January 14, 2021
Rev. Daniel Poon
This chapter talks about how the son of a prostitute turned a life of failure into a life of victory.
1. V1-3, Set Apart as Holy
Jephthah’s mother was a prostitute, so he was not accepted by the society at the time. But the Bible says from the beginning of this chapter that he “was a mighty man of valour”. How do we see ourselves? Do we see us as failure, or see us through the eyes of God? To be set apart as holy is to start by seeing oneself through the eyes of God, unlike Adam and Eve who just felt ashamed after sinning. We should be living under the breath of the tree of life, looking at ourselves through the eyes of God. Jephthah is a mighty warrior in the eyes of God, can we also see ourselves from the eyes of God rather than the eyes of the world?
When Jephthah was persecuted by his brothers, he did not respond with flesh and blood, but fled from them. A man of God can always attract people to follow them. Jephthah was like David in this matter. In the process of escaping from persecution, some worthless men—the people that the world despised—came to follow Jephthah. When we can see ourselves through God’s eyes, can we also see people around us like this? Do we have compassion for people, like how Jephthah saw those “worthless men” that the world found useless as having potential? Jephthah’s name means “he opens the way.” We can see from his life who was opening the way for him.
A man of God does not see himself from the eyes of the world, he sees himself with the eyes of God, and he is set apart as holy.
2. V4-11, Commit to God in Everything
The previous judges were all raised up by the LORD. However, in Chapter 10 verses 13-14, God said that he would no longer save Israel. In this chapter, we see that God has always been with us and has not abandoned us. So we see that although God has not raised up leaders for us, we are not sitting here doing nothing, we still need to seek God. How did the elders of Gideon find Jephthah? Why did these elders look for the child born to a prostitute? I believe it was because they had been seeking God. If not, from a human point of view, they would not look for a child born to a prostitute. This child magnified the Lord. When those people who looked down on him in the past, especially the elders who were highly respected, came to him to ask him to be a leader, he could have agreed immediately, but he did not.
V9, Jephthah was willing to exalt God in front of people. He humbled himself and asked, Does God really allow me to be your leader? Does God really hand the Ammonites into my hands? Because he exalted God, the elders were also willing to recognise God. Do we commit ourselves to God in everything, believe Him and humble ourselves in everything?
3. V12-33, Trust in the Lord in Battles
Jephthah is not a person of flesh and blood, but one who understood God’s heart. The Ammonites were the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew, so the Israelites did not fight directly against the Ammonites, only to draw a line with them and not to have disputes with them. Although Jephthah faced the attack from the Ammonites, he remained calm and told them the truth.
The king of the Ammonites wrongly accused the Israelites of occupying their land, and this answer did not arouse Jephthah’s anger. The mighty warriors of the kingdom of God are not only physically strong, but also brave, resourceful, and wise. Jephthah replied, “May the LORD… render judgment…” (v27). Here he exalted the Lord. When facing battles, are we willing to trust God and exalt the Lord before our enemy?
V28-33, Jephthah had no duplicity, but sincerely asked God to judge. So the Spirit of God came upon him, and God delivered his enemies to him to subdue the Ammonites. The victory of a battle is always the Lord’s, and not by people’s own strength.
4, V34-40, Walk in the truth
V34, Jephthah saw his only daughter coming out to greet him first. He had made a vow to God and he would fulfil it. One cannot break a vow to God, so he still dedicated his daughter to God (not to burn to death but let her serve God).
We see that Jephthah was set apart and he magnified God. However, when facing his daughter, he did not exalt God.
V35, this father was weeping in front of his only daughter, instead of thinking that it is very glorious to give his daughter to God. In contrast, Hannah, who was infertile, asked God for children, and God gave her Samuel the son. She then dedicated this son to God and did not cry. Jephthah made others feel that serving God is very bitter and pitiful. His daughter cried with her friends for two months because she had not been married in her entire life. However, what is wrong about not being married? Apostle Paul said that it is a wonderful thing for single ones to serve God wholeheartedly. Jephthah seemed to be a man of God and did not care about fame and wealth, but what he truly cared about was his daughter. Brothers and sisters, what do we care about in our life? Do we really think that serving God is good and a blessing? Jephthah did not think so, hence his daughter did not think it was good to serve God. What is the life we bring out, and do we make those under our authority see what it is like to follow God? Although Jephthah was a mighty warrior, he was not willing to entrust all of it to God. He led the Israelites for only six years before he passed away. The Bible does not say that the Israelites had peace during those six years.
Let us offer up wholeheartedly so that our followers will see that it is blessed and joyful to serve God.
Response Prayer:
The way of God is higher than our way. Help us to be set apart, to review our calling, not to look at the environment and people, but to look only at the destiny and path God has given us. Pray for God’s mercy and kindness to fill us, see ourselves as mighty warriors, and see that the people around us have great potential. We give our hearts to God, see that there are many unprepared places in ourselves, so we ask God to help us make the things in our hands and hearts ready, and see that fighting for God is a beautiful thing. Let us lift to God again what we care about—marriage, family, and children, ask the Lord to prepare everyone, and to fight for us. May God’s wisdom cover us, in the end time, turn defeat into victory, and become mighty warriors who are courageous and wise. Give us not only the heart to serve but also the courage to serve.
2021年1月14日
士师记 11 – 反败为胜的生命
潘锡安牧师
在第十一章我们看到生命，本章讲的是一个妓女的儿子如何从失败的生命中反败为胜。
一、V1-3，分别为圣
耶弗他的母亲是一个妓女，是不被当时的社会所接受的。但是圣经一开始就说他是一个大能勇士。我们是如何看待自己的？是失败的人，还是能用神的眼光来看自己。分别为圣，就是从神的眼光看自己开始，而不像亚当夏娃当时犯罪后看自己为羞愧那样。我们是活在生命树的气息下，用神的眼光看自己。耶弗他是神眼中大能的勇士，我们是否也能从神的眼光而不是世界的眼光看自己？
耶弗他在受到兄弟的逼迫时，他没有用血气来回应，而是逃避。一个属神的人有吸引人的气质，耶弗他好像大卫一样，在逃避追杀的过程中，有一些worthless men——就是世人所看不起的人——来跟随他。当我们能用神的眼光看自己，是否也能这样看周围的人？我们是否对人有怜悯，好像耶弗他看那些世人觉得没有用的匪徒是有潜力的？耶弗他的名字意思是“他开路”。我们可以从他的生命看出是谁在为他开路。
一个属神的人，不用世界的眼光看自己，用从神而来的眼光看自己，分别为圣。
二、V4-11, 凡事交托
之前的士师都是耶和华兴起的。但是，在第十章13-14，神说他不再救以色列。而在这一章我们看到，其实神一直与我们同在，没有丢弃我们。所以我们看见，虽然神没有为我们兴起领袖，我们不是什么都不做，我们还是要寻求神。基甸的长老们如何找到耶弗他？这些长老为什么会去找妓女所生的孩子，我相信是因为他们寻求神，若非如此，以人的眼光看，他们是不会去找妓女所生的孩子的。这个孩子是尊主为大的。从前看不起他的人，特别是德高望重的人来找他，他应该是立刻答应，但是他没有。
V9，耶弗他愿意在人的面前高举神，他谦卑自己说，神真的让我做你们的领袖吗，神真的将亚扪人交在我手里吗？因为他高举神，所以长老们也愿意承认神。我们是否凡事交托，愿意相信神，凡事谦卑？
三、V12-33，争战倚靠耶和华
耶弗他不是充满血气的人，他明白神的心意。亚扪人是亚伯拉罕侄子罗得的子孙，因此以色列人没有正面与亚扪人争战，只是与他们划清界限，不跟他们有纷争。耶弗他虽然面对亚扪人的攻打，但是他讲出真理，说你与我有什么相干，我有什么事情得罪你？
亚扪人的王说你们占了我的地，这样的回答没有激起耶弗他的血气。神国大能的勇士不是只有身体强壮，而是有勇有谋，有智慧。耶弗他回答说，愿耶和华判断是非（v27）。他高举的是耶和华。我们面对争战，是否愿意信靠神，在敌人面前高举耶和华？
V28，亚扪人的王不听。
V28-33，耶弗他不是口是心非，而是真心地请耶和华做判断。所以神的灵就降临在他身上，神就将他的仇敌交给他，制服了亚扪人。争战属于耶和华，不是靠自己的力量。
四、V34-40, 走在真理里
V34，耶弗他看到自己独生的女儿第一个出来迎接他，他跟神许愿他就要还愿，我们向神许愿不能随便背弃，所以他还是将女儿献给神（不是去烧死，而是让她服事神）。
我们看到耶弗他分别为圣，尊神为大。但是，面对他的女儿，他却没有高举神。
V35，父亲在独生女儿面前哀哭，而不是觉得将女儿献给神是很荣耀的事情。与之对比的是哈拿，她无法生育，她跟神要孩子，神就给了他撒母耳这个儿子。她把儿子献给神，哈拿没有哭哭啼啼。耶弗他使别人觉得服侍神是很苦、很可怜的。他的女儿就带着同伴一起哀哭了两个月，因为一生没有结婚。然而，没有结婚又怎么样呢？使徒保罗说的，没有结婚的，能够单身服侍神，是非常美好的事情。耶弗他看起来是一个属神的人，不在乎名利，但他原来真正在乎的是他的女儿。弟兄姐妹们，我们在乎的是什么？我们真的觉得服侍神是美好的道路吗，我们走在神的道路真的蒙福吗？耶弗他不是这么认为，所以他的女儿也不觉得服侍神很美好。我们带出来的生命，我们让我们下面的人看到跟从神是什么样的？虽然耶弗他是大能的勇士，但是他没有愿意全部交托给神，他带领以色列人只有六年，就过世了。圣经也没有说以色列人过得平安。
让我们全心全意的奉献，让跟从的人也看到能服事神是蒙福喜乐的。
追求：
神的道路高过我们的道路。帮助我们分别为圣，重新看待我们的呼召，不看环境和人的眼光，单单注视神给我们的命定和道路。求神的怜悯和恩慈充满我们，看我们自己是大能的勇士，看到身边的人是大有潜力的。我们把自己的心献给神，看到自己里面有很多没有预备好的地方，求神帮助我们使手上和心里的事情是预备好的，看到为神争战是美好的事情。把我们所在乎的——婚姻、家庭、孩子再次仰望交托，求主预备每个人，求主为我们争战，求神的智慧遮盖我们，在末世的时候，反败为胜，成为有勇有谋大能的勇士，让我们不仅有服侍的心也有服侍的勇气。