Jepthah's Vow

Jephthah?s Vow

Judges 11:1-11,30-35

I. Jephthah?s vow was a definite commitment ? verse 30-31

A. It was honest, sincere, and holy.

B. Commitment ? an agreement or pledge binding oneself to do something

C. Jephthah was under no obligation to make this vow or solemn promise to God ? but he did!

D. A Conditional agreement: If you do this... then I will do this

E. God fulfilled His part of the agreement ? verses 32-33

F. God always keeps His promises

G. Samuel Goldwyn said, "A verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on." No promise, verbal or written, is of any value except in relation to the integrity of the one who makes the promise. Some recall a time when "a man’s word was his bond." If we make promises, we ought to keep them. God does.

H. (1 Kings 8:56) "Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant."

II. Jephthah?s vow was a devastating commitment ? verse 34

A. Whatever?s of our lives

B. He did not forget his vow to God.

C. Vows are made in storms and forgotten in calms.

D. He realized he had to keep his vow.

E. (Numbers 30:2) "If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."

F. (Deuteronomy 23:21) "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee."

G. Billy Graham (1918- ) We need to stop long enough to let our feet catch up with our mouths

III. Jephthah?s vow was a defining commitment ? verse 35-36

A. A Test of his commitment.

1. Would he go through with it?

2. Would he obey God?

3. Was it just talk?

4. Was he serious?

B. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.

H. You can fix anything but a broken promise.

C. (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5) "When thou vow a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. {5} Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay."

D. He who is the slowest in making a promise is the most faithful in keeping it.

E. Note the extraordinary character of his daughter ? vs. 36-39.