Old Testament reading: Judges 11-12
I find Jephthah one of the most interesting character of the Old Testament. Jephthah was the son of Gilead, but was rejected by his family because he was born of a harlot. He was embraced by worthless men and became a bandit. He must have been of some reputation and renown, for he was recalled to duty when his people needed him. Jephthah’s wisdom and his grasp of Israel’s history served him well as he contended with the king of Ammon. The only thing most people know about Jephthah is the rash vow he made which led to the death of his only child, a daughter. Yes, I believe the Bible means exactly what it says about Jephthah carrying out his vow. Jephthah illustrates David’s statement of whom may abide in God’s tabernacle and dwell in His holy hill – “he who swears to his own hurt and does not change (Psa 15:1, 4). Perhaps this is why Jephthah is listed in Hebrews 11 in “Faith’s Hall of Fame.” As an aside, you may have also noticed in Joshua 12 that Ephraim again got their feathers ruffled by being left out of a fight (cf Judg 8:1). Unlike the first time, they did not listen to reason and 42,000 Ephraimite men lost their lives.
New Testament reading: Matthew 5-7
Matthew 5 contains a beautiful text known as The Beatitudes (5:2-10). Among these is “the forgotten beatitude,” the last in the list, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This promise of suffering brings us full circle from the first in verse 2. Only those who are poor in spirit (have a proper view of self) are willing and able to endure the emotional and physical persecution required of those who would live godly in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 3:12). As our society grows increasingly secular and more openly hostile to Christianity, we should remember that the US Constitution does not supersede the Bible. We have grown accustomed to relying on our nation’s legal document to protect us from what God has promised us if we will be faithful to Him. The early church did not consider themselves as above or immune from persecution. Why do we think ourselves better than they? The early church gloried in suffering as manifest evidence of God’s approval (Acts 5:41; 1 Thes 1:6; 2 Thes 1:3-5).
Leave a Reply