“About a month later King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the town of Jabesh in the territory of Gilead and besieged it. The men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will accept you as our ruler.” Nahash answered, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition: I will put out everyone’s right eye and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
1 Samuel 11:1-2 GNB
This happened when Israel was a very young nation. Saul was appointed as King ( their first one) but he had not taken any step to act as a ruler of the nation until this occurs.
Ammon or the Ammonites -they use to live the east of the Jordan River. They were descendent from Lot with his daughter. They were cousins of Abraham. And biter enemies of their distant relatives.
Once in the time of the Judges they had a fight with the Israelis.
“Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead and went on to Ammon. So Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave him victory. He struck at them from Aroer to the area round Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. There was a great slaughter, and the Ammonites were defeated by Israel.”
Judges 11:29, 32-33 GNB
People from Jabesh-gilead. They were one of the first tribes to settle in the land when they arrived from the Desert. They experience deliverance in the time of Jephthah. God was with them. Miracles happen, because they trusted God.
But now instead trust and seek they choose to make a treaty. Let’s negotiate!! We don’t want do to die and we are few in this town. What do you want for us to make peace with us ?
The enemy said – All right, “I will put out everyone’s right eye” . We will make you blind of one eye and we don’t need to fight. If you agree we don’t need to have a war.
What do you think 🤔? Instead you fight with your enemy you just give him the most valuable thing that you have. Do you know what it means your right eye? It means your vision to be a good fighter. It was the only way to use arrow and bow. Without a right eye you can not aim at the target. Just for you to understand. In that time people use to fight with their right hand and use their right eye to see their target. For you to understand how the right eye is so important i will share this with you.
How to “ Determine your dominant eye. With archery, eye dominance is more important than hand-dominance because your dominant eye is what will handle aiming and judging distances. To figure out which of your eyes is dominant, point your finger toward a distant wall or object and close 1 of your eyes. If your finger appears to jump, you closed your dominant eye” ( imagine 1)
What can happen if you have just one eye in that time?
You have no deep vision and not peripheral vision also.
You can not attack your enemy. Because you are not able to use your bow and arrow 🏹.
Also you will feel ashamed “bring disgrace to all Israel”
In that situation the people from Jabesh were giving up fighting. And we sometimes do things like this we give up fight with sin. It’s easy to tell a lie then say the true. But one sin call another one. If we allow one little thing we will open a way for lose our vision and others things and be overcome.
How the enemy defatted the church in the first centuries.
When the church started after Jesus death and resurrection there was a lot of persecution. Thousands, I can say millions of people died because of their faith. The more the Romans killed them the more they grew. Their blood was like a seed. When one Christian died 10 others popped up. Because they were passionate for Jesus. For them died like Jesus did was a honour. Being persecuted was the best. They new that will bring glory to God. They use to sing and praise God. ( 2 image)
The enemy saw that if they kept going that way the world will become Christianised very quick. Then he changed his strategy.
They gave them another option – if you deny Jesus and just worship Cesar as your “God” I will let you go.
Some of Christian choose this option. Do you know what’s happened ? A new generation was born. A people full of shame, fear, and guilt.
The historian said : “Apostasy in the form of symbolic sacrifice continued to be enough to set a Christian free. It was standard practice to imprison a Christian after an initial trial, with pressure and an opportunity to recant.”
Listen : when we agreed with the enemy. When we make a treat. He has the right to point the finger to us and blame us.
Paul said in Rm 12. 2 to not be conformed with this world. Don’t agree with your enemy .
Are you conformed with this world?
How can I be conformed?
When I allow :
1 -lies to control my life. / We must learn to say the truth always.
2- this world be my model (example). Same way of clothing, speaking, living. What’s entering in your home through TV and internet. Do you want to live like the famous people ? We must imitate Jesus, not Ariana, Justin Bieber, Cristiano Ronaldo
Our model is Jesus.
3- no compassion / Love your neighbour as you love yourself.
4 – no gratitude/ give Thanks in all situations
5 – fear / trust in God.
One Bible commentary said about the people from Jabesh in 1Samuel 11
” They are willing to make peace with the Ammonites, because they are wearied of fighting. ”Anything for a quiet life!” They surrender to the enemy, they are willing to serve sin, because they will not surrender the ease and the pleasures of sin. But sin is a bad master; his wages are terrible to think of. The terms which Nahash offered to the men of Jabesh-Gilead combined insult and injury. ”On this condition will I make a covenant with you: that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach unto all Israel.” “The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
We are called to bring God’s kingdom to this earth. His will be done as it’s in heaven.
How can we bring his kingdom? It is through our life stile. Not being friend of the enemy. He is whispering to you. “You don’t need to pray every day, even read the bible. It is to much.
You are going to become to “Holy”.
You don’t need to use your gifts to bless others. Don’t care about people. Don’t preach the gospel. Don’t pray for people at the street. You going to feel ashamed.”
Stop listen to his lies. You are blind. You allow the enemy to pierce your right eye.
We need to stand and say stop. I will not accept your offers any more. I will seek for help in the right place. With my brothers and sisters. As the people from Jabesh did. They called for help and the King came and they were set free.
“When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’ ” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.” The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.”
1 Samuel 11:8-11 NIV
The only way to overcome is to not make any agreement with the enemy.
Let’s pray together. Put your hand in your right eye. Let’s declare. I am not going to give my vision. My family, my relationship with God , just because i am under pressure. Satan I rebuke you and I declare that God is my refuge and I will trust and wait on Him. I will give my life to Him more and more.
Let’s sing together – Holy Spirit