SCRIPTURE: JUDGES 11
Jephthah was a mighty warrior, the son of Gilead whose mother was a prostitute. The son of Gilead’s wife drove him away and reused to give him any inheritance. He fled to Tob and gathered followers from a group of adventurers. Later, the Ammonites made war on Israel. The elders of Gilead send words for Jephthah to fight the Ammonites and they will make him their leader. At first, Jephthah refused saying: “You drove me away from my father’s house and you only come to me when you are in trouble/ If I go to fight the Ammonites, will I really be your head?” The elders replied: “The Lord is our witness. We will certainly do as you say” (v. 10). So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead and upheld their promise before the Lord in Mizpah.
Jephthah sent messenger to the Ammonite king asking them why they attack their country. The Ammonite said it was the Israelites who took away our land so give it back peacefully. (v. 13) Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king with these arguments against the king’s claim: (1)-Gilead was never the king’s land in the first place because Israel took it from the Amorites, not the Ammonites. (vs. 16-22) (2)-Israel should posses land given by Israel’s God and Heshbon should possess land given by Ammon’s god. (3)-No one had contested Israel’s ownership of the land since its conquest from the Amorites 300 years earlier (vs. 25-26). But the king of Ammon paid no attention to the messenger of Jephthah.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah to advance against the Ammonites. Jephthah took a vow that whoever came out of the door of his house to meet him when he returns in triumph from the Ammonites will be sacrificed as a burnt offering to the Lord. After Jephthah won the battle and subdued Ammo, he returned to his house. The firs tone to come out to welcome him home was his only daughter Mizpah. Jephthah was devasted because of his vow to the Lord. Her daughter made a request to give her 2 months to roam the hills and weep with her friends. After two months, she was being sacrificed. From this, there was a custom of Israel each year for young women to go out 4 days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah.
THOUGHTS:
Jephthah was an illegitimate son of Gilead. He was chased out of the country. In spite of the bitter rejection he experienced, God still used him. If you are suffering from unfair rejection, don’t be discouraged because God is able to use you even if you are being rejected by some.
Jephthah rush vow brought him unspeakable grief. We must be careful in making vow to the Lord. Promise that may sound spiritual may produce guilt and frustration when we are forced to fulfill them. Obedience for today is better than promised for the future.