1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,220 Speaker 1: Life Audio Hello, thank you for listening to your daily 2 00:00:13,270 --> 00:00:16,570 Speaker 1: Bible verse, the podcast that examines one verse each day 3 00:00:17,030 --> 00:00:19,310 Speaker 1: to learn more about God and His will for us. 4 00:00:20,050 --> 00:00:22,550 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jennifer Slattery, and after a short word 5 00:00:22,650 --> 00:00:25,370 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, followed by a quick word from me, 6 00:00:25,910 --> 00:00:43,209 Speaker 1: we'll dive into today's Bible verse, Judges 11, 29. Today's 7 00:00:43,250 --> 00:00:47,489 Speaker 1: Bible verse is Judges 11.29. Then the Spirit of the 8 00:00:47,530 --> 00:00:51,170 Speaker 1: Lord came on Jephthah, he crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed 9 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against 10 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: the Ammonites. Before we launch into today's discussion, two quick things. 11 00:01:00,180 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: My newest novel, The Cowboy's Surprise, is a heartwarming story 12 00:01:03,620 --> 00:01:08,390 Speaker 1: of second chances and unexpected blessings, and it's available for 13 00:01:08,430 --> 00:01:12,350 Speaker 1: pre-order on Amazon. Second, I also host the Faith Over 14 00:01:12,390 --> 00:01:16,690 Speaker 1: Fear podcast, and I'm inviting listeners to join my volunteer 15 00:01:16,790 --> 00:01:20,620 Speaker 1: content planning team. You'll help me address topics relevant to 16 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: you while bringing greater hope, joy, and peace to others, 17 00:01:24,140 --> 00:01:28,610 Speaker 1: including those who are really struggling. interested, reach out to 18 00:01:28,670 --> 00:01:31,850 Speaker 1: me through my contact page on my website. And now 19 00:01:32,010 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: to discuss today's verse. Let's consider this in relation to 20 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: two verses that follow, which read, And Jephthah made a 21 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: vow to the Lord, If you give the Ammonites into 22 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,940 Speaker 1: my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my 23 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,670 Speaker 1: house to meet me when I return in triumph from 24 00:01:48,690 --> 00:01:52,970 Speaker 1: the Ammonites will be the Lord's, and I will sacrifice 25 00:01:53,070 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: it as a burnt offering. Do you see the disconnect 26 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: between what God did and how Jephthah responded? To phrase 27 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,980 Speaker 1: it more explicitly, he made his vow after the Spirit 28 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: of the Lord, a phrase indicating a supernatural experience of 29 00:02:08,460 --> 00:02:12,690 Speaker 1: God's power and might, had already come upon him. Therefore, 30 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,870 Speaker 1: it seems like he felt the need to barter with 31 00:02:16,090 --> 00:02:21,010 Speaker 1: the Lord, despite the spiritual power he'd already received. And 32 00:02:21,050 --> 00:02:24,169 Speaker 1: while Scripture doesn't tell us why, I suspect this stemmed 33 00:02:24,210 --> 00:02:27,630 Speaker 1: from fear. The task ahead wasn't easy by any means. 34 00:02:28,130 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: And if you caught last Friday's episode discussing the rejection 35 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: Jephthah experienced and the honor and respect he'd receive if 36 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,100 Speaker 1: he successfully conquered Israel's enemies, you understand it wasn't just 37 00:02:40,180 --> 00:02:43,930 Speaker 1: his life that was at stake. He'd also be fighting 38 00:02:43,940 --> 00:02:49,089 Speaker 1: for acceptance, belonging, and inclusion into the social circles from 39 00:02:49,130 --> 00:02:51,829 Speaker 1: which his brothers and the elders of Gilead had previously 40 00:02:52,190 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: expelled him. We humans are a complex bunch who often 41 00:02:56,740 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: react out of our brokenness, our sense of lack, rather 42 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 1: than the transformative grace of Christ. As I reflect on 43 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,220 Speaker 1: the passage surrounding today's verse, I wonder, was that why 44 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,169 Speaker 1: Jephthah felt compelled to make such a rash bargain? Did 45 00:03:13,190 --> 00:03:17,390 Speaker 1: he not see or understand the fingerprints of God in 46 00:03:17,490 --> 00:03:20,970 Speaker 1: his story, evidence that the Lord saw him, called him 47 00:03:21,150 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: to a history-making assignment? and empowered him to succeed? Was 48 00:03:26,780 --> 00:03:31,380 Speaker 1: he even aware of God's heart and ways? Scripture doesn't 49 00:03:31,419 --> 00:03:34,780 Speaker 1: tell us, although his actions suggest he doubted that the 50 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: Lord intended to grant him victory in the battle against 51 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,660 Speaker 1: the Ammonites, and that he felt he needed to entice 52 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,260 Speaker 1: God to fight on his and the people's behalf. Notice, 53 00:03:44,870 --> 00:03:47,650 Speaker 1: this wasn't a question of the Lord's power. Jephthah wasn't 54 00:03:47,770 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: offering to do something he thought might increase God's strength. Rather, 55 00:03:53,540 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: he seemed to be sweetening the deal, so to speak, 56 00:03:56,460 --> 00:04:01,170 Speaker 1: by providing an added incentive. Yet, considering the nation's history, 57 00:04:01,530 --> 00:04:04,810 Speaker 1: the oppression Jephthah and his people had suffered at the 58 00:04:04,850 --> 00:04:07,330 Speaker 1: hands of their enemies, the wounding he probably suffered as 59 00:04:07,370 --> 00:04:11,210 Speaker 1: a kid, and certainly when his siblings drove him away, 60 00:04:11,230 --> 00:04:14,630 Speaker 1: I can understand why it might have felt difficult, maybe 61 00:04:14,690 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: even frightening, to trust God when he was about to 62 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: literally risk his life, not knowing at this point Who 63 00:04:22,740 --> 00:04:27,300 Speaker 1: might stand with him in the battle? Other than the Lord, 64 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: of course. That's an important distinction that, if reflected on, 65 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: might have kept him from making a vow that ended 66 00:04:33,180 --> 00:04:36,700 Speaker 1: up hurting someone he loved, his daughter. You see, God 67 00:04:36,779 --> 00:04:40,460 Speaker 1: did indeed grant Jephthah and his men victory. They defeated 68 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,260 Speaker 1: the Ammonites, who, according to verse 4, had waged war 69 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,380 Speaker 1: against them. And Jephthah, the hero, returned home to the 70 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: jubilant praise of his daughter, his only child. She was 71 00:04:53,180 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: the first one to emerge from his house to greet him. 72 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: This forced him to make an excruciating decision. Break a 73 00:05:02,540 --> 00:05:06,809 Speaker 1: vow made to Almighty God, the one responsible for his 74 00:05:06,910 --> 00:05:09,950 Speaker 1: and the nation's victory and who held the power over 75 00:05:09,990 --> 00:05:13,350 Speaker 1: their safety and every raiding people group they had or 76 00:05:13,390 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: would encounter, or watch his beloved daughter experience the consequences 77 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: for his rash promise. Jephthah reluctantly chose the latter. Before 78 00:05:26,140 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: we go further, it's important to recognize, although human sacrifice 79 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: was practiced by pagan religions at the time, I side 80 00:05:33,820 --> 00:05:36,810 Speaker 1: with the scholars who suggest that's not what occurred here, 81 00:05:36,910 --> 00:05:39,450 Speaker 1: largely because I don't believe the Lord would allow that 82 00:05:39,950 --> 00:05:46,190 Speaker 1: without intervention or consequences, considering he'd outlawed the practice. Therefore, 83 00:05:46,250 --> 00:05:50,370 Speaker 1: my perspective is that Jephthah's daughter was probably dedicated to 84 00:05:50,430 --> 00:05:53,510 Speaker 1: the Lord, and thereby forced to remain a virgin for 85 00:05:53,550 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: the rest of her life. And while that's certainly better 86 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,539 Speaker 1: than a death sentence, this still would have been deeply 87 00:06:00,580 --> 00:06:04,180 Speaker 1: painful for both of them. This meant his daughter would 88 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:09,150 Speaker 1: never get married or have children, two life goals elevated 89 00:06:09,310 --> 00:06:13,510 Speaker 1: in this patriarchal culture where family was valued exponentially more 90 00:06:14,089 --> 00:06:17,710 Speaker 1: than it often is here in the modern West. What 91 00:06:17,870 --> 00:06:22,460 Speaker 1: strikes me as so very sad is the fact that 92 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: none of that needed to happen. If only Jephthah had 93 00:06:26,060 --> 00:06:30,180 Speaker 1: recognized God's hand on his life, his repeatedly demonstrated heart 94 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,500 Speaker 1: for the nation, and the power available to Jephthah through 95 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: the supernatural presence of the Almighty, then perhaps he would 96 00:06:40,690 --> 00:06:44,130 Speaker 1: have known the joy of children's laughter in his home 97 00:06:44,150 --> 00:06:47,990 Speaker 1: and of seeing his baby, now grown, hold her baby 98 00:06:48,350 --> 00:06:51,770 Speaker 1: in her arms. But here's the important principle for us. 99 00:06:52,290 --> 00:06:54,550 Speaker 1: We don't have to barter with God or beg him 100 00:06:54,610 --> 00:06:58,339 Speaker 1: to help us in our challenges or hardship. In discussing 101 00:06:58,380 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 1: a similar behavior, humanity's tendency to think they must pester 102 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: and nag God to get his attention, Jesus said when 103 00:07:05,820 --> 00:07:09,610 Speaker 1: contrasting our relationship with the Father to the frantic desperation 104 00:07:09,670 --> 00:07:13,730 Speaker 1: displayed by pagans, quote, Do not be like them, for 105 00:07:13,770 --> 00:07:19,050 Speaker 1: your Father knows what you need before you ask him, 106 00:07:19,070 --> 00:07:24,940 Speaker 1: end quote. God knows what you need, and he loves 107 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,060 Speaker 1: you enough to meet your needs and tend to your soul. 108 00:07:29,860 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: You don't have to convince him to care for you 109 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: or those you most hold dear. He is already for you. 110 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:41,370 Speaker 1: He is already for them. As Romans 8.32 states, He 111 00:07:41,410 --> 00:07:44,030 Speaker 1: who did not spare his own son, but gave him 112 00:07:44,110 --> 00:07:48,290 Speaker 1: up for us all, how will he not also with 113 00:07:48,350 --> 00:07:52,300 Speaker 1: him graciously serve? give us all things. Maybe meditate on 114 00:07:52,340 --> 00:07:55,170 Speaker 1: that verse. The next time you feel you must barter 115 00:07:55,400 --> 00:08:00,809 Speaker 1: or perform to earn God's grace, his undeserved favor toward 116 00:08:00,850 --> 00:08:08,010 Speaker 1: you is beloved. Let's pray. Holy Father, you are so gracious, 117 00:08:08,150 --> 00:08:13,290 Speaker 1: so faithful and tender towards us. Help us to see 118 00:08:13,390 --> 00:08:16,350 Speaker 1: you as you truly are. Help us to see your 119 00:08:16,510 --> 00:08:19,860 Speaker 1: heart for us. Help us to trust that you are 120 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:25,650 Speaker 1: for us when fears and insecurities and doubts arise. Remind 121 00:08:25,770 --> 00:08:28,670 Speaker 1: us of Jesus's words. You already know what we need 122 00:08:29,350 --> 00:08:34,410 Speaker 1: before we ask. Remind us of the words recorded, preserved 123 00:08:34,550 --> 00:08:39,050 Speaker 1: by you for our good in Romans 8, 32. You 124 00:08:39,250 --> 00:08:45,090 Speaker 1: who willingly gave your son that we might live, that 125 00:08:45,210 --> 00:08:50,420 Speaker 1: we might have unhindered access to you, that we might 126 00:08:50,620 --> 00:08:54,940 Speaker 1: boldly enter your throne room of grace and find mercy 127 00:08:55,710 --> 00:09:00,030 Speaker 1: in our time of need. Help us to trust and 128 00:09:00,110 --> 00:09:04,790 Speaker 1: to remember that you have said, will you not also 129 00:09:04,850 --> 00:09:08,850 Speaker 1: graciously give us all things? Those are your words, and 130 00:09:08,890 --> 00:09:11,530 Speaker 1: we're holding on to them. We're trusting in them. We 131 00:09:11,570 --> 00:09:16,140 Speaker 1: are believing what you said is true. Help us to 132 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:19,750 Speaker 1: live as if that is true. Lord, we love you 133 00:09:20,130 --> 00:09:22,460 Speaker 1: and we praise you. And it's in the name of 134 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:27,490 Speaker 1: your Son, our victorious and ever-present Savior, Jesus Christ, that 135 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:29,050 Speaker 1: we pray. Amen.