Sermon Notes

  1. Israel’s evil  leads to its oppression (10:6-9)
  2. Israel seems to  (10:10-16)
  3. Jephthah the  (10:17-11:40)
    1.  with the Ammonites (10:17-11:28)    
    2. Jephthah’s  and  (11:29-40)
  4.  aftermath (12:1-15)
    1.  war with Ephraim (12:1-7)
    2.  judges (12:8-15)

Going Deeper

  1. (From Tim Keller) Have you experienced the temptation to worship an idol more because it has not delivered? Where did it lead you?
  2. (From Tim Keller) Do you want God, or what God gives you? Which aspects of God’s perfection will you meditate on so that you love him more than you love his blessings
  3. What idols in your life do you turn to even though following them has not brought lasting fulfillment? What will you do to change?
  4. Read Judges 10:10-16. What does Israel seem to do? How do we know their repentance is really regret? What is the difference between repentance and regret?
  5. True confession is specific, clear and honest. Do you need to confess anything to God today? Do you need to confess anything to another person? How can you be specific, clear and honest?
  6. Read Romans 1:23-25. What does this passage teach us about God? What does it teach us about people? What will you do about it?
  7. Read Judges 11:1-3. Jephthah has some similarities with the bramble king, Abimelech. Both had questionable mothers, both maneuvered their way into leadership, both were surrounded by worthless men. Jephthah’s origins and actions were further proof of the Canaanization of Israel. They had become completely pagan.
  8. Jephthah was born from an immoral relationship. Daniel Block says, “The God of Israel was highly intolerant of any sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage, including those with professional prostitutes.” Gen. 34:31; 38:23; Amos 7:17; 1 Kings 22:38. What is taught or implied about prostitution in these passages?
  9. Jephthah sought to control God through his vow (Judges 11:30-31).Tim Keller says, “Since [the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:15] we have always felt we have to control God, to pay God and deserve God.” Is this true for you? Why or why not?
  10. What should Jephthah done instead of make his vow? What should he have done instead of keep his vow?
  11. What was the root issue for Jephthah (it was not his vow)?
  12. In what ways do you find yourself securing the present only to sacrifice your future
  13. How do we justify cheating, stealing and lying? What should we do instead?
  14. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal some blind spots in your life. How do you find yourself affected by our culture? In what ways have you bought into worldliness?
  15. What boundaries or limits do you need to set this week to limit worldly messages in your life? In the life of your kids?
  16. How is Jesus a better hero than Jephthah? What will you do to worship him this week?