“Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.” 1 Samuel 11.1-3
When God gave the land to the Israelites, it was already occupied. This might be part of the current political tension today. The men sent in by Moses proclaimed, “There are giants in the land,” and the people were afraid. Here, we see a current resident of the land threatening a city of Israel, saying, “Unless you surrender to me, I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on Israel.” This sounds very unpleasant!
So, the elders of Jabesh pleaded for a period of seven days so that they might seek help and be rescued by Israel. If not, they would surrender to the Ammonites.
Tensions have been high in Israel lately. The October 7 raid and massacre by the Palestinians from Gaza is a reflection of this. Over one thousand people were slain in this ruthless attack, in which civilians—many women and children—were innocently killed. It’s still so hard to wrap my mind around something like this. It’s the kind of thing you read about in the Old Testament, not something you expect to happen today, three thousand years later, in a “civilized society.” It’s tragic, incredibly hard to hear, and emotionally difficult to handle.
Some people believe the Old Testament is not relevant today, but I disagree. As long as evil persists, and until Christ returns, His Word will remain a guidepost. It reveals to us that evil is still present. The threat upon the people of Jabesh is not unlike what happened on October 7 and continues to occur even today. The unrest in the Middle East is a reminder that there is still much work to do.
As we will see, the people of Jabesh received help from their fellow countrymen, who were inspired by the Spirit of the Lord (that story will come in the next entry). But for now, we remember and mourn for those who are innocent and caught in the path of evil and senseless violence.
The threat of violence remains in this world. It is not just in Israel but anywhere evil persists, and the devil has a foothold. As Christians, we have the ability to pray, to seek, to trust the Lord for His protection and His provision. Let us lean into the hope we have in Christ, live according to His Spirit, and abide in His peace. In the midst of evil, Jesus comes to bring us hope. Let us believe in His Word and abide in His grace.
“O Lord God, this story of the people of Jabesh reminds me of the evil around us. I pray for protection for the Church, for those persecuted, and for all people to find salvation in your name. I pray for peace for the Middle East and for Israel. And Lord, for your return, I pray most of all. Come Lord Jesus, maranatha. Come quickly. Deliver us and save us. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen