Right in GOd’s Eyes Part 6 - Jephthah

I. For deeper study

Summary of last week Big Idea: [2Co 12:9-10 NLT]

9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

V. Big Idea: [1Co 3:6 NLT]

6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

The Story of Jephthah

The First Negotiations

Key Verse:

Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, …. thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. 7 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon.

Big idea: [Rom 1:22-25 NASB20]

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Application: Tim Keller says about this passage.

It is easy to see the futility of this in Israel, from our vantage point of a different era and culture. But human hearts have not changed. They still assure us that, when an idol leads to slavery, what we need is more of that idol. If someone seeks their value and purpose in a relationship—for example, sacrificing everything to a marriage which then fails—it seems very natural to think: I need to find another relationship. I need a better spouse. We see our problem not as worshiping an idol, but not worshiping an idol enough.

from: Keller, Timothy. Judges For You (God's Word For You) (p. 110). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition.

The Victory & The Vow – Key Passage

[Jdg 11:29-32 NASB20]

29 Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If You will indeed hand over to me the sons of Ammon, 31 then whatever comes out the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering." 32 So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD handed them over to him.

The Problem: [Deu 12:31 NASB20]

31 "You shall not behave this way toward the LORD your God, because every abominable act which the LORD hates, they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.

[Mat 6:24 NASB20]

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. ….

[Rom 12:2 NASB20]

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfec.

Jas 4:4 NASB20

4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

The Dangers of being “double-minded”

a. Acceptance of violence

b. Accepting ‘works righteous” in our relationship with God

c. No concept of God’s grace

Two thoughts:

We are more affected by our culture than the Bible and more than we think we have been affected.

We have a hard time believing in God’s grace.

Homework

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one concrete way you reflect the beliefs, attitudes, thinking, and actions more the popular culture than the way that the beliefs, attitudes, thinking, and actions of Jesus.

Ask the Holy Spirit to renew YOUR heart and mind in this area of your life.