"Shibboleth, PASSWORD FOR LIFE. SIBOLETE, PASSWORD TO DEATH. "

Then said they unto him, Say now, Shibboleth; But he said: Sibolete; because I could not pronounce it right; Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan; and there fell at that time of Ephraim forty-two thousand. Judges 12.6.

  As in everyday life, in our families, that after the children grow and multiply, always undesirable appears, distorting its precepts, creation, family culture. This is what happened with the tribe of Ephraim, of the twelve tribes of Israel, who after being emancipated, received his inheritance, a fertile land in a mountainous area, which gave him protection, and under the grace of the Almighty, too He prospered. However, its people began to disperse to other regions, and thus were losing their identity, mingling with other people of different customs and idolatrous. The book of Judges records the people of Israel's settlement in the Promised Land, where the government was given by judges, and the days were difficult, as a result of the rebellion, and idolatry that the Israelites had misrepresented the Divine precepts, and God raises up a man named Jephthah, which he lived in a very troubled family background, his mother was a prostitute, her father Gilead had many children from other relationships, but Jephthah was a mighty man of valor, and his half-brothers, the house expelled, for he has no possessions, because they said, who was the son of another woman as Judges 11: 1-2. But God raises up whom he wants, and Jephthah is acclaimed judge over Israel at the critical moment, when the Ammonites had declared war on Israel, in turn, Jephthah called the Ephraimites to help him in the war, but they refused, the However, Jephthah with his people, the Gileadites fought and won, for God was ahead, consequently, Ephraim found themselves offended by not participate in the battle, jealous, and without reason, declared war against Gilead, now appears a serious problem with Ephraim since they when they went in search of the promised land, scattered, falling behind, and not passed over Jordan, getting away from the others, which is why they lost their true identity, mingling with other idolatrous people, and created other dialects, in their arrogance, the Ephraimites assembled an army and marched Cintra Jephthah, and said they would set fire to his house with him inside.

    Jephthah immediately reacted again summoned his people, the Gileadites, and went to the ford of the Jordan, where the Ephraimites would pass, and had a divine guidance, establishing a password for life and one for death, using a known word, called Shibboleth, for he knew that the scattered people of Ephraim, had lost his identity, and also the dialect, and so proceeded, when one of the outcasts of Ephraim wanted to spend, asked them permission, but he asked, are Ephraim, to answer yes, was beheaded on the spot, but if denied saying no, commanded him to speak the word Shibboleth, a ruling Sibolete, was beheaded, and so was killed 42,000, as recorded in the book of Judges: Because the Gileadites took the etraimitas the fords of the Jordan; and it came to pass, when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go; then the Gileadites asked: are you an Ephraimite? And he said: No, then said to him: Tell me, because now Shibboleth; But he said: Sibolete; because he could not pronounce it right; Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan; and there fell at that time of Ephraim, forty and two thousand. Judges 12: 5-6. In this episode, we take a great lesson we must never become dispersed, the Psalmist recommends: Oh! How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Psalms 133: 1. World brings other identification, even if one can say that serving God, his language differs from the true Christian, many claim to be followers of Christ carrying a crucifix on his chest, but all this is Sibolete, the code for death, others want to serve God, also serving the world, the word of God warns us by saying: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. I John 2:15. Shibboleth as a password for life means; seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Matthew 5:33. Or, as Paul said: I have been sacrificed with Christ; and alive. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2: 20 The gospel without the cross of Christ, is Sibolete, password to death, according to Paul, who preach the gospel must be crucified too, otherwise, is not the Gospel of Christ. Amen.