Judg 11:1 | KingComments | STEP | Abimelech was the son of a concubine, Jephthah is the son of a harlot. The spiritual state in Israel has become so low that such a man becomes the instrument of God’s deliverance. With this God puts the seal of His judgment on their spiritual state. Because of their condition He can’t use people of higher descent. With Jephthah we see no appearance of the LORD, as with Gideon. It is the need that Jephthah brings to the stage, by order of the elders of Gilead, who have no other choice. Jephthah shows us something of the reformation, when God wanted to give faith and strength to people who were not always spiritual, but who turned out to be suitable instruments for Him to deliver his people. The battle takes place on the wilderness side of the Jordan, not in the land itself. This kind of struggle also characterized the reformation. There was a lot of struggle to make the truth of Scripture known to the believers, while also contending to make these truths a reality in society: God’s honor in all areas of life. What was forgotten is that the church is a heavenly people. This people is not left by God on earth to participate in reign, but to be a testimony of the glorified Lord in heaven, Who will soon return to earth to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace. There are two sides to Jephthah’s life. We see a man who bears a grudge because of his brothers’ treatment, and we see a man who knows the Word, is clothed with the Spirit, and defeats the enemy. His negative character traits occasionally come to the fore, as with every one of us. How and what someone has been before his conversion, often brings effort to not give in to it. Despite all the things in which Jephthah gives the wrong example, we must keep in mind that God writes him down among the heroes of faith ( ). The name Jephthah means ‘he who opens’. This points us to God, Who opens, reveals, spiritual truths and also opens the heart in which these spiritual truths get their place. Jephthah is the instrument God uses for this. Where God’s Word has been closed by the Ammonites, who as we have seen represent the intellectual religion or rationalism, there must be someone who opens the Word again. Jephthah comes from Gilead, that is from Manasseh. He is a child born of fornication, but he is the instrument chosen by God to fight against an enemy also born of fornication. First his quality is mentioned: he is a valiant warrior. So Gideon is also mentioned in the first words God speaks to him ( ). Then his origin is mentioned: he is the son of a harlot. Jephthah can’t help being the son of a harlot. This is because of the sin of his father. This gave him an unhappy childhood, which at the same time formed him for the service for which God could later use him. God often uses people who are not in esteem with others. Rejection is perhaps the most painful experience a person can live through in his life. But anyone who learns to deal with it in fellowship with God, becomes more and more like the Lord Jesus and thus becomes an instrument God can use. The Lord Jesus was the Rejected when He was on earth and He is still for the world. Jephthah is rejected by his brothers, just as the Lord Jesus was rejected by His brothers. He is also despised for His humble birth. The people have said of Him: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? ( ). There is even an allusion that He was born of fornication ( ). The true reason that Jephthah is driven out is the greed of his brothers. If he would share in the inheritance, they would get a smaller share of it. Greed, also for fame and honor, is still a reason why someone is rejected today. Religious leaders have rejected the Lord Jesus and religious leaders still reject anyone who, by preaching the truth, endangers their position of prominence. What applies to religious leaders applies to everyone. We want to get rid of someone who tells us the truth of God, by which we have to give up something, when we are not willing to do so. Jephthah does not revolt. He could have used his strength to strike back. After all, he was a valiant warrior, wasn’t he? But he flees and seeks refuge in Tob, which means ‘goodness’, where we could think of the goodness of the LORD. There he is further prepared for the service God will call him to. Such a preparation as a result of rejection can also be found with Moses and David. In Tob all kinds of men come to Jephthah who also don’t have a home. The same we read in the history of David ( ). Through their connection with Jephthah, these men also become valiant warriors.

‏ Judges 11:1

Introduction

Abimelech was the son of a concubine, Jephthah is the son of a harlot. The spiritual state in Israel has become so low that such a man becomes the instrument of God’s deliverance. With this God puts the seal of His judgment on their spiritual state. Because of their condition He can’t use people of higher descent. With Jephthah we see no appearance of the LORD, as with Gideon. It is the need that Jephthah brings to the stage, by order of the elders of Gilead, who have no other choice.

Jephthah shows us something of the reformation, when God wanted to give faith and strength to people who were not always spiritual, but who turned out to be suitable instruments for Him to deliver his people. The battle takes place on the wilderness side of the Jordan, not in the land itself. This kind of struggle also characterized the reformation. There was a lot of struggle to make the truth of Scripture known to the believers, while also contending to make these truths a reality in society: God’s honor in all areas of life.

What was forgotten is that the church is a heavenly people. This people is not left by God on earth to participate in reign, but to be a testimony of the glorified Lord in heaven, Who will soon return to earth to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.

There are two sides to Jephthah’s life. We see a man who bears a grudge because of his brothers’ treatment, and we see a man who knows the Word, is clothed with the Spirit, and defeats the enemy. His negative character traits occasionally come to the fore, as with every one of us. How and what someone has been before his conversion, often brings effort to not give in to it. Despite all the things in which Jephthah gives the wrong example, we must keep in mind that God writes him down among the heroes of faith (Heb 11:32).

Jephthah

The name Jephthah means ‘he who opens’. This points us to God, Who opens, reveals, spiritual truths and also opens the heart in which these spiritual truths get their place. Jephthah is the instrument God uses for this. Where God’s Word has been closed by the Ammonites, who as we have seen represent the intellectual religion or rationalism, there must be someone who opens the Word again.

Jephthah comes from Gilead, that is from Manasseh. He is a child born of fornication, but he is the instrument chosen by God to fight against an enemy also born of fornication. First his quality is mentioned: he is a valiant warrior. So Gideon is also mentioned in the first words God speaks to him (Jdg 6:12). Then his origin is mentioned: he is the son of a harlot. Jephthah can’t help being the son of a harlot. This is because of the sin of his father. This gave him an unhappy childhood, which at the same time formed him for the service for which God could later use him.

God often uses people who are not in esteem with others. Rejection is perhaps the most painful experience a person can live through in his life. But anyone who learns to deal with it in fellowship with God, becomes more and more like the Lord Jesus and thus becomes an instrument God can use.

The Lord Jesus was the Rejected when He was on earth and He is still for the world. Jephthah is rejected by his brothers, just as the Lord Jesus was rejected by His brothers. He is also despised for His humble birth. The people have said of Him: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? (Mk 6:3). There is even an allusion that He was born of fornication (Jn 8:41).

The true reason that Jephthah is driven out is the greed of his brothers. If he would share in the inheritance, they would get a smaller share of it. Greed, also for fame and honor, is still a reason why someone is rejected today. Religious leaders have rejected the Lord Jesus and religious leaders still reject anyone who, by preaching the truth, endangers their position of prominence. What applies to religious leaders applies to everyone. We want to get rid of someone who tells us the truth of God, by which we have to give up something, when we are not willing to do so.

Jephthah does not revolt. He could have used his strength to strike back. After all, he was a valiant warrior, wasn’t he? But he flees and seeks refuge in Tob, which means ‘goodness’, where we could think of the goodness of the LORD. There he is further prepared for the service God will call him to. Such a preparation as a result of rejection can also be found with Moses and David. In Tob all kinds of men come to Jephthah who also don’t have a home. The same we read in the history of David (1Sam 22:1-2). Through their connection with Jephthah, these men also become valiant warriors.