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No Turning Back
/Text: Judges 11:29-40/
Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)
Date Preached - (03~/03~/02)
Introduction:
A vow could be positive and included all promises to perform certain things for, or bring certain offerings to, God, in return for certain benefits which were hoped for at His hand (Gen.
28:20-22, Jacob; Lev.
27:2,8; Num.
30; Judg.
11:30, Jephthah; 1 Sam.
1:11,
A Vow could be negative in the sense that a person bound himself or herself to abstain from certain things.
As in the vow of the Nazarite.
*Key Verse 35B* “…../for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back/.”
Relate background of Jepthah’s life and his campaign against the Ammonites.
HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Jepthah’s birth (Illegitimacy – 11:1-2)
Exiled and alienated by his half brothers.
(Exalted by God)
2.
Jepthah’s band of men (11:3)
Similarity to David.
3.
Jepthah’s Character
Knew the Lord ~/ Purity of Life (One wife) ~/ Strong Leader
4.
Dearth of Leadership in Israel (10:15-18)
5.
Jepthah’s rise to Leadership. (11:4-11)
He rose to leadership by virtue of the strength of his character – Contrast with Abimelech.
a).
He was a man of integrity and trusted judgment.
b).
He was a good judge of Character able to discern men who were reliable.
c). he united his followers behind a common purpose.
d).
He handled opposition wisely and acted decisively.
He took the initiative.
e).
His personal life was above reproach.
6.
Jepthah’s answer to the King of Ammon (11:12-28)
THE VOW OF JEPTHAH
Some have accused him of making a rash vow.
Others suggest he was moderately influenced by paganism.
What was his vow? (Vs.30-31)
!! Burnt Offering~/Human Sacrifice?
NO!!!
Here are several reasons why….
1.
He was Spirit-filled~/led~/empowered when making his vow vs.29
2.
Human sacrifice was strictly forbidden by God (Deut 12:29-31)
3.
Along w~/ the prohibition, he would have known God’s law of redemption.
(Exodus 13:11-16)
4.
The word “for” can mean “in the place of”.
5.
His daughter’s response (vs.36-37)
She was more than willing to accept the fulfillment of her father’s vow as being of the Lord.
6.
Jepthah’s name is recorded amongst the faithful.
*Hebrews 11:32* 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:
!! Perpetual service in the Temple~/Life of Celibacy?
This is most likely considering the following…
1.
Indicated by the daughter’s response vs.37
She was bewailing her “virginity” not her loss of life.
2.
Emphasis of verse 39 – “And she knew no man”.
3.
The yearly “lament” of the daughters of Israel vs.40
The sense in which the word lament is used here speaks of praise and commemoration of the daughter of Jepthah’s unselfish submission to God’s will.
The predominating principle of this story is that Jepthah made a vow unto the Lord and he kept it.
*Key Verse 35B* “…../for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back/.”
How does this apply to us? - In Many Ways!!!
/Let’s consider some important truths regarding the making and keeping of vows./
! I. Our Vows are made unto God and not unto man.
*Vs.
30* “/And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD/”
*Vs.
35* “/I have opened my mouth unto the LORD/”
*Ephesians 6:6* Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
This is true of our secret as well as our public engagements.
!! A. Marriage Vows
Purity ~/ Faithfulness ~/ Honour ~/ Love
“Till death do us part”
!! B. Altar Calls & Invitations
The Biblical message calls for personal decisions.
! II.
Our Vows made unto God must be Kept.
Vs.35
“/I cannot go back!!”/
*Ecclesiastes 5:4 -5* When thou vowest 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.
They are to be “/Paid/” & “/Performed/”
The Vows may be a gift (financial or otherwise) or fulfilled in an action.
*Luke 9:62* And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
“/We need to be flinty-faced ploughman/” – David Atkinson
The idea is that of burning our bridges behind us.
(Elisha) (The fishermen who left their nets)
Leaving all to follow Him.
PAUL, counting “”/all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” – /*Phil 3:8*
*Romans 11:29* For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
! III.
Therefore, Our Vows unto God must be carefully considered
Nowhere in the Old Testament do we find the making of vows regarded as a religious duty (Deut.
23:22), but the fulfilling of a vow was considered as a sacred and binding duty (Deut.
23:21-23; Judg.
11:35; Eccl.
5:4; compare Ps. 22:25; 66:13; 76:11; 116:18).
*Deuteronomy 23:22* But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.
They are not required!!!
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