The Commitment of Faith - Jephthah

Will Cover

Living by Faith • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

0 ratings

· 26 views

Notes

Transcript

Judges 11:1-40

Introduction: Jephthah, mentioned in Hebrews 11, and presented to us in Judges 11:1-40, is a strange character.

His life was full of paradoxes, a mixture of vice and virtue, good and bad, triumph and disaster, the shedding of blood and the shedding of tears. But the principle of faith was at work in his life, and it is for this reason that he is mentioned in Hebrews 11.

He was a “mighty man of valor” Judges 11:1, but he was an illegitimate child. This, of course, was not his fault, but in his case it proved to be a great handicap, for his family cast him out and disinherited him. (Judges 11:2).

His was not the sin, but his was the shame.

Here is a picture of social injustice. It is still very prevalent today.

Jephthah was branded as an outcast, there seemed only one thing for Jephthah to do.

Judges 11:3 KJV 1900

Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

But unfortunately in doing this he found himself associating with, and surrounded by, the wrong sort of “friends”, and he became a leader in vice.

I want to pause here and say that when you push someone away because they don’t look like you or they don’t fit in your family the way you want, you are taking away the opportunity for growth and strength in the relationship. You are putting someone in a position where they may run to the wrong crowd looking for acceptance and friendship.

Psalm 1:1 KJV 1900

Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Luke 15:13 KJV 1900

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

What a testing time it is for young people when they leave home and go out into the world, and how essential it is that they go, not alone, but in the safe companionship of the Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 13:5–6 KJV 1900

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Then, we are told, war threatened Israel, and Jephthah (of all people) was sent for and commanded to lead the Israelites into battle. Judges 11:4-8.

Jephthah agreed to be their captain (vs. 8-11). and the closing phrase in verse 11 is the first indication we have of his faith in God.

Judges 11:11 KJV 1900

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.

I want us to notice in particular verses 30 and 31, and 34-40.

The vow which Jephthah made was a definite act of commitment before the Lord. This is what I want us to think about.

Jephthah’s vow was a commitment of faith.

King James Version Chapter 11

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

“If Thou shalt…I will offer up.”

It was certainly a very strange vow for a man to make, but surely, in it we see an indication of Jephthah’s faith in God.