A Tainted Salvation: Judges 10:17-12:7

Introduction: 10:17-18

• Recap and Example of not using my wife for finding things around the house.

• What does the author of Judges teach us in Jephthah?

• It teaches us about Yahweh’s Salvation.

Scene 1: It teaches us about Yahweh’s Salvation in an Unwanted Instrument: 11:1-11

• Explanation:

◦ Jephthah is rejected for his birth not his ability: 1-2

◦ Jephthah flees and hangs with a bad crowd: 3

◦ When the going gets tough against Ammon those who rejected him seek his aid: 4-6

◦ Jephthah agrees to help if they keep their end of the bargain: 7-11

• Note Worth Thought: Gilead treats Jephthah in nearly an identical way that Israel treat God in the prior chapter.

• Application:

◦ God’s servants should expect no better treatment than their God.

◦ God uses what is rejected by men to save them.

Scene 2: It teaches us about Yahweh’s Salvation in an Unexpected History Lesson: 11:12-28

• Illustration: Babylon Bee, Fake News, and Truth

• Explanation:

◦ The King of Ammon accuses Israel of taking his land when they left Egypt and demands that they return it peaceably: 12-13

◦ Jephthah declines and gives a few reasons for doing so…

▪ The land that Ammon wants wasn’t taken from them, but the Amorites: 15-21

▪ The land Ammon demands was a gift to Israel from God, therefore it is their land to have: 22-24

▪ The land Ammon demands has been in possession of Israel for 300 years, why now: 26

◦ Jephthah concludes that it is actually Ammon who is in the wrong for demanding the land: 27

◦ The King of Ammon decided he didn’t have the time to or the obligation to mind facts.

• Application:

Unlike the Ammonites we should glory in the reality of God’s redemptive works. We should see these moments pointed to by Jephthah as God being true to His promises. God is faithful to accomplish for us all that He has promised. The salvation and works of deliverance that Jephthah points to the greater historical salvation that has been accomplished for us in Christ.

Scene 3: It teaches us about Yahweh’s Salvation in an Unbearable Tragedy: 11:29-12:7

• Explanation:

◦ Tragedy in the midst of zeal: 11:29-40

▪ Yahweh’s Spirit is upon Jephthah and he goes to meet the Ammonites for battle: 29

▪ Jephthah, prior to going to battle, makes vow to God, that if God gives him victory then he will offer as burnt offering whatever comes out of his doors to greet him on his return: 30-31 [Read It]

▪ Jephthah by God’s power defeated the Ammonites greatly: 32-33

▪ Jephthah returns home and the first one to great him is his only child, his daughter (34). This understandably troubles him greatly and he tells her of his vow (35). She very coldly says do as you have said, but give me two months to mourn (36-37). She did this and returned. Then Jephthah did what he had vowed. And the daughters of the people still mourn over this (38-40).

• Two Interpretations:

◦ Jephthah didn’t actually give his daughter as a whole burnt offering:

▪ Jepthah was under the influence of the Holy Spirit when he made the vow. God hates human worship.

▪ Jephthah’s daughter’s response is quite relaxed if she were going to actually be sacrificed.

▪ All reason’s for mourning are in reference to her virginity and lack of marriage and not her death.

◦ Jephthah did actually give his daughter as a whole burnt offering:

▪ Just because you have the Holy Spirit does not mean that you don’t do things that contradict Him. The Holy Spirit as it pertains to judges typically refers to his endowing them with the power to have victory over God’s enemies.

▪ The term for burnt offering no where to my knowledge means anything other than a whole burnt offering.

◦ Comments: Either way we decide to go with it the same thing is present the salvation that Jephthah provides, as great as it is, is still lacking. The salvation described is great, but the author cast this sad part of the story for a reason.

◦ Tragedy in the midst of pride: 12:1-7

▪ Ephraim comes to Jephthah angry. They see his going out without them as insulting: 1-2

▪ Jephthah states he asked for their help, yet they did not come. Where Ephraim failed, God succeeded. Why would you come up here to fight me? 3

▪ Then the fought and Gilead (Jephthah’s people) dominated Ephraim: 4-5

▪ Once in control Gilead would not allow people to pass unless they knew the password. Or, instead, pronounced a certain word correctly. Those who failed were killed and many died: 5-6

▪ Jephthah judged for six years and then die: 7

• Application/Conclusion:

We see in both of these tragedies that the deliverance brought by Jephthah is tainted. It is not clean by any means.

What I think the writer of Judges is doing pointing us to a savior who is greater than Jephthah. Whose salvation is indeed perfect. That savior is Jesus and his salvation unlike Jephthah is not tainted, but perfect. Like Jephthah He was rejected, He suffered, but unlike Jephthah his salvation was not tainted, He is God’s ultimate instrument of salvation. Let us trust Him.