1

God Who Made Jephthah a Judge

2

[Judges 11:9]

“Jephthah answered, "Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me--will I really be your head?"”

3

After Joshua's death, the Israelites could not serve God properly. Each time, God punished their sins through the neighboring countries. When the Israelites repented of their sins, God appointed judges to save them.

4

Judges are leaders appointed by God to rule over Israel. A judge named Jair died after ruling Israel for 22 years. After Jair's death, Israel fell into the sin of idolatry again.

5

God made Israel to be ruled by the Philistines and Ammon. The Philistines and Ammonites tormented Israel for a long time. So the Israelites repented of their sins to God.

6

The Israelites who repented of God abandoned the idols they worshiped. They again began to serve Jehovah God fully. God was not pleased with the neighboring nations still harassing Israel, who had returned to God.

7

The Ammonites encamped in a place called Gilead to plunder Israel again. Embarrassed,
Gilead's leaders needed a general to lead the war against Ammon. But no one could be found in Gilead to lead the war against Ammon.

8

The elders of Gilead went to a man named Jephthah in the land of Tob. Jephthah was a very valiant and outstanding man. Jephthah was the son of his father, Gilead, through a prostitute.

9

The other sons of Gilead ignored and discriminated against Jephthah, the son of a prostitute.
They felt that he should not give a penny to Jephthah of his father's inheritance. When they grow up,
they say, “You can't have any of my father's legacy.
Because you are the son of another woman.”
and drove him away.

10

Jephthah, who was driven away from his brothers, fled there and lived in a place called Tob. Around Jephthah, who was located in the land of Tob, people from nowhere similar to Jephthah had gathered. Jephthah became their leader and had great power.

11

However, the elders of Gilead went to ask Jephthah, whom they had expelled, for help to fight Ammon. “Come, lead our army and fight the Ammonites.” Jephthah said, “You hate me.
You drove me out of my father's house, and now you're in trouble, so are you looking for me? Jephthah refused their request.

12

The elders of Gilead asked Jephthah more earnestly. “Please come to us and fight the Ammonites. You will be ruler over all who live in Gilead.” They promised that Jephthah, whom they had driven out, would be their leader.

13

Jephthah confirmed once again what they had said. “Suppose I am going back to Gilead with you to fight the Ammonites. If the Lord helps me overcome, will you make me ruler over you?”
Jephthah did not think that he could win the war against Ammon on his own. He was a man of humble faith, knowing that he could overcome only with God's help.

14

The elders of Gilead who heard Jephthah took an oath and said to Jephthah.
“Jehovah is listening to all we have said. Promise me you will keep everything you have said.” Hearing their oath, he went back with the elders of Gilead.
The Gileadites made Jephthah the leader of their army.

15

Jephthah, who became the commander of the army, sent messengers to King Ammon to convey his will. “This land has been given to us by God, the only god, so go back and do not covet this land.” But King Ammon ignored Jephthah’s warning. He had no intention of stopping the war.

16

The Spirit of God came upon Jephthah. Jephthah, who received the Spirit of God, went to war with Ammon with great courage. God helped Jephthah to win a great battle in that battle.
God made Jephthah the judge who saved Israel from the hand of the Ammonites. 

17

People ignored Jephthah as the son of a prostitute and cast him out. People discriminated against Jephthah because it was not his fault. However, God did not discriminate against Jephthah and used him as a judge of Israel. God knew that Jephthah was a humble man who believed that God was the master of war. God is the one who uses that person only through their faith. Therefore, we must all strive to have the right faith that is always approved by God.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)