Judges 11:1-28

     The Central Idea of the Text is that God elected Jephthah—a man of unjust suffering—to lead as Israel’s judge during a time of conflict with the Ammonites.

     Jephthah was a great warrior, but he was born the son of a prostitute (Judg. 11:1), and was rejected by his brothers for something he could not control (Judg. 11:2).  Jephthah’s destiny as a leader in Israel was partly shaped by the abuse of his brothers.  Like David (1 Sam. 22:2), Jephthah became the leader of social outcasts like himself (Judg. 11:3). When Israel was attacked by the Ammonites, they needed a great warrior, so they called for Jephthah (Judg. 11:4-6).  Jephthah accepted the offer to be leader in Gilead and to fight and save the people who originally rejected him (Judg. 11:7-11), displaying himself as more righteous than those who called him.  After accepting Israel’s offer to be the leader in Gilead, Jephthah sought a peaceful solution to the problem through diplomacy (Judg. 11:12, 14).  Jephthah was a man of faith (Heb. 11:32), and the moral authority of his diplomacy rested upon the acts of God as revealed in Scripture (Judg. 11: 9, 21, 23–24).  However, the Ammonites rejected Jephthah’s diplomacy (Judg. 11:28), and the biblical basis for his authority, and chose war (Judg. 11:32-33).  The king of Ammon did not care about truth or justice, because it did not serve his agenda.

     God is aware of the abuse and suffering of all people, and He uses hardships to humble and exalt those whom He elects for greater purposes (1 Sam. 2:6-8; 2 Sam. 7:8; Ps. 75:6-7; Dan. 2:21; 4:37; cf. Rom. 5:3-5).  Many who are rejected by worldly standards are the very ones the Lord elevates to be His servants (1 Sam. 16:1-13; 1 Cor. 1:26-31; Jam. 2:5).  It is our connection with God and His purposes that elevates us to a place of divine service and gives value to our daily walk.