A. INTRODUCTION
1. His mother was a social outcast. “He was the son of a harlot” (11:1).
a. Social stigma – born out of wedlock.
b. Racial stigma – born of a non-Jewish woman.
2. His Father was socially outstanding. “Gilead beget Jephthah” (11:1).
a. Was the town of Gilead named after his father?
b. Was his father named after the town?
c. Father had large inheritance. “You shall have no inheritance” (11:2).
d. His father’s secret sin – adultery.
e. His father’s other sin – compromise because he embraced a Canaanite woman.
3. His brothers were racist. “You shall have no inheritance in our father's house, for you are the son of another woman” (11:2).
4. The town elders discriminated. “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father's house?” (11:7).
5. He left the Promise Land for Tob (11:3).
a. He lived in a desert wilderness (near Damascus).
b. He gathered a gang of 400 thugs. They were like the mob. They protected farmers for part of the harvest, i.e., protection racket.
B. THE CHALLENGE
1. Gilead attacked. “Ammon made war against Israel” (11:5).
2. Town elders sought leadership from Jephthah. “The elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah” (11:5). “Come be our captain” (11:6).
3. Jephthah reminds they expelled him (11:7).
4. Jephthah negotiated a guarantee. “If you take me back home to fight . . . and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?” (11:9).
a. A judge had wisdom in decision-making.
b. The elder pledged before God. “The Lord will be a witness between us” (v. 10).
5. Jephthah negotiated with Ammon before going to war.
a. Ammon claimed land belongs to them ancient claim. “Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt” (11:13).
b. Jephthah claimed Israel asked to passed through both Moab and Ammon (11:15, 19) but was refused permission. They went to war and “The Lord God of Israel defeated (King) Sihon” (11:21).
c. Jephthah said, “My God” is better than “your god.” He said, “Why don’t you get Chemosh (their god) to possess the land” (11:28, ELT).
d. Jephthah said, “Why haven’t you repossess the land in the past 200 years?” (11:26, ELT).
6. Negotiation did not work. “The king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him” (11:28).
7. Spiritual equipment for battle. “The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah” (11:29).
8. Great victory. “With a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel” (11:33).
What About Discrimination/Racism
• Definition of racism. Belief one race is superior and to act prejudicially against the “inferior” race.
• God loves all equally (Jn 3:16).
• God wants all people in heaven (2 Peter 3:4).
• God said evangelize all people (Matt. 28:19).
• God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).
• “God accepts all who fear Him, and works righteousness” (10:35).
• All ethnic groups will be represented in heaven. “I beheld a great multitude . . . of every ethnic” (Rev. 7:4).
• While laws against discrimination reflect a nation’s righteous attitude toward integration, laws only work when hearts are transformed. The gospel and the Great Commission does that.
C. JEPHTHAH’S VOW
1. He promised if God gave him victory, he would sacrifice to God the first thing that came out of his house when he got home.
2. What happened? “Behold his daughter came out to meet him . . . she was his only child . . . he had neither son nor daughter” (11:34).
3. Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter to God? Yes!
a. King James said he promised “burnt offering” (11:31).
b. Jephthah’s anguish. “You have brought me very low” (11:35).
c. She asked for two months before it happened (11:37).
d. Jephthah “did with her according to his vow” (11:39).
e. Daughters of Israel lamented for her yearly (11:40).
4. Jephthah did not sacrifice her on an altar.
a. God prohibited child sacrifice (Lev. 18:22; 20:2-4).
b. K. J. word “burnt offering” means sacrifice.
c. The father didn’t want to give daughter to Tabernacle service (as Samuel was given).
d. She “vacationed” with virgins before she entered a strict life.
e. Father anguished because daughter become a perpetual virgin.
f. It was important for man with no reputation to establish his linage. Now it wouldn’t happen. Jephthah had no other children.
Rules for Making Vows/Pledges
• Only vow what you know can be done.
• Know parameters of your vow.
• Keeping a vow makes you stronger internally.
• To break a vow makes you weaker internally.
• Your word is your character.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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