MPC
6th March 2020.August 23 - Judges 10-12 - "The Man Who Gave Everything"
MPC
6th March 2020.
Phil Campbell
There's been a significant tradition of Feminist scholars writing academic commentaries on the book of Judges. Scholars like Marsha Dutton. Or Phyllis Trible. Who wrote the book Texts Of Terror back in 1982. A feminist reading of four four tragic portraits of suffering in ancient Israel: Hagar and Tamar back in Genesis; the daughter of Jepthah we meet here in Judges this morning; and the unnamed concubine in later chapters.
The fact is, stories of women keep popping up in Judges in a way they maybe don't in other Old Testament books. Deborah. And Jael. Chapter 4. Heroic women.
And now this week. The horrific story. Of a teenage girl. With a tamborine.
And I think largely, Phyllis Trible is right. This is... a text of terror.
Though the place I'd differ is in the thought that in any way the stories are being endorsed. That the kind of patriarchy they represent is being endorsed. Or defended. In any way. That the actions of the men of Israel; is in any way being affirmed or admired.
Because it seems clear to me, and I hope to you as well. That the actions we're looking at this morning... are meant to be viewed with absolute horror by readers back then as much as readers now. Readers who are men as much as readers who are women.
And there's tragedy today - as we look at the deadly ambitions of Jephthah in Judges 10 to 12. An account so sad, an account so incredibly disturbing... that particularly as a dad, I find it hard to read. And even harder to speak about.
It's the tale of a man who holds on to all the wrong things. As men so often do. And ends up with everything he wanted. And yet ends up with nothing of value. A tale that leaves us just shaking our heads. At the foolishness of one of the great judges of Israel.
His name is Jephthah. And he's a smooth talker. He's a deal maker. And he trades the future of his family and the life of his daughter for a stupid pledge. Based on a stupid ambition.
Now Jephthah is a guy from the wrong side of the tracks, which is maybe why he's so driven to prove himself. That's sometimes how it works.
You first meet him in chapter 11 verse 1. A mighty warrior. Whose father was Gilead. And whose mother was a call girl. It's a patchwork family and much as you find today, it doesn't always have the happy Brady Bunch kind of outcome. You can see there Jephthah has got half brothers. Gilead's wife also bears him sons. And when these half brothers grow up, they run Jephthah out of town. Because they're not going to share the inheritance with the son of a prostitute. Which again, kind of leaves you with a chip on your shoulder. Something to prove.
And Verse 3 in chapter 11, he heads to the land of Tob; which ironically sounds almost identical to the Hebrew word for good. And yet it's not a good place at all. Before long, a gang of scoundrels gathers round him and they follow him. Literally a group of empty men. Guys with no substance; no values. Jephthah and his empty men. Ready for trouble. However it comes.
Now at this point, we're in the middle of another cycle; it started back in chapter 10. Exactly as we've seen before. Israel rebels against God. God hands them over to their enemies. Israel cries for mercy. And God sends them a saviour.
Except as you can imagine, it's all wearing a bit thin.
The Israelites have been serving the Baals again. And the Ashtoreths and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And if anyone else turned up with a god, I'd guarantee they'd be happy to worship that too.
In chapter 10, they've come to their senses, and they've been crying out to God. But this time; the cycle's different.
This time, you'll notice, there's no evidence of God appointing the judge. It's kind of just assumed. The elders of Gilead in verse 5; seem to decide it themselves.
The Ammonites are oppressing them, and they've already said at the end of chapter 10, whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be head of all those living in Gilead.
And God, you'll notice, says nothing.
Let's offer power as an incentive to get someone to lead us into battle. What could possibly go wrong?! Offer power. Attract ambition. Offer power. Attract Jephthah. With a point to prove. He's building up a reputation as a mighty warrior with his team of empty-man mercenaries.
And God... says nothing.
Trouble is, there are no other volunteers. And so having driven him out of town as a teenager, his embarrassed brothers and the town elders come crawling back in 11 verse 6. come and be our commander. So we can fight the Ammonites.
And Jephthah pushes back. Aren't you the same guys who drove me out? Why come to me now?
But they're desperate. And they insist.
Come and be our commander. And you will be our head, chapter 11 verse 8, over all who live in Gilead.
Now here's a great temptation. I mean, what a comeback. My dyslexic friend Al still remembers the day his principal said to him, "Son, you're a failure. You'll never make anything of yourself." Al's now an incredibly successful builder. And not a day goes by that he doesn't think back to those words. Which he's spent his life proving wrong. Terrible to have to be driven like that.
So here's Jephthah. Driven out of town. And now they're saying, if you fight and win, you come back in glory. If you fight and win, you're our number one man.
Better double check he's heard it right. Verse 9. Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me - will I really be your head?
Because there's nothing he wants more. So verse 11 Jephthah goes with the elders of Gilead, and the people make him head and commander over them. And they pledge before God. And all he needs now is a big win. To seal the deal. And from leader of Gilead... he's got bigger ambitions. king. Over all of Israel.
Now will you notice in verses 14 to 27, Jephthah is the ultimate dealmaker. Or at least he tries to be. Jephthah wants to negotiate. Jephthah wants to make peace. He sends messengers to the Ammonite King camped outside Gilead. He says, let's talk things through.
I'll leave you to read through the details. But the fact is, the King of Ammon's not impressed. Verse 28. The King of Ammon paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him. No deal.
So verse 30, another angle.
The spirit of the Lord's upon him. Fired up by God's righteous power. As past leaders have been. And he's advancing against the Ammonites. It's a certain win.
But for Jephthah, that's not enough. Jephthah wants to tie it down. Because Jephthah at this point would give anything... to get ahead.
Anything. No matter what the cost. He'd give anything. In exchange for his own success. So Jephthah makes a deal with God. Or at least, he thinks he does.
I mean, who says God needed a deal at this point? Who ever said God makes deals anyway?
This is a one sided deal. One of those get me out of this one and I'll be a missionary sort of deals. Except a whole lot dumber. Verse 30.
And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites... will be the Lord's. And I'll sacrifice it as a burnt offering.
I'll give anything. To make it to the top.
Now you've got to say, that's incredibly dumb.
Especially since the Lord's got the battle under control already. I mean, it was always God's plan to save Israel. It's not as if you can turn God on and off like a tap. In spite of what some Christians want to say about prayer. It's not as if more faith, or more prayers, or going to church more often; or crawling up the steps of a cathedral in Rome on your knees; it's not as if some vow you make is going to change God's mind or buy his favour.
But Jephthah has opened his big mouth. And he's going to face the consequences.
One things for sure, this is a guy who'll sacrifice anything. To make it to number 1.
Maybe you know people like that. Maybe you are one.
But in this case, the consequences... are too horrific to even think about.
Because Jephthah has an incredible victory. And then turns for home.
Now what's he thinking is going to come out the door to meet him when he gets home? I mean, is he thinking it might be a chook? Or the dog? Or does he keep his cows inside or what?
Because what comes out to meet him in verse 34 but his beautiful young daughter. Excited to see her dad. I mean, this is tragic. His only child. Playing her tamborine.
And Jephthah has made a vow to the Lord. Whatever comes out of my door to meet me... I'll sacrifice. As a burnt offering.
Jephthah will sacrifice anything... to make it to the top. Jephthah will walk over anyone. To make it to number 1. That's the sort of guy we're dealing with here. He's had his win. Now to pay the cost.
And of course when he sees her, he rips his clothes and cries, "Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break."
As if it's her fault. Which is maybe the most horrific part of the story. Blaming the victim.
And yet she says, "My father, you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites."
See, this is an honour culture. A vow is a vow.
Friends put us on to a Netflix show called the Grand Hotel.
Set in Spain around the 1930s. When gentlemen still challenged one another to duels. Pistols at 12 paces. And the honour culture meant you'd rather die. Than decline. Better dead. Than ashamed.
And it's like that. His daughter says, you've made a vow, so you've got to do what you said. Even if it means killing me.
I mean, this is like the kind of tragedy you hear when someone backs over their toddler in the driveway with the four wheel drive. Except this time it's so purposeful. This beautiful young girl, dancing with joy to see dad home from battle. And he's said to God he's prepared to sacrifice her. To guarantee he'll get ahead.
And so... after she spends some time in the hills with her friends to say goodbye... he did to her as he vowed. And the young women of Israel, says verse 40, have commemorated her every year since. Four days every year.
It's striking, isn't it, that in all this, God doesn't say a word. Just a stunned silence.
See, why in a million years would Jephthah think God would want him to do that? Vow or not?
Doesn't he know sacrificing children is what the nations around them do. Absolutely abhorrent to God. And God's made it perfectly clear already. Back in Deuteronomy 12 verse 31 - spelt out in black and white. Take a look at the words on the screen.
You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
The Canaanites you're here to replace. That's what they do. Which is exactly what Israel is not to do.
Who'd ever think about. Sacrificing their kids. To get ahead.
But Jephthah does it anyway. Thinking somehow it's a matter of honour. Thinking somehow God's pleased with him. When in reality, in his ambition to get to the top he's gone as low as you can go. And totally switched the price-tags. On what's valuable. And what's not.
Let's quickly mop up before we stop to think things through.
Because chapter 12, there's civil war. Ephraim's one of the northern tribes of Israel. And the Ephraimites say, how dare you go off winning victories without us. And they're offended.
And they call out their forces, and they march against Jephthah. They say, why did you go fighting the Ammonites without calling us to go with you. We're going to burn your house down over your head.
Because their suspicion is, Jephthah has gone it alone because of his ambition. And they're right. So verse 4, Jephthah calls together the men of Gilead... and they fight against Ephraim. A bloody battle. Brother against brother. Tribe against tribe. The Gileadites strike them down because the Ephraimites have said, "You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh." And so they systematically cut them down. Verse 5, even the survivors, they check them out for their regional dialect. And kill them. If they can't pronounce their S's properly.
42,000 Ephraimites killed... brother Israelites. Massacred by Jephthah. Who again proves he'll sacrifice anything... to make sure he's number 1.
And in the end he gets exactly what he wants.
Verse 7 is his crowning moment. Leader not just of Gilead. But all of Israel. He's made it to the top.
"Jephthah led Israel for six years."
But you need to read on.
"Then Jephthah the Gileadite died. And was buried... in a town in Gilead."
Jephthah gave everything. To make it to the top. Jephthah would sacrifice anyone... to be the king of Israel. And so he got it. Then he died. Unmourned. Childless. And only six years at the top to enjoy it.
Now I wonder if thinking about Jephthah brings a contrast to mind. Of what the real king of God's people should look like.
I mean, apart from grieving the injustice. Apart from the horror. Of an ancient text of terror like this. Apart from the terrible picture of patriarchy and pride and sacrificing your kids on the altar of ambition... doesn't it make you long for something better?
You might remember we've been seeing how the Old Testament scriptures in what we've been calling episode 2 of the bible's big story that the old covenant scriptures are meant to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
A wisdom that maybe comes from that sense of longing for something better. Someone to follow who's not driven by deadly ambition. At the cost of everyone else.
Jephthah is a guy who'll sacrifice anything. anyone. To be king. He says so himself. Whatever comes out the door.
Do you notice the true king of God's people when he comes is the exact opposite of that.
The real king of Israel comes to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. Instead of sacrificing others... For the sake of himself
It couldn't be more different. And if you don't get that, you've missed the whole point of being Christian.
Mark 10 verse 35. When James and John come to Jesus. James and John. Who want to make it to the top. They've been with Jesus since the start. Seen enough to know he's going to make it big. And they want to be there with him. James and John sidle up to Jesus privately, they say, Teacher, there's something we want you to do for us. They say, let one of us sit on your right and the other at your left in your glory. They say, when you make it to the top... take us with you.
To which Jesus says, you've totally missed the point.
And there's a beautiful irony there. Because those places, a few chapters later and full of irony, are reserved for two criminals. On two other crosses. One on his left and one on his right.
James and John don't know what they're asking for.
So listen as Jesus gives them an unambiguous lesson on kingship. On what it means in the Kingdom of God to make it to number 1.
And take it in. "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; they'll walk over anyone... to get to first place. But not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first... must be slave of all. If you want to be first in the Kingdom of God, first is at the far end... of the line.
For even the son of man, says Jesus in famous verse 45, did not come to be served... but to serve. And to give his life... as a ransom for many.
See, that's what a real king of God's people is going to look like. Not in Jephthah who'll sacrifice anyone to make it to the top. But in the Lord Jesus... who'll go on to sacrifice himself... in exchange for his people.
Jephthah was the man who would sacrifice anything to get what he wanted. Jesus is the man who would sacrifice himself... to give what we needed
And very directly, he's saying if you're coming with me... as part of the new covenant; then you do the same. If you're coming with me... then stop trying to climb over everyone else. Stop sacrificing the people around you. And make it your ambition to serve. Instead of ambition to rule. Make it your ambition to sacrifice yourself... instead of sacrificing others.
How is it with you?
See, I wonder what you've been prepared to destroy... in the name of ambition. I wonder who you've been prepared to ruin... to get what you want?
Maybe at work. Ruthless ambition. Stealing credit for other peoples' work. Inserting yourself whenever there's a chance for glory.
Worse. Your family. Maybe you've already sacrificed your own kids. Or your marriage. On the altar of your own ambitions.
And the irony is, you probably said along the way that you were doing it for your kids. Never home. Tense all the time. Ignoring them as they grow up because you're just too busy chasing your own ambitions. And so you just don't notice what they're getting in to. Or the sort of friends they're hanging out with. And you're just too busy to love them. As a dad should.
There are other texts of terror today too. As a culture we sacrifice our kids in more obvious ways. Although we pretend not to notice. It's not convenient for you to be pregnant now. It doesn't fit our career plans. Our mortgage. Will we keep it or not? As if it's a casual choice.
Look, whichever way it goes, remember Jesus. Who instead of sacrificing others. Sacrificed himself.
Because in the end you might get exactly the success you've been aiming for. You've gained the world. And lost your soul.
Not you? Burn the horrible picture of the sacrificial daughter into your mind and let it keep reminding you. Some people sacrifice anything to make it to the top. Jesus sacrificed himself. And made it to the bottom. And calls us you and me... to do the same.
One final thought before we close. For all of us.
Be reminded that one of the best things Jesus has done is that he's made it clear once and for all. That you don't have to do deals with God. Not that we ever did.
But Jephthah thought so. Just a vow. Just a sacrifice. And he'll let me win. Which is just another way of saying I'll buy something from God. He'll be in my debt. I can make things go my way. Just by pressing the right buttons. Praying the right prayers. For long enough.
There was a book a few years ago now called the prayer of Jabez. That promised exactly that. Pray this prayer. Every day. For 30 days. And God would have to deliver.
Jesus at the cross makes it very clear. There's no more sacrifice needed. There's nothing more you need to do. It's not a Karma system. Because he's paid everything already.
And so there's not a credit system for every good thing you do. And a demerit for every bad thing. And there's not a pilgrimage you can go on. The Hajj. That makes the slightest bit of difference.
And God's love for you and his intentions for you; they're not shaped in the slightest by whether or not you eat meat on a Friday or you're tough on yourself or you deny yourself for Lent or you sacrifice whatever comes out of your front door.
That's all negated. Neutralised. By the gospel of Jesus. Who sacrificed himself. For us.
Which is very good news for us. And lets us just trust him and rest. Without being tormented by either restless ambition or constant fear. No need to make deals with God. Because the deal's been signed and sealed already.