Msg #1315 Jephthah's Awful Vow .. NOT Awful
What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
In Judges chapter 11, Jephthah, the Gileadite, walks across the pages of God's Holy Word to reveal to us truths that God would have us know for certain. It is shallow to dismiss truths because some scholar has improperly analyzed them, and given them a label. Jephthah's awful vow is not awful, nor is it just Jephthah's vow that is in view here. Consider that Jephthah, because of his lowly birth, was rejected of his brethren: rejected and driven out into the land of Tob. There he remained, forgotten, until his people had a great need because the children of Ammon rose up against them. Now they called for Jephthah to come and deliver them. I contend that Jephthah's walk across a page of His-Story, is intended to reveal to us His Heart. One chapter previous, in context, we read: “Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, ... And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, ... And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the ... the Amorites..., and from the Philistines?... Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. It is no small coincidence that God chose the rejected and exiled Gileadite to deliver his people. So what of Jephthah's 'awful vow'? Consider that in Numbers there is command “offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering unto the LORD.” Consider that there is only one human sacrifice that is themed in this whole book. Now consider that Jephthah's vow was not awful, but a revelation of God's vow. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
An Essay for week #15 Sun, Apr 14, 13
Published at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/ppulpit/biblesays13.pdf
In paperback at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch