During the next few weeks, we will be talking about a day in the life of men and women from the old testament. I know we have the new testament and all the miracles that Jesus did but to me the old testament is the purest form of faith. I hope you enjoy this series with me.

This week we will be studying Judges 11. This is the story of Jephthah.

Who was Jephthah? Jephthah was the son of Gilead and a prostitute. His birth already deemed him unworthy and inferior, but the bible made sure to mention that one fact. In fact, the chapter starts off as Chapter 11 vs 1

“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. Gilead was his father, but he was a prostitute’s son”.

Imagine meeting someone for the first time and they introduce themselves thus: Hi my name is Jephthah I am a warrior. My dad’s name is Gilead and my mom is a prostitute. As I read the stories of people who achieved great feats in the bible, I realize that they all had one form of deformity or the other. Whether it be physical, mental, circumstantial or financial there was always something wrong with them. The stage has been set. The story follows that because of the circumstances, his half-brothers, worried that he would fight them for their inheritance, chased him out of the house. After he left, he attracted a group of men and they went around with him verse 3.

Jephthah has been through a lot in his life, but he still went ahead and made a name for himself. He did not let the past stop him or dwell on the fact that everyone believed him to be a failure. God had plans for him. It did not look like it when he was being ridiculed or sent packing from his home but God the master planner had everything set out. That is why Jerimiah 29:11 says,

“For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”

I do not know for sure what happened between verse 3 when he was sent packing from his home and verse 5 when the elders of Gilead came looking for him to lead them, I can only hazard a guess. When the anointing of the Lord is upon a person, no matter how others try to bring them down that glory will never diminish.

Proverbs 22:29 says,

“Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work? He will stand [in honor] before kings; He will not stand before obscure men”.

That is exactly what happened to him. The elders of Gilead came looking for him specifically. They noticed his way of leadership and wisdom among the people he attracted, the anointing of God in his life and his way of success. They knew that with Jephthah leading them, they could not lose. May we be so exceptional in everything we do that we stand before kings and not obscure people. He goes back with them and becomes their leader. The man who was chased out of his home became the leader of the very country that ostracized him. Amazing how God works!

2Peter 3:9 says

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”.

It took years in the making, but Jephthah’s time had come. The one that was scorned was now asked to lead the whole tribe. Imagine that. Not only did God raise him up, he crowned him both figuratively and literally. He became their king. The rejected one. The rest of the story has Jephthah as the new leader in talks with the Amorite King. The Amorite king says, “you took our land that is why we are waging war against you”. Jephthah replies, “I didn’t take your land, the Lord, the God of Israel who gave us this land and drove the people away”. During verse 24-33 you see Jephthah talking about how God gave them several lands and how no other king challenged them for the land after God had given it to them.

I always thought the story ended up horribly, he won the battle, but he lost his most precious daughter. But I realized something as I was writing this piece. Do not ever give God something that does not cost you. Think about it! He did not lose; instead he gained a spot for himself and his story in the bible. He was not the only person who led a city in Israel, but his deeds gave him a mention in the bible. In the end Jephthah honored his promise to God and sacrificed his daughter because God gave him victory over the Amorites.

How do we live our lives? Do we believe what others say about us and our situation or do we trust that 2Peter 3:9 is true? It’s hard knowing that people use your situation to define you but as children of God, it is our duty to step out of the mold that others have set for us and show them that the God in whose image I am created in has made me so much more. Take some time this week to slowly break out from the pattern that people or yourself have put you in and showcase the God that is in you.