Judges: Ordinary People in the Hands of an Extraordinary God (Jephthah)
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 7/27/2014
The last few weeks we’ve been exploring the book of Judges. The stories collected in this section of Scripture aren’t exactly what you’d call a list of “Who’s Who in Purity and Sainthood.” In fact, like I said in the beginning of this series, many of their antics and attitudes would make you think of the Saturday night crowd at the county jail, rather than the Sunday morning crowd at church. What few halos there are among them could use a bit of straightening and polish. Yet, strange as it may seem, it is their flaws, failures, and faults that makes them refreshing. They may have had flaws of biblical proportions, but thankfully God uses imperfect people.
No matter who you are or where you’re from, God can do surprising things through you. James Braddock knows a little something about that. James was down on his luck. Once a successful amateur boxer, a broken hand and the stock market crash of 1926 left Braddock destitute, working the docks just to keep food on the table for his young family. Then out of the blue, thanks to a last minute cancellation by another boxer, Braddock got a second chance. Out of shape and past his prime, Braddock was pitted against the number two contender in the world by promoters who saw Braddock as nothing more than a punching bag. Then, in one the greatest upsets in boxing history, Braddock stunned both experts and fans with a third round knockout of his formidable opponent. Fighting with permanent injuries to his hands, Braddock continued to win and before long he came to represent the hopes and aspirations of the American public coping with the Great Depression.
On June 13, 1935, in Long Island City, New York, Braddock, as a 10 to 1 underdog, stole the heavyweight championship of the world from the seemingly invincible Max Baer. His fairytale-like rise from a poor local fighter to the heavyweight boxing champion of the world earned James J. Braddock the nickname “Cinderella Man.”
Both life and literature are overflowing with similar Cinderella stories, timeless tales about downtrodden, discarded outcasts who eventually go from rags to riches. Whether it’s Abraham Lincoln going from a log cabin to the White House or Michael Jordan who was cut from his high-school basketball team and went on to win six NBA Championships, the story of the triumphant underdog is one that will always be in style. It’s more fun to root for the little guy, isn’t it?
The final story in our journey through Judges, demonstrates not only that God uses imperfect people, but that God loves the long-shots, the losers and the little guys. God loves to transform zeroes into heroes. And that’s just what he does with Jephthah. Jephthah’s name, though it may not sound too familiar, is engraved in Hebrews 11 alongside some of the greatest heroes of faith and his story is told Judges 11. I’d like to break his story into three chapters beginning with Jephthah childhood.
• JEPHTHAH’S CHILDHOOD
Jephthah had it pretty rough. The Bible says, “Now Jephthah was a great warrior from the land of Gilead, but his mother was a prostitute” (Judges 11:1 TLB). Jephthah was what you might call an unplanned pregnancy. Jephthah’s father, Gilead, was a fairly prominent member of society—in fact, the town was actually named after him because he and his family were its pioneers and chief residents. So, you can imagine the scandal that must have broken out as result of the good Mayor Gilead not only sleeping with, but impregnating a prostitute.
On the bright side, Gilead didn’t try to cover it up or deny the child was his; rather, he embraces Jephthah and raises his as part of his family. The other members of Gilead’s household, however, weren’t quite as loving or accepting. Jephthah became a constant reminder of Gilead’s adulterous affair. And Jephthah’s half brothers and sisters never accepted him as part of the family. In fact, when Gilead dies and the time comes to divvy out the inheritance, the Bible says, “Gilead had several other sons by his legitimate wife, and when these half brothers grew up, they chased Jephthah out of the country. ‘You son of a whore!’ they said. ‘You’ll not get any of our father’s estate.’ So Jephthah fled from his father’s home and lived in the land of Tob” (vs. 2-3 TLB).
Jephthah wasn’t to blame for his birth. He didn’t get to choose his parents or the circumstances of his birth. But because of the sins of his father, Jephthah became an outsider, rejected by the very people who should have given him unconditional love and acceptance.
Maybe you can understand a little of what Jephthah was going through. Have you had to suffer because the mistakes of your parents? Do you know what it’s like to be abused, abandoned or rejected by the very people who should have loved you? One thing we all need to understand is that Jephthah, though unanticipated by his parents, was not an accident—and neither are you! Rick Warren has well said, “While there are illegitimate parents, there are no illegitimate children. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents my not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, he expected it. Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God. He thought of you first. It is not fate, nor chance, nor luck, nor coincidence that you are breathing at this moment. You are alive because God [loves you and] wanted to create you!”
Maybe those who should have loved you didn’t. Maybe those who could have loved you didn’t. Maybe you were left at the hospital, left at the altar, left with an empty room and broken heart. Left to wonder, “Does anybody love me?” Please listen to heaven’s answer. God loves you. Personally. Powerfully. Passionately. Other’s may have promised and failed. But God has promised and succeeded. None of us get to pick our parents and none of us can force anyone to love and accept us. But each one of us has a Father in God. He loves you and has a plan for your life. Like Jephthah, you are who you are for a reason. But God’s plan for Jephthah’s life would not come to fruition until many years later when, the Bible says, “the people of Ammon made war against Israel” (Judges 11:4 NKJV). The second chapter in Jephthah’s saga centers on his courage.
• JEPHTHAH’S COURAGE
Years after being run out of town by his relatives, Jephthah developed quite a reputation as a “mighty man of valor” or a “great warrior.” The Bible says, “Soon he had quite a band of malcontents as his followers, living off the land as bandits” (Judges 11:3 TLB). Apparently, Jephthah’s reputation and prowess as a warrior attracted other rejects and lowlifes—the New Living Translations calls them “worthless rebels”—who followed him into the desert. Jephthah led his band of misfits on raids of enemy territory, taking what they needed and living almost like outlaws in the old west. As his following grew and word spread of their daring adventures, Jephthah caught the attention of the elders of his old hometown. The Bible says, “When the Ammonites attacked, the elders of Gilead sent for Jephthah in the land of Tob. The elders said, ‘Come and be our commander! Help us fight the Ammonites!’” (Judges 11:5-6 NLT).
Jephthah was understandably hesitant and perhaps a bit sarcastic in his reply. “Aren’t you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now when you’re in trouble?” “Because we need you,” the elders replied. “If you lead us in battle against the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead” (Judges 11:7-8 NLT).
Put yourself in Jephthah’s shoes—or sandals—for a moment. How would you respond to this? Some or maybe even all of this city council is comprised of Jephthah’s brothers and cousins, the very same people who called him a bastard and literally ran him out of town because they were unwilling to share their inheritance with the son of prostitute. But now, in their time of need, they come running to him. It would have been so easy to dismiss them, to simply say, “Tough luck. Learn to fight your own battles.”
But that would have been the coward’s way out. And Jephthah was no coward. I can only imagine the courage it must have taken to lead the Israelite army into battle. But honestly, I think it took even more courage to go home and face his family.
We often think of courage as something extraordinary, something unusual, or something people are called upon to exhibit only in dangerous, life-threatening situations. But most of the time, we don’t think we need it. But that’s a mistake. Courage is not just for extreme situations. We need courage every day.
Every sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear. We fear being sued, finishing last, going broke, the mole on your back, the sound of the clock as it ticks us closer to the grave. They’re talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, downturns in the housing market, and upswings in gas prices. In the midst of a fearsome storm, Jesus issues this order to his disciples: “Take courage! I am here! Don’t be afraid!” (Matthew 14:27). His words to them are his words to you. Courage isn’t fearlessness; rather, courage means facing our fears with faith. That’s what Jephthah did. After considering the city council’s offer, Jephthah accepted. He returned home, became the new spiritual and military leader of his people, and prepared the Israelite army for battle. The final chapter in Jephthah’s saga spotlights his character.
• JEPHTHAH’S CHARACTER
The Bible says “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah” as he marched his troops though the dry dusty land of Gilead and Manasseh toward the Ammonite border. But before sounding the charge, Jephthah made a promise to God. He prayed, “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 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” (Judges11:30-31 NIV).
Have you ever made a promise like this? Maybe not exactly like this, but something similar? “God, if you’ll help me out of this jam, I promise to…”
We’re like the woman rushing home from a doctor’s appointment after having quite an ordeal at the doctor’s office. She was running behind schedule and she still had to pick up her prescription, get the kids from the baby-sitter, get home and make supper, all in time to make it to her seven-year-old’s recital. As she began to circle the busy Wal-Mart parking lot, looking for a space, it started pouring rain. Weary from her day, she sighed and prayed, “Oh God, you know what kind of a day I’ve had. I just can’t take anymore. If you would please grant me a parking space close to the building so I don’t get soaked, I promise my family and I will start going to church again this Sunday.” She hadn’t even finished her prayer when she saw the taillights of a car about to back out of the best space in the whole parking lot, right next to the handicap spots. She made straight for it and as she pulled in, she said, “Never mind God, something just opened up!”
We’re good at making promises. Keeping them is another story, isn’t it? Jephthah was different though. He was a man of his word. God heard Jephthah’s prayer and promise and he gave Jephthah a decisive victory over the Ammonites.
After the battle was won, Jephthah returned home, but his heart sank into his stomach when his daughter came bouncing out to greet him. The Bible says, “When Jephthah returned home his daughter—his only child—ran out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy” (Judges 11:34 TLB).
When he saw her his heart broke, yet his daughter, with a sweet and tender tone, encouraged him, “Father, you must do whatever you promised the Lord, for he has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites. But first let me go up into the hills and roam with my girlfriends for two months, weeping because I’ll never marry” (Judges 11:36-37 TLB). Jephthah did as she requested and then he kept his vow to God. Jephthah was a man of character who kept his promises.
This little incident has stirred more than a little controversy. Bible students have argued for centuries about whether or not Jephthah physically sacrificed his daughter. Some believe that he did. Others don’t. I’m one of the latter. Let me explain why.
First, Jephthah has already proven himself to be an intelligent, educated man, capable of quoting Scripture. So he undoubtedly knew that God strictly forbids human sacrifice and calls it a detestable abomination (Leviticus 18:21). It would be a bit bizarre for Jephthah to think that he could elicit God’s favor in battle by promising to offer Him a human sacrifice. Such a proposal would be equivalent to a person requesting God’s blessing and assistance by offering to rape women or rob banks.
Furthermore, you’ll notice that Jephthah’s daughter requests time to mourn the fact that she will never marry, not the fact that she was about to die. In fact, the Bible is quick to point out, “Jephthah did to her what he had promised. Jephthah’s daughter never had a husband” (Judges 11:39 NCV).
What likely happened here is that Jephthah “sacrificed” his daughter to permanent religious service in the Tabernacle. She, essentially, became a nun. Jephthah’s only daughter would never marry, never know the joys of motherhood and never bear a child to carry on their family name. Several more textual indicators support this conclusion, what’s important here is that even though it broke his heart, Jephthah was a man of his word. He told his little girl, “I made a promise to the Lord, and I cannot break it!” (Judges 11:35 NCV). What promises have you made to the Lord? Have you kept them?
God always expects his people to be men and women of integrity. Jesus said, “Say just a simple ‘Yes, I will’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Your word is enough” (Matthew 5:37 TLB). I certainly don’t recommend making desperate promises to God! But it is important that we always keep the promises we make. If you say, “I’ll be there,” then be there. If you say, “I’ll do it,” then do it. God wants men and women of character and nothing demonstrates our character more than our ability to keep our promises.
Conclusion
Jephthah’s Cinderella-like journey from zero to hero reminds us that it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from—ordinary people become extraordinary in the hands of God. Jephthah was the son of a prostitute, unloved and unwanted, the leader of a band of worthless rebels. But despite the problems of his childhood, Jephthah was a man of courage and character and God used him to do great things.
The book of Judges has an eclectic cast of characters, doesn’t it? Each one of them had flaws of biblical proportion. Gideon was a coward. Barak was a control-freak. Samson was a jerk. They were common people, imperfect people, like us. We find our stories in theirs. We find our hope where they found theirs; in the hands of uncommon God. If God can find a place for them, He just might have a place for us too.
Invitation
I want to invite you to turn your past and your problems over to God. Maybe you have flaws of biblical proportion yourself, but God loves the long-shots, losers and little guys. He loves to you use imperfect people. He can use you too, if you’ll let him. If you’re ready to do that today or if I can help you take a step in that direction, please talk with me while we stand and sing.
