by R. Douglass Mahaffey
Genesis 31:48-50
48Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore it was named Galeed, 49and Mizpah, for he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. 50"If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, God is witness between you and me."
Judges 11:10-12
10The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD is witness between us; surely we will do as you have said." 11Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD at Mizpah. 12Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, "What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?"
Hosea 5:1-2
1Hear this, O priests! Give heed, O house of Israel! Listen, O house of the king! For the judgment applies to you, For you have been a snare at Mizpah And a net spread out on Tabor. 2The revolters have gone deep in depravity, But I will chastise all of them."
Judges 11:29-30
29Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. 30Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand,"
In Israel's very checkered past, God was witness to dissension, spilt of tribes, brother betraying brother, an entire race disobeying God and breaking their covenant and the ultimate betrayal of His only Son, Jesus, as the Jews called for His crucifixion. The Valley of Mizpah is the region just north of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. The tribes of Benjamin inhabited the region of Mizpah.
In scripture, the events surrounding the valley seemed to constantly involve division or separation of tribes through betrayal and a lack of brotherly love for one another, unlike God commanded of them. The valley's elevation at its highest point is 6,047-feet; certainly high enough for it's leaders to watch over the land and maintain the peace of its citizens from attacks from enemy tribes. However, it was the betrayal from within that the people in the region needed to worry about the most.
In that the region saw much division among its people, it was also the place of many a victory over the enemies of Israel such as is spoken of in Joshua 11:7-9
"7 So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8 and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots."
Joshua was a great military leader of Israel after Moses died and God put him in charge. Joshua also won victories in battle against enemies such as Jericho, Ai, the Amorite kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish , Eglon and Gibeon. God gave Joshua the gift if immortality in battle and allowed him to live a long, successful life as the leader of Israel. Joshua died at 110-years-old.
The battle in the Valley of Mizpah was one of Joshua's and Israel's most celebrated victories. What battles are you facing in life? The Lord of Lords is seated at His "Watchtower" at a point much higher than the Valley of Mizpah, and is ever interceding in the lives of His chosen people, whom He has called and has set apart as a holy race of royalty in His name, for His glory. One might say that the power that He gave Joshua over his enemies, God is also offering to you this very day. It is no accident that you are reading this. God ordains everything that we do for His purpose, in His timing.
Call on God today to help you through whatever trials you are facing. He will help you and keep you from going down in defeat, and under in retreat. God will stand with you, carry you and sustain you as He carries you through it all!
R. Douglass Mahaffey - Founder and Publisher of The Wise Conservative
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