Judges 11
Judges 11 (NKJV)
11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.
32 “So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33 “And he [a]defeated them from Aroer as far
as Minnith—twenty cities—and to [b]Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
Jephthah was a social outcast because he was an illegitimate son of a prostitute. His half- brothers did not want to share their inheritance with him. He fled to the land of Tob, where he gained quite a reputation with a band of men described as worthless, outlaws, desert pirates, depending upon the translation read. Jephthah earned a reputation as a mighty warrior.
In verse 29, we read, "Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah," the Hebrew world ruach meaning the Spirit of God or the LORD. It implies that the Spirit overcomes so powerfully that man becomes especially obedient to God. Jephthah immediately went from being a leader of a band of desert pirates to a judge called by God. In verses 32 and 33, we learn of his military success. If you fast forward to Hebrews chapter 11:32-33, you will see Jephthah listed in the Faith Hall of Fame. Verses 31 and 34-40, shall we say, are perplexing and the subject of much discussion and disagreement by very learned scholars of Judaism and Christianity. The important application is the role of our Helper, the Holy Spirit.
Jephthah was a flawed man, just as we are. He mixed pagan practice with the Law. As believers under the Covenant of the New Testament, we, too, fail just as Jephthah did. It is God's will that we are obedient to Him and follow His Word. As children of the Covenant, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation, anointed Jephthah, and is our Helper.
Prayer: LORD, Your Word contains many stories of social outcasts. Our name is engraved in the palms of your hands. We are not here by accident. We are made in Your image, no matter what the world may say. You love us unconditionally and extend mercy and grace to us. You sent your one and only Son, whose birth we celebrate during this season to redeem us. You have a purpose for our life. Help us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guiding of our one and only earthly life. In Jesus name, Amen.