1. The Dark Days of Israel’s Judges A Study of the Book of Judges The Dark Days of Israel’s Judges A Study of the Book of Judges Lesson 12 Judges 10:1 – 12:15 Jephthah: Words Matter November 1, 2009

2. I.Introduction A.The elephant in the room B.A time for hermeneutical principles II.Minor Judges (10:1-5; 12:8-15) A.What is missing and why? B.What is there, which we are to see? 1.Family matters 2.Length of rule 3.Place of burial 4.Numerous judges/City-states 5.The need for unity III.Israel’s sin, “repentance,” and God’s mercy (10:6-18)

3. IV.Jephthah and the Ammonites (11:1-33) A.Jephthah’s promotion (11:1-11) B.Jephthah’s diplomatic efforts (11:12-28) 1. What’s the problem? (11:12-13) 2. Jephthah’s response – a history lesson (11:14-27) 3. The king of Ammon’s response (11:28) C.War with Ammon (11:29-33) V.Jephthah’s daughter (11:34-40) A.A time to apply our hermeneutical principles B.What was Jephthah’s intent? C.What was the outcome? D.What lessons should we learn?

4. VI.Jephthah and Ephraim (12:1-7) A.Ephraim’s complaint (12:1) B.We’ve been here before (8:1-3) C.Jephthah’s diplomacy compared with that of Gideon D.The truth of the matter (12:2-3) E.When diplomacy fails: swords and shibboleths (12:4-7)

5. VII.Conclusion A.The power of words (Proverbs 18:21) B.The importance of history -- Truth Project C.How do we deal with Jephthah’s vow? D.The testimony of other Scripture (1 Samuel 12:11; Hebrews 11:32) E.God uses flawed instruments F.What of God’s Spirit & Jephthah’s deed? G.Unintended consequences 1. Related to men 2. Related to God

6. Copyright © 2009 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the edited PowerPoint presentation of Lesson 12 in the series, The Dark Days of Israel’s Judges, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh for November 1, 2009. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit.