Title: Fiction of pride (Judges 12:1-4)
If it can be said that self-esteem is “to raise one's dignity,” it is Mordecai who raised the pride of the nation and kept the integrity of faith. Haman the Amalekite, who had been an enemy of the people of Israel, was favored by the king in the Persian Empire and became prime minister. So, in accordance with the king's command, all the king's servants in the court politely knelt and bowed down whenever Haman passed by.
1. The tribe of Ephraim did not share in their neighbors' joy because of their false pride.
2. Because of their pride, the tribe of Ephraim did not participate in the sufferings of their neighbors.
Those with strong self-esteem are selfish. When Jephthah felt threatened during the battle of war, he asked for help from the Ephraimites, but was refused. At that time, they may have been lucky that they did not go to war. These people do not take care of their sufferings, only showing their pride to the poor or those in suffering. Rather, they are those who exploit them with power.
3. The tribe of Ephraim only looked at the weaknesses of the other side.
The apostle Paul also confessed in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives.” Those who claim their self and pride cannot receive Christ as their Savior. Moreover, it is impossible to be used as a servant of Christ.
Another incident in the text is that God raised judges even in times of peace, but the mission of the judges in times of trouble is to save them. In times of peace, the mission of the judges is to educate Israel with the word of God so that they do not fall again. will be However, if you are set up as a judge and forget their mission in a peaceful time, and pursue only your own pleasure, you will be an unfaithful judge. Ibsan, who was established after Jephthah, was called in a time of peace.
His job would be to reorganize Israel in a time of peace and educate them not to fall, but he neglected to supervise them so that they could enjoy his abundance and not see sin in Israel. The reason that the mission of judges is important in times of peace is that there are more temptations in times of abundance than in times of tribulation, and that the rich are more proud than the poor and are more likely to depart from God.
Today is the time of material abundance and the abundance of the Word. In times like these, we should be more vigilant and awake and approach God.