January 12 - Jephthah

January 12 - Jephthah

Though Jephthah was the son of Gilead, his mother was a prostitute.  Gilead’s wife had sons who drove Jephthah away, taunting and alienating him.  He settled away from them and managed to become a respected leader of a group of adventurers.

The Ammonites showed up and went to war against Israel.

Funny thing, the Gileadites decided that now they needed Jephthah to be their leader.  “Why do you come to me when you’re in trouble?” (Judges 11:7b)

They promised that if he fought against the Ammonites, they would make him head over the tribe.  They promised in front of the Lord that they would do this and Jephthah agreed.  At that point, he sent a message to the Ammonite king who ignored it.

So … Jephthah, accompanied by the Spirit of the Lord went up against the Ammonites.  Then, came the vow that is so difficult for us to understand.  He promised that if the Lord gave the Ammonites into his hands, when he returned, the first thing to come out of his house to greet him at home will be sacrificed as a burnt offering.  I’m guessing he was used to animals coming out of the door.

But, when he arrived home, it was his daughter, his only child.  She asked for two months to roam and weep with her friends, and when she returned, he did as he vowed.

Jephthah was a mighty warrior, who believed in the Lord and when he made a promise to God, he followed through, no matter the sacrifice.  He was considered a man of valor and judged the Israelites for six years.