Can You Say Sibboleth?: The Contentious Proud are Defeated.

Introduction

Tonight we talk about another disturbing account on some envious brethren from the Tribe of Eprhaim.

For to envy because it goes well with another and goes badly with yourself, is misery. Those who envy, pine in poverty; they who are envied, abound in wealth.

Titus Maccius Plautus

Envy, like flame, soars upwards.

Livy

Love him, and then thou wilt not envy him.

Charles Spurgeon

We find that the men of the Tribe of Ephraim were anything but kind to their fellow brethren and their instigation of violence ended up their ruin. Psalm 7:16 “16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”

Judges 12:1–7 KJV 1900

1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

D. The envious are beaten.

P. We as Christians must beware of envy, for envy will cause you to self destruct. Proverbs 14:30 “30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones.”

T. We will trace tonight the manifestation of envy and its devastating fruit.

1. A Prideful Confrontation to assert authority.

Judges 12:1 “1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.”

Explain

The Men of Ephraim wanted to be chief and shares of the spoils.

Jephthah had conquered 20 cities that the Ammonites had exercised control over.

Jephthah’s and the Gileadites victories had created jealousy and envy in the Ephraimites, the younger brother of Manasseh.

Proverbs 27:4 “4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; But who is able to stand before envy?”

Jephthah faces the confrontation and threat of death from the Ephraimites. Matthew Henry in his commentary notes several characteristics of their anger.

Causeless and unjust

Upon seeing birth order controversies. I am not surprised at who was the one committing the acts of jealousy: the second born.

Second born must watch out for being needlessly jealous of an older siblings successes out of jealousy and envy of what they possess.

Cruel and outrageous.

Jephthah was a hurting man after the giving of his daughter to God.

They should have come to comfort Him instead they come to burn his house upon him.

Argue

They had been blessed to be the greater tribe by Grandfather Jacob.

They therefore thought they had the right to take the chief spot of which they did nothing to obtain

They are true to their form as in Judges 8:1 they committed the same sin in the day’s of Gideon. Judges 8:1 “1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.”

Illustrate:

My second born sister has told me that it didn’t matter what her older sister had as a child she was always jealous and wanted it. I have noticed the same pattern with my 2nd born. She always wants to assert herself which has caused my wife to humorously call her boss-mom as she tries to order people around.

We as Christians must take a step of maturity. Yes, we may have feelings of jealousy and envy, but we must recognize it for sin that it is and forsake it.

Apply

For, in the New Testament sharp warning and reproof is given to those who have envy in their hearts.

Romans 13:13 “13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

These Ephraimites should have congratulated Jephthah on his defeat of the Ammonites and helping the overall safety of Israel.

Instead, they threaten to burn his house on Him.

Envy seeks to destroy another person and their successes.

One Pastor explained it this way. I could be jealous of a persons big house, but envy goes further: it would love to see the house burn down with them in it.

The opposite of envy would be being zealous to congratulate the good they have done. 2 Corinthians 9:1–2 “1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.”

Much like the world should congratulate Israel for its successful warfare against taking out terrorist organizations in the Middle East.

1 Corinthians 3:3 “3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

Galatians 5:26 “26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Just as the Ephraimites were envious of the Gileadites success, may we not be envious of the successes of fellow Churches and brothers and sisters successes in the family of God.

James 3:14–16 “14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

In a culture the glorifies bitter infightings between sports rivals, we need to be a people who rise above the strife and confusion to strive for the advancement of the Gospel at large not our own individual prestige.

T. For secondly, notice the prudence of Jephthah as he answers their cruel accusations.

2. A Pertinent Comment to assess accusation.

Judges 12:2–3 “2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?”

Explain

I love Jephthah. He is cool as a cucumber. As he did with the Ammonites he honestly recounts the details. He didn’t respond in uncontrolled anger.

He explains the situation: The Gileadites and I were at strife with the children of Ammon. Remember how long they oppressed Israel? 18 years.

The Ephraimites who boasted themselves to be chief didn’t come when called to help. It seems they were self-conceited in thinking they were somebody just because granddad had blessed them with a greater blessing.

Because of Ephraim’s unwillingness to help Jephthah and the Gileadites went alone and hazarded their lives to rid themselves of the threat.

Jephthah does not brag that he was the deliver. He credits God with his success.

Often when we get in a confrontation like this the temptation is to make ourselves look better than we really are.

Jephthah remembers his blessing of victory is God’s answer to his prayers. May we never take the glory from God. 1 Corinthians 1:31 “31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

Argue

Wasn’t he valiant. The Bible says he was. Yes, but we do well to remember the battle is the Lord’s.

Didn’t they win the battle. Wouldn’t be appropriate to say I won? No. He says God gave.

Illustrate

Apply

When enviously confronted and threatened how would you relply?

Would you stretch the truth?

Would you take credit for glory that belongs to God?

When we have victories may we remember that our triumphs are because of Christ.

John 15:5 “5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

2 Corinthians 2:14 “14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

3. A Powerful Counterplay annihilates adversaries’ aim.

Judges 12:4 “4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.”

Explain

Jephthah’s reasoning doesn’t change the envious heart of the Ephraimites.

Angry people don’t listen to logic. As the Ammonites were, so are the Ephraimites.

Proverbs 15:1 “1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: But grievous words stir up anger.”

Jephthah as the head of the Gileadites gather’s them together to meet the army of the Ephraimites.

The Ephraimites belittle the Gileadites.

You are fugitives among the Ephraimites and the Manassites.

This was not true. They had just delivered Israel from a threat.

The same Hebrew word for refugees is used of the Ephraimites in the next verse. This time it is translated escaped.

They became the fugitives.

Psalm 7:16 “16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”

The tongue wrought the contentions to a bright blaze.

James 3:5–6 “5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

It was the insulting, brazen lies of the Ephraimites that brought the battle to a fruition.

Argue

Why did they fight their brethren?

They were Jephthah’s house and him in it!

Illustrate

Church people sometimes destroy each other through bickering and unkindness towards each other.

Beware dislike of other church members in your heart. Confess for what it is, sin. And ask God to help you love him or her as yourself.

Apply

Galatians 5:14–16 “14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Be people who are walking in obedience to the truth of the Gospel.

4. A Pronunciation Confession aids annihilation.

Judges 12:5–6 “5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.”

Explain

Not only did the Gileadites route them in the field of battle they rushed to the fords to take control of them.

This was probably wise because these angry Ephraimites would have probably stirred up more strife.

Proverbs warns:

Proverbs 29:22 “22 An angry man stirreth up strife, And a furious man aboundeth in transgression.”

Matthew Henry notes.

Cruelty in this or perhaps Jephthah thought it just because of their intent to harm.

Cunning - the dialects of the Ephraimites were different like the north and south in our country.

Test: Shiboleth.

Failure: sibboleth = death.

Cut off from home

Tribal denial.

Fugitives.

Those men who just early proudly proclaimed themselves Ephraimites were now denying their identity.

But their speech gave them away as they couldn’t pronounce the word.

Apply

Don’t be to proud of a particular camp that you bad mouth unjustly another.

Love as brethren. Be courterous

1 Peter 3:8–9 “8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”

5. A Passing Captain’s account abides.

Judges 12:7 “7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.”

Explain

Jephthah lives another six years judging Israel.

His Father is not known. He was the son of some unknown Gileadite man who sinned with a harlot.

His final resting place is also unknown. But his name lives on.

Commentators tend to think these six years of life were very difficult without a lasting seed to carry on his name because his daughters fate to die a virgin.

Yet his life and name are recorded for us in Judges 11 and 12 as well as his name mentioned in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:32–34 “32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

Argue

The Ephraimites account also abides, yet they are noted for being a tribe that lead the nation into rebellion against God and headed the idolatrous worship in the Northern Kingdom of Israel for over 200 years between 931BC - 721BC.

Illustrate: Proverbs 20:11 “11 Even a child is known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”

Apply

How will you be known?

It doesn’t matter your parentage.

It does not matter where you will be buried.

It does matter your faith. Jephthah was a ban that exercised faith and obeyed when called upon to help deliver his people from oppression.

Will your family know you as a Christian who was valiant for the truth?

1 Corinthians 15:58 “58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

We must understand that to serve in some unnoticed, unrecognized place in the body of Christ is as much the work of Christ as is public ministry.

R. Kent Hughes

While in this life we may experience grief and sacrifice, let us never forget that our Savior was well acquainted with grief and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.

2 Timothy 2:12 “12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”

Conclusion