I have come to really look forward to Wednesday's, that's the day we hear from our missionary! I am so grateful that he is doing well and enjoying his time at the MTC (exept for the food, he says it gives them gas). He is a great example of how preparation and obedience pays off. I thanked the Lord for blessing my son and my family because of his efforts to serve a mission. I hope it lasts the whole two years!
Judges 11
We are moving right along in Judges. In chapter 11 I learned more about Jephthah. He is a less than perfect man that overcomes some challenges to become a leader in Israel. His story is a real person's story. There is no sugar coating on his life story, he could represent any one of us. That is why his story is so appealing to me.
While the times of the Judges were dark and dismal days for Israel, a few lives stand out as bright lights against the darkness. One of those lights is Jephthah. What we learn form his story brings encouragement to every person.
verse 1 – The first revelation we have concerning Jephthah is that he is “a mighty man of valor”. The phrase “mighty man” means that Jephthah was marked by “great bravery”. The word “valor” refers to “strength, ability and efficiency”. This identified Jephthah as a very courageous and powerful man. He was the kind of man who did what needed to be done in every situation he faced in life. He was the kind of man who refused to back down. He was the kind of man you would like to have at your back in a battle. He was the kind of man others would look to for leadership. He was a strong, able and efficient man.
The next truth we learn about this man is the fact that “he was the son of a harlot”. His father’s named was “Gilead”. Evidently, Gilead was a man who frequented prostitutes. One became pregnant and bore him a son named Jephthah. This was a major strike against Jephthah as it marked him as an illegitimate son of Gilead.
verse 2 - Jephthah’s father also had children with his wife. When these legitimate children reached maturity, they all turned on Jephthah and forced him out of the family home. Apparently, their father is dead and they refused to share their inheritance with Jephthah. Besides, Jephthah’s presence in the family was a constant reminder of their father’s infidelity.
verse 3 -When Jephthah left the family home, he went to a place called “Tob”. Tob was located east of the Jordan River in the country of Syria. We are told “vain men” gathered themselves to Jephthah. The phrase “vain men” refers to those who are “unemployed, bankrupt and empty.” These were idle men looking for something to fill their time. We do not know why they flocked to Jephthah, but it maybe that in him, they saw a leader. Maybe they saw someone who could help them find a purpose in life.
I learned somethings from these verses:
Jephthah took a negative and turned it into a positive. He could have taken his rejection by his brothers as an indication that his life was over and that he would never amount to anything. Instead, he rose above the challenges of his life and made something of himself.
Birds of a feather tend to flock together. People like Jephthah came to Jephthah. The principle is this: people tend to gravitate toward those who reflect what is in their own hearts. Look at the people you talk to. They are often people just like you. We usually seek out others who are just like us. Look at the people you spend your time with. They reveal the sort of person you are!
Rejection is hurtful, but beneficial. God uses the animosity and attacks of others to build our character and refine our lives!
verses 4-6 - While Jephthah is living his life in exile, the nation of Israel is coming under attack. The Ammonites are trying to take over the land. The children of Ammon were the descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot through and incestuous relationship with one of his own daughters. The Ammonites were cousins to the Jews, but they were also there perpetual enemies. So, Israel is under attack and they do not have a strong leader to guide them to victory over their enemies.
The elders of Jephthah's people come to him with the request that Jephthah come back and become their “captain”. This word means “commander, chief, or ruler”. At one point they asked him to leave; now they come to him asking him to lead! What a change of mind! What a change of direction.
God delights in using the unusable. He specializes in taking those who seem to be the least of the least and making them vessels of honor for His glory! (v 29; 1 Cor. 1:26-31)
verses 30-33 - Jephthah does take the job and leads the children of Israel to victory over the Ammonites.
This story touches my heart. I'm not sure why, maybe because I like to root for the underdog or maybe it is because it has such great lessons in it for us:
We all have strengths and weaknesses, but the Lord can use us and make something special out of our lives.
There may be a cycle of sin in our background, but it can be broken today!
God can use you in spite of your past, your family or your failures.
Your treatment of others reveals how you really feel about God.
You can and should serve God faithfully today and trust Him with all your tomorrows.
There is hope for us less than perfects!
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