They Walked with God: Jephthah

Text: Judges 11:1-12:7

Theme: Jephthah had much to overcome in his life. He came from a dysfunctional family from which he was evicted; yet through his natural leadership skills he became a sought-after warrior. His choices sometimes reflected wisdom, sometimes foolishness. However, even when it meant great personal agony, he remained a man who valued truth and integrity over compromise.

Date: 08/20/17 File name: TheyWalkedWithGodJephthah.wpd ID Number:

As we read through the 11th chapter of the Book of Hebrews, we encounter some of the great men and women of Hebrew history. People of great faith who serve as spiritual examples for the Body of Christ. When we get to 11:32 the author is beginning to sum things up ... “And what more shall I say?” He simply doesn’t have time to tell us about “Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, about David and Samuel, and the prophets ... “ Most church-going Baptists look at that list and say to themselves, “OK. David and Samuel I know. Gideon and Samson I know. Barak? I recognize the name, but I can’t quite place him in Old Testament history. Jephthah? OK — I’m clueless. Who’s Jephthah and what did he do?” You’re gonna be so glad you came this morning!

The story of Jephthah is one of the more interesting — and troubling — stories in all of the Bible. His appearance in Hebrews 11 presents an interesting conundrum for the Bible student. Why did the author of Hebrews highlight Jephthah as an example of faith to be emulated when he seems to have offered his daughter as a human sacrifice to God in order to keep a vow? In short, what did the author see in Jephthah’s story that merited his inclusion in the all-star list of faith heroes found in Hebrews 11?

His story is found in Judges 11-12. In short, Israel had been unfaithful yet again and, thus, had fallen under the abusive dominion of the Philistines and Ammonites for 18 arduous years (10:6-9). During an Ammonite attack, the people of Israel decide to repent to regain God’s blessing. God seems to question how genuine the repentance is, but the people make significant reforms and we’re told that God “could bear Israel’s misery no longer” — God is going to act. Battle lines are formed, and war appears about to erupt (vss. 10-18). “The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all those living in Gilead.”” (Judges 10:18, NIV84). It is in this setting that Jephthah appears in the story.

Japhthah had much to overcome in his life. He came from a dysfunctional family from which he was evicted; yet through his natural leadership skills he became a sought-after warrior. His choices sometimes reflected wisdom, sometimes foolishness. However, even when it meant great personal agony, he remained a man who valued truth, integrity, and faith over compromise.

I. SCENE #1: JEPHTHAH THE DISOWNED

“Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. 2 Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a group of adventurers gathered around him and followed him.” (Judges 11:1–3, NIV84)

1. we are introduced to Jephthah as a mighty warrior (the KJV translates the Hebrew as “a mighty man of valor”) — in biblical terms, a high accolade

a. but he is a mighty warrior with a checked past

1) his father’s name is Gilead who has a sexual encounter with an ordinary prostitute

2) the Hebrew language had two words for prostitute —

a) one referred to a sacred sex worker who was part of pagan worship practices of Israel’s neighbors, and whom God had forbidden His people’s participation in (to be a Temple Prostitute was considered a respectable vocation by the pagans)

b) the other term referred to an ordinary prostitute or a loose woman

3) this is the kind of woman the text is referring to

b. Gilead visits a prostitute who becomes pregnant with his child

1) he feels a sense of responsibility, and brings his illegitimate son home ... I’m sure much to the consternation of his wife

c. over time Gilead’s wife bears him children that includes several sons

2. Jephthah’s family experience must have been bitter

ILLUS. Recall, if you will, the animosity that developed between Sarah and Hagar after the birth of Ishmael. The tension in Abraham’s home was unpleasant to say the least.

a. though he’s the oldest of Gilead’s children, when Gilead’s legitimate sons are old enough, and big enough to do so, they drive Jephthah out of the home

3. Jephthah flees to the land of Tob (or Tov)

a. this is an area south east of the Sea of Galilee

b. It is where, in time, he becomes a natural leader

II. SCENE #2: JEPHTHAH THE DESPERADO

“Some time later, when the Ammonites made war on Israel, 5 the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.” 7 Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?” 8 The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be our head over all who live in Gilead.” 9 Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me—will I really be your head?” 10 The elders of Gilead replied, “The LORD is our witness; we will certainly do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated all his words before the LORD in Mizpah.” (Judges 11:4–11, NIV84)

1. in Judges 11:3 we read that Jephthah had surrounded himself with a group of men

a. the 1984 NIV calls them “adventurers”

b. the KJV refers to them as “vain men”

c. the ESV, NASB, both translate the noun as “worthless fellows”

d. it is the 2011 edition of the NIV that probably gives us the best idea when it refers to these men as “a gang of scoundrels”

1) these are outlaws, and raiders, and Jephthah is their leader

2. it is here that he learns skills of leadership, audacity, negotiation, and fighting skills

3. when the incursions of the Ammonites become more pressing, the elders of Gilead begin to look around for somebody to lead the troops

“ ... the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah. 18 The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all those living in Gilead.”” (Judges 10:17–18, NIV84)

a. who do you turn to when the enemy is in camped just over the hill, and you need somebody with “certain skills” to do a tough job?

ILLUS. One of my favorite movies is the 1967 American war movie “The Dirty Dozen.” It’s the story of a rebellious U.S. Army officer; Major Reisman — played by Lee Marvin — who has a history of getting the tough jobs done. He is assigned a crucial mission that must be accomplished to prepare the way for the D-Day Invasion. They don’t choose Colonel Breed with his highly-trained, crack airborne troops. They choose the outcast, the rebel. In other words they choose a Jephthah. Major Reisman handpicks U.S. soldiers who are imprisoned for various crimes. He chooses some of the worst-of-th-worst of the Army's convicts, and turns them into a highly efficient commando unit to be sent on a virtual suicide mission. If you’ve ever seen the movie, you know they are indeed “a gang of scoundrels.”

b. when the elders of Gilead need somebody to do the hard job they turn to Jephthah who more than likely brings his “Dirty Dozen” with him

4. in the negotiations that follow we see something of Jephthah’s bitterness over his treatment so long ago

a. we also see something of his personal ambitions

b. the elders of Gilead actually make the journey to the Land of Tob were Jephthah resides

1) they ask him to come and “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites” (vs. 6)

a) Jephthah’s answer is “Why should I help you?”

“Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?” 8 The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be our head over all who live in Gilead.”” (Judges 11:7–8, NIV84)

c. some of these men are obviously his step-brothers

2) the elders of Gilead — I’m sure after a quick huddle — then up the ante

“The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be our head over all who live in Gilead.”” (Judges 11:8, NIV84)

a) when they say they will make him “head over all who live in Gilead” they are telling Jephthah that they will restore him to a prominent social position among his people

b) in their “nevertheless” statement there is something of a recognition of their mistreatment of Jephthah so many years before

d. in vs. 9 we see that Jephthah is a little dubious about their promise, but the elders of Gilead called down God as their witness, and Jephthah goes with them

5. not only do they keep their promise to make him “head over all who live in Gilead”, but they also make him commander of the Army

III. SCENE #3: JEPHTHAH THE DIPLOMAT

Judges 11:12-28

1. it is here that Jephthah surprises us

a. instead of organizing his troops and launching an immediate attack against the Ammonites, he first attempts diplomacy to avert armed conflict

1) he is the only Judge of Israel who ever attempts using diplomacy with Israel’s enemies

2. here is a synopsis of the negotiations …

Jephthah sends messengers to the Ammonite king, asking him why he was attacking them. The king replied that Israel was occupying his land and demanded that it be returned to him. Vacate or else.

Jephthah sent his messengers back to Ammon to explain that when the Israelites came out of Egypt they had not taken any land from Moab or Ammon. They had not even entered the territory of Moab. Instead, they had fought against Sihon, king of the Amorites, defeated him, and had taken possession of his territory.

Furthermore, for 300 years, the Israelites had inhabited the land and not once during that entire time had the Ammonites tried to recover it. Therefore, Jephthah could not see any justification for Ammon’s demands.

ILLUS. Remember there is no Facebook Messenger, Twitter, or texting. This all takes a while.

a. in the end Jephthah tells the Ammonite king essentially check your history, check your chronology, and check your geography because you’re wrong on all counts

“I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the LORD, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”” (Judges 11:27, NIV84)

b. unfortunately the negotiations break down, and the king of Ammon rejects the arguments and continues his aggression

3. seeing that the crisis could not be solved by peaceful means, Jephthah marched with his army toward the Ammonites

IV. SCENE #4: JEPHTHAH THE DEFENDER

“Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” 32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.” (Judges 11:29–33, NIV84)

1. armed conflict cannot be avoided, the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah

a. before he heads into battle, however, Jephthah makes a vow (vs. 30-31) that, if you know the story, comes back to haunt him

b. we will come back to that part of the story in a moment

2. during the ensuing battle, the Ammonites are routed, Israel subdues Ammon, and devastates the heart of the Ammonite kingdom by destroying 20 towns and cities

ILLUS. In 1683, John III, king of Poland defeated the invading Turks and saved Europe from Muslim conquest. His rescue of Vienna was one of the decisive battles of European history. In announcing his victory the king paraphrased the famous words of Caesar by saying, “I Came: I Saw: God Conquered.”

a. this was Jephthah’s attitude

b. it is the Lord who enabled him, it is the Lord who gave the victory, and it is God alone who is to be praised

3. we then arrive at the end of the story — “Jephthah led Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in a town in Gilead.” (Judges 12:7, NIV84)

a. Jephthah ruled only six years before he died — the shortest of all the Judges

V. SCENE #5: JEPHTHAH THE DADDY

1. it is here that the story of Jephthah takes a strange — maybe even tragic — turn

“And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, ... ” (Judges 11:30, NIV84)

“When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break.” 36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.” 38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite custom 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.” (Judges 11:34–40, NIV84)

2. when it comes to the story of Jephthah, this is the part of the story that virtually everyone struggles with

a. Jephthah was now accepted by his countrymen, successful by any criterion, flush from victory, and ready to return to a life of respect and responsibility as the “head” over God’s people

b. however, as he returns to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter

1) the text makes it clear that she was his only child

3. for things are clear about Jephthah’s only child

a. 1st, she had a deep sense of respect for her father and his integrity

b. 2nd, she had a sense of responsibility

c. 3rd, she shared her father’s deep reverence for the Lord

d. 4th, she loved her father

1) Jephthah’s daughter seems willing to sacrifice herself based on two premises

a) you promised the Lord, and

b) the Lord granted victory — you don’t have any choice but to keep your vow

““My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.” (Judges 11:36, NIV84)

4. Jephthah‘s daughter makes only one request… “But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”” (Judges 11:37, NIV84)

a. from that event a tradition developed where young girls would commemorate the sacrifice of Jephthah’s daughter by camping out in the wilderness four days

5. Jephthah’s unbreakable vow has been the cause of much speculation, and is the top candidate for the most controversial interpretive problem in the Book of Judges

a. Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, but does that mean he killed his daughter or that he sacrificed her future by giving her over to Tabernacle service?

b. when he sacrificed his daughter might it mean that he simply separated her unto the Lord as a “living sacrifice” much as Hannah did when she gave her son Samuel to the Lord to be raised by the High Priest Eli

6. strong arguments go both ways, but the bottom line is that we do not know

a. I believe the latter interpretation is correct rather than the former, not so much because of what Christian theologians have written, but because of what Jewish theologians have written

b. one of the principal reasons for believing that Jephthah allowed his daughter to live is found in an interpretation of vs. 31 that virtually all Jewish scholars agree on

“whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”” (Judges 11:31, NIV84)

1) the conjunction and that connects the two parts of the verse is the Hebrew word vav and can also be translated as or, and makes the verse read quite differently

“whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, or I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.””

2) in this translation of the verse Jephthah has the option of 1) sanctifying whatever comes out of his house to the Lord or 2) sacrificing whatever comes out of his house to the Lord

3) Jewish scholars take it that Jephthah dedicated her to the Lord, that she went to work at the Tabernacle, and that she remained a virgin all of her life

VI. LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF JEPHTHAH

A. Our heros — even our Christian heros — are not perfect

1. Jephthah is listed among the heroes of the faith in Hebrews, chapter 11, yet when we examine his life we see a humble beginning and some serious flaws

a. here is this man with three hurdles to surmount before he can become a leader for his country

1) he is the son of a harlot;

2) he has been exiled by his brethren, and rejected by his kinsmen

3) he is the leader of a band of brigands

2. Jephthah is not a very likely man to be used; but, you see, God uses men like this

a. God moves in mysterious ways, and He chooses men that are often deeply flawed

b. certainly some better candidates must have been available

3. in the world’s eyes, leaders are people who have an Ivy League or Oxbridge pedigree, strong family background, sterling character, and no police record!

a. boy does this have relevance right now!

ILLUS. All across the United States, statues of famous Americans are being removed — sometimes under cover of darkness in the wee hours of the night — because their pasts are not pristine. Founding Fathers like Thomas Jefferson, and military leaders like General Robert E. Lee, have had their images removed in various places because of their ties to slavery. They had feet of clay.

John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. are icons of the American Left, and significant figures in American history with parks, and schools and buildings named after them. King has a monument to him on the Washington D.C. mall. The Kennedy Library is a revered institution. Both were brilliant, courageous, inspiring man. Both of these men were also serial adulterers and sexual predators. You’d think that in the wake of the “MeToo” movement that women all across America would be calling for their statues to be pulled down and broken up, and their names scrubbed from street signs and public buildings. We seem to be very selective in our outrage. These heroes also had feet of clay.

ILLUS. And, of course, some of our biblical heroes have checkered pasts. Abraham periodically had problems telling the truth. Moses and David both murdered men. Rahab was a prostitute. Jonah was a racist. Peter denied his Lord at the trial of Jesus. These biblical characters all had feet of clay.

ILLUS. Two of my heros of the faith are Martin Luther, the 16th century reformer, and George Whitefield, the 18th British evangelist. Both of these men were flawed. Martin Luther was verbally crude, and deeply antisemitic. George Whitefield owned slaves. And then there is Lottie Moon. Lottie is revered among Baptists. If Southern Baptists beatified fellow believers with sainthood, surely Lottie Moon would be on the list. And yet, Lottie grew up on the family's ancestral fifteen-hundred-acre slave-labor tobacco plantation. And though God eventually changed her heart, Lottie initially believed that she was superior to the Chinese she felt called to go evangelize. These Godly men and women had feet of clay.

4. we do not honor men or women as perfect people

a. all men are sinners in need of the amazing grace of God

b. we honor them because of their contributions to or sacrifices they made for the culture, a cause, or for their community

c. nations and communities need heroes, we need to honor heroes, but we need to be honest about our heroes, and we should probably never worship them

5. the only perfect superhero is Jesus Christ

B. Our Past Does Not Have to Determine Our Future

1. if that were true, Saul could never have become Paul

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12–14, NIV84)

2. Jephthah went from illegitimate outcast to valiant warrior to hero of the faith

a. he didn’t let his past dictate what he could or would become

3. we can’t change the past, but we can learn from it

a. the past is there to train me, shape me, and mold me, so I become who God wants me to become now

C. We Need to Keep Our Vows, but Be Especially Careful What We Vow

“When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.” (Numbers 30:2, NIV84)

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:33–37, NIV84)

ILLUS. We’ve probably all been there ... “Lord, if you get me out of this financial mess, I promise to start tithing.” “Lord, if you spare my life and heal me of this cancer, I’ll go to church every Sunday.” “God, if you just get me through this semester, I’ll go on the youth mission trip.”

ILLUS. Of course many of you have stood at a church altar and expressed vows of love and fidelity to a spouse — til death do you part.

1. vows — especially vows made to God, and before God — are serious, must never be made lightly, and keep if at all possible

a. was Jephthah thinking when he made his vow?

1) it’s hard to know, but he obviously took it seriously

2. God does not treat our oaths and vows as matters of indifference

a. instead, He views them with utmost seriousness, for they are made in His name, and His name is to be hallowed

3. oaths are so important to the Lord that He would rather that we not make any vows at all than make vows that we do not fulfill

“When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4–5, NIV84)

a. since He prizes truth in the inmost being of every man and woman (Ps. 51:6), we must prize it as well

b. in breaking our vows — whether to God or to each other — we implicitly deny that truth is sacred