Copyr. 1997, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D.
INTRODUCTION: LAST WEEK WE ENDED WITH THE DEATH OF ABIMELECH.
ALTHOUGH ABIMELECH WAS A WICKED MAN, WE DO NOT SEE ISRAEL TURNING
TO IDOL WORSHIP IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS DEATH. INSTEAD, 45 YEARS PASS
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF TWO JUDGES: TOLA, GRANDSON OF DODO, AND
JAIR WHO GAVE EACH OF HIS 30 SONS A CADILLAC. (ACTUALLY A DONKEY,
BUT A DONKEY WAS PROBABLY A SIGN OF WEALTH -- JUDGES 5:10). THUS,
BETWEEN GIDEON, TOLA AND JAIR, SEVERAL GENERATIONS ARE BORN. LETS
SEE HOW THE NEW GENERATION RELATES TO GOD!
I. BACK AGAIN.
A. READ JUDGES 10:6-13. WE HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A LIST OF
"OTHER GODS" SERVED BY ISRAEL!
B. HOW DOES THIS LIST OF "OTHER GODS" COMPARE TO THE LIST OF
NATIONS WHICH OPPRESSED ISRAEL? (THEY ARE VIRTUALLY THE SAME!)
1. DO YOU THINK THIS IS JUST A COINCIDENCE?
2. IF NOT, WHY DID GOD ALLOW THE VERY NATIONS WHOSE GODS
THE ISRAELITES WORSHIPPED, OPPRESS ISRAEL? (ISN'T THIS
JUSTICE? THESE GODS WERE NOT THE GOD OF ISRAEL. SO, IF
ISRAEL TURNED ITS ALLEGIANCE TO THEM, WHY NOT LET THOSE
NATIONS CONTROL ISRAEL?)
C. LETS READ ON, FOR IN THE NEXT VERSE GOD GIVES THIS VERY
REASON. READ JUDGES 10:14-16.
1. WHAT WAS KEY TO GOD BEING "UNABLE TO BEAR ISRAEL'S
MISERY" ANY LONGER? (v.16. THEY GOT RID OF THE FOREIGN
GODS AND SERVED THE LORD.)
2. HOW WOULD YOU APPLY THAT SPIRITUAL LESSON TO YOUR LIFE
TODAY?
a. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO GET RID OF A SIN? (DON'T
LEAVE TEMPTATION SITTING AROUND. WHEN YOU GET RID
OF A SIN, YOU GET RID OF IT ROOT AND BRANCH.)
b. IS THIS CONSISTENT WITH THE IDEA THAT ONLY BY THE
POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN WE OVERCOME SIN? (WE
CAN ONLY "OVERCOME" SIN BY THE POWER OF THE HS, BUT
WE MUST MAKE A CHOICE. AND HAVING OLD IDOLS LAYING
AROUND IS SIMPLY A TEMPTATION TO RETURN TO OUR OLD
WAYS. OUR "CHOICE" IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY MANIFESTED
IN OUR DECISION NOT TO LEAVE TEMPTATION LAYING
AROUND.)
c. I THINK THAT GETTING RID OF THE OTHER IDOLS,
GETTING RID OF THE TEMPTATION, SHOWS GOD THAT WE
ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FOLLOWING HIM.
D. VERSES 17-18 SHOW A PATTERN THAT WE SAW WITH GIDEON. WHEN
HE MADE THE DECISION TO FOLLOW GOD, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENEMY
SHOWS UP IN FORCE.
1. IS THAT ANOTHER "SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE?" (VERY LIKELY.
THE DEVIL DOES NOT WANT TO GIVE UP EASILY.)
II. JEPHTHAH
A. READ JUDGES 11:1-7. LET'S DO TWO THINGS HERE. FIRST, LET'S
PUT OURSELVES IN JEPHTHAH'S SANDALS AND SEE HOW WE WOULD
REACT. AND SECOND, LETS BREAK THESE VERSES DOWN INTO A SERIES
OF LIFE-EVENTS.
1. HOW WAS EARLY FAMILY LIFE FOR JEPHTHAH? (I HAVE LITTLE
DOUBT THAT HIS BROTHERS TEASED HIM ABOUT HIS MOTHER. HE
PROBABLY SUFFERED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THIS. HIS FATHER
PROBABLY RESTRAINED HIS BROTHERS UNTIL THEY GOT OLDER.)
2. HOW WAS LIFE WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG ADULT? (NOW THAT HIS
BROTHERS WERE GROWN, THEIR DISLIKE OF JEPHTHAH CAUSED
THEM TO ACTUALLY DRIVE HIM AWAY FROM HOME AND TELL HIM
THAT HE WOULD NOT INHERIT ANYTHING BECAUSE HE WAS NOT
PART OF THEIR FAMILY.)
3. NOTE THE TEXT SAYS HE "FLED." DOESN'T THIS MAKE IT
APPEAR THAT HE THOUGHT HIS LIFE OR HEALTH WERE IN DANGER?
4. DO YOU THINK THAT JEPTHAH WAS OPERATING UNDER A
HANDICAP? (VERY COMMON. WE REMEMBER EHUD, DEBORAH AND
GIDEON (WHO SAID HE WAS LEAST OF THE LEAST -- JUDGES
6:15))
5. SO JEPTHAH MOVES TO TOB.
a. HOW DO YOU THINK HE MADE A LIVING?
b. WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT A "GROUP OF ADVENTURERS
GATHERED AROUND HIM AND FOLLOWED HIM?"
c. IS THIS MORE TROUBLE? PEOPLE FOLLOWING HIM? (NO.
JEPTHAH IS THE LEADER OF A RAIDING PARTY. I WOULD
THINK THAT HE WAS SOMETHING LIKE A PIRATE PREYING
ON THE AMMONITES AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO OPPRESSED
ISRAEL.)
6. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE FACT THAT THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL
"WENT TO GET JEPHTHAH FROM THE LAND OF TOB?" (THEY REALLY
WANTED HIM.)
a. WHY DO YOU THINK THEY WANTED HIM SO MUCH?
(BECAUSE, HIS "PIRATE DAYS" HAD TAUGHT HIM:
(1) LEADERSHIP SKILLS
(2) FIGHTING SKILLS
(3) GIVEN HIM GOOD JUDGMENT ABOUT THE STRENGTHS
AND WEAKNESSES OF HIS ENEMIES.)
B. JEPHTHAH IN v.7 ASKS THE SAME QUESTION I JUST ASKED, "WHY
DO YOU WANT ME?"
1. WHAT DOES HIS QUESTION TELL US ABOUT THE WAY HE HAD
BEEN TREATED? (JEPHTHAH SAYS THAT THEY "HATED" HIM. NOT
A PLEASANT THING TO HAVE YOUR BROTHERS HATE YOU.)
2. WHAT DOES JEPHTHAH'S QUESTION TELL US ABOUT THE
IDENTITY OF THESE ELDERS? (IT APPEARS THAT AT LEAST SOME
OF HIS BROTHERS HAVE GROWN UP TO BECOME ELDERS IN THIS
TOWN.)
C. I IMAGINE THAT IF YOU ASKED JEPTHAH, "WHAT IS THE WORST
THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?" HE WOULD ANSWER, "I WAS
DRIVEN AWAY FROM HOME BY MY BROTHERS."
1. KNOWING THAT THE ELDERS HAVE NOW ASKED HIM TO BE THEIR
COMMANDER, DO YOU AGREE THAT THIS IS THE WORST THING THAT
HAPPENED TO HIM?
(a. ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER IS THAT HE CAN MAKE SOMETHING GOOD OUT OF
SOMETHING TERRIBLE. IF JEPTHAH HAD NEVER BEEN
DRIVEN AWAY TO BE OUT ON HIS OWN, HE LIKELY WOULD
NOT HAVE LEARNED HIS WARRIOR AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
b. WHEN TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR LIFE, WE NEED
TO ASK GOD TO MAKE SOMETHING GOOD OUT OF IT.
c. JEPTHAH COULD HAVE DIRECTED HIS "ADVENTURERS"
AGAINST GILEAD TO TAKE HIS REVENGE. THIS SHOWS US
HOW GOD VINDICATED JEPTHAH. IF THE STORY STOPPED
HERE, I AM SURE THAT JEPTHAH WOULD HAVE FELT FULLY
VINDICATED.)
D. LETS READ HOW THE ELDERS ANSWER JEPTHAH'S QUESTION. READ
JUDGES 11:8-11.
1. HOW DO THE ELDERS ANSWER JEPTHAH'S QUESTION?
a. WHAT EXPLANATION DO THEY GIVE FOR HATING HIM AND
DRIVING HIM OUT OF HIS FATHER'S HOUSE?
b. WHAT EXPLANATION DO THEY GIVE FOR COMING TO HIM?
(THEY HAVE A PRETTY POOR RESPONSE. THEY GIVE NO REASONS.
THEY ESSENTIALLY IGNORE THE QUESTION (NO DOUBT BECAUSE
THERE IS NO GOOD ANSWER) AND SAY, "NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE
COMING TO YOU!")
III. THE LEGAL ARGUMENT
A. READ JUDGES 11:12-15. IS THIS ANY WAY TO PREPARE FOR
BATTLE?
1. WHAT REASON DOES THE AMMONITE KING GIVE FOR ATTACKING?
(THE LAND IS HIS.)
B. I JUST INCLUDED THE FIRST VERSE OF JEPTHAH'S REPLY, SO THAT
YOU COULD GET A GENERAL IDEA OF HIS RESPONSE. IF WE WERE TO
READ VERSES 14-27 WE WOULD SEE THAT JEPTHAH GIVES A DETAILED
LAWYER'S ARGUMENT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE LAND AND ISRAEL'S
CLAIM TO IT.
1. WHAT NEW SIDE OF JEPTHAH DOES THIS SHOW US? (1) THAT
HE IS OBVIOUSLY EDUCATED; 2) THAT HE PREFERS DISCUSSION
AND A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OVER WARFARE!)
C. LETS CONTINUE WITH 11:28. THE KING OF AMMON SAYS, "WELL,
YOU SURE KNOW YOUR HISTORY. I'M SORRY, WE'LL ALL BE HEADING
HOME NOW. SORRY TO BOTHER YOU.")
1. OR DOES HE? (SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT GOING TO
LISTEN TO REASON.)
IV. THE RASH VOW.
A. READ JUDGES 11:29-35.
B. DID JEPTHAH NEED TO MAKE THIS VOW TO WIN? (NO. IN THE CASE
OF THE OTHER JUDGES THAT WE HAVE STUDIED, THE LORD COMES TO
SEE THEM PERSONALLY. HERE, THE ELDERS OF GILEAD CAME TO SEE
JEPTHAH. (THE AGREEMENT WAS REPEATED BEFORE THE LORD -- JUDGES
11:11) HOWEVER, IN 11:29 WE READ THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD
CAME UPON JEPHTHAH, WHICH IS THE SAME LANGUAGE AS USED FOR
GOD'S HELP TO THE OTHER JUDGES. AND THIS HAPPENED BEFORE HE
MADE HIS VOW.)
C. SHOULD HE HAVE MADE A VOW LIKE THIS? (NO. ONE COMMENTATOR
SUGGESTED THAT THE VERY LANGUAGE USED SUGGESTED A HUMAN
SACRIFICE. IN LEV. 18:21 AND DEUT. 12:31 GOD SPECIFICALLY
PROHIBITED HUMAN SACRIFICE).
D. LETS READ ON. JUDGES 11:36-40. JEPTHAH KEPT HIS VOW TO GOD.
1. DO YOU THINK HE WANTED TO KEEP HIS VOW? (NO)
2. SO WHY DID HE? CAN YOU SEE ANY REASON FOR HIM TO KEEP
HIS VOW? (DEUT. 23:21-23 SPEAKS OF HOW WE MUST KEEP OUR
VOWS TO GOD.)
3. THERE IS CONTROVERSY OVER WHETHER JEPTHAH REALLY
SACRIFICED HIS DAUGHTER OR WHETHER HE MERELY DEDICATED
HER TO GOD AS AN UNMARRIED WOMAN. (THIS IS BASED ON A
READING OF 11:31 THAT HE WAS MAKING TWO PROMISES: TO
DEDICATE TO THE LORD WHATEVER CAME OUT OF THE DOOR AND TO
OFFER A BURNT OFFERING TO THE LORD. THE NIV AND KJV
INSERT "IT" IN "SACRIFICE IT AS A BURNT OFFERING." THE
HEBREW, AS CLEAR AS I CAN TELL, SAYS ESSENTIALLY "THE
LORD -- UP IN SMOKE," WITH "SMOKE" HAVING THE CONNOTATION
OF A SACRIFICE. SO THE TWO COULD BE SEPARATED. THE
PROBLEM IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS VERY PRIMITIVE. THE SDABC
COMMENTS THAT THE WORD "IT" IS REQUIRED IN THE
TRANSLATION.)
E. DO YOU THINK GOD WANTED JEPHTHAH TO KEEP HIS VOW?
(GOD ALLOWED CERTAIN SUBSTITUTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE LEV.
27:2-8 DEALS WITH REDEEMING A PERSON DEDICATED TO THE
LORD. GOD HAD ABRAHAM SUBSTITUTE A RAM FOR HIS BOY.
HOWEVER, ABRAHAM NEVER MADE ANY VOW. THE BEST WAY TO
LOOK AT THIS IS TO PUT YOURSELF IN PLACE OF GOD. YOU ARE
THE GRANDFATHER, YOUR SON MAKES A RASH VOW TO SACRIFICE
YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER TO YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR HELP. (GOD
INVITES SUCH PARALLELS: MATT. 7:9-11.) YOU WOULD NOT
CONSIDER ACCEPTING THIS SACRIFICE FOR A MINUTE!)
V. CORRECT DICTION
A. READ JUDGES 12:1-3. DOES THIS REMIND YOU OF ANYTHING YOU
HAVE PREVIOUSLY SEEN IN THIS BOOK? (YES. THESE LOUSY
EPHRAIMITES DID THE SAME THING TO GIDEON. (JUDGES 8:1-3) THE
DIFFERENCE WAS THAT GIDEON WAS VERY SELF-EFFACING WHEN THEY
DID THE SAME THING TO HIM, BUT JEPHTHAH WAS NOT SO
DIPLOMATIC.)
1. WHAT REASON DID EPHRAIM HAVE FOR THIS BEHAVIOR?
2. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THIS IN CHURCH? SOMEONE TAKES ON A
TOUGH JOB. LATER, SOMEONE WHO REFUSED TO HELP IS CRITICAL
OF WHAT IS DONE AND TRIES TO HORN IN ON THE GLORY!
a. WHOSE REACTION SHOULD WE EMULATE IN SUCH A
SITUATION? GIDEON OR JEPTHAH?
B. READ 12:4-7. HAVE YOU HEARD THAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR TAPES
THAT WILL INCREASE YOUR VOCABULARY AND IMPROVE YOUR SPEECH?
THEY EXPLAIN HOW IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SPEAKING SKILLS, AND HOW
PEOPLE JUDGE YOU BY YOUR SPEECH.
1. APPARENTLY, THESE TAPES WERE NOT AVAILABLE IN EPHRAIM
AT THE TIME.
2. WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS? (THAT ALTHOUGH THESE WERE
ALL GOD'S PEOPLE, AND THE DESCENDANTS OF BROTHERS, THERE
WERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM, INCLUDING
DIALECT DIFFERENCES.
VI. NEXT WEEK: SAMPSON! JUDGES 13! STUDY. (I WILL NOT BE WITH YOU.)