7 Life Lessons To Learn From Jephthah The Prostitute’s Son

7 Life Lessons To Learn From Jephthah The Prostitute’s Son

Judges 11: 1- 40 Scripture shares with us life lessons that apply to us and our lives in the world today.

Jephthah was a great warrior. He was the son of Gilead ‘ but ‘ his mother was a prostitute.

He was also an illegitimate son of Gilead.

Gilead’s wife bore him several legitimate sons, and when these half-brothers grew up, they chased Jephthah off the land.

” You will not get any of our father’s inheritance,”  they said, for you are the son of a prostitute.

He fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob.

Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.

At about this time, the Ammonites began their war against Israel. When the Ammonites attacked Israel, the elders of Gilead sent for Jephthah in the land of Tob.

The elders said, ” Come and be our commander! Help us fight the Ammonites !”

But Jephthah said to them Aren’t you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now when you’re in trouble ?”

“Because we need you, ” the elders replied. ” If you lead us in the battle against the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead.”

Lessons:

1)  People may not respect where you come from, or the circumstances surrounding your birth, but they will respect you for the value you have to offer in their hour of need.

2) When you have what people need, they will look for you, irrespective of where you are, and whom you work with it to give them their desired results.

“Because we need you, ” the elders replied.

3) You need detailed and accurate information ( knowledge )to overcome your enemy on the battlefield. ” Relevant Knowledge is power.

A lot of people have knowledge  (information), but the knowledge they have is obsolete and of no relevance.

In all you do, make sure you acquire accurate and relevant knowledge.

If Jephthah did not have accurate and relevant information on how the  Israelites came to own all the lands that the King of Ammon, accused them of stealing from him when they came out of Egypt, he won’t have had the boldness and right standing to meet the king of Ammon on the battlefield and win.

4) Don’t be quick to make vows before the LORD.

Jephthah made a vow to the LORD. He said, ” If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the LORD whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice as a burnt offering.

When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his One and Only Child; he had no other sons or daughters.

When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. “Oh, my daughter !” he cried out. ” You have completely destroyed me!  You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.”

“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5: 2

5 ) Rejection is part of life. When you are rejected even by your blood, it’s not the end of the world.

Jesus was rejected. The Bible says… He came to His people, and even they rejected Him (John 1:11 NLT). It took Him dying on the cross to be recognized as the Son of God (Matthew 27:54).

Just focus on adding value to yourself.

The value you acquire will make you a sort after.

Beloved, the same people that rejected Jephthah came searching for him when they desperately needed his help.

6) Never see anyone or a thing as being worthless.

What you tag worthless, maybe what you need to do exploits in life.

The band of worthless rebels following Jephthah in the eyes of society were the army with whom he fought and won the King of Ammon and gain victory for Israel.

Never look down on anyone or thing.

7) The value you provide and the problems you solve elevate you to positions you would never have attained, by the circumstances surrounding your birth.

Jephthah the rejected son of a prostitute, who was chased out and denied his inheritance in his father’s house by his half-brothers became a ruler and judged Israel for six years until he died because he had value to offer, and solved the problems of his people when the King of Ammon came to war against Israel.

Beloved every problem you solve has the seed for your elevation, and financial upliftment, embedded in it.

Stop complaining and start solving problems.

Stop being bitter that you were rejected, acquire knowledge and add value to yourself. The same people who rejected you someday will come calling.

Meditate deeply, on the 7 Life Lessons To Learn From Jephthah The Prostitute’s Son.

Have A Valued Filled Week!

God Bless You.