Village Schools of the Bible

RASCALS USED BY GOD
A Devotional Study of Judges
by Max Frazier, Jr.

JEPHTHAH: AN OUTCAST WHO BECAME A HERO
Judges 11:1-40

Once upon a time, according to the fairy tale, a duckling was hatched. He was very much unlike those other ducklings which were around him. He seemed not to fit in with them. He was awkward. His neck seemed to be a nuisance as he waddled along with the rest of the duck crowd. It did not take long for him to receive the nickname of "the ugly duckling." Soon, his friends began to shun him. He grew very lonely, and yet, at the same time, he did grow. One day his ugliness was replaced with the grace and beauty of a great swan.

That fairy tale reminds me of the story of this fascinating judge, named Jephthah. He was the son of a prostitute, not an auspicious way to begin life. He was soon driven from his home by his father's legitimate children. They certainly did not want a prostitute's son receiving any of the inheritance which they hoped to receive from their father.

The Bible tells us that Jephthah went into the desert and became a gang leader. I like the way the King James Version records it: Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jepthah, and went out with him (verse 3). One can only imagine what this group of young men was like that Jephthah became mixed up with. But soon, Jephthah developed a national reputation. People became aware of his outstanding leadership abilities.

I believe there is a lesson to be learned here in these opening verses of the story of Jephthah. People are indeed watching us. They are discovering our strengths and our weaknesses. We are leaving an impression upon them. How many times did the Apostle Paul remind his readers of their need to walk consistently and faithfully with God? Almost too many to count. As a father, I must remember that my children are observing me. As an employer, I must remember that those who work for me are also watching me closely. As a neighbor, those within my neighborhood are watching me to see if I live as I have believed. We may not like the fact that, as Christians, we live in a fish bowl, but that living has a great deal of impact upon our testimony for Christ.

Father, Thank You for reminding us through these verses about the early life of Jephthah, that others are indeed watching us. I would pray that we might walk in such a manner that we bring glory to Your name and influence others to enter into Your kingdom. Father, may the beauty of Jesus be seen in me and in the lives of all our Village School friends. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT JEPHTHAH
Judges 11:1-40

Yesterday we began our study in the life of this most unusual person, a man whom we might call "an ugly duckling" before God. We noticed that, although driven from his home because his birth was despised, he began to develop leadership skills which became noticed by those around him. Now those skills would be called upon to help deliver his people from bondage.

When summoned by those same people who had "run him out of town" earlier in his life, Jephthah responded in a positive way. He did not seek revenge. He did not state, "Well, if I was not good enough for you then, I am not good enough for you now." No, Jephthah sensed the urging of God and went to meet this challenge.

Now, here is where the story gets very interesting. Instead of buckling on the sword and summoning the army, Jephthah tries his hand at negotiations. Being well versed in Scripture and in the story of his people, he first approached the Ammonite oppressors with the message of God's dealings with both the Ammonites and Israel in the past. Jephthah knew how to fight with words, as well as with the sword.

I was impressed as I read his message to the Ammonites. I wonder how many of us are as intimately acquainted with God's dealings in our nation's past as was Jephthah with his nation's. God has been at work in our nation's history, a fact that many have tried to refute or ignore. What a responsibility we have to proclaim this heritage to others. Armed with the truths of the past, we can stand against those who seek to destroy those truths in the present. A knowledge of our past is important for a sure defense of the present and the future.

Jephthah tried to settle the differences between the Ammonites and Israel by talking first. He tried to reason with them. He wanted to listen to their complaints and wished them to do likewise with Israel's complaints. Although his plan did not work, Jephthah is to be commended for his desire to be a peacemaker. Jesus told us that those who were peacemakers were indeed blessed.

Remember those words of God to Israel, as recorded by the prophet Isaiah? He wrote, Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. (Isaiah 1:18). It may not always bring the results we would like, but then again, an understanding might be reached which will allow God's way to be realized.

Tomorrow, in our final study in the life of this unusual man of God, we want to give consideration to those closing verses of this chapter. Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter or not? I invite you to join us for that study.

Our great God and heavenly Father, You are the God of history. And just as Israel was founded upon the knowledge of God, so too was that of our own nation. Please forgive us for not being careful students of our past so that we might be more successful in championing the causes of the present. Forgive us for taking God out of our nation's history and replacing Him with the initiatives of man. We have lost our edge because we have let others distort our past. Father, open our eyes that we might see and know even as Jephthah saw and knew of his nation's past. Then give us the courage to relate those truths in powerful ways to others. We pray this in the name of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

TO SACRIFICE OR NOT TO SACRIFICE: THAT IS THE QUESTION
Judges 11:34-40

When one hears the name of Jephthah, it is this event in the closing verses of Judges 11 which most readily comes to mind. Probably one of the most asked questions I ever addressed while in the pastoral ministry, and it is asked here by many during the study of Old Testament Survey, is this: Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter to God?

We read about this vow which Jephthah made with God just before he entered into battle against the Ammonites. It was one of those moments which most of us have experienced from time to time when we bargain with God. You know how it goes - if God will do something, then you will do something in return. Usually, in such bargaining, we fail to keep our end of the bargain. At least we cannot say that about Jephthah.

God gave him a great victory, and upon his return home, whom should he meet first but his one and only daughter. His heart was crushed because of his vow before God. What would you do if you had been in Jephthah's shoes; I mean other than making such a foolish vow?

Bible scholars are about evenly divided in their interpretation of these verses. Allow me to share with you the evidence from those who hold to a literal sacrifice of his daughter. First, the express terms of the narrative in verse 30 (I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering) and in verse 39 (he did to her as he had vowed) relate the simple truth that what he had vowed he performed, and he had vowed a sacrifice. Second, Jephthah was half-heathen and the circumstances took place where the heathen dwelt in great numbers and where human sacrifices were known. Third, his excessive grief on seeing his daughter come forth to meet him can only be accounted for on the supposition that he considered her devoted to death. Finally, the mourning for Jephthah's daughter for four days in the year can be reconciled only with the supposition that she was an actual sacrifice.

Now, let me share the evidence from those who say that Jephthah could not have sacrificed his daughter. First of all, and most importantly, it would have been a direct violation of the Mosaic Law. Second, Jephthah had a great respect for God, which would have kept him from going against that Law. Third, if he had sacrificed his daughter, his piety would have led him to do so at the proper place of sacrifice, which was the Tabernacle, but no priest would have been willing to officiate. Fourth, that Jephthah permitted his daughter to bewail her virginity for two months fits well with the idea of her soon being devoted to God in service at the Tabernacle, much like that of Samuel. This would necessarily mean that she would never marry and therefore, Jephthah would never have any grandchildren. Finally, the pivotal statement in Judges 11:31 can also be translated by the word "or" instead of "and", making the first part a reference to what Jephthah would have done if a human first met him, and the second if an animal.

Personally, I am convinced that the latter evidence is more substantial than that for an actual sacrifice. No where else in Scripture do we read where God honored the sacrifice of a person, except that of His own Son upon the cross.

I believe the significance comes, not in whether Jephthah did or did not sacrifice his daughter, but in his heart which was ready to fulfill that which he had vowed to God. That tells me his relationship with God was important and he desired to maintain that intimacy of fellowship with God. We could do worse than to follow his example.

Father, I am thankful for these days we have shared together in a study of the life of one of Your most unusual servants. I am thankful for his dedication to You. I am thankful for his desire to maintain that fellowship through obedience, even when that obedience was costly for him. Lord, You have called us to obedience, not just when it is easy to do, but to obedience at all times. Give us a heart to do so. For we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Judges 10 Return to the Table of Contents Judges 12-13