Daily Reading: Judges 10-11
Scripture Focus: And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (Judges 11.30-31)
Devotional Thought: I know people who say, "I don't like all this stuff about doctrine." Some even neglect doctrine in the choice of their church. That is a mistake. Doctrine is important! Judges 11, contains the tragic story of Jephthah, a judge in Israel who had bad doctrine. He didn't understand God and made his own theology.
Not understanding the covenant nature of God, Jephthah made a rash vow, saying that if God would give him the victory, then he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of the door of his house. Tragically, his daughter was the first thing he saw. We are not certain if Jephthah actually sacrificed his daughter (the text is unclear), but at a minimum, he did prevent her from leading a normal life. In those days, daughters were considered the property of their fathers until they were married, and Jephthah was within his rights to prohibit marriage, though not to make a human sacrifice of her.
Jephthah's daughter lost her future because of her father's bad theology and stubborn pride. He thought he had to bargain with God, but God was ready to help him even before he called out to him. His pride prevented him from repenting, confessing his sin and seeking release from his vow. But, his daughter paid the price.
It is true that God used Jephthah to win deliverance for his people Israel. God uses imperfect vessels. How much better it would have been for his family, however, if he had cared about doctrine!
Prayer: Lord, help me to "watch my life and doctrine closely", so that I live and believe in a way that is pleasing to you and helpful to those around me. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: Psalm 55.9-15
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; 11 ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. 15 Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
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