http://countrysidechurchofchrist.sermon.net/main/main/21320800
Judges 11:29-40 Jepthah’s Vow and Victory over Ammon 1/27/1
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
http://countrysidechurchofchrist.sermon.net/main/main/21320800
Judges 11:29-40 Jepthah’s Vow and Victory over Ammon 1/27/1
thedailylily.com 
From my understanding of this lesson, Pastor Reggie sure uncovers motives and hearts contrasted between a father and a daughter. Jepthah was out for himself, yet The Spirit of The Lord came upon him to give him the “strength and power” he needed to face and defeat the enemy. But, as Pastor Reggie pointed out, “it did not involve a moral transformation”. God did it for His purposes and Jephthah may not even have been aware of it. I found it significant that we were reminded that God uses even ‘pagan kings’ for His purposes.
Pastor Reggie issues a warning about making vows and said “don’t speak too soon…don’t make a vow to the Lord without considering the implications of it.” Jephtah wanted something for himself so bad that he was willing to make a vow to get what he wanted. The vow/promise wasn’t to please the Lord, it was to manipulate and get something for himself.
OK Debi, I listened to our lesson and again you have spotlightedš¦ the highlights. šÆ
From Debiās comment, āThe Lord came upon him to give him the āstrength and powerā he needed to face and defeat the enemy. But, as Pastor Reggie pointed out, āit did not involve a moral transformationā. God did it for His purposes and Jephthah may not even have been aware of it. I found it significant that we were reminded that God uses even āpagan kingsā for His purposes.ā
Questions: Does this sound like the story I hear from part of the Christian Church belief that Mr Trump has been anointed by the Holy Spirit to be President of US like unto King Cyrus? If so, what does this mean?
How does the OT Holy Spirit different from The Holy Spirit of the NT?
Sara, you asked, āQuestions: Does this sound like the story I hear from part of the Christian Church belief that Mr Trump has been anointed by the Holy Spirit to be President of US like unto King Cyrus? If so, what does this mean?
How does the OT Holy Spirit different from The Holy Spirit of the NT?ā
Some thoughts from my listening, current understanding and perspective are that there are a lot of parallels. Pastor Reggieās lesson pointed out that Jephthah was anointed/given divine empowerment to ābe the military power that Israel wants and needs.ā He stresses that Jephthah was appointed by men, not by God. The Israelite elders of Gilead wanted him as a leader not because they liked him (they hated him and drove him from his fatherās houseā¦ 11:7-8) but because they needed him. Perhaps part of todayās Christian Church feels similar about Mr. Trumpā¦ they need him for their agenda.
Pastor Reggie said that God had been exasperated with the Israelites (Judges 10:14) and told them āgo cry out to the gods you had chosen and let them rescue you.ā But then God āreaches out in mercy and empowers this self-made leader for His purposes ā His agenda.ā He said āGod can use some strange individuals for His purposesā¦ He even used pagan kings.ā Another parallel as I see it.
Jepthath had no apparent dialogue between himself and God; he grew up with the pagans and learned much from them; he was shrewd and calculating; he was out for himself; he made a calculated (not rash) vow to sacrifice (and he ended up carrying it out on his own daughter) in order to gain leadership over Gilead. Pastor Reggie told us not to assume that God wanted or approved of such a sacrifice.
āHow does the OT Holy Spirit different from The Holy Spirit of the NT?āā¦
Pastor Reggie emphasized that this empowerment (anointing) does not produce a moral transformation in the man. And that āthis type of empowerment does not mean the same thing as the Holy Spirit coming into our livesā¦that they are two totally different things.ā
This story which was so well presented by Pastor Reggie is seen often in todayās world. Jephthah sought acceptance, prestige, and power. He lusted after these so much that he had blinders on rejecting anyone who couldnāt get him what he wanted – victory in battle so He could be ruler over Gilead. He even went so far as to try and wring Godās arm with a vow to achieve what he wanted. Did he show God who is holy that He wanted a relationship with Him, the Almighty God, God of Power and Might. No! Did he care about the person the vow might affect – no. When his beloved daughter came out he said, āOh my daughter, you have made me miserable and wretched.ā As Pastor Reggie said in all the above the focus was on Jephthah.
All us know of one like Jephthah. I did. Focusing only on achieving power, prestige, and acceptance for yourself ends with losing everything of true value.
ā34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, āOh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.ā If I understand the lesson correctly, Jephthah had lived most of his life as an outlaw to the land of Gilead. He was a son of a prostitute, he was schrewd, a pagan, and never conversed with the LORD. Does anyone else find it interesting that Jephthah would keep this vow he made with the LORD and he doesnāt even as much as have a conversation with Him? And Scripture tells us, this daughter was his only child….a virgin. š¤ Maybe Debi summed it up with her last sentence?…āthe vow/promise wasnāt to please the Lord, it was to manipulate and get something for himself.ā
As I reviewed some of my notes š I had written this down.āJephthah was trying to manipulate YAHWEH with his vow. Now he is a victim of his own foolish vow.āš³š±š¤
I found it very interesting too TAMMY, Jephthah made the vow and had never spoken to God about it. Shame shame he manipulated to get something for himself. Iām very angry about what he did to his daughter! Fulfilling the vow to God he made. I can see him strutting around saying I didnāt want to but I promised God. Reminds me of that scripture Matthew 7: 21-23 I never knew you – āNot everyone who says to Me, ālord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.ā Sounds like he was into that pagan religion which thought they were pleasing the gods with the sacrifices of children. He didnāt know the God of heaven for sure!!!!
You guys are causing me to find tears in my eyes. Did Tammy just post that Jephthah just blamed his daughter for his problems? His evil?
In thinking about our last lesson Pastor Reggie make these words seemed engraved in my mind, āitās mineā. Now, Iām hearing āitās your fault.ā
And, then Tammy sure put a nail to the head with, ānow he is a victim of his own foolish vow.ā
And, we hear often today, words donāt matter. Our behavior dosent matter if we tell people itās for Godās good. We made a vow so we build our walls and wear our masks to hide our evil.
OT or NT seems to reveal the soul of man without the mercy of God is BROKEN!
We asked Pastor Reggie for more info on The Holy Spirit and he recommened the following two books…
āA good book on the Holy Spirit is “The Holy Spirit: A Biblical Study” by Jack Cottrell.Ā Ā You can find it on Christianbook.com for 8.49. Regular price is 10.99. It is designed for a group study or personal study. It is clear and easy to understand.
Another little book good for group study would be “Don’t Divorce the Holy Spirit” by Knofel Staton.
It is out of print but is available at alibris.com and Amazon as a used book.
Thank you for the book information from Pastor Reggie
Thank you Pastor Reggie for the books on the Holy Spirit. Iāve bought both and await some interesting reading and study on the subject. The topic has been brought up lately a lot.
It’s interesting that Pastor Reggie pointed out that Jepthah’s “name is numbered among the faithful” in Hebrews 11 along with David, Abraham, Sarah, Rahab, Gideon and many others….all having committed varied sins. He said that Jepthah “fits right in with the rest of them.”
Debi, seems humans are twining more than I wanted to know. šš«š¬
Am I understanding that if you are faithful to ONE thing you are called upon to do by God with a special Holy Spirit anointing them you are named among the faithful in Hebrews 11. It happened in the OT as each of these names listed had big jobs at their given time.
Now, in the NT do we have guidelines and goal post for being named as faithful? These relationships are complicated. šāāļø
āAm I understanding that if you are faithful to ONE thing you are called upon to do by God with a special Holy Spirit anointing them you are named among the faithful in Hebrews 11. It happened in the OT as each of these names listed had big jobs at their given time.ā
Sara, your understanding helps provides light to me as I read Hebrews 11 and try to understand this hall of faith. Why Jepthath, who, according to my understanding of Pastor Reggieās teaching, had no dialogue with God and may not even have been aware of the empowerment from God he was given, made the list sent me searching. I can see from what you wrote that he was āfaithful to ONE thingā. If I understand correctly (??) he used the Spirit of the Lordās anointing to secure Israelās defeat over the Ammonitesā¦ as you said, ābig jobs at their given timeā.
Then you ask/state: āNow, in the NT do we have guidelines and goal post for being named as faithful? These relationships are complicatedā
I sure agree that it is complicated. In my understanding in the NT, we can only please God and have eternal life by having faith in Christ; and the object of our faithfulness should be to Christ.
āWe are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.ā Romans 3:22. āTherefore, since we have been made right in Godās sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for usā. Romans 5:1
Goal? Some thoughts of mine as I searchedā¦ James 2 says faith has to produce good deeds or it is useless. And Jesus Himself in the parable in Matthew 25:21 says if we are a faithful servant over a few things He will make us ruler over many things and we can share the Lordās joy.