Hope for marginalized People

 Read Judges 10:6-12. 

The sixth cycle of the book began as the next generation of people turned from the LORD to serve all the false gods of the cultures around them.  As a result, the LORD "sold them" to the Philistines and Ammonites for eighteen years.  In their distress, Israel cried out to God for help, confessing their sin.  God gave them a bit of a history lesson of His faithfulness and what He had done for them in the past.  He even mocked them by saying, "Why don't you go ask those other gods to help you?"  The people responded by getting rid of the vain things they had worshipped. 

Notice that the LORD did not immediately overthrow their enemies.  Instead, the Ammonites decided to fight against Gilead.  The people needed a man to lead them in battle.  Now we meet Jephthah. 

Jephthah was evidently from a prominent family.  The city was named after his father, Gilead.  But his mother was a prostitute and so the rest of the family rejected him.  Even the leaders of the city hated him (v.7).  As an outcast, he left town.  Jephthah was also a leader.  Other marginalized and outcast men followed him.  However, the most important note about him was that he had a personal relationship with the LORD (v.11). 

The reason the Ammonites gave for the invasion was that Israel had taken their land.  Jephthah knew the history and retold it to them.  Their forefathers had mistreated the nation of Israel and God gave them the land.  As a steward, Jephthah proclaimed, "All that the LORD our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess." (11:24)  He fully depended on the LORD as he entered into battle (11:27).  That truly was all he needed to win.  But in the emotion of the moment, Jephthah made a foolish vow.  With his daughter being an only child, this meant he would have no descendants.  If that heartbreak was not enough, the tribe of Ephraim angrily expressed their offense that they were not included in the fight against the Ammonites.  So, a small civil war broke out. 

Jephthah served as Israel's judge for six years.  Three minor judges followed him.  Ibzan led the nation for seven years; Elon for ten, and Abdon for eight.  So, Israel experienced a total of thirty-one years of peace. 

Personal insights for us all:

1. It does not matter where you came from.  What matters is where you are going.  My friend Dr. Crawford Loritts often says, "Don't let your past define you." 

2. We are responsible for our own reputation.  Our character and conduct, good or bad, is no one else's fault or responsibility. 

3. Our future is determined by our personal relationship with the Living God and our stewardship of all that He has given to us. 

4. If we are faithful, there will come a time when we will be needed for an opportunity God had planned for us all along. 

5. We must guard our hearts and minds when we are at an emotional extreme, high or low.  That is when most people make their worst decisions. 

6. Whenever a person serves God's purpose faithfully, there will always be those who are offended.  Our goal is not to strive for the impossible task of pleasing everyone.  There is One is heaven we absolutely must please.  "And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." (1 John 3:22)