December 3: Jephthah
Judges 11:1-12:7
The Old Testament book of Judges includes a few familiar characters: Deborah and Gideon and Samson. There are far more unfamiliar characters. Jephthah was a judge who is somewhere between familiar and forgotten.
His story is a stunner. He was a mighty warrior and effective leader who delivered God’s people. And he made a rash vow that cost him his daughter. If we read his story and “play a movie in our mind” of what happened, our jaws drop. He did what?
Jephthah was a flawed man, an imperfect leader. But God used him to lead and deliver, and he was famous for his leadership and faith. When the prophet Samuel recounted a short list of leaders whom God sent to save his people, Jephthah made the list. The New Testament book of Hebrews includes Jephthah in chapter 11 and what we might call the “Hall of Fame for Faith”. It seems we do well to remember Jephthah and to learn something from his life.
God uses flawed people. And we are all flawed. We need his grace in our lives and the power his Holy Spirit provides and then we walk by faith – and Hebrews 11 reminds us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
We are flawed. We can be faithful. We may be surprised at what God chooses to do with us and through us, for his glory and for our good.
Pastor Cory Dahl
First Baptist – Sturgeon Bay
The Old Testament book of Judges includes a few familiar characters: Deborah and Gideon and Samson. There are far more unfamiliar characters. Jephthah was a judge who is somewhere between familiar and forgotten.
His story is a stunner. He was a mighty warrior and effective leader who delivered God’s people. And he made a rash vow that cost him his daughter. If we read his story and “play a movie in our mind” of what happened, our jaws drop. He did what?
Jephthah was a flawed man, an imperfect leader. But God used him to lead and deliver, and he was famous for his leadership and faith. When the prophet Samuel recounted a short list of leaders whom God sent to save his people, Jephthah made the list. The New Testament book of Hebrews includes Jephthah in chapter 11 and what we might call the “Hall of Fame for Faith”. It seems we do well to remember Jephthah and to learn something from his life.
God uses flawed people. And we are all flawed. We need his grace in our lives and the power his Holy Spirit provides and then we walk by faith – and Hebrews 11 reminds us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
We are flawed. We can be faithful. We may be surprised at what God chooses to do with us and through us, for his glory and for our good.
Pastor Cory Dahl
First Baptist – Sturgeon Bay
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