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Last week, in The Time Before the Kings, Part 13, we learned from the stories of Tola and Jair that we are all called to serve the Lord; and when we do so, even the tiniest details of that service, or of the way we live our lives outside of that service, will impact people!
Today's story takes us to Judges 12, verses 8-15, to the stories of three barely-known judges of Israel: Ibzan, Elon and Abdon...
As is the case with Tola and Jair from last week's lesson, very little of the Bible is dedicated to these three judges. In fact, each one is only allotted 2-3 verses!
Let's start off with what we do know:
-- We are told where they are from: Ibzan of Bethlehem (Vs. 8); Elon the Zebulunite (Vs. 11); and Abdon the Pirathonite, from Pirathon, which was in the hills of Ephraim (Vs. 13).
-- We know they were all judges of Israel, and they were consecutive: Ibzan came after Jephthah (Vs. 8); Elon after Ibzan (Vs. 11); and Abdon after Elon (Vs. 13).
-- We know how long they judged Israel: Ibzan for 7 years (Vs. 9); Elon for 10 years (Vs. 11); and Abdon for 8 years (Vs. 14).
-- And finally we know where each was buried: Ibzan in Bethlehem (Vs. 10); Elon in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun (Vs. 12); and Abdon in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites (Vs. 15).
Besides this, we know absolutely nothing about Elon, and we are only told a couple of additional facts about Ibzan and Abdon, all of which involved their families:
"[Ibzan] had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage outside the family, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons." (Vs. 9a NASB); and "[Abdon] had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys..." (Vs. 14).
Interestingly, we are not told that Israel sinned, that they were overtaken by other nations, or that these three judges needed to deliver them from someone.
What possible lessons can these judges of Israel teach us today?
I suppose it could be said that the Bible is a history book, and the names of these three judges are listed as historical facts; but the Bible doesn't tend to be a complete historical record. Why then go to all the trouble of telling us about these three judges?
I believe the first lesson is the same as last week: we are all called to serve the Lord; and when we do so, even the tiniest details of that service, or of the way we live our lives outside of that service, will impact people!
I believe the second lesson to be learned comes from the mention of many children and grandchildren, the mention of who married into and out of the family, and the mention of the means of transportation. These were all indicators of wealth and influence in that day and age. Though they may have only received 2 to 3 verses in the Bible, they were far from nobodies! The fact that Ibzan gave his daughters in marriage outside the family and brought in daughters from outside for his sons would indicate that he would have had alliances with other Israelites that would have extended his influence as a leader, and the fact that Abdon had such a large family would have shown him to be well-known for his time.
In summary then, these three men were chosen by God to judge and lead Israel. No, they didn't lead Israel out of specific trouble as did some of the more well-known judges; but no matter how humble the circumstances, they responded to God's call, and as a result, we see that God blessed them with large families, with wealth, with influence, and with a permanent place in the historical record!
Did they respond to God's calling because they wanted wealth or fame or blessings of any kind? We aren't told. We are simply told that they responded to God's call.
That's how it should be, actually! When God calls us to do a task, no matter how humble or how great, our response needs to be, "Yes Lord!" Not because we seek His blessing, but simply because He has called us and we wish to be obedient! When we do, however, He WILL bless us abundantly!
Wait a minute ... Does this sound like a stretch? Like I'm just trying to find something to make these three entries in Judges 12 make sense?
Perhaps. But the thing is, God has a little niche for each of us to fill. No one else can fill that niche, and when we are obedient to God, He will bless our humility and our meekness, and especially our willingness to do whatever it is He calls us to do. In the end, it will be recorded in His books that we were obedient, that we did what we were asked to do. That book may never be printed on Earth, but God knows, and that's what matters!
What is your calling in life? Maybe it is a great calling, maybe it is a small one; but you are the only one who can fill that calling, and when you do, God's blessings are poured down on you! Let’s remember: “each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.” (1 Corinthians 7:17 NIV); and “… all these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 28:2 NIV)
Please join us next Saturday to see what the Bible has to teach of from the story of Sampson, in "The Time Before the Kings, Part 15"!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
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