March 21

Enter another unlikely Judge/leader of Israel. Jephthan, the son of a prostitute who has been banished by his 'legitamate' brothers. He hangs around in the hill country of Ephraim (in modern days that is the Golan Heights, north of the Sea of Galilee) with a bunch of Indiana Jones wanna be's. They get their opportunity when Jephthan's (let's just call him Jeff) brothers want him to save them, because they were in great distess.

Again, we find the reason that they are in great distress is that they have served other gods, just like they were told not to. This is going to be a cycle repeated more times than one can count. They weren't too picky....they served them all. The gods of Moab to the extreme south by the Dea Sea to the gods of the Phillistines in the strip of land along the Mediterranian. Not too fussy, let's try a little of everything. When they cry out to God to and He reminds them of all the times they forsook Him and says He will no longer save them. But when they go beyond just being sorry and actually give up all their gods, He could bear their misery no longer. Judges 10:16

I found it interesting that though Jeff was a banished outcast, he knew Israel's history of coming out of Egypt backward and forward. He made one critical mistake though, making a vow to the Lord. It cannot be broken. And tragically he swears to the Lord that if He givens them victory that the first thing that comes to his door, he will sacrifice. There are quite a few things wrong with this. He does say 'whatever' not 'whoever' comes to his door he will sacrifice, but what would a goat or bull (which are appropriate sacrifices) be doing IN his house and coming to his door? There is no record that God holds him to his promise, but everyone is keenly aware, even the daughter, that a vow to God cannot be broken.