Judges Chapter 11 Verses 1 – 2

● I think his brothers were a bunch of posers. I think they were jealous. Anyone in here with a bigger big brother? Right!? They may have been even a little afraid of Jephthah. In the Hebrew, this description given of Jephthah, “mighty man of valor,” literally means he was THE strongest of the mightiest! It is the same description used three times for Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 as the story reads, “Out from the camp of the Philistines came their champion!” And so Jephthah was a force and he is driven out by his brothers with this lame yet culturally sticky accusation!

Judges Chapter 11 Verses 3

● Now, it’s a sad story. A sob story in Tob for sure…but just because his brothers were cruel to him and he was forced to flee, you know what…big deal! Get on with yourself! So many are stuck in bitterness and bustedness over what has happened to them and how they were treated and I just see that for what it is…a choice.
● God has given opportunity to you and to Jephthah, even in Tob, for a new life. There is newness of life in Jesus (Romans 6:4). A new start. Something that has never been done before. Something great! And so him being forced out by his brothers… He went on Maury Povich there in Tob and cried about it…but what he does next, surrounding himself with worthless men…and the word is better translated “aimless” men or “men without substance,” folks that have made NOTHING of themselves…squandered their opportunities from the Lord…this is all on him! This is foolish and poutish…childish…
● And so he becomes a mercenary of sorts…the idea is that he is a hired gun…a goon…taking jobs and doing the bidding of others…breaking legs for debts unpaid and such…

Judges Chapter 11 Verses 4 – 8

● A couple things here. First, know this…no one loves a warrior until an enemy is at the gate. Just remember that. When you are fighting for someone’s family when they won’t even fight themselves…when you are blasted and cast aside for speaking hard truth into someone’s situation and they discard your counsel…what’s coming next is tragedy and implosion and then your phone will ring…your facebook will blow up…and they will ask for your fight-for-them then…but it’s too late…
● The wise recognize the battle even in times of peace. Folks that seek out godly counsel and leadership…don’t just talk about surrender to God and submission to His Word but are consistent in actually living that out…those are the wise…those are they who perceive the constant battle internally with their flesh and externally with the world and the enemy…remember that warriors, it will be an encouragement to you and it is exactly what we are seeing here…
● Second, Jephthah pouts still! We’re not told how long he is in Tob before they come for him…but it doesn’t matter…he is still bitter. The elders of Gilead have come asking for his help…yes they have wronged him…but it’s still his father’s house, right? He himself has become worthless…I want you to see that so that you don’t fall into this same trap.
● Bitterness, pouting…surrounding yourself with darkness like that and permitting that in your heart and in your company, in your team…you become as empty as the act itself. They need help. They are family. And he turns on them like they turned on him. What a baby…At any rate, that’s what he does and he takes advantage of the situation with a bit of a negotiation…

Judges Chapter 11 Verses 9 – 28

● So Jepthah gives this masterful response detailing how they did not steal the land but rather they defended themselves when they were attacked by the people of the land and the Lord God of Israel gave them the victory.
● I wonder did you notice, I didn’t the first couple times reading through this…did you notice that we flipped from the Ammonites to the Amorites? These are the Ammonites taking issue with Israel but Israel’s contest over the land was with the Amorites and that is because the Amorites had conquered the Ammonites before Israel had conquered the Amorites.

Judges Chapter 11 Verses 29 – 31

● What a mess! What Jephthah vows here is Why? Because what we are seeing is Jephthah trying to get God on his side. It doesn’t happen that way, folks. We are either on God’s side or we are not. It is not the other way around. Who are we that God would or would not be on our side? It is far more important to be on God’s side, to ask Him what He wants, what His heart is in the matter, than for us to try to get Him onto our side. God doesn’t ask this of him.
● The Holy Spirit has come upon him. That’s an awesome statement but know this, the Holy Spirit does not overwhelm us and take our controls like a robot. He comforts, emboldens and guides us…and that guidance can be resisted and it is whenever your actions fall out of alignment with God’s Word.
● The Spirit of the Lord came upon him but notice how he is still susceptible to fear and doubt and the flesh. God’s divine inspiration is wonderful but must be met with obedience to God’s Word or it is…well it is wasted…

Judges Chapter 11 Verses 32 – 35

● Loser! Did you hear what he said to his daughter? “You have brought me very low!” No Jephthah, it was YOU! It was your foolish vow that was not asked of you…it was your foolish attempt to take out an insurance policy on God’s will…it was YOU!

Judges Chapter 11 Verses 36 – 40

● Now there is a debate amongst biblical scholars as to what was actually done here by Jephthah. On the surface it does appear that he killed his daughter as a human sacrifice. Which was not asked of him and which was strictly forbidden in the Bible and we can see that in Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31. This was an offense to God, something God hated. I have to think Jephthah knew that…I mean he knew the history of his people so very well…
● There are some that offer that his vow to God was a consecration, (translating the “i” as “or” rather than “and”), thus not a burnt offering. It’s a similar thought…and that her perpetual virginity was the consecration and we do see women who served perpetually in the temple in scriptures such as Exodus 38:8 and 1 Samuel 2:22. It’s also interesting that the writer of Hebrews mentions him in Hebrews 11:32, in the hall of faith, so really, I’m good either way. I’m good however you want to take that…
● But what remains is that Jephthah never really recovered from how he was treated by others…and that made him scarred and scared, even as a mighty man of war…This happens to us as well…why? Because we place way too much stock in the world and the things of this world, and far too little in a close intimate relationship with God…
● Not head knowledge or pious prowess, but man real relationship…God’s heart, being near to Him…knowing Him and finding your identity in your relationship with Him. That is the cure for the scars…and the expectorant of foolishness for each one of us!