Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain
Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.
Special welcome if you are new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here,
and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,
but because we're following Jesus together as one community. And as we follow Jesus together,
we become convinced that there's no one so good. They don't need God's grace,
and no one so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week after week to hear what
God has to say to us in His Word. We're continuing this morning our series in the book of Judges,
and you'll remember that the book of Judges is about many things. It's about the need for
constant renewal and revival among God's people. It's about the need for a true and faithful king,
a king who can do what no human can do, which is to change the hearts of men.
It's about the power of Spirit-filled leadership, and it's about God's mercy to hard-hearted people,
people like you and me. We've been taking a look at the story of Jethwa in three parts,
and we're now to the third part, the very end. Last week, we saw the most tragic portion of Jethwa's
story. We were reminded that Jethwa doesn't know anything. He was ignorant of God's Word
and His ways. This morning, as we end Jethwa's story, we're going to come back to a theme that
has shown up over and over again throughout chapters 8 through 10, which is the sorry state
of Israel, that groups and individuals are loyal only to themselves. We'll see the havoc that that
tribalism, that ego has on God's people. And so I invite you with that to turn with me in God's Word.
We're now in Judges chapter 12. You can turn in your Bible. You can turn on your phone.
You can turn in your worship guide. No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word,
and God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold,
and it's sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. And so that's why we
read now Judges chapter 12, starting at verse 1. The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they
crossed to Zaphon and said to Jethwa, Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not
call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire. And Jethwa said to them, I and my
people had a great dispute with the Ammonites. And when I called you, you did not save me from their
hand. And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against
the Ammonites. And the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight
against me? Verse 4. Then Jethwa gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of
Gilead struck Ephraim because they said, You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of
Ephraim and Manasseh. And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when
any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite?
When he said no, they said to him, Then say Shibboleth. And he said Sibboleth, for he could not pronounce it
right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 of
the Ephraimites fell. Jethwa judged Israel six years. Then Jethwa the Gileadite died and was buried
in his city in Gilead. Verse 8. After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had 30 sons and 30
daughters that he gave in marriage outside his clan, and 30 daughters he brought in from outside for his
sons. And he judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.
After him, Elon the Zebulonite judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years. Then Elon the Zebulonite
died and was buried at Eijilin in the land of Zebulon. Verse 13. After him, Abdan the son of Hillel,
the Pirithonite, judged Israel. He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys,
and he judged Israel eight years. Then Abdan the son of Hillel, the Pirithonite, died and was buried
at Pirithon in the land of Ephraim in the hill country of the Amalekites. I invite you to pray with
me as we come to this portion of God's Word. Our Father in heaven, we praise you again that you
give us your Word, that you teach us, that you instruct us. And we confess again that we need
your help, that unless your Spirit is with us, we will not be able to understand and believe and apply
what you have here for us. And so we ask that you would give us that help, that most of all you would
use this passage to show us Christ, that he would be more and more beautiful and glorious and lovely to
us. We ask these things in the mighty name of him, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
For us to understand what's happening in this passage before us in chapter 12,
it's important for us to remember briefly what has come in the last several chapters.
You'll remember back in chapter 10, things were getting so bad in Israel that we were told they
were not just worshiping some of the idols, that's what they had done before, but in fact they were
worshiping all of the idols. The judges' cycle, some call it judges' spiral, continues as the judges go
deeper and deeper into sin and rebellion. And so God says, look, you have not repented, I'm not going to
help you. But then they cry out, God has mercy on them, he raises up Jephthah to save them from the
Ammonites. And that's what we saw last week. Jephthah, in fact, saves them from the Ammonites.
And so we would expect at this point for there to be some peace in the land, right? There would be
celebration of some sort. Israel would come together. Maybe they would thank Jephthah, right,
for all the good that he's done for them. But instead of that, at the very beginning, verse 1,
we encounter the opposite. The Ammonites are done, we should expect peace. But no, there is an army
that shows up on the doorstep of Jephthah. The men of Ephraim, this is verse 1, were called to arms,
and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites
and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire. They don't send a
diplomat. They don't send a representative to say, hey, we're upset. No, this entire army crosses from the
heartland of Israel in the west across the Jordan River to a city on the east so that they can tell
Jephthah that it is time for his house to be burned down. There's a whole military force that comes,
and we find out later in verse 6 how big this force is. Jephthah ends up killing 42,000 of them.
The men of Ephraim roll thick. They are here to let him know how mad they are. And their response is
what we would call a disproportionate response. Their ego has been damaged, and so they're going
to respond by wrecking Jephthah and his people. This is pretty extreme to state the obvious.
Things are getting out of control in the land of Judges. Now, as I mentioned during our confession
of faith, we've seen this same issue before. The men of Ephraim were angry back in chapter 8. They
were angry at Gideon because Gideon did not invite them. What they didn't do there, though, was threaten
to destroy anything. And so their anger, their response is becoming worse and worse. Where does this anger
come from? Well, we know from last time they were mad at Gideon back in chapter 8 because they were
not invited, and Gideon is able to calm everything down by stroking their egos. Remember, Gideon says,
you guys are so great. In fact, what I did is nothing in comparison to what you did. You know, the men of
Ephraim are the best. And so that seems to calm them down. Not so this time. Gideon stroked their ego
Jethro. Jethro does not have Gideon's diplomacy. Remember, Jethro is a wild man. And so he does what wild
men do. He starts a fight. And what a fight it is. And so we need to see and remember and understand
here that this is worse than ever. We are continuing in the free fall of God's people in the book of Judges.
Verse 4, they have this fight. It is blue on blue. Gilead versus Ephraim. Israelites versus Israelites.
Turns out that Ephraim's talk is bigger than their game. Jethro makes quick work of them.
And then he decides it's not enough to make quick work of them. They're in a tight spot. He's going to
make it even tighter. Remember, I told you they've crossed over the Jordan River. They brought this
entire army with them into a different land, the place where Jethro's people are, the place of Gilead.
So what are they going to have to do if they want to escape? Well, they're going to have to cross back
over. Jethro realizes this. Remember, we know that Jethro's a great warrior. He's a great tactician.
And so he decides, look, I know exactly what to do. I'm going to get rid of these men of Ephraim.
We're going to take the fords. So that when they try to cross back over from the east to the west,
they're going to have to go through what we've set up.
In a sense, he's telling Ephraim this. Two can play this game. You want to be tribalistic?
I'll be tribalistic. You want to make a big deal about honor? I'll make a big deal about honor.
Game recognizes game. And it turns out there's some sort of linguistic difference between these two
groups. His people are able to pronounce Shibboleth with the H. Their people are able to pronounce it
without the H. And so this has become a cultural term that of a Shibboleth is a test to know if
someone belongs in your group. And of course, again and again, and this is what we see in verses five and
six, they fail the test. That's how Jethwa is able, verse six, to take out 42,000.
Jethwa here goes beyond what self-defense allows.
Jethwa is not just defending himself. No, he is purging and cleansing. Jethwa is out for revenge.
Remember, I told you when we first came to Jethwa, hard times call for hard men.
And Jethwa is nothing if not a hard man for better or for worse.
After all of this happens, verse seven, we're told Jethwa judged Israel six years.
And there is an absence here of what we've been told in the past.
In the past, when we've seen a judge and we're told how long he judged, we are also told,
and the land had rest. The land had peace for however many years.
We don't hear that here with Jethwa because the land has no peace.
The violence within Israel increases more and more.
So the point of the story is this.
The selfishness and the tribalism and the violence of Israel has reached a new low.
Things are worse than they've ever been.
And this draws us to the overarching theme of the previous few chapters and the chapters to come,
which is that more and more what we're seeing in the nation of Israel is that they look just like the nations around them.
That's what we saw last week, right?
Jethwa is acting as if Yahweh was a pagan god.
He brings this human sacrifice because that's what the nations around them do.
Here the same thing is happening.
What is it that's true of the nations around them?
Well, that nothing and no one is greater than me and my tribe.
My ego is of ultimate importance.
Nothing is more important than protecting and defending that.
If it requires revenge, I'll take revenge.
If it requires violence, there will be violence.
If you attack my honor, I will attack your honor.
Israel is cannibalizing itself.
God doesn't even need to send in the other nations at this point.
They are doing a great job destroying each other.
They have lost all perspective, all sense of unity because tribalism and self-interest rule the day.
They rule the day for Ephraim as they come to attack Jethwa for not giving them the honor they believe they deserve.
They rule the day for Jethwa as he slaughters his brothers rather than seeking peace.
Now the text hints at this in verse 7.
It is not just Jethwa who dies.
It is Jethwa the Gileadite.
And in case you think that's just a mistake, remember how the last chapter ended.
Verse 40 of chapter 11.
The daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jethwa, the Gileadite.
Jethwa is a Gileadite first.
The men of Ephraim are men of Ephraim first.
God's people have lost their unity together.
In fact, as we talk as a church about what it means for us to have thick community,
the kind of community that goes beyond simply knowing someone's name and saying something pleasant,
but being deeply invested in each other's lives, it is this that is one of the greatest threats.
You may have seen this on page 3 of your worship guide.
Israel shares no higher allegiance.
Judges provides for us a warning.
As we think about the need for constant renewal and revival among God's people,
this particular passage reminds us of our need for this,
our need not to lose the big picture out of concern for personal honor.
Not to value what is good for us rather than what is good for the community.
And yet the temptation, the pull, the draw, the lie is constant.
That shows up in the person who doesn't get the attention he wants,
so he creates drama to get it.
It comes in the person who doesn't get the attention he wants,
It comes in the woman who congratulates herself that everything would fall apart except for me.
It comes in the man who's outraged that he doesn't receive the honor and the praise that he believes he deserves.
It comes in the person who only thinks about what is best for me and my clique, my constituency,
rather than what's going to bring the whole community together.
It comes in the person who complains that no one helps,
and yet loves to be seen doing everything.
God's people are meant to be one people on one mission.
They're not meant to be different people on different missions.
God's people are one people with one mission,
not different people with different missions.
And that the Bible reminds us again and again that we have ultimately two options.
We can go on a mission with each other,
or we can go on a mission against each other.
We can go on a mission with each other.
We can go on a mission against each other.
That's our warning from Judges 12.
Our warning not to become like the nations around us,
not to be dragged in to the petty bickering and tribalism
that characterizes so much of our world.
And Judges also reminds us that left to ourselves,
that is exactly where we will go.
And so we need to remember the words of our Lord Jesus.
Remember, I've told you before,
Jesus tells us, Luke 10, verse 20,
as disciples come back,
they're so excited about the success they've experienced in ministry.
And Jesus tells them this,
Do not rejoice in this,
that the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
How do we avoid the fate of Israel?
How can we run away from the temptation of the men of Ephraim?
It's to remember that our glory comes from God and God alone.
Our honor is that our names are written in the book of life.
The praise and thanks we get
is not worth comparing
to following and serving our Lord Jesus.
The honor that we seek after
is hearing,
well done, good and faithful servant.
That is what is great.
Joy and contentment and honor
come from that and that alone.
Remember I mentioned during our confession of faith,
our solution to seeking our glory over God's glory
is to remember how great God is.
It is the difference
between climbing a 14er
and making a 14er.
You think you have glory?
Check out God's glory.
You think you have power?
Check out God's power.
You think you're impressive?
God is impressive.
In fact, it's we see God as great
that we abandon our own delusions.
And so it's not just that God gives us glory.
It's not just that we rejoice
that our names are written in heaven.
It is that God's glory eclipses ours.
That is how we follow Jesus
as one people together.
We will not
and we cannot
abandon our own agendas
and pride and ambition
until we see
how great and glorious God is.
we will not
and we cannot
rest
from our own agenda
until we see
how glorious and great
God's agenda is.
we will not
and we cannot
turn away
from our individual missions
until we have caught
the vision
of God's mission.
It is God's beauty
and power
and glory
and majesty
and mercy
and grace
and authority
that causes
everything else
to pale.
it is great things
that give us
perspective
on small things.
I recently
re-read
The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien
and if you're
a Gandalf
shows up one day
and he recruits
Bilbo
to this adventure
this adventure
to go out
with the dwarves
and the dwarves
need to go on adventure
because the dragon
smog
has taken over
their home.
You'll remember
that they
have the lonely mountain
or at least
they had the lonely mountain
at one point
the dragon
has driven them out
and it's even worse
than that
it's not just
that he's driven them out
he is also
sitting
sleeping
napping
on top of all
of their treasure.
And so the dwarves
have lost their home
and
they have lost
their gold.
Now the dwarves
have great doubts
about Bilbo.
It's unclear
to them
whether he is
an asset
or a liability
and there's
tension
ongoing
between him
and them.
In fact
he proves himself
to be a liability
at multiple points.
They go out
onto their adventure
what does Bilbo do?
He sleeps in.
He gets up late
he has to race
to catch up with them.
They run into
some trolls.
What does Bilbo do?
Bilbo almost
gets them killed.
Gandalf has to
show up
to the rescue
at the last minute
to protect
all of them.
Sometimes
maybe many times
the dwarves
regret
bringing Bilbo.
In fact at one point
you'll remember
Bilbo disappears
and the dwarves
have this conversation
with Gandalf
where they say
hey why don't we
just leave him behind?
We don't actually
need him.
Right?
Bilbo for
his part
dreams constantly
of returning
to his hobbit
hole.
And yet Bilbo
also ends up
being an asset
at some points.
Bilbo saves them
later on
from the spiders.
He saves them
from the wood elves.
Bilbo
goes first
against the dragon
smog.
In the midst
of all these
tensions
and egos
Thorin
the head dwarf
has an ego.
Gandalf by the way
shows his ego
a few times.
what is it
that holds
all of them
together?
Why do the dwarves
not leave
Bilbo behind
and why does
Bilbo not run
home?
It's because
they're all
seeking
the treasure.
They are
different people
with one
mission.
And so they
have to work
together
and they have
to partner
together
to make
it to the
end.
Brothers and
sisters
God has
given us
his greatest
treasure
in the gospel.
God has
given us
his greatest
treasure
in his
son.
And when
and as
we are
tempted
to be
concerned
about our
own honor
and praise
and success
and glory
we are
reminded
again and
again of
the true
mission
that we
are on.
We're
reminded
again and
again that
honor and
ego pale
in comparison
to what God
has for us.
And so
in the midst
of human
imperfection
and sin
we work
together
we partner
together
to make
it to the
end
because
God's
treasure
is
greater.
Gandalf
jumps in
and out
of the
hobbit.
Sometimes
he's with
them
sometimes
he's
not.
At one point
he is
with them
for a time
when they're
in Mirkwood
Forest.
He walks
with them
all the way
to the
forest.
He's
sort of
this
protective
presence
and then
he has
to leave
them.
he reminds
the dwarves
how important
Bilbo is
to their
adventure
even as
they consider
leaving him
behind.
He encourages
them to have
faith in him
and then
he reminds
them to
persevere
and his
exhortation
his words
to them
are this
think
of the
treasure
at the
end.
Christian
think
of the
treasure
at the
end.
Let's
pray.
Our
Father in
heaven
we
praise you
and thank
you for
your word
which encourages
us and
also warns
us.
We thank
you for
the warning
of the
men of
Ephraim
and we
ask that
you would
be at
work
us
individually
and as
a
community
that you
would pull
us
together
as
different
people
on one
mission
that we
wouldn't
be
concerned
about
our
power
and honor
and praise
and glory
because we
would know
that it
comes from
you
and that
your glory
is so much
greater
than our
glory.
But that
would free
us.
It would
give us
peace
to worry
not about
our standing
but simply
to follow
you in
faith.
We thank
you that
we haven't
earned or
deserved
these things
and so we
simply ask
them in the
mighty name
of Jesus
Christ.
Amen.