Jephthah, Type of Christ's Return to Israel

Jephthah is one of only four (4) judges of Israel named in Hebrews 11, the other three being Gideon, Barak and Samson - Hebrews 11:3232 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

. The witness of faith of each points to and is a type of a different particular aspect of the work of the second Adam who is Jesus (the author and finisher of Faith, Hebrews 12:22 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

) in relation to the Nation of Israel. It was pointed out in Volume 2, Studies 23 - 26 that Gideon was a type of Christ in His first advent, which occurred 2000 years ago. Here, Jephthah's life and witness of faith, Judges 10:17 - 12:7, will be examined as pointing to and being a type of Christ's second advent, which is yet to come.

To begin with the Word reveals that Jephthah's mother was not married, Judges 11:11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

. Likewise the mother of Jesus was not married when He was conceived by the Spirit of God - Matthew 1:18 - 2318 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

. Jephthah was rejected by his brethren whereupon he left his homeland and fled to the land of Tob, Judges 11:2 & 32 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

, just as Jesus Christ was rejected by His brethren, the Nation of Israel, Mark 8:3131 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

, Luke 9:2222 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

; 17:25, and left the land of His people and went to the heavens, Luke 24:5151 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

; Acts 1:9 - 119 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

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In Jephthah's time Israel had fallen from obedience to God and into idol worship and was given over to suffering terrible persecution at the hands of their enemies - Joshua 10:6 - 96 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

. Although some in Israel believed and a few have been believers over the last 2000 years, as a Nation in total they rejected Jesus Christ even after he died and rose again and instead went after the god of self righteousness, Acts 4:1 - 31 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

, 17, 18 & 21; 5:17 & 18, 27, 28, 33 & 40; 6:11 - 14; 7:54 - 60; 8:1 & 3, etc. As a result God set Israel aside as His favored Nation, Romans 9 - 11:20, which has been for the past 2000 years during which they have suffered terrible persecution time and again throughout the world being discriminated against, driven from many countries and/or tortured and killed unmercifully.

In Jephthah's time the Children of Israel finally came to recognize and repent of their sin. They put away the idols they had worshipped and served the Lord, Who grieved for them - Joshua 10:1010 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

, 15 & 16. Likewise at some time yet in the future and by the Grace of God the Nation of Israel will recognize their sin and will look upon Him whom they have bruised, mourning for what was done to their Messiah - Zechariah 12:10 - 1410 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

; Matthew 24:29 - 3129 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

. The Apostle Paul explains what Israel, as a Nation, will experience at that future day: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." Romans 11:25 - 2725 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

; (compare Isaiah 59:20 & 2120 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

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After those in Israel repented of their sins they sought Jephthah out, requesting he return and save them from the enemy, Judges 11:4 - 114 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.

. Likewise at some future point in time the Lord will return and save Israel from all their enemies: "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." - Zechariah 14:2 & 32 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

. The Apostle John got a preview of this future day and recorded it in Revelation: "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God." Revelation 19:11 - 1311 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

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He who on that future day returns and saves Israel from their enemies is "The Word of God." This Word of God is the same who predated creation for He always was: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." - John 1:1 & 21 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

. After mankind came, faith came by hearing and hearing by the Word of God - Romans 10:1717 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

. Each and every man and woman studied in the Old Testament so far responded by faith to the Word of God that came to them. And, we will see in future studies that the Man Jesus Christ lived a perfect life of faith in God's Word, which among other things gave Him license to return to earth someday and put down all rebellion against God, as we just read in Revelation 19:11 - 13. And so it is that the Holy Spirit inspired the author of the book of Hebrews to cap off the description of all those who were borne witness to by their faith in the eleventh chapter to write: "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2.

To recap: In the beginning He was the Word; throughout history it was His Word that empowered His people; He ultimately came as the second Adam (I Corinthians 15:45) and lived as a man by perfect faith in that Word: and at some future day He will reign as The Word of God. So it is that the Bible is the Word of God and from beginning to end, and as such it reveals our Almighty God to man.

"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." Revelation 21:5 & 65 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

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