A. INTRODUCTION
1. James 3:2-6 [ TLB ]
If anyone can control his tongue, it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.
So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body. And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself, and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster.
2. Jephthah, for the most part, made wise use of his tongue. The account of his exploits as a judge in Israel, recorded in Judges 10-12, indicates that this renegade rough-hewn outcast was, in fact, quite a diplomat. His negotiations with the Ammonites ( 11:12-27 ) and his attempts to reason with the Ephraimites ( 12:1-3 ) provide good models of using wise speech as one's primary "weapon of response" to a threatening enemy.
3. Yet it was his tongue which led to personal disaster for Jephthah, and any consideration of the life of this "hero of the faith ( Hebrews 11:32 ) must focus at last on his infamous rash vow.
B. TEXT
1. Judges 11:12-28 is a useful portrait of diplomatic correspondence and statesmanship via messenger in the ancient world.
a. Having assumed command of the armies of G __ __ __ __ __, Jephthah initiates his campaign against Israel's Ammonite oppressors with a pointed question, delivered by personal messenger: "Why do you attack us?"
b. The Ammonite king's response to Jephthah's messenger is direct: "We are only taking back our land which was stolen by Moses ( ref: Numbers 21:24-25 ). He also indicated that war could be avoided if Israel would capitulate and surrender the disputed region peacefully.
c. Jephthah's detailed response -- again, delivered by messenger -- reveals at least two things about this "mighty warrior:"
(1) He was definitely not a hot-headed street fighter, ready to resort to violence at the drop of a hat.
(2) He had an impressive knowledge of the h __ __ __ __ __ __ of Israel.
d. Jephthah's reasoned response to the Ammonite king included the following arguments.
(1) An honest look at the historical record reveals that Israel under Moses did not "steal" land; they captured in battle following a diplomatic impasse with its Ammonite occupiers ( ref: Numbers 21:21-39 ) , who themselves had taken it from the Moabites ( ref: Numbers 21:29 ). That being the case, Jephthah suggested, if Israel's claim to ownership of the land was not valid, then neither were the claims of the Ammonites.
(2) Jahweh had g __ __ __ __ the land to Israel (v.23-24). It's the familiar old "M __ __ __ __ __ __ __ D __ __ __ __ __ __" argument, but with the Bible record to back it up!
(3) Israel had valid claim if only by means of ______ years of occupation (v.25-26). And, Jephthah added, at no time during that entire period had either the Ammonites or Moabites lay claim to it. Why now?
(4) Finally Jephthah reminded the Ammonite king that persistence in his attempt to occupy the land would pit his armies against Jahweh Himself, whom he correctly referenced as
Israel's true J __ __ __ __ (v.27).
e. The king of Ammon was entirely unimpressed with Jephthah's logic (v.28).
2. Judges 11:29-32 is the brief record of Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites. The key elements of these verses are:
(1) v.29: The S __ __ __ __ __ of the L __ __ __ came upon Jephthah;
(2) v.30-31: Jephthah's incredibly reckless v __ __, which we will consider later in this section.
3. Judges 12:1-7 tell the story of Jephthah's dispute with the tribe of E __ __ __ __ __ __. Their complaint here is not unlike their complaint with Gideon ( ref: Judges 8:1-3 ).
a. Again, there are charges and counter-charges.
b. Again, it appears that Jephthah's first response is an attempt to reason with those who have set themselves against him.
c. A civil war erupts between Gilead and Ephraim. _____________ men of Ephraim are slain.
d. A fascinating detail is included in v.4-6.
(1) It involves a regional pronunciation of the Hebrew word shibboleth ( "stream" or "flood" ). The Ephraimite soldiers trying to pass through Gilead's sentries incognito pronounced the word in such a way that it gave them dead away as the enemy!
(2) ref: Matthew 26:69-75
(3) The word shibboleth has been adopted into the English language. You can find it in most dictionaries, listed as a synonym for "p __ __ __ __ __ __ __."
4. Jephthah's rash vow and its consequences are recorded in Judges 11:30-31 and 34-40.
a. Deuteronomy 12:29-31 is one of many Old Testament references to Israel's having been commanded by Jahweh to have absolutely nothing to do with the pagan gods and customs of the peoples whose land they had been given. Not the least of the forbidden practices of some of these religions involved human sacrifice.
(1) The phrases "pass through the fire" and "pass through the fire to Molech" are often used to indicate such practices, which were strictly forbidden by God.
(2) ref: Leviticus 18:21
Leviticus 20:1-5
Deuteronomy 18:10
b. The Bible record clearly states that Jephthah made the terrible vow and that the fulfillment of it fell on his daughter. The question which has been debated over the years by Bible scholars -- particularly in recent years -- is whether or not Jephthath's daughter was, in fact, sacrificed as a "burnt offering" to Jahweh. There are two essential positions.
(1) "More than one expositor has pointed out that the little word 'and' in the phrase 'and I will offer it up' (11:31) can be translated 'or.' (In the Hebrew, it's the letter waw, which usually means 'and.') If we take this approach, then the vow was twofold: Whatever met him when he returned home would be dedicated to the Lord (if a person) or sacrificed to the Lord (if an animal).
Since he was met by his daughter, Jephthah gave her to the Lord to serve Him at the tabernacle (Exodus 38:8, 1 Samuel 2:22 ). She remained a virgin, which meant that she would not know the joys of motherhood and perpetuate her father's inheritance in Israel. This would be reason enough for her and her friends to spend two months grieving, for every daughter wanted a family and every father wanted grandchildren to maintain the family inheritance.
Nowhere in the text are we told that Jephthah actually killed his daughter, nor do we find anybody bewailing the girl's death. The emphasis in Judges 11:37-40 is the fact that she remained a virgin. It's difficult for us to believe that 'the daughters of Israel' would establish a custom to celebrate (not 'lament' as in KJV ) the awful sacrifice of a human being, but we can well understand that they would commemorate the devotion and obedience of Jephthah's daughter in helping her father fulfill his vow. She deserves to stand with Isaac as a faithful child, who was willing to obey both father and God, no matter what the cost." - Warren W. Wiersbe: Be Available
(2) "Jephthah's daughter was a girl of extraordinary character. Her father may have been ignorant of God. She was not. When she heard for the first time of the vow her father had made, she immediately submitted to it. It was a vow made to God, and that vow was binding. But she requested two months postponement, and during that time she wept, not just that she was going to die, but that she was going to die childless -- the supreme tragedy for a Hebrew woman. Her death would mark the end of Jephthah's line, a tragedy even greater than the loss of her life.
Then, in verse 39, we read simply, 'And it came about at the end of two months that she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made.' There are many commentators who believe that Jephthah did not put his daughter to death, but that he committed her to a life of perpetual virginity and service at the tabernacle. I would like to believe that, but I cannot. The plain sense of the text is that Jephthah's daughter was offered up in sacrifice, and it is interesting to note that this is how the passage was always understood by the earlier Jewish and Christian scholars." - Gary Inrig: Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay
c. Poor, stupid Jephthah! There was a way out of his dilemma, one that was a part of the law of Israel. It is recorded in Leviticus 27:1-8.
Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ' When a man consecrates by a vow certain persons to the Lord*, according to your valuation, if your valuation is of a male from twenty years old up to sixty years old, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. If it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels; and if from five years old up to twenty years old, then your valuation for a male shall be twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels; and if from a month old up to five years old, then your valuation for a male shall be five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver; and if from sixty years old and above, if it is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels.
But if he is too poor to pay your valuation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall set a value for him; according to the ability of him who vowed, the priest shall value him.'"
*Or, "makes a difficult or extraordinary vow"
C. APPLICATION
1. Need anything more be said by way of warning against o __ __ __ __ and v __ __ __? The position of the Lord Jesus on the question is clearly set forth in Matthew 5:33-38.
2. Jephthah's weaknesses did not include:
(1) lack of s __ __ __ __, or
(2) lack of s __ __ __ __ __ __ __, or
(3) lack of c __ __ __ __ __ __, or
(4) lack of z __ __ __.
3. Jephthah's problem was spiritual I __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __. It is a problem which has plagued God's people for centuries, and it certainly plagues the church of Jesus Christ today.
(1) Ignorance of spiritual t __ __ __ __
(2) Ignorance of God's c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
(3) Ignorance of their God-ordained r __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
(4) Ignorance of God's g __ __ __ __
ref: Romans 10:1-4
Colossians 1:9-14
D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E
1. The story of Jephthah's rash vow, recorded in Judges 11:30-31 and 34-40, amazes and appalls us.
a. The debate over whether or not he fulfilled his vow has continued for many years. Many people believe that, even if Jephthah had attempted to offer his daughter as a burnt offering, Jahweh would not have allowed it. Read Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:1-5, and Deuteronomy 12:29-31. Then read Deuteronomy 23:21-23 and 1 Samuel 15:22-23. In your opinion, does it seem logical to assume that Jephthah fulfilled his vow? Why, or why not?
b. Explain how the development of a combination Jahweh / Baal "religion" in Israel might have contributed to Jephthah's rash vow.
c. How could "spiritual ignorance" in a Christian's life affect his or her relationship with God?
2. Read Proverbs 4:1-9, Proverbs 24:3-4 and Psalm 111:10.
a. List some resources available to the Christian for the "getting of wisdom."
b. In your opinion, what is the most effective way to gain knowledge of God's truth: personal Bible study, Bible study in small groups, or the teaching / preaching of gifted teachers / preachers? Explain your answer.
c. Gaining knowledge is one thing; gaining wisdom is quite another. How does a Christian become "wise?" Cite Scripture to support your answer.
3. List five leadership principles which existed in Jephthah.
4. Reflect for a moment on the judges we have studied thus far in Judges. Most of them were effective in certain areas but deeply flawed in others. Find a verse of Scripture which summarizes what we can learn of the character of God based on the way He equipped and used these ordinary mortals to accomplish great things. Write it in the space below and be prepared to share it.
