Judges 13:1'

Judges 13:1 says, And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.  Once again, the people of Israel did evil in God's sight, and once again He allowed them to be defeated by an enemy, this time the Philistines.  The Philistines ruled them for forty years.  If we turn away from God, we cannot expect Him to give us victory over our enemies for as long as we fail to follow Him.  Verse two adds, And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.  We are then told of a man named Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, whose wife was barren.  Verse three continues, And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.  An angel of the LORD appeared Manoah's wife, telling here that even though she was barren now, that she was going to have a son.  As long as she believed this, I am sure this was great news.  The gospel is great news today, but we must believe it for it to do us any good.  Of course, since God said this was going to happen, it did not depend on whether she believed it or not, just as salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is an accomplished fact, whether we believe it or not.  Verse four states, Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:  The woman was given specific instructions about some things she was to avoid while pregnant with this son she was going to have.  She was to avoid wine and strong drinks, and to not eat any unclean thing.  It is still good advice today for pregnant women to watch what they eat or drink from a physical perspective, but this was more of a spiritual perspective, though we really shouldn't attempt to separate the two.  Verse five adds, For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.  She was told not to cut her son's hair, because he was to be a Nazarite to God from the time of his conception.  I believe that God has a purpose for everyone from the time they are conceived, and not just after they are are born and are grown, though we may not immediately know what that purpose is.  Her son's purpose was to deliver the people of Israel from the Philistines.  God did not choose a mighty warrior from Israel to be their delivere, but an unborn baby, just as an unborn Baby would one day be born to deliver all those who would put their faith in Him from the power and punishment of all sin.  Verse six continues, Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:  Manoah's wife came and told him what had happened, and said that the angel would not tell her where he came from nor what his name was.  If God sends an angel speak to us today, his name and where he is from is not the important thing.  The fact that we know he is from God and the message that he has for us is what is important.  Verse seven concludes, But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.  She then shared the message that the angel gave her with Manoah, except for the part about their son beginning to deliver them from the Philistines. still with no proof that it was actually true.  We likewise need to share the good news, the gospel of Christ, with the world today, even if we can offer no physical proof that it is real.  

Judges 12:8

Judges 12:8 says, And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.  Verse nine adds, And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.  Verse ten continues, Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.  The next judge of Israel was Ibzan.  We are told very little about him, except that he had thirty sons and that he sent abroad and took thirty women from abroad as wives for his sons.  We are told he judged Israel for seven years and then he died and was buried in Bethlehem, where he was also born.  Though he only judged Israel for seven years, with as many sons and daughters as had, and having arranged their marriages, he must have lived a long life.  We may never know much about those whom God has placed in positions of leadership in the church today, but as long as they faithfully serve Him, that is all that really matters.  Verse eleven states, And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.  Verse twelve adds, And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.  We are told even less about Elon, the next judge after Ibzan.  We are only told that he was from the tribe of Zebulun, that he judged Israel for ten years, died and was buried in Aijalon in Zebulun.  We do see that the judges came different tribes.  As Christians, we may be from different places or even different groups who worship together, but we are all called to witness for God and to uplift one another in prayer.  Verse thirteen says, And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.  Verse fourteen adds, And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.  Verse fifteen continues, And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.  After Elon, Abdon judged Israel for eight years.  Matthew Henry says he was of the tribe of Ephraim, who were now being restored to a place of service in Israel and that he judged as the Philistines were taking over Israel.   He had forty sons thirty nephews, which Matthew Henry says were actually grandsons, who rode on seventy ass colts, possibly traveling to help Abdon in judging Israel.  Even if we have sinned against God, as the people of Ephraim had, that does not mean that we cannot be restored to a place of service in God's kingdom.  Addon was buried there after he died.

Judges 12:1

Judges 12:1 says, And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.  The men of Ephraim were angry that Jephthah did not call on them to go with him to fight the Ammonites.  They threatened to burn his house down with him in it, even though he had successfully defeated the Ammonites without them with God's help.  They had not sought God's guidance in this, but had simply had their egos hurt and were reacting to that.  We cannot allow our egos to guide us today, but must look to God for guidance as Christians.  We certainly shouldn't be angry because other Christians are being successful without our help.  Verse two adds, And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.  Jephthah replied that when he and his people were in grat distress he called on the people of Ephraim and they did not help them.  Verse three continues, And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?  Jephthah then said that when the people of Ephraim did not deliver him, he took matters into his own hands and by the power of God he was victorious over the Ammonites, and he then asked them why they were now coming up to fight against him.  We need to realize that when God gives a victory to other Christians, especially in a fight we choose not to participate in, that we need to celebrate with them and never need to be angry with them.  Verse four states, Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.  The men of Gilead then fought with the men of Ephraim, and were victorious.  This occurred in part because the men of Ephraim were declaring the men of Gilead to be less than they were and to be looked on with contempt.  Sometimes, Christians can allow their ego to cause them to look on other people the same way today.  Verse five adds, And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;  After defeating the Ephraimites and taking control of the passage over the Jordan, some Ephraimites were still attempting to escape that way, and the Gileadites would ask if they were Ephraimites, and they would say no naturally.  They may have come with prideful threats against the Gileadites, but now they were reduced to lying about even being from Ephraim.  If we are confronted with a life or death situation as followers of Christ, would we deny being one?  Verse six continues, Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.  The Gileadites would ask the man to pronounce a particular word, which the Ephraimites were unable to pronounce successfully.   We might say that their accent got them killed.  Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed.  Verse seven concludes, And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of he cities of Gilead.  Jephthah, though maybe not called by a devine proclamation, was the judge of Israel for six years, then he died.  God calls people by various ways to serve in their role in the church today, but in order to be successful, they must be called by Him and follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

Judges 11:29

Judges 11:29 says, Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.  By the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Jephthah passed through Gilead and Manasseh to Ammon.  Once Jephthah knew the people supported him and that God was with him, he wasted little time in setting out to engage in war with Ammon.  Once we know that the Holy Spirit is leading us to do something, it should not matter who does or does not support us, and we should waste little time in setting out to do it.  Verse thirty adds, And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,  Verse thirty-one continues, 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.  Jephthah then made a vow based on if God delivered the Ammonites unto him, instead of just going forth in faith.  We need to be careful about believing that we need to promise something to God, other than our faithfulness, in oder for Him to give us success in what He calls us to do.  Jephthah promised whatever came out of his house first to greet him when he returned in victory that he would offer as a burnt offering to the LORD.  Verse thirty-two states, So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.  Jephthah went into Ammon to fight the people there, but God is the One Who gave him success.  As followers of Christ today, when we engage in battle against the forces of evil, and we will, we need to do so under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, and if we do, God will give us the victory.  Verse thirty-three continues, And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.  Jephthah defeated the people of Ammon in twenty of their cities, and they were subdued by the Israelites.  Verse thirty-four declares, And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.  When Jephthah returned in victory, the first to come out of his house to greet him was his only child, his daughter.  She came to meet him with rejoicing, but Jephthah knew what this meant because of his vow to God.  We cannot just ignore vows that we make to God, no matter what it costs us, which is why we need to be careful about making vows hastily or to gain God's assurance of success.  Verse thirty-five adds, And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.  Jephthah tore his clothes in anguish and told his daughter that she had brought him low because of his vow to God.  At least he didn't try ignore the vow, but it was the vow and not his daughter that had brought him to situation.  We cannot ignore vows made to God just because we decide they will cost us too much.  Verse thirty-six continues, And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.  His daughter told Jephthah that he had to honor his vow to God, because God had fulfilled His promise to him.  God has already fulfilled His promise of everlasting life to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and we need to avoid bargaining with Him about being successful in doing His will in our life.  Verse thirty-seven concludes, And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.  His daughter said let this be done to her, but to give her two months to in the mountains with her female friends to mourn her fate.  True friends will be with us during the hard times and not just the good.  Verse thirty-eight says, And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.  Jephthah told her to go, and she did.  He had not vowed to immediately sacrifice what first came out of his door to meet him, so he really wasn't backing out on his vow.  Verse thirty nine adds, And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,  When his daughter returned, Jephthah carried out his vow. Matthew Henry says some people think that Jephthah only gave his daughter up to be a nun, but this was not his vow.   If he carried out the vow by sacrificing his daughter on the altar, this was never something that God endorsed, but He did allow it.  We may make and carry out vows to God today based on a misunderstanding of Who He is, but this does not mean that God endorses our vow.  I don't believe that God will ever expect us to make and fulfill any vow that violates His laws.  Verse forty continues, That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.  We are told that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah for four days.  Matthew Henry says people have debated this passage for years, but that we really don't need to, because we know all that is necessary for salvation, and that is accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. 

Judges 11:19

Judges 11:19 says, And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.  Jephthah said that the people of Israel then sent messengers to the Amorites and asked that they be allowed to pass through to the Promised Land.  Verse twenty adds, But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. Jephthah said that instead of allowing the Israelites to pass through that Sihon went to war against them.  Sometimes, what we as Christians choose to do today may not adversely effect non Christians, and yet they gather together and wage war against us.  Verse twenty-one concludes, And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.  Jephthah then said God delivered the Amorites into their hands and they defeated them by His power and possessed their land.  The Amorites started the war, and God ended it.  We as followers of Christ are always going to be at war with the world, but we should not start the war in order to benefit materially.  God has already defeated all our enemies spiritually if we remain faithful to Him.  Verse twenty-two states, And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.  Jephthah then said that after God gave them the victory that the people of Israel possessed the land of the Amorites, but not of other nations.  They were content with what God had given them, and so should we be today.  Verse twenty-three adds, So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?  Jephthah then asked if God had disposed the Amorites from the land and had given it to Israel, should the Ammonites now claim it.  Too often, people of the world today think that they should be able to take what God has given to His people, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Even if we don't see that happening here, we hear about it happening throughout the rest of the world.  Verse twenty-four continues, Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.  Jephthah then asked the king of Ammon should he not be satisfied with what his god had provided for them without wanting to claim what Israel's God had provided for Israel.  Lost people today may put their faith in other gods, but too often they are not content to content with what these false gods provide for them.  Verse twenty-five says, And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,  Jephthah then asked the king of Ammon if he were better than the king of Moab, who never fought against Israel.  Verse twenty-six adds, While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?  Jephthah then asked since the Israelites claimed possession of the land three hundred years ago, why were the people of Ammon trying to claim the land now instead of all those years ago.  Today, the people of the world may want to go to war against Christians over things that have been accepted for decades or even centuries.  Verse twenty-seven continues, Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.  Jephthah said that he had done nothing wrong against the king of Ammon and asked that God, the only true God, be the judge between them.  Ultimately, in our war with the world today as followers of Christ, all we can do is leave everything up to God.  Verse twenty-eight concludes, Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.  The king of the Amorites would not listen to the words of Jephthah, and the people of the world very often refuse to listen to the words of Christians today.   Of course, we must make sure that the words that we share with them are the truth of God,

Judges 11:12

Judges 11:12 says, And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?  Jephthah didn't immediately engage in war against the people of Ammon, but first sent a messenger to the king of Ammon, who is not identified, asking him why he was coming to fight against Israel in their land.  We should be quicker to reason with those who are against us as followers of Christ today and slower to go to war with them.  We will never reach the lost for Jesus Christ if we only want to destroy them.  Verse thirteen adds, And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.  The king of Ammon sent a reply saying he was coming to fight against Israel because they had taken away his land.  The lost people of the world today may believe that by our following Christ in our everyday life that if He blesses us with material success that we are somehow taking something from them, but this not the truth.  Whatever God blesses us with was His to start with.  Verse fourteen states, And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:  After receiving the reply from the king of Ammon, which was not the truth, Jephthah again sent messengers to him.  Jephthah may have been known as a wild man, but he was willing to continue to discuss the situation with the king of Ammon.  I believe this is because he was relying on God for guidance.  This is what we as Christians should do today as well.  Verse fifteen adds, And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:  Jephthah told the king of Ammon that the people of Israel did not take away any land from the people of Moab or Ammon.  If we are accused of taking away something that belongs to someone else as followers of Christ, we need to first make sure that isn't true, and then discuss things with them if at all possible.  Verse sixteen continues, But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;  Then, Jephthah told the king of Ammon what had really happened when the people of Israel left Egypt and came into the Promised Land.  If we are in conflict with someone today because thay feel that our relationship with God has somehow taken something from them, we can only share the truth of the gospel with them.  Verse seventeen says, Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.  Jephthah said that during the exodus that the people of Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom and the king of Moab asking for the right to pass through, and they denied them that right, so the people of Israel abode at Kadesh.  They never demanded passage, but followed God's instructions concerning these nations.  However we react to those who seem to stand between what we want and us, we need to first make sure that God is leading us in how we act in the situation.  Verse eighteen adds, Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.  Jephthah said that the people of Israel at that time went around the land of the Edom and Moab.  

Judges 11:1

Judges 11:1 says, Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.  In answer to their question of who would lead them, God began to give them the answer.  Jephthah, the son of a harlot and Gilead, a very unlikely choice as a leader, was still known to be a mighty man of valor.  He was looked down on because of his parentage, as some people are today, though we as a society seem more and more willing to accept children born to parents who are not married as normal, though we do still tend to look down on those born to a prostitute.  We need to realize that children cannot control who their parents are.  Verse two adds, And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.  When Gilead and his wife had other sons and they grew up, they told Jephthah that he would never inherit from his father, because he was born of a stranger woman.  Matthew Henry says this might have meant his mother was a Gentile, but no matter who she was, the other children and Jephthah had the same father.  No matter who our birth parents are as Christians, we have the same heavenly Father, and are all equal in His sight.  Verse three continues, 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.  Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, where he gathered a band of what are called vain men.  This does not mean conceited, but a group of men who for whatever reason had nothing.  We today are spiritually without anything until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse four states, And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.  There came a time when the people of Ammon made war against Israel.  We can be certain that everyday the forces of Satan make war against Christians, though sometimes and in some places it is worse than others.  Verse five adds, And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:  When the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Israel went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.  They might have consented to his being driven out earlier, but now that they needed him, they called for him to return.  We may sit in judgment of others, even our fellow Christians, until we need them for something today, but this should never be the case.  Verse six continues, And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.  The elders asked Jephthah to come be their captain so that they might fight against the Ammonites.  We are not told that they consulted God about this, and they evidently had little faith in God being able to deliver them.  If we are in a bad situation today as followers of Christ, we need to first look to God to see what He would have us to do, and not just blindly put our faith in someone until we do.  Verse seven asks, And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?  Jephthah asked them some legitimate questions.  He asked if they were not the ones who drove him out of his father’s house, and why did they therefore come to him now.  Let's hope we never drive any Christian, who therefore has the same heavenly Father, out of our congregation, and if we do, let's hope we never have to go to them and ask for help.  They might view us the same way Jephthah viewed these elders of Israel.  Verse eight adds, And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.  The elders told Jephthah that they came to him asking that he lead them in the fight against the Ammonites.  They really didn't answer his question, but simply asked that he now, though rejected before, come back and be their leader in the fight against Ammon.  We have all rejected Jesus Christ at some point in life, but we will never be successful in our fight against sin and evil in the world until we ask Him to come into our heart as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse nine says, And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?  Jephthah asked them if he returned, and the LORD delivered the people of Ammon to him, would they make him the head of Israel.  Of course, if we are victorious over sin today, it is by the power of God, and He should always be our Leader.  Verse ten adds, And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.  The elders of Gilead said let the LORD be their witness that they would do as he asked.  As Christians, God' is always our witness when we make promises to anyone about anything.  How we follow through on that promise reflects on God, so we should always do our best to keep our promises.  Verse eleven continues, 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.  Jephthah returned with the elders and they made him their captain, and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD at Mizpeh.  Jephthah said he would only do this if the LORD was with him, and this should still be our attitude as Christians today.  We should never accept any position in the church, or even in our everyday life, without knowing God is with us in our decision.