Judg 10:17-18 | KingComments | STEP | It seems that the enemy is becoming active now that Israel has made a confession of the wrong and shown its genuineness by removing the idols. If the people of God seriously wants to serve God, the enemy will not stand by idly. He is getting ready to fight. The Israelites then do two things. First, they go to Mizpah and gather there. Mizpah means ‘watch tower’. They woke up and now pay close attention to what the enemy is planning. This brings them, secondly, to the question of who will be the leader of Gilead. Unfortunately, this question shows that the previous deviations have reduced the feeling of solidarity among the people. They ask for someone who will only be head over Gilead. The consciousness of the unity of God’s people has apparently disappeared. Another thing that characterizes this downward spiral is that God is not asked who He wants to give as deliverer. This spiritual downfall is at its lowest point in Samson’s history, where the people no longer ask for a deliverer, but even come to deliver the God-given deliverer to the enemy. To the request for a leader two important thoughts can be linked. One is that asking for a leader means that we want people who lead us in battle. It is also possible to think of something else in this question, namely the question of a principle, a view, based on a truth from Scripture, which we are convinced will lead us to victory. We will see in Jephthah a man who represents such a principle to us, namely a certain way of thinking and dealing with Scripture, with the enemy and with each other.

‏ Judges 10:17-18

The Call for a Deliverer

It seems that the enemy is becoming active now that Israel has made a confession of the wrong and shown its genuineness by removing the idols. If the people of God seriously wants to serve God, the enemy will not stand by idly. He is getting ready to fight. The Israelites then do two things. First, they go to Mizpah and gather there. Mizpah means ‘watch tower’. They woke up and now pay close attention to what the enemy is planning. This brings them, secondly, to the question of who will be the leader of Gilead.

Unfortunately, this question shows that the previous deviations have reduced the feeling of solidarity among the people. They ask for someone who will only be head over Gilead. The consciousness of the unity of God’s people has apparently disappeared. Another thing that characterizes this downward spiral is that God is not asked who He wants to give as deliverer. This spiritual downfall is at its lowest point in Samson’s history, where the people no longer ask for a deliverer, but even come to deliver the God-given deliverer to the enemy.

To the request for a leader two important thoughts can be linked. One is that asking for a leader means that we want people who lead us in battle. It is also possible to think of something else in this question, namely the question of a principle, a view, based on a truth from Scripture, which we are convinced will lead us to victory. We will see in Jephthah a man who represents such a principle to us, namely a certain way of thinking and dealing with Scripture, with the enemy and with each other.