The leaders of the Gilead clan decided to ask a brave warrior named Jephthah son of Gilead to lead the attack against the Ammonites. Even though Jephthah belonged to the Gilead clan, he had earlier been forced to leave the region where they had lived. Jephthah was the son of a prositute, but his half- brothers were the sons of his father's wife. So Jephthah replied to the leaders of Gilead "All right, if I go back with you and if the LORD lets me defeat the Ammonites, will you really make me your ruler?" "You have our word," the leaders answered. "And the LORD is a witness to what we have said." Jephthah said to the LORD "If you will let me defeat the Ammonites and come home safely, I will sacrifice to you whoever comes out to meet me first." When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, the first one to meet hime was his daughter. She was playing a tambourine and dancing to celebrate his victory, and she was his only child. "Oh!" Jephthah cried. Then he tore his clothes in sorrow and said to his daughter, "I made a sacred promise to the LORD, and I must keep it. Your coming out to meet me has broken my heart."
Jephthah had military qualities, but additionally he had profound reliance on God. Even though he was the son of a prostitute and had been rejected by his brothers, the Lord chose him to the a savior of his people. God picks someone who is despised by men and uses him for greatness. Jephthah was a figure of Christ as he was rejected and suffered before delivering them and identifies with the LORD as he witnesses the loss of his only innocent child.
Daily Prayer: Jesus teaches us to let our yes be yes and our no be no and to make no vows greater than this. If I were in Jephthah's hands and I wanted to honor you, I would dedicate this child toward your service and not sacrifice this child because to you obedience is greater than sacrifice. Let us learn from Jephthah's lesson. Amen.
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