So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the Lord gives them up to me, will I become your head?” - Verse 9
Message: Jephthah Rises to Lead Israel
Time: Judges covers about 250 years from death of Joshua to birth of Samuel (1360-1110 BC). The people of Israel largely divided with different local triable judges. It was a period of stirring interventions by the Lord and also great disobedience on the part of the Israelites. Without a king, everyone did right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).
What the Lord is Saying: After Abimelech dies, 2 judges are mentioned - Tola and Jair. Tola judges for 23 years. Jair judges for 22 years. Not much is said of them but they are mentioned. They are part of the history. It is mentioned that Tola arose to save Israel. 45 years pass. A generation. The good news during this period is nothing bad happened. No news is good news. Things were rotten under Abimelech but now things are good. These two judges were good men, good leaders.
Then verse 6 states, "The sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord." These same words have been said before - in 2:11, 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1. This has not been mentioned for 4 chapters. It was not mentioned under Tola and Jair. But now the people have fallen back into idolatry. The problem is they "exchanged the truth of God for a lie. (Romans 1:25)" They served other gods. They broke God's commandment to have no other Gods (Ex. 20:3). Today I think those gods are comfort, safety, riches, entertainment, health. Even a freedom from problems and trials. Anything that robs our personal quality of life I think at times is greater than what God speaks of in His word. I need those things in my life. I do. All of us do. In those times, the problem was they aligned themselves with the non-chosen people and the gods they worshipped. The people of the land that I saw previously that remained in the land - the Canaanites. But their are others. It is like we assimilate ourselves with the world and its ways. It is hard to stand out and be different and easier just to go along.
Because of this falling away by the people of Israel (people of God), "the anger for the Lord burned against Israel" in verse 7. He sold them or as it says in Romans "gave them over." They were afflicted and crushed for 18 years. They had it good for 45 years, but now for 18 years they were embattled.
"Then the sons of Israel cried out" (verse 10) stating they had forsaken the Lord. They were proud for a while, not admitting their sin. It took a revival of their hearts a while to occur. But here is the problem - God let them know that it isn't a formula. They turned on God and he rejects their plea. He tells them to go to the gods they have joined forces with. He says to them, "let them deliver you in the time of your distress." Look, you serve those gods, so rather than running to me now you are in distress, maybe you should run to them. Maybe this is a test. Maybe God is trying to test them to see what they will do.
How do they respond? Verse 15, "We have sinned." That's it. They recognize their sin. Good for Israel. This is the right respond of people and what we are looking for, what God is looking for - people that recognize their sin.
Yesterday, I read an article about Islam. They do believe that Allah will forgive sins (Sura 39:53). But Christ is not recognized. Instead, Sura 7:8 states: “As for those whose scale will be heavy with good deeds, only they will be successful.” Jesus is missing and as such, the atonement is missing. Even in the Old Testament, burnt offerings or atonements are mentioned. This seems to be missing from Islam.
Are people simply bothered that bad things have happened or do they really have a desire for God? It almost seems like that what is occurring here.
Chapter 11 begins and Jephthah enters. Verse 1 he is called a valiant warrior. Gideon was called the same in 6:12 although it was said of him, "The Lord is with you."
The sons of Ammon are mentioned here. I am not sure what to make of these people. They seem to be adversarial in chapter 10 to Israel. Israel's evil ways in 10:6 includes serving the gods of the sons of Ammon. The Lord's anger resulted in Israel being sold into the hand of the sons of Ammon (10:7). Israel's 18 years of affliction took place in Gilead, a land of the sons of Ammon (10:8). The Lord mentions to Israel delivering them from people that included the sons of Ammon (10:11). But the author then mentions at the end of 10 that the leaders in Gilead would raise up for Israel someone to fight against the sons of Ammon (10:18).
In Chapter 11 Jephthah is born as a Gileadite. But not by Gilead's wife, like his brothers, but by a harlot, which resulted in the brothers sending Jephthah away from them. Then these sons of Ammon are mentioned again as fighting against Israel (11:4). The elders of Gilead in response believe Jephthah to be the answer to lead the people (Israel not mentioned here) against the sons of Ammon (11:6). Jephthah is surprised he has been chosen (11:7). But the leaders confirm that Jephthah is the one to lead all the inhabitants of Gilead (among with I think the sons of Israel are as well) against the sons of Ammon (11:8). Jephthah makes a point that the Lord must be with him in this fighting and leading (11:9). Jephthah makes a statement to recognize that to defeat the sons of Ammon the Lord must be with him, and then the elders of Gilead would make him a leader. Back in 8:23 Gideon responded to leadership that God is the true leader of the people. But there the people make him head (11:11).
Jephthah sends a message to the sons of Ammon wondering about the strife between them. The sons of Ammon respond that taking our land by Israel is the problem. Jephthah responds they didn't take the land, just wanted to pass through it and did not get permission. Since they were unwilling the Lord possessed all of the land of the Amonites through fighting (11:21). The Lord did this for the people of Israel (11:23). The sons of Ammon however rejected these words from Jephthah (11:28).
Then the text mentions the Spirit of the Lord coming upon Jephthah (last mentioned towards Gideon, the previous judge in 6:34) as he heads to the son of Ammon (11:29). Jephthah then makes a vow to the Lord (11:30). If God will, then he will offer up "whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me" as a burnt offering to the Lord (11:31). The burnt offering shows a person's complete devotion to God. It is offering a spotless animal as atonement. And so the sons of Ammon were subdued (11:33).
The chapter ends with a conversation between Jephthah, regarding his daughter. He returns from the battle and is greeted by his daughter with her celebrating his return (dancing with musical instruments) (v. 34). He remembers his vow, tears his clothes because he she is the one that has come out to greet him, not what he wanted because his vow to the Lord is to sacrifice the one who comes of the door first to greet him (v. 35). The daughter trusts her father though and tells him to do as he has vowed (v. 36). The vow the daughter and Jephthah agree to is not a burnt offering which is not allowed - see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2; Deuteronomy 12:31-32; 18:10-12. Instead the vow that is described as her not having any relations with man. I saw a Bible commentary online that said, "He was willing to give up his only hope of grandchildren and perpetuation of the family line, enduring a social stigma, in order to obey God."
Jephthah kept his vow, though the scripture renders the vow as a burnt offering. It seems possible that the burnt offering is a translation error. Burnt offerings are animals, not people. The daughter coming out was God-ordained. Thus, there is a little problem here with the text possibly. If he adheres to sacrificing the life of his daughter then he breaks the rules of the Law prohibiting sacrifice of humans. If he does what he did then the burnt offering described was wrong. And verse 29 starts with the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him. The bottom line though to me is he kept the promise for a sacrifice.
Summary: Israel declares they have sinned and Jephthah rises to lead Israel. He makes a vow to the Lord and honors it by his only child and daughter being barren, a curse somewhat among the people to not have any offspring.
Promise: Our promises to God are more important than societal and even religious traditions. We should be true to God, admitting our sin.
Prayer: O my Lord, Father, Hashem - you are the one I respect and revere. I need to trust in You and I want to trust in You and be true to how you have called me to live and be. Thank you for these readings and that these records are preserved and the examples remain timeless. You continue to send leaders to instruct us and guide us, but ultimately it is only You that saves and You provide your Son Jesus to atone for my sins, forgiving me for all eternity. I confess I am a sinner. Lord, there are many in my life that I pray would see this - their sin and then the relationship with you that follows. Jephthah reminds me follow You true. What situations in my life would cause me to make a vow? To make a promise to You in order for you to get me out of a jam? I am not sure. But I can keep my word. When I take on a responsibility I can follow through on it and this is something I need to improve on.
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