Jephthah the Bad

• Today we are going to look at the tragic story of a judge who made a twisted pact with tragic consequences.

• His name was Jephthah and he was a highly-skilled soldier who was selected to help Israel defeat the Ammonites.

• He was a man of fury; he was a man of ferocity; and he was a man of distorted beliefs.

• We encounter Jephthah in Judges chapter eleven. After another vicious sin cycle, the Israelites found themselves surrounded by the Ammonites.

• In a frenzy, God's people sought out Jephthah. He was renowned as their most skilled soldier with audacious courage in the face of adversity.

• On paper, he was the perfect judge. Strong, intelligent, clever, and well spoken.

• There was only one problem: he was not very close to God.

• As a matter of fact, He didn't know much about the true God at all.

• His religious confusion is evident when we see his story unfold.

• When the Ammonites threatened the Israelites, Jephthah tried diplomacy first.

• Being a gifted communicator, he wrote up a treaty for the king of the Ammonites (Judges 11:12-20).

• The king rejected his plea and declared war (Judges 11:27).

• Thus, Israel found itself fighting another senseless battle against a stacked army.

• Jephthah proved to be an astounding military leader.

• He courageously marched into the battle of a lifetime.

• While the enemy soldiers pressed forward, spears flew past his head, and the victory seemed impossible.

• Israel realized they were overwhelmed and understaffed. In the heat of pending defeat, Jephthah swore something stupid.

• Jephthah vowed to sacrifice a member of his household if they won the war.

• He explained, "I will sacrifice whoever steps out of my house when I arrive home" (Judges 11:30-31).

• After the dust settled, Israel's flag flew above the rubble. They had won the war!

• While cheers echoed through the nation, Jephthah recalled his morbid promise to God.

• Slightly horrified, he headed home.

• In a twisted turn of events, his daughter was the first to greet him to congratulate her dad on his victory (Judges 11:34-35). 

• Biblical scholars disagree as to whether or not he actually killed his daughter.

• Some teachers suggest that she was simply forbidden from marriage, which was a common practice of sacrifice at that time.

• Others, the seeming majority, think that he actually went through with it and murdered his child.

• Regardless, Jephthah's vow cost him big time. We can learn two valuable lessons from this reckless judge. 

Don't Let Culture Corrupt Your Faith

• Why would Jephthah make that vile vow in the first place? Well, human sacrifice was central to the ancient religions of his time.

• It was practiced by the Ammonites, Canaanites, and Philistines. However, it was directly forbidden by the God of Israel (Deuteronomy 18:10).

• Human sacrifice pleased pagan gods. The bigger the sacrifice, the bigger the payoff. Thus, a human sacrifice was believed to create the most miraculous outcomes.

• Jephthah let culture corrupt his faith. He clearly didn't understand the true God of love, grace, and mercy.

• Because, if he did, he would never have made such a vow.

• He talked to God as if He was a false god who would appreciate something as vile as human sacrifice.

• While we are shocked at the kind of corruption that would make someone do this, our culture does it too.

• We just make different sacrifices.

• Culture idolizes wealth which leads people to sacrifice their families on the altar of success.

• Society advertises the fun of pleasure which makes people sacrifice their health on the altar of feeling good.

• Unfortunately, we can even sacrifice our faith on the altar of the world's expectations.

• Our culture calls us to water down our message, avoid our true purpose, and approach scripture through the lens of modern sentiment.

• It's tragic. Ask God to help you purify your faith amid a culture that strives to corrupt it.

• I wish Jephthah knew what we know, because he would see that his cultural view of God was flawed. Why? Because God’s favor is free. This brings us to our last point.

God's Favor Isn't Earned

• Jephthah incorrectly thought that he could buy God's favor.

• His perspective was shaped by a worldview that believed in wishy-washy gods with big tempers.

• That is far from the truth, though.

• God's favor is free and unmerited. There is nothing we have to do to earn it or deserve it. God just gives it out because He is a good God.

• You are his child and He is a good Father.

• Misguided people think this way all the time.

• "If I pray harder, maybe God will bless me bigger."

• "If I fast for weeks, maybe God will give me what I want."

• "If I promise to stop cheating, God will turn my D into an A."

• "If I tithe, maybe I will win the lottery."

• This version of faith is flawed. Why?

• You don't need to earn God's favor. God is not manipulated by sacrifice, offerings, or vows.

• God is pleased by faith and faith alone.

• I really wish that Jephthah would have wrestled with his vow. If he had sought Godly council, he could have stopped the downward spiral in judges.

• Jephthah would have told them that the true God is full of mercy and grace.

• There was no need to negotiate with Him or try to coax Him into blessing His people.

The book of Judges is only a sliver of God's story. A thousand years later, the Apostle Paul demonstrates pure faith and free favor.

• Ephesians 2:8 teaches,

• That's all God expects of us — faith.

• There is nothing else we need to do to receive His favor.

• Faith in God gives us the favor of God.

• God’s favor is a free gift with no strings attached. That's the glory of the gospel.

TALK IT OUT 

Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

Ice Breaker: Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week and what was the lowest part of your week?

Q1: What is your reaction to Jephthah’s vow during battle? Why do you think he did this when it’s explicitly forbidden by scripture?

Q2: What are some ways that culture tries to corrupt our faith?

Q3: What are some ways that people try to earn the favor of God? Why is that problematic?

Q4: Read Ephesians 2:8. What can this teach us about the true nature of our faith?

Application:

Look for any places in your life where your faith has been corrupted or you’re trying to earn God’s favor. Ask God to help you grow closer to him by refining your faith.

READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY

2 Peter 3:10-13

2 Timothy 1:6-10

Ephesians 4:20-24

Exodus 3:2-6

Exodus 12:11-13

Exodus 19:4-6

Psalm 93:1-5

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary. REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.