Read: Judges 10
Meditation: We begin this story by looking at the background
of why the people of Israel needed help and deliverance. They have again
stopped serving God and are worshiping other gods. This incites the
Lord's anger against them and He allows the Ammonites to conquer them.
The Ammonites are the descendants of Ammon, who is the son of Lot and
his youngest daughter. The Israelites then turn to God and cry out to
Him. God refuses to help at this time. However, as Israel continues to
seek the Lord and continues to confess their sins, we are told that God
was grieved for their misery and sends a way to defeat the Ammonites.
Prayer Starter: Lord, You are very gracious, but I see by this
story that at some point Your grace does run out. Help me not to
continue at my own sinful games, for Your judgment is swift.
Read: Judges 11:1-11
Meditation: The story of Jephthah begins with the details of who
is and who he becomes. He is a son of a harlot and Gilead. We are told he is
a mighty warrior. He and his brothers are driven out of the family and land
because of his mother, for they do not want him to inherit any of the land.
While he is away he becomes a leader of a band of men that raid the nation
of Tod. Then we see the elders of Gilead seek out Jephthah to be their
captain and they make promises of rulership to Jephthah, if he is victorious
over the Ammonites.
Prayer Starter: Lord, often our own selfish desires get in the way
of what You want. Forgive me and show me the way You want me to
go.
Read: Judges 11:12-28
Meditation: Even though we may not always see the whole picture,
this whole story is about who owns the land. The Ammonites claim it as
theirs as does the Israelites. Jephthah tries to settle the argument without
going to war, but the Ammonites will not accept his terms. Jephthah asks the
Ammonites to let God, the final judge, decide whose land it is and they
refuse. So the war goes on.
Prayer Starter: Lord, we know that You are in charge of all things
and that You will do what is right. Help me to look to You for help to
decide what I need to do in my life.
Read: Judges 11:29-33
Meditation: So far Jephthah has seemed to do what is right, but
now he does a stupid thing. He makes a vow (bargain) with God. For God's
help he will make a sacrifice of whatever meets him after the battle. This
vow has often been debated over the years by the scholars, and is very
puzzling to us today. Whatever Jephthah really had in mind we are not sure,
however the result was that his daughter was the first one to meet him after
he had won a great battle with God's help. This vow was to cause Jephthah
great grief.
This story should bring caution for us today. It is easy in the heat of
our own battles to make promises to God that we may regret later or may not
keep. Making spiritual deals with God only brings disappointment. God does
not want promise for the future, but obedience for today.
Prayer Starter: Lord help me to be obedient to You and not to make
promises I may not want to keep, or can not keep.
Read: Judges 11:34-40
Meditation: Jephthah's daughter meets her father, and she is an
only child. We see the grief this causes Jephthah and he is sorry for his
vow. He grants his daughter's request to have two months to roam the hills
to mourn her virginity. We then are told that Jephthah does as he vowed and
sacrifices his daughter.
To our own mind we can not see and are revolted by the thought of human
sacrifice to fulfill a vow. Many over the years have tried to find other
ways to explain away the text, but the text tells us of an actual sacrifice.
This story shows us another illustration of what can happen when a person
does what they think is right in their own eyes, instead of being obedient
to God.
Prayer Starter: Lord, there are many different examples of what
Ecclesiastes 5:5 tells us: "it is better not to vow than to make a vow
and not keep it." Help me to be one who follows You without making vows
I will not keep.
Read: Judges 12:1-7
Meditation:
The conclusion of the story of Jephthah is his victory over the
Ephraimites. Because God is still with Jephthah, 42,000 Ephraimites were
killed in battle. However Jephthah's life was not a long one. He died
after 6 years of leading Israel.
Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to be one that follows You.
Forgive me when I don't. Amen.
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