Wow, what do you do with a story like this one about Jephthah? Jephthah was the son of a prostitute, and outcast from his family and from society. Is it any wonder that he surrounded himself with other outcasts? But God chooses to use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; God chose to use the weak things of this world to confuse the mighty. God chose to use Jephthah and Jephthah responded and because of his faithful response he becomes one that the Apostle Paul cites in the great chapter of Faith in Hebrews 11:32. I think that we should be reminded that all human life is made in the image of God and God desires that all who are created in his image should walk by faith. We should not look down on any because of the circumstance of their birth.
When God chooses Jephthah, he makes a very foolish vow; promising that if God makes him victorious that he will consecrate the first thing that he sees coming from his house. Who or what did Jephthah imagine would come from his house? Some have interpreted this passage to mean that Jephthah offered his daughter as a sacrifice, but I think that is an incorrect interpretation. I think that what Jephthah did was more like what Hannah did with her son Samuel; that Jephthah's daughter was dedicated to God and become a part of the servants who ministered at the temple. This would explain the grief regarding not being married. Most of the women who became dedicated to the temple were widows.
God would never require human sacrifice, in fact, one of the abominations of the Philistines, Amorites, Ammonites and others was their worship of Chemosh and Molech; both of whom required child sacrifice in their worship.
The tribe of Ephraim seems to be a bunch of whiners. They used this same device in their complaint to Gideon. What they really seemed to want was to have credit for the victory. Christians must serve without worrying about who gets the credit. One of Jesus' complaints against the Pharisees was that they prayed loudly and did good deeds to receive the praise of men. We are to lay up treasure in heaven and do good deeds that bring honor and glory to God. We, as John the Baptist said, must become less that he, Jesus, will become more. The Ephraimites hadn't quite figured this out yet and paid a terrible price for their disobedience.
In chapter 13 we see the words again, "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord." God allows the Philistines to harass and abuse Israel to force them back into right relationship. Israel cries out to God and God prepares to raise up another champion. this one is the familiar story of Samson. Samson is to be a Nazarite. An angel of God appears to his parents (remember the word for this is a Theophany) and predicts that this barren couple will bear a child that will be used by God. He is to be dedicated to God even before his birth. We remember him because God says that no razor is to used upon his head and he will be used in the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. His is a story that mirrors that of Israel during the time of the Judges.
Hope you have a blessed day. Stop by church tonight and join us in our Ash Wednesday Services at 7:00. It is a different service than Sunday, darker, because it is a service that asks us to contemplate our own sins, to repent and be restored to the fullness of the Father. Repenting was a hard thing for Israel, let it not be so with we who claim to be the children of God.
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