Original Entry: April 25, 2007
McMinnville, Or
32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. Judges 11:32
1 The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over your head." 2 Jephthah answered, "I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn't save me out of their hands. 3 When I saw that you wouldn't help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?" Judges 12:1-3
When I was in my early twenties my bar brawler brother picked a fight with me. Tom and I are very close and I was shocked when he threw up his hands to fight me for no worthy reason. I do not like to fight, especially with those I love, but Tom’s arrogance piqued my curiosity. As he stood there cussing and mocking me to put my hands up Tom made the fatal mistake in thinking I would go blow for blow with him. Instead I leapt upon him like a linebacker, threw his body in the air so that his feet bumped the ceiling on his way down and slammed him face down on the floor with his head locked in my crotch.
Game over.
Even though Tom was a successful bar brawler he made several fatal mistakes.
As I read the passage today I notice the word “fight” three times, and the three mistakes that were somehow wound around this word. The first mistake I found was in verse 32 when Jephthah makes a vow with the Lord that, “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 will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
That “whatever” happened to be “his daughter and only child (34).” Jephthah did not trust the Lord to give him the victory but instead made a vow in order to hedge his bets.
Mistake 1: When God calls you there is no need for a vow. John Maxwell once said “stop asking God to do what he has already asked you to do.” I believe this. I get so sick of Christian men choosing to be passive with clichés like, “God is in control. God will do it. Or, I am just waiting on God.” If God asks- move.
Mistake 2: Get off the fence and choose what team you will be on. The second mistake is found in Judges 12:1-3 when the “men of Ephraim” confronted Jephthah saying, “why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you (1)?” Essentially the men of Ephraim chose the wrong sides. Actually, they made no choice and their indecision became their decision. There is no neutral ground in the battle for Heaven. Switzerland does not exist in God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “if you are not with me you are against me (Matthew 12:30).” You cannot live on the fence without eventually being shaken off.
Mistake 3: Never fight against what God is truly blessing. Lastly, the men of Ephraim were offended that Jephthah would not wait for their indecisiveness. Champions never will. Instead, they took their offense to the worst level. They actually chose to fight against what God was blessing. As Rick Warren once warned, “Never curse what God is blessing.” Fight with the blessing of God to achieve great victory and against Him to be defeated. The men of Ephraim fought God’s blessing and the “men of Gilead struck Ephraim (4).”
