placed at your disposal. God can use you for his glory in His own ways if you remain steadfast in Christ.  Only be courageous and submit to Him and do not carry bitterness against your persecutors. Leave the pains and afflictions of the past to the Lord and serve Him with dedication. He will come for you at His appointed time and restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten (Joel 2:25). 

Finally, and in context of the redemption works of Christ, we can proclaim that there is no greater bondage, alienation, and abuse that one can suffer than being under Satan's control. We should turn to Christ for the redemption and restoration of our lives from sinful disobedience. 

Similarly, there is no greater restoration that one can receive in this world than the forgiveness and cleansing of sin and reconciliation with God. Jesus suffered shame and affliction in order to restore our relationship with God that was broken in Adam.  

God is faithful to preserve His people in all circumstances, pleasant or unpleasant. This truth was affirmed concerning Jephthah. God's dealing with us in this life and in the life to come is founded on this truth. The Bible proclaims in Romans 8:37-39:

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Keep it Christ! 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2023

Prosperity Gospel is a Counterfeit Religion

  PROSPERITY GOSPEL IS A COUNTERFEIT RELIGION

By Ezekiel Kimosop

The Prosperity Gospel is one of the fastest growing religions in contemporary Christianity. It was initially identified with a section of Pentecostal Christianity but it has since mutated into a class of its own, complete with its set of popular televangelists and mega church preachers. One prominent section of the prosperity theology group is the Word of Faith movement.

This brand of Christianity claims, among other things, that God desires that believers should enjoy unlimited material prosperity and that they should not experience suffering of any description. The doctrine is hinged on the view that Jesus Christ suffered on the cross to free his followers from poverty, disease and suffering.

They further argue that all that is required to access God's bountiful blessings is the exercise of faith in prayer by an "anointed" apostolic preacher who is believed to possess special mystical powers granted to them by God. At its worst, prosperity theology presupposes that the deitified "man of God" can cause things to happen at his command. In this context, man is elevated to deity as God is reduced to an ATM dispenser at the disposal of the superman preacher! A number of proof texts such as Psalm 82:6 are often quoted in defense of this religion.

Is this doctrine taught or implied in Scripture? Does God empower a specific set of preachers with special miracle powers to the exclusion of others? Is Christian suffering not contemplated in Scripture? How should we understand the words of Jesus where he says that anyone who desires to be His disciple must pick up his cross and follow him? (see Matthew 10:38; Luke 9:23, 14:27).

I am persuaded that the prosperity gospel is inconsistent with the the teaching of Scripture. Christian suffering is an ordinary experience that is contemplated and taught in Scripture. Jesus taught that the poor will always be part of human society.

A Christian community will therefore consist of the rich and the poor members of society. Those that are "materially disadvantaged" in a Christian community are part of God's household in Christ Jesus and should be treated with dignity [see James 2:1-13). The needy among believers and even in the society should be supported by those who are materially blessed (James 1:27).

Besides, any endowments of spiritual gifts or resources are primarily intended for the advancement of the body of Christ. They are never meant to enrich a class of individuals at the expense of the rest of the congregation or community of believers.

Some prosperity teachers are known to take advantage of vulnerable Christians by demanding financial gifts in exchange for "miracle" prayers. This phenomenon is common with Christian communities that are not adequately instructed in Biblical truth and could be lacking in discernment (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16). 

I once attended a youth conference at an Evangelical church in Nairobi where a prosperity preacher was concluding his preaching. He had been invited by the youth leaders of the church.

The man made a strange request at the close of his preaching. He asked the youth to remove from their pockets and lift up with their right hands whatever money they had so that he may pray for God's blessings over them.

Most of the youth unsuspectingly removed all the money they had, including perhaps their bus fare!

The charismatic preacher, who went by the title Apostle X [name withheld], then asked them to put the money on the podium. The youth obeyed him and dropped dozens of banknotes and coins next to the preacher's feet.

The man then proclaimed that the money was "seed money" and that God would perform miracles and multiply His blessings to those who parted with it by faith! Never mind that his intentions in collecting the money were not revealed in advanced! He then declared that those who were unemployed would receive jobs while others would receive different sets of miracles. He even told them to take his phone number so that they would contact him whenever God answered the prayers!

As the man stepped down from the podium, I could read the disappointment on his face as he collected the money. The "seed money" turned out to be a paltry sum, perhaps no more than $10. He perhaps expected much more money but the gathering majorly consisted of unemployed and college youth from poor neighborhoods. 

The preacher pocketed the cash and hastily left the church hall, perhaps heading for another "apostolic" assignment. He even forgot to bid farewell to the gathering.

If that was not daily robbery, tell me what is!

There are countless other tales of false teachers whose only purpose in Christianity is self enrichment. They are not keen on preaching Christ crucified or proclaiming God's mind to His people.

These preachers openly steal from their unsuspecting followers in the name of God and shamelessly enrich themselves. My view is that these preachers are daylight robbers who hide behind the guise of religion.

Millions of Christians today have been brainwashed by false teachers into regularly sending money to them in the hope of receiving instant miracles but nothing happens in return. They are then reminded by the false teachers that they either did not have enough faith or that they never gave enough seed. The poverty cycle continues in the pews as the prosperity preachers reap in millions of dollars, fly private jets, drive top of the range limousines and live in leafy suburbs of their cities.

This is not to suggest that believers or preachers should take a vow of poverty or that God cannot bless Christians with material riches or that being rich is unchristian or ungodly. There are several rich godly people who are mentioned in Scripture including Abraham, Job, and Jacob. These men did not allow the trappings of riches to cloud their religious or moral worldview.

They faithfully served and honored God with their increase. Job's statement in Job 1:20 underscores his humility and modesty on earthly riches yet he was by any standards perhaps a billionaire of his day. At his lowest moment of affliction, Job proclaims:

"Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord"

We learn from Scripture that King Solomon, who is reputed as the richest royal in his day wasted his youthful years in opulence and avarice. Thankfully, Solomon is his sunset years, admitted that his dalliance with riches and pleasure was vanity of vanities (see Solomon's reflection of life in Ecclesiastes 1-2). He had learnt critical lessons from his imprudence. 

The Bible conveys the moral etiquette and principles for Christian contentment that should govern the management of church ministries. Preachers should demonstrate accountability and moderation in the stewardship of church resources and in their moral prudence and lifestyles (cf. Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 12:35-48, 16:1-13; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, 8-9).

Concerning believers, God has promised to answer our prayers touching on our needs according to His divine will for us (Matthew 6:33). We ought therefore to pray for our needs in accordance with the teaching of Scripture (see the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-15).  Scripture further exhorts us to present our petitions to God from a godly motive that is free from greed and covetousness (James 4:3). We should also submit to God's will even as we petition Him. Jesus warns in Luke 12:15 "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

His concluding statement under the parable of the Rich Fool is equally profound: He sums up the moral of the story, saying, "...So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).

CONCLUSION

The prosperity gospel is increasingly turning into the face of Christianity, given its global appeal. It is however part of the religion of Mammon that Jesus condemned in Matthew 6:24. It is motivated by material greed and subverts the very purpose for which Jesus came. It focuses on material prosperity at the expense of the gospel. It is a counterfeit religion, in my view. It should be condemned by Bible believing Christian communities for its moral excesses.

The coming of false teachers is foretold in several passages of Scripture including Acts 20:28-30; 2 Peter 2 and Jude 1:16-19.

A Bible centered Christian community should therefore reject false teachers and contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

A Bible believing Christian on his part should carefully discern and identify these teachers from the admonition of Scripture and keep away from their pews. They should refrain from giving in to their manipulation and deception and submit to the purity and authority of God's word in Scripture.

God's people should engage their skills, talents and abilities in working for a living rather than looking out for freebies. Paul warned the Thessalonians against busybodies among them who went from house to house living on others in the name of God.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-9 says "But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us." (NKJV).

Notice the modesty conveyed by Paul in the above passage. He had chosen to forfeit some of the apostolic privileges that some of contemporaries relished (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:1-8). Paul engaged his tentmaking trade skills in raising his support as a Christian missionary yet he could have relied on the churches for support. Only in exceptional circumstances did Paul appeal for support from some churches. God's people should not wait for manna from heaven but should work to earn their keep. 

The prosperity gospel is founded on a total misrepresentation of the revelation and authority of Scripture. It is a counterfeit religion. 

We should flee from the tentacles of this false religion and stick to Biblical truth! 

Shalom 

Recommended readings:

https://www.9marks.org/article/journalnine-marks-prosperity-gospel-church/

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-errors-of-the-prosperity-gospel/

https://www.gafcon.org/resources/the-prosperity-gospel-its-concise-theology-challenges-and-opportunities

https://bible.org/article/bankruptcy-prosperity-gospel-exercise-biblical-and-theological-ethics

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2023

Should Christians Observe Jewish Ritual Circumcision, Sabbath and Dietary Laws?

 

SHOULD CHRISTIANS OBSERVE JEWISH RITUAL CIRCUMCISION, SABBATH  AND DIETARY LAWS?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This question has always propped up in Christian conversations or forums, especially during the season of festivities. Should Christians observe each set of Jewish religious law to the letter? Should we for instance observe the Jewish Sabbath and if so, why do some worship on Sunday? What about the dietary laws observed by Jews? Are these laws binding on Christians and if so, to what extent? 

My view is that Christians have been freed from the bondage of Jewish ritual laws. They are however bound to observe the moral laws that God prescribed for His people and whose value is timeless. 

Christians are however not bound by Jewish circumcision law or the Sabbath worship or dietary laws, except as outlined below. 

I am persuaded from my study of New Testament Scripture that there is no legal or religious obligation for Christians:

1. To worship on the seventh day or on any other day of the week including Saturday or Sunday (Colossians 2:11-23). A Christian community is at liberty to choose a day of worship that is convenient for them.  Whether we worship on Saturday or Sunday is immaterial in my view. What is significant for us is the focus of our worship. 

2. To perform or submit to ritual circumcision. Gentile believers are not bound by Jewish circumcision law. They are spiritually complete in the eyes of God without being circumcised. Paul rebuked the Galatians for giving in to the whims of radical Jews on ritual circumcision (Galatians 3). Ethnic Galatians never circumcised their males. 

I must however place a caveat at this point. It is not my intention to teach that African Christians or any other society that culturally observes male ritual circumcision should avoid the rite altogether! Male circumcision is not repugnant per se. Believers should modify aspects of the traditional rite in order to exclude anything that offends our Christian faith.

Believers from communities that do not practice the circumcision rite are not bound to observe it either. 

3. To observe ritual dietary laws. Gentile believers are not bound by the extensive Jewish dietary laws. They are however forbidden from knowingly consuming food offered to idols and eating ritual blood. This was affirmed under the resolutions of the Jerusalem Council that involved Jewish and Gentile Christian leaders (see Acts 15:22-29). 

Christians are therefore at liberty to consume whatever food is appropriate for their nutrition and health. Any foods or substances that are harmful to our bodies are forbidden. God places high premium on our souls and our bodies and so should we (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20). 

Finally, believers should abstain from any secular rituals or revelries or celebrations that do not glorify God and have the potential of negatively impacting on their Christian witness and moral standing. Wisdom is required here. Believers, and particularly Christian young men and women, should refrain from secular "End-of-Year" bashes or celebrations that can lead them into moral disobedience. 

God has called us out from this sinful world so that we may glorify Him in our lives (1 Peter 2:9). The Bible exhorts "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, NKJV).

We cannot live as the world does without dimming our gospel light. We are the salt and the light of the world; the bearers of moral etiquette in Christ Jesus wherever we are (Matthew 5:13-16, 1 Peter 3:1-7). 

We have been purchased by Christ through His sinless blood that He shed at Calvary for our redemption. We are His Bride, betrothed and set apart for Him until the day of His coming (Acts 20:28-29; Titus 2:11-14). 

We should therefore keep our garments free from moral stains. 

Shalom. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?

DO MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS WORSHIP THE SAME GOD?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This question could be informed by the universalism view that all religions primarily worship the same God. This is best illustrated by the adage that all roads lead to Rome; an attestation of the universalism approach to understanding global religions. 

Universalism proponents argue that since it is logically given that there must be one eternal God, a supreme deity that created all things, religions in their diversities are merely attempts by human societies to relate with this one God in their specific cultural contexts. Each religion, according to universalism adherents, is therefore a culture specific expression and neither is superior nor inferior to the other. 

While this theory has received increasing attention in our postmodernist society, the biblical Scriptures refute its validity. 

Here's how...

The Bible recognizes that there is only one true God who is supreme over all creation and by whom all things in heaven and on earth exist (Genesis 1:1-2; Psalm 24:1-2, 50:10). This, according to Christianity, is the God of Israel whose attributes are described in the Bible. Scripture attests to God's eternity (John 1:1; Rev. 1:8), immutability (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), preeminence (Exodus 20:4-6), omniscience (Jeremiah 17:9-10) and omnipotence (Colossians 1:15-18), among other divine attributes. 

According to the Christian faith, the God of Scripture has also revealed Himself in three divine persons that constitute the Holy Trinity. Islam rejects the trinitarian revelation of God. They also reject the divinity of Jesus Christ. 

This implies that a person subscribing to one of the two religions inescapably treats the other as false. This therefore excludes any possibility that another deity or religion can be contemplated outside each faith. 

Timothy Tennent observes the doctrinal distinction between the two major religions as thus:

"It is not as if the texts of the Qur’an and the Bible differ on minor points of eschatology or the precise nature of the soul. They differ on central doctrines of identity such as the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the doctrine of the incarnation, the redemptive power of the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. All of these doctrines are central to what we as Christians mean when we say, “We worship God.” For the Christian, the doctrine of God cannot possibly be separated from Christology." 

Islam is founded on the teaching of the Quran which proclaims that Muhammad is God's only prophet. This religion recognizes sections of the Old Testament Scripture as inspired. Islam however rejects the priesthood and prophetic mandate of Jesus Christ as the mediator between God and men. It also rejects Jesus' incarnation and His redemption work. This is perhaps where the conceptions of God in Christianity and Islam are irreconcilable. 

Islam classifies Christianity as a pagan religion and Christianity on its part does not recognize Islam as a related faith in the same way that Judaism is! My view is that the two religions cannot be considered to worship one and the same God. Each has a distinct doctrine, text and eschatology. 

REFERENCE 

Timothy G Tennent: Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

How Effective is the Marathon Reading of Scripture?

HOW EFFECTIVE IS A "MARATHON" READING OF THE BIBLE? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

This question was raised in a certain forum after someone argued that the "marathon" study of Scripture is the most effective method that should be applied by Bible readers. He added that the New Testament Scriptures follow one line of thought, making it easier for straight reading through the passages. 

A marathon approach to the reading of Scripture essentially involves a survey or overview related reading through the 66 Scripture books over a given period of time. The primary intention is to cover the entire text of Scripture within the prescribed period. Little emphasis is given to its topical or thematic divisions or theological coherence. 

In some cases, different passages of different books of Scripture are read together each day so that the reader cascades his focus across a number of Scripture books at any given time. 

While this method provides a bird's eye view of the entire text of Scripture, my view is that it leaves the reader with pieces of Scripture information that are largely unrelated. 

I am persuaded that established hermeneutical principles should guide the reader in the study and interpretation of the passages of the books of Scripture so that the full counsel of God is distilled. Besides, internal evidence refutes the notion that New Testament writers follow one line of thought in their letters. The reality is that most of these writers address a number of independent issues that require to be hermeneutically distilled by the reader within their passage contexts.

We should therefore approach the Scriptures with the relevant interpretative principles. 

One primary principle concerns the recognition of the theological harmony in the body of Scripture. No book of Scripture speaks independently of the rest or on absolute terms. Its authority rests on the theological foundation that God's word is one indivisible cannon that collectively conveys the mind of God (2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17). 

Secondly, Scripture interprets Scripture. This principle is affirmed in the cannon itself, especially under the New Testament Scriptures. For instance, some Old Testament truths are amplified or illuminated in the New Testament Scriptures. 

Notice also that New Testament writers intermittently make reference to Old Testament Scripture in their work. A good example can be drawn from the authorship of the four Gospel books where Old Testament prophecies and characters are juxtaposingly mentioned. 

The "marathon" study of the books of Scripture under various captions such as "the Bible in one year" are undoubtedly great knowledge adventures. Unfortunately, such approaches, if exclusively embraced, may present serious hermeneutical limitations for the devotional study of Scripture, which is critical to the spiritual development of the child of God. We should study Scripture passages to discern the mind of God in a given context and harmonize its exhortation with the related themes or topics taught elsewhere in Scripture. 

My view is that a marathon reading through Scripture books can obscure the reader's focus on the consolidation of truths taught in the Bible. 

Here's how... 

First, reading through one Gospel book in a marathon without bearing in mind what other Gospel writers or Scripture authors convey on a related passage or topic can be extremely limiting, in my view. 

Secondly, without the benefit of the knowledge drawn from related passages of New Testament Scripture, a marathon reading of, say, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah may be reduced to a text book adventure. 

Finally, such reading ignores the literary construction of Scripture under different genres or writing styles. For instance, poetic sections of Old Testament Scripture that are commonly identified with the wisdom books such as Psalms and Proverbs cannot be interpreted in the manner that the narratives or prophetic writings are done. The reader needs to be armed with the relevant hermeneutics for the interpretative study of each category. 

CONCLUSION 

My view is that Scripture was not intended to be read on a marathon basis if its devotional benefits are to be derived and assimilated. The Bible should be approached in a methodical manner, giving regard to its topical and thematic organization. I would therefore be hesitant to recommend the marathon approach as an exclusive method of study for a serious devotional reader. If one opts for the marathon study method, they should maintain the contextual/thematic method as their primary focus for effective study of Scripture. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

God's Moral Test for Israel - Lessons from Judges 3:1-11

GOD'S MORAL TEST FOR ISRAEL: LESSONS FROM JUDGES 3:1-11. 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

In Judges 3:1-2, the writer of Scripture records that God deliberately declined to drive away sections of the Canaanite nations from the Promised Land in order to teach the new generation of Israelites war and to test the people's moral fortitude. 

A list of these nations is given in Judges 3:3. They include five lords of the Philistines, the Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites. It is instructive that these heathen nations were identified with the following cultural features:

1. They were idolatrous people. Some worshipped more than one deity. They worshipped Baal and Ashtoreths and Asherahs (Judges 2:11,13, 3:7). 

2. The Philistines were among the largest and most prominent in the group. Their influence in the days of the Judges and specifically during the reign of Samson is profound (cf. Judges 3:31,10:7,13:1). 

3. These heathen nations surrounded the people of Israel from all sides. 

4. The Israelites were ill equipped militarily and were therefore disadvantaged in asserting their right to the Promised Land without divine intervention. The Canaanites had superior iron weaponry (see Judges 1:19, 4:3). 

A second list of Canaanite nations is provided in Judges 3:5-6 showing those among which the people of Israel specifically dwelt. These were perhaps the closest and most influential among the Canaanite nations at the time. 

A curious statement is conveyed in Judges 3:6. The writer reveals two moral transgressions committed by Israel under the influence of the Canaanite culture:

1. The children of Israel intermarried with these heathen nations contrary to God's express prohibition in Scripture (cf. Deut. 28:15-68; Neh. 13:25).

2. They forsook the LORD and served the Canaanite gods, contrary to the command in Exodus 20:2-6 that forbids the worship of any other deity besides Yahweh, the God of Israel. 

This marked the beginning of the cyclical pattern of moral disobedience, leading to God's judgment, followed by the people's cry under Canaanite oppression; God's rescue, and back to disobedience. 

The first judge is Othniel. He was the younger brother of Caleb, the man of valor whose fame was earlier identified with the positive report among the twelve spies sent out by Moses (see Numbers 13-14). Othniel's 40 year reign is narrated in Judges 3:7-11. He was by any standards a godly ruler. His departure marked the next cycle of apostasy in Israel. 

MORAL LESSONS

The passage of Judges 3:1-11 conveys a number of moral lessons to the reader. We shall outline a few lessons below.

1) God tests the obedience of His covenant people to prove their moral faithfulness. Job, a faithful man,  was tested under a painful experience and was later approved by God (Job 1-2, 42). Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that God permits some trials and afflictions on believers for the purpose of proving their faith (James 1:2-4). 

In our passage of context, the Bible reveals God's intentions in leaving the hostile Canaanite nations to coexist with the children of Israel "...that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses" (Judges 3:4). There is no ideal environment for Christian obedience. Every situation that we find ourselves in is a testing environment. What ultimately stands out is our response to the tests. 

2) God sets out clear consequences for disobedience. The people were aware of God's divine standards for them but they still chose to disobey. When they intermarried with the Canaanite nations, God gave them over to their enemies. The Bible  laments that God "...sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years" (Judges 3:8). God's patience has its snapping limits. Choices have consequences. When we deliberately choose to act against God's moral standards in our lives, God is grieved and He will punish us. 

The children of Israel deserved their punishment because of their willful disobedience despite having witnessed God's powerful works of deliverance and provision during their wilderness journey. Hebrews 12:6 says "For Whom the Lord loveth, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives."

3) It is easy to forget the things that God has done for us and to lower the moral standards whenever we experience the comforts of life that come through His blessings.  Someone said the greatest danger to our spiritual wellbeing does not come from Satan per se but from the trappings of comfort that lull our spiritual consciousness!

In the midst of the economic progress in the land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), the people forgot and forsook the very God who brought them into the promised land. Does this experience ring a bell in your ears? The exhortation conveyed in Deuteronomy 8:11-17 is instructive. Moses had warned the people not to forget the Lord in the midst of their prosperity. This scenario finds a theological parallel in Haggai 1. 

4) God punishes the disobedient. Several passages of Scripture illustrate this truth. The Rich Fool, under the haughtiness of material success, forgot that God was the ultimate source of his prosperity. The statement in Luke 12:20 is instructive: "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’". When God is forgotten, the human ego is exalted. 

5) Godly leadership brings moral stability and political advancement in society. The 40 year reign of Othniel the son of Kenaz brought peace to Israel (Judges 3:7-11) and so did Samuel's godly leadership centuries later (1 Samuel 7).

CONCLUSION

The Bible is replete with illustrations that reveal God is in the business of testing the moral fortitude of His covenant people. We should therefore be conscious of this fact in every situation of life so that we are not tossed about by the allures of this passing evil world. We should discern God's will for our lives at all times and submit to Him. Our response to godly trials will depend on our moral prudence. We should depend on God's enabling grace to overcome.

 The Bible warns in 1 Corinthians 10:12, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." Jesus' statement in Revelation 16:15 is tacit: "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Why is the Fall associated with Adam yet it was Eve who was first deceived?

WHY IS THE FALL ASSOCIATED WITH ADAM YET IT WAS EVE WHO WAS FIRST DECEIVED? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

God created Adam and Eve in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:27). The order of creation and God's responsibility for Adam as head is apparently what separates the two, both under Old Testament and New Testament theology. 

Adam was responsible for his wife and this is perhaps the reason God called him out when both he and his wife attempted to hide themselves from God after they fell into disobedience (Gen. 3:8-10).

As head of his family, Adam ruled over his wife and his children and was responsible for them. This model is identified in the New Testament Scriptures as well. Colossians 3:18-20 says "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord."

Notice also the delegated responsibility that God assigned Adam in naming God's creatures. He was even permitted to assign a name to his wife (Gen. 2:18-25).

Yes, Eve was the first to fall through Satan's deception in the first instance. She subsequently drew Adam into her disobedience so that both ultimately fell (Gen. 3:1-6). 

Turning to the New Testament, we notice that the fall is primarily identified with Adam. 1 Timothy 2:8-14 reveals that God used the order of the creation and the fall as a basis for His design on church leadership. This passage has been recognized as the theological foundation for the complimentarian doctrine held by a number of Christian traditions (cf. 1 Timothy 2:8-14, 3:1-7). The Egalitarian traditions however dispute this doctrine. 

What stands out significantly, in my view, is the fact that Adam is reckoned as the icon of the fall, not because the magnitude of his transgression was higher than Eve's but because of the federal headship responsibility that God recognized in His dealings with him. Adam took ultimately responsibility for the fall because he was God's steward over his wife. 

In the New Testament Scripture, we notice that the federal headship doctrine is modeled on the relationship  between Christ and His church on the one part, and the husband and his wife, on the other part. Christ is head over His church even as the husband is head over his wife. 

Ephesians 5:24 says "Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." The wife ought to submit to her husband in the same manner that the church should submit to Christ. 

On his part, the husband ought to love his wife sacrificially just as Christ loved the church and died to redeem her. This truth is affirmed in several other passages of New Testament Scriptures.

In conclusion, my view is that, notwithstanding the federal headship doctrine, both Adam and Eve fell into disobedience and both equally deserved God's judgment. 

In the context of New Testament Scripture, those who come to Christ, whether male or female, shall equally share in God's divine heritage in Christ Jesus. 

The Bible says "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29, NKJV).

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022