THE STONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED
In the parable of the Tenants in the vineyard, Jesus told His disciples the story of a landowner who planted a vineyard and secured it by fencing and dug a hole for the wine press and built a watchtower. He thereafter rented it out to tenants and left for a trip. When it was time for harvest, he sent his servants to the tenants to receive his share of the harvest. The tenants manhandled the servants; beat one, killed another and stoned another. The owner sent out another group of servants more in number than the first, they did the same. At last he sent his son and they killed him with hope to possess his inheritance. When the owner of the vineyard returns, he will kill all the wicked tenants. Jesus then referred to them to the scripture: the stone which the builder rejected as worthless, the same has become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing and it’s marvelous in our eyes [Matthew 21:42]. Jesus was simply quoting from Psalms 118:22. This quotation from Psalms was exemplified in the story of a man named Jephthah, a mighty man of valor from the city of Gilead [Judges 11:1ff].
Jephthah was a brave soldier but his mother was a prostitute and his father had other children from another wife. When his brothers grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home. They said to Jephthah, you will not inherit anything from our father because you are the son of a strange woman. Jephthah flew from his brothers and city men and lived in the land of Tob. There, some group of worthless men got attracted by his clout, gathered and went around on raid with him. He became a powerful institution, a revolutionary, feared and dreaded.
After a time the Ammonites went to war against Israel. When that happened, the elders of Gilead went to the land of Tob to bring back Jephthah to lead them in the war. They said to him, “come and captain us that we may fight the Ammonites.” Jephthah replied them, you hated and conspired with my brethren and expelled me out of my father’s house, why do you come to me in time of distress? The elders of Gilead were in such helpless and terrible desperation that they offered him headship of the Gileadites if he could fight and win the Ammonites. Jephthah turned around and reiterated, “If I go home with you and the Lord gives me victory against the Ammonites, I will be your ruler? The elders of Gilead responded, we agree and the Lord is our witness. Then Jephthah went with the elder of Gilead and they made him head and captain over them. Jephthah affirmed his terms at Mizpah in the Lord’s presence.
Jephthah got the people of Gilead ready for the war and made a vow to the Lord, “if you will give me victory over the Ammonites; I will burn as an offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I come back from the victory. I will offer the person to you as a sacrifice.” Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gave him victory. It was a great slaughter and the Ammonites were defeated in a battle by Israel. Unfortunately for Jephthah, when he returned home to Mizpah, her only daughter was the first person that came out to meet him. She was rejoicing, dancing and playing tambourine. She was a virgin. That was very disheartening and terrible for Jephthah. He told the daughter the vow he made while going to war. They mourned her and eventually offered her to sacrifice in fulfillment of his vow and she died a virgin.
The highlights of the story:
- It does not matter how you get to this planet, earth but the most important thing is that you’re here. How and where you were born is irrelevant. Your parents may have come from a town where nothing good had ever happened, from low estate and heritage. Your parent must have gone through hell to raise you and both or one was incarcerated and even if you were raised by a foster parent, it still does not matter. You may have gone through Juvenile and Boot camp before you get to your senses; it is still a process of life. After all Jesus was born in a sheep pen and a son of an earthly poor carpenter. Joseph had to be hated by his brother and went through pit, prison before getting to the palace.
- Whatever you do, try to be the best in it. You may not be recognized at a time or in a lifetime but one day, when your time comes, the world shall look for you or your ideas. Even if the world does not know you, remember for every good work you do on earth, the one who created the heavens and the earth shall hold forth and secure your crown in heaven.
- Generally people are attracted to you when you’re successful or gone to the top. They don’t care about you when you are down to nothing but don’t know or forget that it’s in that state the good God shows up with something. When God remembers you, those who mock and laughed at you as worthless would turn around to laugh with you and become friends.
- The world cares very little on who your parents are; where and how you were born but are more and quick to recognize what you have achieved and the impact you have left in our world.
- Jephthah was not a Christian but just believed in some gods of some kind. He was just a hard man who became prominent by terrorizing people and territories. I do not think he was either enlightened or even intelligent and had a shallow insight on who God is. His vow of offering any human being who is the first to meet him after his victory over the Ammonites to the Lord is a character portray and speaks greatly of his discipline and integrity. He was just making a vow in attempt to woo God on his side; never thought or dreamt that after been expelled by his brothers, he would ever have a place in their lives more so being a king and captain. When people get to positions they were not prepared for or never dreamt of in the least of their imagination, they do everything to hold to it.
- Human being will give you or make you an offer you cannot refuse when they are in desperate need of you. For example: A coach will pay any price to get a resourceful, utility player on his side to win a match. It does not matter how and when you were born; born late like Samuel, John the baptize and Joseph, when God hand is on you, God will make a way for you and you will enjoy unusual happenings and favor. When God opens the door of His grace and those who rejected and despised you will begin to desire and demand for you. Even If you are locked up in prison, God will cause the prison staff and other inmates shall be at peace with you. Jephthah, the chased away became Jephthah the desired and chosen.
- A vow may be a simple verbal agreement such as: Take this baby and nurse him for me and I will pay you [Exodus 2:9]. When you make a vow to the Lord, your God, do not put off doing what you promised, the Lord will hold you to your vow and it’s a sin not to keep it. It’s no sin not to make a vow to the Lord, but if you make one voluntarily be sure that you fulfill it [Deuteronomy 23:21-22; Psalms 22:25; Ecclesiastics 5: 5]. Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill at: weefreeminsitries@ayhoo.com or P O box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272.