This week we continue the Grit & Grace series, diving into the lives of the Judges of Israel, and discerning how God is calling us to live, based on their achievements and failures. This week we learn about the life of Jephthah.
Jephthah’s Vow - Sermon Notes
Who is Jephthah?
Nobodies Become Somebodies
“Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?”
Judges 11:7 ESV
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10
“If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.”
Judges 11:9 ESV
“Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”
Judges 8:22–23 ESV
Victories Become Arrogated
"It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the kingdom, to see God’s children starving while actually seated at the Father's table. The cause of this sad condition is spiritual pride.” - AW Tozer
“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” - C.S Lewis
Faith Becomes Transactional
“If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”
Judges 11:30–31 ESV
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.”
Judges 11:34-35 ESV
When Differences Become Divisions
12 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people had a great dispute with the Ammonites, and when I called you, you did not save me from their hand. 3 And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” 4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. 5 And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,” 6 they said to him,“Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.”
Judges 12:1–6 ESV
