Without Leadership

 DEVOTION

JUDGES

WITHOUT LEADERSHIP

Judges 12:7-13:1

7 Jephthah led Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in a town in Gilead. 8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. 9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died, and was buried in Bethlehem. 11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. 13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon son of Hillel died, and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. Judges 13:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

NIV

Here we are made aware of thirty-one years of leading Israel by four men. The only one whom we are told something significant is Ibzan. He began something that may have started the end of the clan system by giving his daughters in marriage outside his clan and taking daughters from outside his clan for his sons. However, Addon had those forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode seventy donkeys. We know the importance of a donkey when Jesus entered Jerusalem, so he could go to the cross, with the donkey signifying a man of peace. Were those forty sons and thirty grandsons men of peace, and what did they do during the eight years of Abdon’s reign? It does seem that during those thirty-one years led by those four men, Israel was still worshipping the LORD. However, after the last one, Abdon died, it seems none of his sons or grandson stepped up to continue leadership of Israel, and without a leader or judge who kept Israel bent toward the LORD, they turned again and did evil in the eyes of the LORD and therefore he delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years. We believe that without leadership, people will soon go astray. This can happen in the body of Christ as well. When a believer stops attending a solid church that stands on the Gospel, they could begin to fall back into old patterns of life, even without being aware of what they are doing. We believe that is why we are admonished not to forsake assembling together, so we can spur each other toward love and good deeds, as well as encourage one another. The preacher of Hebrews admitted that some of the people he was writing to were in the habit of not meeting with others. When a believer stays away from church or other believers, they might listen to many voices, all with a different agenda, that may even be opposed to the pure gospel, being deceived by wolves in sheep’s clothing. It is important to gather for worship and fellowship, being together for the benefit of the rest of the church. There may be some who experience certain physical limitations that prevent them from coming to their local assembly of believers, but then the church should find some way to include them in the fellowship of worship. Some tried to do that during the COVID era and have kept that media presence. We think that is helpful for those who are considered shut-ins, but having a media presence might also keep the healthy away from the assembly of believers. Yet, we should press on gathering together, as Israel should have, under the leadership of their judge, us under a pastor, so we can be helpful to each other, keeping ourselves from doing evil in the sight of God.