Enter Jephthah
A Desperate Situation called for a Despised Son.
The Israelites gathered together (10:18) to decide what to do about the Ammonites who were ready to do battle against them in Gilead. They needed a leader as they were leaderless. They couldn’t trust one another not even their own people.
Pardon the recap – Almost 50 years earlier there had been the conspiracy led by Abimelech the son of Gideon who was the one who put out the fleece twice to be sure that God was calling him and going to lead him. Gideon had been obedient to The LORD God and God used him mightily. But, as the Word of God is always true and honest, we are told of Gideon’s failings as well as his good points. Gideon formed a relationship, strictly disapproved of by God, with a Canaanite woman and had a son by her. That son was Abimelech.
The Bible recounts repeatedly that even the most faithful of God’s servants yielded to the temptations and lusts of the flesh. These actions are never condoned because the consequences are always clear – they lead to disappointment, depression, disaster and defeat.
The Canaanites were idol worshipers, Almighty God was not their god, and Gideon sinned by doing what he did.
We noted that If you are a Christian, God’s Word is clear that you should not look for a partner who is not a Christian, and more. if you are married. you must not have an extra marital relationship.
Abimelech hired a band of mercenaries and slew his brothers (69 of them!) only one (Jotham) escaped by hiding. Abimelech wanted to be king and was prepared to go to any lengths to obtain it. Now during this period Israel did not have a king, this was the period of the Judges, it was sometime later that the people asked for a king so that they could be like the nations round about. God raised up Judges to lead the people, and while there was a godly judge, the people followed God, but when the judge had died then during the interim period, we read that “the people did that which was right, each in his own eyes.” Does that ring a bell?
Jotham, the one who escaped, came out of hiding and reproached the people by way of a parable. He shouted his message from the mountainside, probably because he was afraid to go among them – Jotham speaks the parable and leaves it to them to decide – he tells them the truth and the consequences for failure to make the right choice.
That is like the message of the gospel – the truth of Salvation – we cannot force anyone to decide for Christ, but we can only point out the right way and the consequences of choosing the wrong way. We know that Jesus Christ is THE ONLY WAY – He said so, and God The Father confirmed it, and the consequences of failing to follow Him are absolute disaster. Risk it at your peril.
The scene is set, and Israel faced with the advancing army of the Ammonites search frantically for a leader.
Jephthah was sent for out of the land of Tob, on the borders of Syria (v6), for “He was a mighty man of valour” (v1) He was a son of Gilead, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead had done like Gideon had done and had a prohibited relationship. Jephthah was, therefore, an illegitimate son.
Now in these so-called enlightened days the law has done away with such terms – by virtue of The Family Law Reform Act 1987 – displaying man’s meagre effort to unite the family whilst still encouraging divorce and turning a blind eye to promiscuity. An effort to take away the stigma – i.e. covering up the results without removing the cause. The law being powerless to remove the cause as the Bible says – ‘What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin. He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8v3,4)
Gilead’s wife had sons and when they grew up, they threw out Jephthah because he was illegitimate. Jephthah became the leader of a gang of desperados or robbers (terrorists even!). (v3) Just as Abimelech had done before him. Thus, he was despised, but needs must, and a leader was needed.
A disobedient people led to disastrous conditions.
The people of Ammon made war against Israel. Right from the beginning of the book of Judges we see that there are basic principles – Worldly associations lead to unrighteousness; The fruit of unfaithfulness tests us.
God uses heathen nations to test His people. As a result, we see that the people who made war against Israel were usually the product of their evil associations. You would expect trouble from their enemies, but these are often those of their own ancestry because of wrongful relationships.
This one is no exception – the Ammonites were the descendants of Lot’s incestuous relationship with his younger daughter. A man’s enemies are often those of his own house. (Micah 7v6)
Jephthah, quite naturally asks, ‘Why have you come to me now when, not long ago, you hated and expelled me from my father’s house?’ Evidently, they had no-one capable of leading them, things having gone from bad to worse. They were serving false gods, easily led, very little backbone and always susceptible to follow and be blown by any wind of doctrine. They were even serving the false gods of the Ammonites, but as surely as night follows day, disaster resulted as the people of Ammon are aware of the weakness of the Israelites.
The Ammonites must have been amazed that this people who had been miraculously delivered from Egypt, led through the wilderness for 40 years, given such a miraculous entrance into the Promised Land, all with such great demonstration of God’s power should lapse into idolatry. One would never have expected a people such as this to doubt or depart from their God, but they did and failed again and again and suffered defeat after defeat. What’s more they failed after every victory which God provided for them.
Thus, needing a leader, they turned to one who made headline news for being a terrorist, maybe they had fallen into his hands more than once. As often happens, we look to one who has caused us trouble to lead us, if nothing else, it is better he is on our side than against us. But this was Gods doing He uses Jephthah to humble the people.
Jephthah, (v9) quite naturally, asks for assurances should he accept their offer, “If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the LORD delivers them to me, shall I be your head?” Maybe living at Mizpah (v11) was one reason, as we saw earlier, perhaps they didn’t trust each other and from history it was no surprise. The elders answer, “The LORD will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words” (v10) Jephthah accepted and took command.
Immediately Jephthah sent messages to the King of Ammon asking why he was fighting against Israel (v12). And the reply came back (v13) “Because Israel took away my land… “
Jephthah replied by giving a history of their land and how it came to be in the possession of Israel – “We didn’t take it from you, God GAVE us your land because you refused to allow the children of Israel to pass through on their way to Egypt.” (v23)
How God is so gracious and merciful – He was teaching them lessons in their wonderings for 40 years but at the same time building up for them an inheritance.
Jephthah said that The LORD God of Israel dispossessed you of your land because you fought against them when they requested to pass through. The Amorites possessed the land, but they could well have been taken over by the Ammonites- it certainly relates to the same area of land. Three hundred years had passed (v26) and they had had opportunity to repossess it from Israel but had not done so. He concludes by saying (v27) “l have not sinned against you but you wronged me by fighting against me. May The LORD, The Judge, render judgement this day between the Children of Israel and the people of Ammon.” The king of the Ammonites ignored his words. (v28)
Then The Spirit of The LORD came upon Jephthah (v29) He had spoken the truth and as evidence of that, God’s Spirit came upon him.
We cannot expect The Spirit of God to be in and upon our ministry unless we speak the truth. God will not fight for us unless we are under the banner of truth in our fight against the world, the flesh and the devil.
A doubtful promise and forgiveness missed.
Jephthah made a vow to The LORD (v30,31) – “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands then it will be that whatever comes out of the door of my tent to meet me when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be The LORD’s and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
Jephthah was somewhat of an enigma, perhaps like most of us, he trusted The LORD, spoke the truth wisely. He was confident in God. NOTE “When I return in peace” not “If’ – showed all the right signs, but then got carried away and spoke carelessly and made a promise (vow) he later wished he hadn’t.
We should be very careful in what we promise to God; God might keep us to it, and we might live to regret it.
There is a great difference between promising to serve God and making rash promises which are nothing less than ‘bribes’ i.e. ‘if you do this for me, God, I will do that for you.’ God is not looking for us to make contracts with Him,
IT IS NOT CONTRACTS He wants, but COMMITMENT. If we are only doing something for God because we want Him to repay our ‘doings’, then, that is NOT FAITH, NOT TRUE COMMITMENT.
Faith and true commitment are wholly giving over ourselves to God with no thought of what He will do for us. “We love because He first loved us.” He has already done all that is necessary, we simply serve Him. He doesn’t require, want, or need our rash promises.
Many have said in all sincerity- “If You get me this job LORD; if You get me this girl LORD, if you get me this fellow LORD etc. I will serve You for the rest of my life.” AND many have regretted it, and some have become guilt-ridden because they have been unable to keep their promise. We make millstones for our necks: God just wants our simple trust. To serve Him in humbleness and sincerity and to leave the rest to Him. He wants our unconditional surrender, not our puny promises or gifts, which we are usually powerless to keep anyway because of our fickle, changing, weak human nature.
Jephthah fell into the trap of making a contract with God. No doubt he, like us, had seen that God rewards those who are faithful, but not all the same way, and not all whilst here on earth.
Jesus said “Them that honour me, them will my Father honour” (1 Samuel 2:30) – Yes, He did! and He does, but the initiative and the power lies entirely in God’s hands and at His doing, in His will.
It is God who chooses how and when we are blessed, but He demands simple, complete commitment, without the slightest thought of reward. Once we commit ourselves to Him, this is all He requires – He doesn’t require payment twice.
Blessings come to those who obey. God expects holiness and purity of life from us when are Saved, BUT NOT in repayment for what He does for us, but as a natural outliving of His Spirit in us when we are wholly surrendered and given over to Him.
I’m appalled when the prosperity gospel preachers ask for money and tell their audience that the more they give (to them, of course), the more God will repay it. Even on a more ordinary level, I’ve heard social workers tell the courts that they have made a contract with a child/young person; or a parent regarding their child, that if they do this or that then they will be allowed to retain their freedom, or their child’s custody. We often do it with our children – if you are good you will get such a thing. This may or may not be necessary in human relationships, but it is certainly not when it comes to God’s relationship with us. He does expect holiness and purity of life, but as a natural outliving of His Spirit in us when we are wholly surrendered to Him. Christlikeness should be our aim (2 Corinthians 4:10)
Having made his promise, (v32-40) Jephthah advanced towards the enemy and The LORD delivered Ammon into his hands. He overcame them and they surrendered. Jephthah then returns in his victory parade; and the catastrophic results of his rash promise are revealed. The first person to come out of his tent was his daughter, his only child, who he obviously loved dearly. I wonder who or what he expected to come out first when he made his vow? Was he hoping it be an animal, was he hoping it would be a servant, his wife, or perhaps his mother-in-law? The mind boggles.
It really goes to show that his vow was rash and careless, Or at worst, devious. Whatever it was, it backfired horribly, and he regretted it. He tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it.” (v35) One thing must be said for Jephthah, having given his word, he says THAT HE CANNOT TAKE IT BACK. How many of us would try if we found ourselves in such a situation? In fact, we would doubtless argue, that God didn’t really want us to go through with it anyway.
I’m sure that you have experienced great blessing after you have promised God something, but soon forgotten, just as I have.
It is evident that he had not told anyone of his vow otherwise strenuous efforts would have been made for someone else, some insignificant person or animal to be the first out to meet him.
One must remember that he had been brought up beyond Jordan where Israelite tribes, far from the tabernacle were looser in their religious sentiments and living latterly on the borders of a heathen country (Syria) where human sacrifices were common. It may be that Jephthah thought such would be acceptable to God. Some interpreters suggest that his vow was in the alternative, in that, if it were a person it would be dedicated to The LORD’s service but if an animal it would be offered on the altar. Whatever, it is clear that, however unenlightened Jephthah may have been, he meant offering as a sacrifice. Opinion is sharply divided as to whether he did put his daughter to death. Some think she became dedicated to God as a kind of religious recluse and a virgin, but was Jephthah the kind of man who, having made a solemn vow, would later modify it to something less costly? It doesn’t seem like that to me.
Jephthah’s daughter was as committed as he was and insisted that having given his word to The LORD, he must carry it out even though she was on the receiving end. She asked for 2 months to wonder in the mountains with her friends to bemoan her virginity (there would be no grandchildren for her father). She could have been excused for running away, or even hoping that her father would find another way, but true to her word she returned for the consequences.
Oh, if only Jephthah had learned not only Deuteronomy 23 v21-23 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you.That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.” But, that he had also learned or even the priests and others had reminded him of Leviticus 5:4-6 ‘Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters. And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing;and he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.
Note that there must be admission of guilt because it is a sin and v13 “….it shall be forgiven him.” What a beautiful word ‘forgiven’ – someone has said it is the most beautiful word in the English language. I suppose the same goes for any language! I think it was Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones who said that forgiveness is a wonderful thing until one has someone to forgive.
May we heed the words of the wise writer of Ecclesiastes 5:2-5 “Do not be rash with your mouth and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore, let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed – Better not to vow than to vow and not pay…. But fear God.” (v7)God isn’t looking for promises or vows, He wants us to receive Him and to fear (reverence) Him and give Him our all.
If we have sinned by promising God something which we do not afterwards want to pay, let us confess it to God, for confess it we must as it is sin. The beauty of it is that we will be forgiven as the sin offering has been made – Jesus Christ our Saviour and LORD has paid the price in full. Jesus said in Matthew 5:37, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. He also went on to say that it was better not to make promises at all, and you cannot have any greater authority than that!
How many are missing God’s blessing because they refuse to confess? All who go to Hell go because of it. How many bear the burden when Christ offers to relieve us of it?
Our mental hospitals are full of people who are ridden with guilt, many have turned to drink or drugs, they are full of despair, distress and depression. We fail to confess our sin and as a result our guilt remains when there is forgiveness available to wipe it out completely and give us a new life and a new start. In Christ and by Christ we have forgiveness, not only will God’s forgiveness save our souls, but it will make a difference in our lives and our bodies. God never promises to forgive unconfessed sin.
There is a time to repent. Hebrews 12 v 16,17 there may come a time when it is too late. Esau wanted to inherit the blessing, but he couldn’t bring himself to repent.
