Peter Barnes | Judges 10:6-18
SERMON NOTES
JEPHTHAH: A FOOLISH VOW
(Judges 11:34-12:7)
– Simon Robinson: ‘This must be one of the most troubling passages in the Old Testament.’ Jephthah is saved (Heb.11:32).
1. Do not negotiate with God.
– 11:30-31; Jacob seems to start out with the same mentality (Gen.28:20-22); Romans 12:1-2; John Newton: ‘The everlasting love of God, the unspeakable merits of Christ’s righteousness, and the absolute freeness of the gospel promises, these form the threefold cord by which my soul maintains a hold of that which is within the vail.’
2. Fulfil a vow that hurts, break a vow that is wrong.
– 11:31, 34-45, 36-40. Human sacrifice (Dale Ralph Davis, F. F. Bruce, Arthur Cundall) or the end of Jephthah’s family line (Andrew Fausset, Leon Wood, Keil and Delitzsch)?
– provision for breaking a vow in Lev.5:4-5; 27:1-8 but note Lev.27:28-29; do not take vows (James 5:12); keep those which are inconvenient (Num.30:2; Psalm 15:4); and break those which are ungodly (Mark 6:21-28; note Lev.18:21; 20:2-5).
– Jephthah seems like incestuous and drunken but righteous Lot (Gen.19:36-38; 2 Peter 2:7)
3. Israel disintegrates due to pride.
– 12:1-7; Ephraim, but compare Jephthah to Gideon in 8:1-3