Lesson#13

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 11
LESSON #13
A MOST UNLIKELY CANDIDATE AND A MOST UNLIKELY VOW

MEMORY VERSE: MAT 5:37

CYCLE #6 BEGAN IN JUDGES 10. THE PEOPLE REPENTED FROM THEIR SIN OF IDOLATRY AND CRIED TO GOD FOR HELP. IN CHAPTER 11, GOD RAISES UP A DELIVERER, A SAVIOR, JEPHTHAH, A MOST UNLIKELY MAN.

READ JDG 11:1-3 CYCLE #6 SALVATION: JEPHTHAH

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT JEPHTHAH?

JEPHTHAH WAS A STRONG AND A COURAGEOUS MAN.
JEPHTHAH’S WEAKNESS WAS THAT HE WAS THE SON OF HARLOT. ALSO HE WAS HALF JEWISH AND HALF CANAANITE (GENTILE). THE HISTORIAN, JOSEPHUS, TELLS US SHE WAS A GENTILE.

REMEMBER THAT ALL THE JUDGES HAVE SOME KIND OF DEFICIT EITHER IN THEIR CHARACTER OR THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE OF BIRTH.

JEPHTHAH’S DEFICIT WAS HIS CIRCUMSTANCE OF BIRTH. (MIXED BLOOD AND ILLEGITIMACY)

JEPHTHAH IS CALLED THE SON A "STRANGE WOMAN" (2)

THE PHRASE "STRANGE WOMAN" REFERS TO PROSTITUTES WHO WERE NOT JEWS. (PRO 2:16)

BECAUSE OF GOD’S STRONG PROHIBITION AGAINST A WOMAN SELLING HERSELF AS A PROSTITUTE, MOST PROSTITUTES WERE IMPORTED GENTILE PAGANS.

ACCORDING TO THE MOSAIC LAW, AN ILLEGITIMATE SON WAS NOT ALLOWED TO INHERIT PROPERTY.
ACCORDING TO RABBINICAL LAW, AN ILLEGITIMATE SON WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER THE TABERNACLE AREA OR LATER, THE TEMPLE.(DEU 23:2)

JEPHTHAH WAS FROM GILEAD ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN.

REMEMBER THAT THIS WAS THE TERRITORY WHERE GOD PERMITTED TWO AND A HALF TRIBES TO INHABIT THE LAND ACCORDING TO HIS PERMISSIVE WILL INSTEAD OF CROSSING OVER THE JORDAN INTO THE PROMISED LAND IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA.

ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN, INTERMARRIAGE AND SEXUAL CONTACT WITH PAGAN TRIBES AS WELL AS IDOLATRY WERE COMMON.

THIS WAS THE SAME LOCATION WHERE GIDEON DESTROYED TWO CITIES FOR NOT GIVING HIM FOOD AFTER THE BATTLE. (JDG 8:4-17)

WHEN JEPHTHAH WAS BANISHED AND OSTRACIZED IN JEWISH SOCIETY, HE WENT TO TOB.

THE WORD, TOB, LITERALLY MEANS = BEAUTIFUL, BEST, BETTER, BOUNTIFUL, CHEERFUL, AT EAST, FAIR, FAVOR, FINE, GLAD, GOOD, GRACIOUSLY, JOYFUL, KINDNESS, LOVING MERRY, MOST PRECIOUS, PLEASANT, PRECIOUS, PROSPERITY, SWEET, WEALTH, WELFARE, WELL FAVORED.

WHEN JEPHTHAH WAS BANISHED AND OSTRACIZED IN JEWISH SOCIETY, HE BECAME A LEADER OF A BAND OF DESPERADOS.

THE BIBLE CALLS THEM "VAIN MEN" WHICH MEANS = A BAND OF BRIGANDS. (3)

THESE WERE THE REJECTS AND DISCONTENTS OF SOCIETY.

READ JDG 11:4-11 THE CALL FOR A DELIVERER

WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE IN GRAVE DANGER FROM THE AMMONITES, THEY SOUGHT OUT JEPHTHAH TO BE THEIR LEADER AND DELIVERER.

NOTICE THAT IT IS NOT GOD WHO CALLS JEPHTHAH TO BE A LEADER AS HE DID WITH DEBORAH AND GIDEON. IT IS THE MEN OF GILEAD WHO CALL HIM.

THE PEOPLE REPENTED OF THEIR SINS, BUT THEY DON’T HAVE FAITH TO TRUST GOD TO RAISE UP A LEADER. INSTEAD, THEY CALL UPON GOD TO HONOR THEIR DECISION AFTER THE FACT. (10-11) THEREFORE, GOD ANOINTS JEPHTHAH WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND USES MAN’S CHOICE.

INCIDENTALLY, WE ALSO OPERATE IN THIS SAME MANNER ALL TOO OFTEN. WE MAKE OUR PLANS THEN ASK GOD TO ANOINT AND VALIDATE THEM.

JEPHTHAH WAS A STRONG MAN WITH A READY-MADE ARMY. THAT IS WHY THEY WANTED HIM.

IT IS INTERESTING THAT GOD USES A SOCIETY REJECT AND AN OUTCAST AS A DELIVERER.

WHY?

JEPHTHAH PREFIGURES JESUS CHRIST.

JEPHTHAH	JESUS CHRIST
HE WAS REJECTED BY HIS OWN HALF-BROTHERS	JESUS WAS REJECTED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE, THE JEWS, AT HIS FIRST COMING
HE WAS A SOCIETY OUTCAST, SCORNED AND RIDICULED BECAUSE OF HIS PARENTAGE	JESUS WAS AN OUTCAST TO THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY AND HE WAS SCORNED AND RIDICULED BECAUSE HE WAS THE SON OF A LOWLY CARPENTER.
HE WAS AN ILLEGITIMATE SON	SOME SAID JESUS WAS THE ILLEGITIMATE SON OF JOSEPH BECAUSE JOSEPH AND MARY WERE NOT MARRIED AT THE TIME OF HIS CONCEPTION
A VERY UNLIKELY CANDIDATE FOR A LEADER	A VERY UNLIKELY CANDIDATE FOR A LEADER
AFTER REJECTION, HE WENT TO TOB, A PLACE SIGNIFYING A WONDERFUL PLACE	AFTER REJECTION, JESUS WENT TO HEAVEN
SUBSEQUENTLY, HIS PEOPLE SOUGHT HIM AS THEIR LEADER	AT HIS SECOND COMING, THE JEWS WILL DESIRE HIM AS THEIR LEADER
THEY NEEDED HIM TO DELIVER THEM ON THE EVE OF A BIG BATTLE	THE JEWS WILL NEED CHRIST TO DELIVER THEM FROM THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
THE NAME, JEPHTHAH, MEANS = TO SET FREE	JESUS, THE SAVIOR, COMES TO SET MAN FREE. THE NAME, JESUS, MEANS = JEHOVAH SAVES

THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY (10-11)

READ JDG 11:12-28 JEPHTHAH’S FAILED DIPLOMACY

JEPHTHAH DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY ATTACK THE ENEMY. HE TRIES DIPLOMACY FIRST TO DISCOVER WHY THEY ARE AGAINST THE ISRAELITES.

THE AMMONITES CLAIMED THAT THE LAND WAS THEIRS. THEY CLAIMED THE ISRAELITES HAD STOLEN THE LAND.
THE AMMONITES AGREED TO PEACE IN EXCHANGE FOR LAND.

JEPHTHAH KNOWS HIS HISTORY IN ORDER TO REFUTE THE AMMONITE CLAIM TO THE LAND.

WHEN THE ISRAELITES CAME OUT OF EGYPT AND WANTED TO CROSS THE LAND OF THE AMMONITES AND THE EDOMITES TO GET TO THE PROMISED LAND, THE AMMONITES AND EDOMITES REFUSED TO ALLOW PASSAGE TO THE ISRAELITES. THEREFORE, THE ISRAELITES WENT AROUND AMMON AND EDOM. (NUM 20:14-21)
THE ISRAELITES CAMPED ON THE NORTHERN BORDER OF MOAB AND THE AMORITES FOUGHT THE ISRAELITES TO PREVENT ACCESS TO THE JORDAN RIVER. GOD GAVE THE ISRAELITES THE VICTORY, AND THEY TOOK THE LAND OF THE AMORITES.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE LAND IN DISPUTE BETWEEN THE AMMONITES AND THE ISRAELITES IN GILEAD WAS LAND ISRAEL OBTAINED IN WARFARE AGAINST THE AMORITES. IT HAD NEVER BELONGED TO THE AMMONITES.

THIS WAS LAND BETWEEN THE ARNON RIVER AND THE JABOK RIVER. IT WAS IN SOUTHERN GILEAD.

JEPHTHAH ARGUED THAT GOD HAD GIVEN THE ISRAELITES THE VICTORY IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE AMORITES, SO GOD HAD GIVEN THEM THE LAND.

JEPHTHAH ARGUED THAT THE GOD OF MOAB, CHEMOSH, HAD GIVEN THE AMMONITES THE LAND OF THE MOABITES. THEREFORE, THEY SHOULD BE SATISFIED.

THE MOABITE KING, TO WHOM PART OF THE CONTESTED LAND BELONGED AT ONE TIME, HAD CONSENTED TO ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO THIS PORTION OF THE LAND.

IT HAD BELONGED TO ISRAEL FOR 300 YEARS AND NO ONE HAD CONTESTED ITS OWNERSHIP.

DISCUSSION: IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE LAND DISPUTE IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES REMIND YOU OF THE LAND FOR PEACE DEALS IN ISRAEL?

"THE LORD, THE JUDGE, BE JUDGE THIS DAY…" (27)

JEPHTHAH CORRECTLY KNOWS THAT IT IS CHRIST WHO WILL BE THE JUDGE AND EVENTUALLY SETTLE THE DISPUTE ONCE AND FOR ALL.

(SPECIAL NOTE): JEPHTHAH KNEW HIS HISTORY REGARDING THE POSSESSION OF THE LAND. DO YOU KNOW YOUR HISTORY REGARDING THE POSSESSION OF THE LAND IN ISRAEL DISPUTED BY THE PALESTINIANS?

JDG 11:29-31 JEPHTHAH’S FOOLISH AND DISTURBING BARGAIN WITH GOD.

WHEN THE DIPLOMACY FAILED, GOD ANOINTED JEPHTHAH FOR THE COMING BATTLE.

REMEMBER THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS TO ANOINT A PERSON TO ENABLE HIM TO ACCOMPLISH A SPECIFIC TASK FOR GOD.

JEPHTHAH MAKES A VOW TO THE LORD.

JEPHTHAH RECRUITS AN ARMY THROUGHOUT THE AREA OF GILEAD AND LAND BELONGING TO THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH.
DURING THIS JOURNEY OF RECRUITMENT, JEPHTHAH MAKES A VOW TO GOD. (30-31)

DURING THIS DISPENSATION OF THE MOSAIC LAW, VOWS WERE VERY COMMON.
THE VOW: "If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."

THIS WAS NOT ONLY A FOOLISH VOW BUT ALSO UNNECESSARY BECAUSE HE HAD GOD’S ANOINTING POWER AND PRESENCE.

SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS TODAY ATTEMPT TO BARGAIN WITH GOD, "GOD IF YOU WILL DO THIS, I WILL DO THAT."

GOD WOULD RATHER WE USE FAITH INSTEAD OF BARGAINS.

DISCUSSION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND BARGAINS?

JEPHTHAH WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER HAD HE USED HIS FAITH TO TRUST GOD FOR THE VICTORY AND THEN GIVEN GOD A THANK OFFERING AFTER THE FACT.

JEPHTHAH’S WORDS, "IF THOU SHALT…" ARE FAITH DEFEATING WORDS. THEY HAVE AN ELEMENT OF DOUBT AS TO WHETHER GOD WILL BE WITH HIM AND GIVE HIM THE VICTORY.

IF THIS VOW WAS FOOLISH AND GOD KNEW HOW IT WOULD TURN OUT, THEN, DOES GOD EXPECT JEPHTHAH TO FULFILL HIS VOW? YES, HE DOES.

READ DEU 23:21-23
READ ECC 5:2:4-5
READ MAT 5:33-37

JESUS TELLS US THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MAKE LEGALISTIC VOWS. A HIGHER STANDARD IS THAT YOU DEVELOP A REPUTATION THAT YOU WILL DO WHATSOEVER YOU SAY YOU WILL DO.

READ JDG 11:32-40 VICTORY AND JEPHTHAH’S DAUGHTER

GOD GAVE JEPHTHAH A GREAT VICTORY OVER THE AMMONITES.
THE FIRST THING TO COME OUT OF JEPHTHAH’S HOUSE AFTER THE WAR WAS HIS ONLY DAUGHTER.

HOW COULD GOD PUT JEPHTHAH IN HEB 11, THE "HALL OF FAITH", WHEN HE OFFERED HIS DAUGHTER AS A HUMAN SACRIFICE?

THIS IS A PERPLEXING PROBLEM WITH AN ANSWER:

WHAT WAS JEPHTHAH TO DO? HE MUST FULFILL HIS VOW. HOWEVER, GOD FORBADE HUMAN SACRIFICE (LEV 18:21 LEV 20:2-5 DEU 12:31 DEU 18:10), AND HE HAD PROMISED TO SACRIFICE THE FIRST THING THAT CAME OUT OF HIS DOOR.
WHAT MOST CHRISTIANS WHO READ THIS PASSAGE DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE MOSAIC LAW ITSELF PROVIDED AN ANSWER FOR THIS DILEMMA:

READ LEV 27:1-8

THE PAYMENT OF SILVER REDEEMED A PERSON UNDER A VOW.

THIS IS PROBABLY WHAT JEPHTHAH DID SO THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE TO DO HUMAN SACRIFICE.

JUDGES 11 DOES NOT TELL US THIS SOLUTION BECAUSE IT ASSUMES THE JEWS AT THAT TIME KNEW THE MOSAIC LAW.

THEN WHY WERE JEPHTHAH AND HIS DAUGHTER SO UPSET?

NOTICE THAT THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT SHE WAS HIS ONLY CHILD. (34)

A CONTINUATION OF HIS FAMILY DEPENDED ON THIS ONE DAUGHTER.

NOTICE THAT SHE CRIES FOR TWO MONTHS WITH HER FRIENDS ABOUT HER VIRGINITY.(37)

IN OTHER WORDS, TO KEEP THE VOW SHE IS DEDICATING HER LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE. SHE WILL NEVER MARRY, AND SHE WILL NEVER HAVE CHILDREN.

SHE IS TO BE "A LIVING SACRIFICE", NOT A DEAD ONE, AS MENTIONED BY PAUL IN ROM 12:1.

THE COMMUNITY HELD A MEMORIAL CELEBRATION OF FOUR DAYS EVERY YEAR TO HONOR HER SACRIFICE TO THE LORD. (40)
THE BROAD SIGNIFICANCE OF JEPHTHAH’S DAUGHTER:

BECAUSE JEPHTHAH IS A PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST IN THIS LESSON, HIS DAUGHTER ALSO HAS A PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE.

SHE SEEMS TO REPRESENT THE BRIDE OF CHRIST WHOSE LIFE IS DEDICATED AND USED BY GOD.

HOMEWORK
JUDGES 12
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF JDG 11:

HAVE YOU MADE ANY VOWS TO GOD THAT YOU HAVE FAILED TO PAY?

IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, DETERMINE TO PAY THEM NOW. THE LORD WILL BLESS YOU FOR KEEPING YOUR WORD.

PREPARATION FOR JDG 12:1-15

READ JDG 12:1-15

WHAT DO YOU THINK PROMPTED THE CIVIL WAR? (LOOK FOR ONE CLUE IN VERSE 6)
WHAT IMPRESSION DO YOU HAVE OF THE LAST THREE JUDGES IN CHAPTER 12?

MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 4:23