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A BATTLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE FOUGHT (28 OF 42)

by Mike Stone

Scripture: Judges 12:1-7
This content is part of a series.


A Battle that Didn't Have to Be Fought (28 of 42)
Series: The Coming King: Finding Jesus in Judges
Mike Stone
Judges 12:1-7

In those days there was no king in Israel and every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Our study of Judges is the story of Israel's rebellion and their longing for a king. But this book, like the whole of Scripture, is ultimately about the Lord Jesus.

Judges is preparing us for a coming king, the Lord Jesus. Every judge, even at his or her best, was flawed. For all of their good qualities, they each were sinners who had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Even the ones of whom nothing negative is said, such as Shamgar, the fact that they didn't serve forever because of their own death is certainly weakness enough, especially if you need a King who can conquer death and reign forever and ever.

The judges come and the go, none of them is the Righteous Judge who will one day sit on the throne of the universe.

In Judges 11, we were introduced to a controversial judge named Jephthah. He was the son of a concubine, initially hated by his own clan. That is, until they needed something. So the Gileadites called for Jephthah to come and save them from the Ammonites.

And that's what he did.

As he prepared for the battle with the Ammonites, Jephthah made a tragic and foolish vow that cost him greatly with his daughter. Depending on how you view the text, he either took the life of his only child OR he relegated her to a life of unmarried virginity. While I hold the latter view, in either case, his foolish vow snuffed out his family line.

But we see tonight, that wouldn't be the last time that his foolish and petty actions would destroy part of his own family. Because as Judges 12 opens, he loses a lot in a battle that didn't have to be fought. (Judges 12:1-7)

There have been a lot of costly battles in human history. Just from our own nation's history, certain names are synonymous with bloodshed and death ...

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