Judges 11

Bible Passage:  Judges 11

Jephthah’s rule as a judge was a short span of 6 years (Judges 12:7). Within these years, he accomplished the work of the Lord and his story presents historical and spiritual lessons for us.

Jephthah’s name carries the meaning “God will open”, and in fact we do see how this comes into effect when we consider the overall account of his life. Despite being outcast due to his shameful birth, he was called into leadership under circumstances beyond his control. Surely, in the bigger plan of things, we can only say that God worked His will in His choosing of His workers.

To many, the period of the judges is one which is a dark stain in the fabric of Israel’s history. It is necessary thus that we consider Jephthah’s story against the backdrop of Israel’s religious twilight. With that in mind, despite his namesake, we understand that Jephthah was a man of mixed characteristics. While undoubtedly shrewd in his dealings with the Ammonites, he nevertheless displayed a destructive rashness in the way he made an unnecessary vow to God.

A quick checklist for ourselves perhaps? Do we have an Achilles heel that could be cause for our own downfall? Let the lesson of Jephthah serve to aid us in our own spiritual nurture.

Lessons for us?

Jephthah’s youth was spent in lawlessness and boisterous danger. He was like a Robin Hood as he and his band of “worthless men” went about their raids (Judges 11:3). When he was finally called to a position of leadership, it became a moment for him to seek out vengeance on his own accord. Judges 11:7, 9 show us clearly that there was an ulterior motive for Jephthah’s service. Turn that upon ourselves today and it is an honest assessment of our own intents in our service to God. Let not our service be tainted by self-interest or selfish gain.

While Jephthah acknowledges God’s power in the earlier history of Israel’s victories over the Amorite Sihon, this faith does not show in the way that he conducts the other portions of his life. He may have been Israel’s ace diplomatic negotiator, but the Bible will forever remember him as one who allowed his rashness and foolishness to stumble him. Viewing ourselves, are we like Jephthah in any way? Have we been too quick with our words? Too brazen with expressing our opinions? Too hasty with our decisions? Regardless of how well-versed we may be with God’s word, Jephthah’s example teaches us that we still ought to take heed to other aspects of our lives.

This account also teaches us that we must consider how our words can have unnecessary effects or even bring harm upon others. Jephthah’s daughter was an innocent victim of the ricocheting bullet that spewed out of her father’s mouth. It was a painful lesson and one that all the more we should be cautious not to commit. A suitable encouragement is elder James’s treatise on the tongue (cf. James 3:1-7).

In summary, we acknowledge that Jephthath was a judge whom God chose and worked through. Still he was not without fault. Thus, it surely must have been the grace of God that saw him through. Judges will show us more grave characters in the days ahead. Let’s take heed to our own salvation and may God’s grace also see us through our own walks of faith.