http://www.calvaryhillsboro.org/

Thank you for supporting Calvary Hillsboro. Donate Online: https://www.calvaryhillsboro.org/members/online-giving

Subscribe To Watch More: https://www.youtube.com/c/CalvaryChapelHillsboro

Thank you for watching. God bless you and your family!
We would love to hear your comments and please like and share this video.

We come to Judges 11 and the story of Jephthah of Gilead. Jephthah’s story is a story both of victory and tragedy. The story unfolds on the east side of the Jordan River.

Jephthah was of the tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh was divided so that half lived east of the Jordan River and the other half-tribe lived on the west side of the Jordan River.

When Joshua led the people of Israel, they did well. They followed the Lord fully. But after Joshua and the leaders with him died, there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor the work which God had done for Israel. And instead of following the Lord fully as their fathers had done, they turned instead to the gods of the world and their hearts fell away from God.

Where there is no relationship, there is no foundation for faith. They became weakened spiritually, and eventually, they became weakened as a nation. As a result, they encountered troubles upon trouble until they reached the point of crying out to God. When God heard their cries, He would send a deliverer, or in other words a judge, to rescue Israel.

In the verses leading up to this story, in chapter 10, the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, serving the gods of the world around them. The anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and their enemies afflicted and crushed the sons of Israel for 18 years.

That’s one of the tragedies of the story, that it took 18 years before Israel cried out to God for help. Have you ever met someone who stubbornly held on to their worldly ways, even while their world was crashing around them?
When Israel cried out to the Lord, He heard their cries and sent a deliverer. The life lesson is this, even if someone stubbornly holds on to their worldly ways, when they finally turn their heart and call out to God, He gladly receives them, He gladly welcomes them home.

The Ammonites gathered to attack the sons of Israel in Gilead, so the sons of Israel in that area also gathered. But they had no leader over them. That’s how Jephthah comes into the story. He was called to be the deliverer and the Lord used him to bring a great victory for those tribes of Israel on the east side of the Jordan River.

The tragedy of Jephthah’s story is that early in his life he was rejected by his brothers. They all shared the same father, but Jephthah was the son of a harlot so they drove him out so he would have no inheritance among them. But when the Ammonites gathered to attack, they turned to Jephthah for help. God chooses the rejected and outcast for His glory.

However, Jephthah is famous for another tragedy in his life. After he was placed as head over the men of Gilead, he made a tragic vow unto God. That vow becomes a central theme to the text we are studying today. In fact, the victory over the sons of Ammon is almost insignificant in comparison to this vow Jephthah made to the Lord.

His vow was that if God would give the sons of Ammon into his hand, then it would be that whatever came out of the door of his house to meet him when he returned in victory would be the Lord's. But what or who should come of his house to greet him? but his own daughter.

I. God Uses Those who are Nobodies

 Jephthah is the son of a harlot. That’s not typically a foundation for greatness. He’s the oldest, however, so by rights, he should be given a double portion of the inheritance and a position of authority over his brothers.

 His brothers weren’t having any of that, however, so they banded together and drove him out. Jephthah fled to the land of Tob.
 This is where many relate to the story because they, too, are ashamed of their past, or people have shamed you and cast you out. Perhaps God uses people like Jephthah so people like you and me can see the heart of God revealed.

 God delights to take nobodies and use them for His glory…. But He also transforms them…


Pastor Rich Jones
Pastor Matthew Dodd
Rich Jones Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel Worship Center
Calvary Chapel Hillsboro
Calvary Chapel Oregon
Calvary Chapel Beaverton
Calvary Chapel Portland

Tags:
Pastor Rich Jones
Pastor Matthew Dodd
Rich Jones
Matthew Dodd

Rich Jones Church, Rich Jones Christian, Rich Jones Christian Church, Rich Jones Bible Study, Pastor Rich Jones Faith, Rich Jones Teaching, Rich Jones Bible Teacher, Rich Jones Bible Verse, Rich Jones Transformation, Rich Jones Salvation, Rich Jones Truth, Rich Jones Sermons, Rich Jones Calvary Chapel, Calvary Chapel Worship Center, Calvary Chapel Hillsboro, Calvary Chapel Beaverton, Calvary Chapel Portland, Calvary Chapel Oregon