He could bear
Israel’s misery no longer
(Judges 10:16).
The story of
Jephthah would make a great action adventure movie. Because his father had an
affair resulting in Jephthah’s birth, Jephthah was alienated from the rest of
his family. His brothers didn’t want him muddying the waters at inheritance
time, so he was sent away – an exile of sorts.
That was all well
and good until his brothers got in trouble with Ammon. Then they needed someone
who could get things done, and who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty doing
it. They lit the bat signal, and Jephthah answered. After his initial attempts at
diplomacy failed, he made a deal – a terrible deal – with God. He promised God
a sacrifice in exchange for victory, whatever met him upon his return home.
When he approached the house, his heart broke to see his precious daughter run
out to greet him with a welcome home kiss.
The lesson? Be
careful what you promise. This was such a terrible promise; I seriously doubt
God expected him to keep it, let alone make it in the first place. Maybe I’m
wrong.
In the above verse,
God expresses compassion for Israel his only daughter, who has chased after
foreign gods once again. God vowed, “I will no longer save you”
(10:13). Later, however, his compassion moved him to reverse that decision. Why
was Jephthah required to kill his only daughter when God spared his?
TODAY’S MEDITATION
This is a difficult story.
How is God using it in your life and what is he teaching you?
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