The story of Jephthah and the sacrifice of his daughter in Judges 12 is alarming. The punishment of this choice of his has been theorized by rabbis over the years. You can read more about those theories here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jephthah#Sacrifice_of_daughter
Although these theories are not blatantly stated in the Word of God, what is described is a lifetime of unrest for this wicked man. He was rejected by his family for being the son of a prostitute. Being rejected by the nations of Israel is ample grounds for being a deliver, since the greatest in the Kingdom is the least on earth, but being born of prostitution is a clear indicator of evil. The Bible even tells us that he traveled with “lawless men” when he was asked to lead the nation. What does the word “lawlessness” mean in the Bible? Well, the answer is very simple. It is one without the law. What is the law? It’s the Law of Moses. In other words, the Commandments of God, or the Torah. Essentially, Japhtheh and His group of travelers were a group of men living in disregard to “the Law.” Additionally, when the Spirit of the LORD was with him, he continued in lawlessness rather than repentance. If he was walking in the law, he would have never sacrificed his daughter.
From the point of murdering his daughter, Ephraim comes to attack them and they had yet another battle to fight. Then, his men stationed at the fords, increasing the violence in Israel. Over 42,000 of Israeli blood lays on his hands. Israel did not have peace under his leadership as they did with other, more lawful, judges.
All of this came after the Israelites abandoned HaShem and chose to worship other gods instead of Him. As a result, He let them be sold into slavery to the Ammonites. Under harsh oppression, He told them to cry out to the gods they chose over Him. He did not want to deliver them again. However, in the midst of their repentance, His mercy prevailed and He raised up a ruler to deliver Israel from the Ammonites, but chose the son of a prostitute for the job. This was no coincidence. Israel prostituted themselves against the LORD, so He appointed the product of prostitution as their leader. The very son they rejected since he was the product of prostitution represents their own crisis since it is also the product of their prostitution against God.
Under the identity of prostitution, Jephthah made his knowledge of Torah known to the Ammonite King regardless of his history traveling with lawless men. He knew the history of Israel very well, which makes us believe that he must’ve been raised traditionally Jewish, memorizing Scripture from the age of 5. This means that he must’ve known the Law well, too. However, regardless of the amount of knowledge he had on Torah, his heart remained far from it, still in the sin of prostitution. Regardless, by the mercy of the LORD, Israel was delivered.
If Japhtheh’s heart was with Torah, then he would know that human life is not what the LORD wants. Take the story of Abraham and Isaac, for example. Japhtheh seems too proud to fully rest in the LORD’s will, hasty in his vow of choice, and blood-thirsty to have shed so much blood in only 6 years. A prostituting nation led by the son of prostitution. The virgin daughter, a symbol of a pure bride awaiting a groom, slaughtered.
This is the same fate that we have as consequence of our own prostituting hearts.
The pure and innocence of us dies.
After 2 months, she dies. Then 2 tribes of Israel both show themselves to be corrupt. One’s heart is far from the LORD and is a tribe of prostitution, and the other is attacking them for not inviting them to share in their “victory.” One tribe is dead spiritually, while the other ends up dead physically.
Such is the fate for us if we do not repent and towards the Kingdom of God now.
We will not receive peace any other way. A remnant is preparing for the Kingdom now, but the prostitution of our generation as a whole will only lead to unrest and the bloodshed of many. Purity and innocence is lost in the midst of our prostituting hearts. The message of salvation is this: repent.
The LORD made it very clear their implications for ignoring this command.
What will your reaction be?
Will we heed His message and turn to His Word, or continue in our prostitution, putting our hearts and trust in other places that we see here on earth rather than in the unseen of the Kingdom of God?
“Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” is Jesus’ main message in the Gospels. The ushering of the Kingdom can be experienced today by submitting to its governing powers now. What are they? The power is King Jesus’ and His governing statutes are the Torah.
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:18-20
Put yourself fully under the authority of King Yeshua now and experience the True deliverance and peace of His Kingdom with purity of heart. With one heart and one mind, we await the physical manifestation of His Kingdom as well!
