Some prophets are called Men of Sign. The meanings of their names combine with their activities and writings in exhibiting the Messianic quality of their mission. On a closer study it will be found that this applies to all the prophets and their writings. What of worthies who have left no writings of their own? A group of these mentioned in Hebrews 11 might be briefly considered from this point of view.
“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, … who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, … out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”
Rahab was “justified by works when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way”.1 Rahab does not prophesy, but she makes a confession which breathes the Messianic spirit: “I know that the Lord hath given you the land”. She expresses the terror that had fallen upon the inhabitants of Jericho because of the things God had done with Israel to neighbouring peoples, and continues, “the Lord your God He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath”.2 Her name means Breadth, and her viewpoint is broad enough to take in God’s view of things. We are often criticised for narrow-mindedness when really we take a view wider than that of our friends, for it embraces God’s point of view and is not confined to men’s thoughts.
The passage from Hebrews quoted above refers to four Judges who were not writers. The name of the first of these, Gideon, means Feller, Hewer, or Great Warrior. His other name, Jerubbaal (Contender with Baal), was obviously bestowed upon him because of the incident recorded in Judges chapter 6, which illustrates his faithfulness to Yahweh. The name Gideon is also illustrated in the story. We read “The angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. … and the Lord looked upon him and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”.3 “This thy might” was his faith in the miracles by which God had delivered Israel from Egypt, the current absence of which seemed to indicate that He had forsaken Israel.
But Gideon is humble and places his reliance upon God. He was next instructed to cut down (to fell) the grove and throw down the altar of Baal. This done, “the spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him to the tune of 32,000 men to overthrow the Midianites. “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon” wielded by the selected 300, won the day, and they completed the work “faint, yet pursuing”.4 The “Mighty warrior” aspect of Messiah’s mission still remains to be accomplished; and the same application might be made to all the Judges who subdued the enemies of God.
Barak means Lightning, a fit description of the sudden and irresistible destruction of the hosts of Jabin. By Divine guidance, in company with Deborah, Barak and the Israelite volunteers destroyed the power of the Canaanites: “So let all Thine enemies perish O Lord: but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might”.5 So the conquest by Jesus, commencing with his appearance as lightning, will ultimately result in the fall of his adversary (Satan) as lightning from the political heavens of the world.6
With Samson we turn to the Philistine scourge. Distinguished, Strong, is the apt meaning. As a Nazarite, Samson was distinguished from other men, and his strength is proverbial. This strength was used by God, who sought occasion against the Philistines; and the women he consorted with were specially chosen to encompass this object. “She pleaseth me well”7 seems really to mean “She is suitable for my purpose”. In spite of Samson’s lapses and apparent foolishness, he retained faith in God, who answered his last prayer, and brought to an end a life devoted to the destruction of God’s enemies.8
Jephthah was an Opposer. It fell to his lot to oppose the Ammonites in their aggression. For 300 years the disputed territory had been in the hands of the children of Israel; again, by the Word of God only, Jephthah set out. “The spirit of the Lord came upon him and he passed over to fight Ammon”. He smote them in twenty cities and they were subdued.9 The statement that “the spirit of the Lord came upon him” seems inconsistent with the favourite argument of the commentators that Jephthah was under the influence of the surrounding idolatrous cults customarily making human sacrifices. God could not have supported such a renegade.
This article does not enter upon the controversial point about the fate of his daughter, except to suggest that the words used do not seem necessarily to imply that she was slain, but may have been given to God’s service in a celibate state. Could it be that the presentation of Jephthah’s daughter to the Lord, prefigures the “King’s daughter” who is “all glorious within”10 because of her denial of the world and devotion to the God of the true church?
References
- James 2:25.
- Joshua 2:9-11.
- Judges 6:12,14.
- Judges 8:4.
- Judges 5:31.
- Luke 10 : 17-18; 17:24.
- Judges 14:3.
- Judges 16:30; Hebrews 2:14.
- Judges 11:29-33.
- Psalm 45:13.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One