 Amen. So Judges chapter 11, we see the story of Jephthah, and we're going to talk about that this evening. It's kind of a long chapter. I'm going to zip through a lot of the verses here to get through the chapter, and then we're going to look at... I want to make sure I get through the whole chapter and talk about the main thing that happened here in Judges chapter 11. So we see Jephthah, the Gileadite. He's a new judge coming on the scene here. We've seen several Judges so far in the book of Judges. The children of Israel, they fall away, and then the Lord raises up a judge to free them from oppression. So whenever they fall away from the Lord, they end up going into slavery. So that's just a cycle we see again and again. It's exactly what's going to happen to us in this country as well. We turn away from the Lord, we're going to fall into slavery. It's what happens to every single nation, and we're just seeing that cycle repeat itself in Judges, the entire book of Judges. But Judges chapter 11, let's look at verse number one and get right into it this evening. The Bible says, now, Jephthah, the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor. So that's important to note that he was a mighty man of valor. He was a warfighter. He was a strong man. He was courageous. He was somebody that knew how to fight and was not afraid to fight. Basically, he's what the Bible is saying here. And we see that proven in a few verses down here. He was the son of an harlot and Gilead begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife, Barim's sons, and his wife's sons grew up that they thrust out Jephthah. And he said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit our father's house for thou art the son of a strange woman. So this is similar to Abimelech. You remember he was the son of a concubine. He was like a blesser. And of course, you know, the children that were of an actual wife, you know, they're like, hey, we don't have to, you know, split our inheritance with this guy. So he's kind of the black sheep of the family here. So he fled from his brethren. The Bible says in verse three, and dwelt in the land of Tob. And there were gathered vain men to Jephthah and went out with him. And it came to pass in process of time that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. So here we go again. You know, Israel gets invaded by some heathen nation. And it was so that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel that the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob. And they said under the Jephthah, come be our captain that we may fight with the children of Ammon. So that's more proof that, you know, Jephthah is somebody special. He's somebody that, you know, they want to lead them in battle. And they think that he can be their general and he can push out this invading force. He must have had a reputation of war, of being a mighty man of valor, as the Bible says in the very first verse. Must have been brave, must have been a warrior. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, do not ye hate me and expel me out of my father's house. He's like, oh, now you want me to come help you. He's like, you know, now you're in trouble. You know, you want me to come help you. And why are you come unto me now that you're in distress? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, therefore we turn again to thee now that thou mayest go with us and fight against the children of Ammon and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. Then Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, if ye bring thee home again to fight against the children of Ammon, the Lord deliver them from before me, shall I be your head? And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, the Lord be witness between us if we do not so according to thy word. So there's something that we need to notice here. Okay, so here's our first clue to this story. First of all, in verse number eight, they already said that he would be, you know, come be our head. Come lead us, come be in charge of us. You know, be our king, however you want to say that. But in verse number eight they said it, but basically Jephthah asked them again. So they already said that, you know, come be our head. But Jephthah asked them again and then they basically, they swear by the Lord. They swear a vow to him. Okay, so Jephthah, you know, asked them again like he doesn't believe them. And then they swear this vow to him, the Lord be witness between us. That's like saying, I swear to God. You know, I swear, you know, under heaven or whatever. You know, it's like an extra promise. Okay, it's a vow to the Lord they made that they would do the thing that they already said that they would do. Okay, so the first thing is that Jephthah seems to like vows. It seems to be a culture for Jephthah here, you know. I mean, look, if I tell brother Matt like, hey, man, you know, I'm going to give you, you know, a fishing pole, you know, for your birthday. Or whatever. Now I feel bad because it was your birthday yesterday. I didn't give you a fishing pole. But here's the thing. If I say that, I mean, I should, I should just do that. Should I not? Because it's something that I said. I shouldn't have to say, you know, I swear by, you know, my mother and all this and, you know, all, you know, all like kids do in school. You know, they make up all these things, you know, stick 10 needles in your eye if I don't do this, right? No, you should just do what you say. You should just do what you say. But you see that this was a culture here that, you know, swearing this vow seemed to give it more power, seemed to give his word more power. Okay, verse number 10. Just notice that. Verse number 11. Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead and now it's good enough. Now they swore this vow before God and the people made him head and captain over them. And Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mitzvah. And Jephthah, now we're going to go into this big, you know, back and forth between the children, you know, Ammon and Jephthah. And I'm going to kind of blast through this and just explain it to you what he's saying to these people here. And then we'll get to the point of the story. And Jephthah sent messengers under the king of the children of Ammon saying, What has thou to do with me? Thou art come against me to fight in my land. He's saying, Why are you attacking us? And the king and the children of Ammon answered under the messengers of Jephthah because Israel took away my land. When they came up out of Egypt from Arnon even unto J-Book and unto Jordan. Now therefore restore those lands again peaceably. And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the kingdom of the children of Ammon and said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon. But when Israel came up from Egypt and walked through the wilderness unto the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom saying, I pray thee, let thee pass through thy land. But the king of Edom would not hearken there unto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab but he would not consent and Israel abode in Kadesh. Turn to Numbers chapter 21 while I'm finishing here. And then they went along through the wilderness encompassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab and came about the east side of the land of Moab and pitched on the other side of Arnon. But came not within the border of Moab for Arnon was the border of Moab. And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites. He's giving a history here of what happened. And the king of Heshbon and Israel said unto him, let us pass. We pray thee, though thy land, you know, through thy land into my place. But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast, but Sihon gathered all his people together and pitched in Jehaz and fought against Israel. Notice right there in verse 20, they fought against them. They were just trying to pass through. Verse 21, and the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of the Israel and they smote them, they defeated them. So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites and the inhabitants of that country. And they possessed all the coast of the Amorites from Arnon, Edom, to Jehbuk, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. So now the Lord God of Israel possessed the Amorites from before his people Israel. And should as thou possess it, will now thou possess which she must thy God give it thee to possess. So whosoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, then will we possess. Okay, let me explain. So basically he's telling them, he's like, look, so Amon and Moab are not even in the Promised Land. Okay, this is on the east side of Jordan. This is not the land that Israel was promised to, you know, by God. This is when they were wandering in the wilderness. They were wandering in the wilderness and they were passing through this land to get to the other side of Jordan to the Promised Land. And they passed through these nations. And these nations would not let them pass. These nations, and one of them in verse number 20, he actually went to war with them. And they conquered him and they took his land at that point. Look at Numbers chapter 21. This is what he's talking to, talking about. This is the actual story in Numbers chapter 21. Look at verse 21. And the Bible says in Israel sent messengers unto Zion king of the Amorites. Look, this is the guy. This is the land that they're talking about saying, let me pass through thy land. Did it say we're going to conquer you? No, it said just let us pass. They're just trying to get across the Jordan to the other side to the Promised Land to, you know, then there's going to be war over there. Okay, we know that. But look, it just says let me pass. And we will not turn into the fields or into the vineyards. We will not drink in the waters of the well. But we will go along by the king's way until we pass by thy borders. They're saying we won't even eat any of your food or drink any of your water out of the river. Just let us pass. And Zion would not suffer Israel to pass through his border. But Zion gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. And he came to Jaihaz and fought against Israel. And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword and possessed his land from Arnaud and Jabok even unto the children of Ammon. Sound familiar? For the border of the children of Ammon was strong. And Israel took all these cities and Israel dwelt in the cities of the Amorites in Heshbon in the villages thereof. So basically, they started this war because they wouldn't let them pass through and then they conquered these people. And at that point, you know, that's when it happened. And then he says to him in verse number, you know, 24, he basically said in verse number 23 and 24 of Judges chapter 11, he's saying, hey, you know, our God delivered you into our hands. He's like, why don't you ask your fake God? He's like, Chimish. He's like, why don't you ask your God, you know, to give you some land? It's basically what he tells them. And he knows, knowing that their God is not a God. I mean, these false gods are not gods. You know, these people just, they worship false gods. So, Jethus kind of, you know, chiding them a little bit here. He said, hey, you wanted to fight with us way back when in history and we defeated you. He's like, why don't you, you know, any land that our God gives us, that our God, you know, puts into our hands is ours. Why don't you go get some from your God? He says, look at verse 25. So, I mean, I don't really, I mean, reading this and understanding what Jethus is saying, I'm not really sure he's trying to make peace here. You know what I'm saying? I mean, it doesn't really sound like he's trying to de-escalate the situation. You know, he did ask, you know, what the deal is, but you know, they're probably going to end up fighting. Okay? Verse 25. Okay? Wherefore have I not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me? And the Lord the judge be judged this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. I'll be at the king of the children of Ammon, harken not unto the words of Jephthah, which he sent him. Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh and passed over Mitzvah to Gilead and from Mitzvah to Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. So now we're going to fight, now we're going to have a war. Okay? And Jephthah vowed to vow. So here we go. Verse number 30. Jephthah is about to go to war with these people. The talking is over and they're just going to fight. They're going to fight it out. And Jephthah vowed to vow unto the Lord and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands. He's saying, Lord, if you deliver me this victory. Then, verse 31. Then it shall be that whatsoever come forth of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon shall surely be the Lord's. And, so it's not like he's just going to give it to the Lord. Okay? It shall surely be the Lord's and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. So he basically says here, Lord, I'm going into this battle. Lord, if you win this battle for me whatever comes out of my house when I get home the first thing that comes out of my house I will sacrifice to you as a burnt offering. He says. Okay? That's a pretty open-ended vow right there. Okay? So, verse 32. That's the vow. And that's what we're going to discuss this evening. In verse 32. So, Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them. And the Lord delivered them into his hands. So the Lord does his part. The Lord grants him the victory and he smote them from Aor even until Minoth, even twenty cities unto the plain of the vineyards with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. There's his victory right there. So, Jephthah got his victory. And Jephthah came to Mitzah unto his house. Mitzah unto his house. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and dances. And she was his only child. Beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass when he saw her that he rent his clothes. So renting your clothes, you know, this is when someone dies, you're sad, you're wailing, you're bewailing. You know, David rent his clothes when he was, you know, confessing his sins to the Lord and begging God for his child's life. You know, you rent your clothes if you're sad, if you're very upset. And she said unto him, and he came to pass, he rent his clothes and said, Alas, my daughter, thou hast brought me very low and thou art one of them that trouble me. For I've opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back. And she said unto him, my father, if thou hast opened my mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that, which has proceeded out of thy mouth, for as much as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. And she said unto her father, let this thing. So at this point she must know, he must have told her the details. And she says, let this thing be done for me. Let me alone two months that I may go up and down in the mountains and be well my virginity, I and my fellows. And he said, go. And he sent her away for two months. And she went with her companions and be willed her virginity upon the mountains. And it came to pass at the end of two months that she returned unto her father. Look at this part right here. Who did with her according to his vow. So we must assume which he had vowed. And she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah, the Gileadite four days in a year. So here's the first thing. A lot of people say, or some people will say that Jephthah did not follow through with this vow. But I don't see reading the Bible how you can get that because the Bible clearly says here he did with her according to his vow. And his vow was not only to offer to the Lord but to offer a burnt sacrifice to the Lord. So if we're reading the Bible and what it says, we must assume at this point that Jephthah followed through with this vow. So you say, I mean, that's messed up. Is what you could say reading this. You're like, that's, you know, that's disturbing. And you're right. This is one of the most disturbing stories in the Bible. But let's remember this. This is a story in the Bible. This is something that happened. This is history in the Bible. This is a story that actually took place. That doesn't mean that every single story, every single person in the Bible that is a historical figure has done the right thing. So we need to look at this and let's explore this vow and see if what Jephthah did was correct. Because what? What do we need to do with stories? We need to take stories in the Bible and we need to apply biblical doctrine to those stories. I mean, could we say that the life of David, the life of David, one of the greatest characters in the Bible, everything David did we should do. Could you say that? No, you couldn't. David committed murder. David committed adultery. David did some terrible things in his life. David had some very good things that he did that we could take as models, but we must apply proper biblical doctrinal concepts to these stories to see what we can gain from them. So, turn to Numbers chapter 30. What does God think of vows? That's the first thing. Let's look at it. So, Jephthah likes vows. He likes to make vows. He likes to have other people make vows. It was clearly a culture of the time or at least the area that he was living. Turn to Numbers chapter 30 and let's see what God thinks of vows. The Bible says in Numbers chapter 30 in verse number 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 precedeth out of his mouth. Okay? So, if you make a vow, you should keep it, the Bible says. Okay? So, there's first evidence right there. However, Numbers chapter 30, we're not going to study the whole chapter, Numbers chapter 30 talks about how if a daughter, if a daughter makes a vow, her father, remember Romans chapter 13, we talk about the higher powers, that everybody is subject to the higher powers. So, my wife is subject to me, because I mean the man is the head of his wife. Now, who's the head of me? The head of me is Christ. Okay? So, look, I mean I'm subject to the higher power. So, if the government tells me that I have to do something like commit murder, for example, then I am not obligated to do that, because my higher power is God. Okay? And Numbers chapter 30 follows this same concept where it says, if a daughter or a wife vows a vow, her husband or the father has an opportunity to void that vow. Because he's the higher power. It's protection. It's protection against stupid vows. Really? So, if my daughter makes a vow, I have one day to examine her vow and say, void or not. I mean that's what the Bible says. Or, if I wait a day, if I wait a day, I'm just giving you Numbers chapter 30 in a nutshell here. If I wait a day and then the vow is binding. But if I wait a day and then I cancel it, the consequences are on me, not her. That's what the Bible says. Okay? So, there's some higher powers involved here when it comes to daughters, wives. The husband and the father can cancel those vows. Okay? So, remember that. Look at verse 14. The Bible says this, but if her husband, talking about the wife, if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, meaning he didn't cancel it right away the first day, then he establish all her vows or all her bonds which are upon her, he confirmeth them because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall in any ways make them void after that he hath heard them, then he shall bear the iniquity. Okay? So, if my wife makes a vow and I don't cancel it the first day, I'm just, I'm too busy. She's talking to me, and I don't, honey, I'm busy. I'm busy. And then here, she made some vow that I didn't cancel that first day. The Bible says that then if I say to her, you know, you're not going to keep that vow. No, you're going to eat dessert. You're not going to not eat desserts anymore because I like dessert and I want someone to eat dessert with me. I'm canceling that vow. Well then the consequences of her not keeping that vow at that point are on me. I mean that's the, that's the rules here. Okay? So look, it says, you know, he shall bear the iniquity. Okay? So that means that not keeping a vow, whether it be the wife or the husband or whoever made the vow, it has consequences. That's what it means. Turn to Deuteronomy chapter 23. You say, what iniquity? What iniquity? What do you mean? Look at Deuteronomy chapter 23 in verse number 21. So we see that, I mean, vows are important. I mean, God wants vows to be kept and if vows aren't kept, there's consequences. We see that. And then we see that there's a hierarchical structure in the family where, you know, a husband or a father can cancel the vow of his daughter or his wife. Okay? Look at Deuteronomy chapter 23 in verse 21. I mean, what iniquity? What do you mean? Look at what the Bible says. In verse 21 of Deuteronomy 23, the Bible says, 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. So it says, when you vow to God, don't not pay that vow. God will require it of thee and it would be sin in thee. So here we can conclude that not repaying a vow is a sin. There we go. We've got it. So what do we know that God thinks about vows? God takes them seriously. You should pay them back. If you don't, it's a sin. That's what we know. Okay? Look at verse 23 of Deuteronomy chapter 23. That which has gone out of thy lips shall thou keep and perform even a free will offering. So here we even see it related to an offering to God according as thou vowed unto the Lord thy God which thou has promised with thy mouth. Now turn to Matthew chapter 12. Again in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and verse number 5 maybe the simplest verse talking about vows. The Bible says better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that shouldest vow and not pay. So it's better that you just don't vow if you're going to vow and not pay. It's pretty simple. Okay? So look at Matthew chapter 12 and verse number 36. We even see, you know, we even see evidence of this in the New Testament in Matthew chapter 12 because I mean look, it's the same God Old Testament, New Testament, same God. Okay? You know, I mean the God, God does not change. I mean God is the same God. That's false doctrine that, you know, you have mean Old Testament God and then nice sheep-holding Jesus, you know, God over here. It's fake. People don't read the Bible. That's why they think that. Okay? Same God. Matthew 12 and verse number 36. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. What's an idle word? An idle word is something that I say that means nothing. If I say idle words all the time, I just say stuff and I never do it, my words will mean nothing to you. And those are idle words. So if I just promise stuff all the time, you know, and I never deliver, I just have idle words. And the Bible says there will be judgment for that. Okay? So we see it's the same. It's a sin to not pay a vow. Paying vows is serious. I mean specifically an offering to the Lord and do it around me 23. Okay? So we see that God takes vows seriously. So far, Jephthah is okay from our Bible study. Let's look at Leviticus chapter 20. But here's the second question. Does God want human sacrifice? Does God want human sacrifice? Let's look at that. Look at Leviticus chapter 20 because I mean that's what Jephthah did is he sacrificed his daughter to the Lord. Okay? Leviticus chapter 20 and look at verse number 2. The Bible says this. Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel whosoever he be of the children of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel that giveth any of his seed that's his children. Okay? That giveth any of his seed unto Moek he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. Turn to Jeremiah chapter 7. You say, I mean so God, I mean imagine God. He's like, I'm giving them the promised land and they're moving in to go to war with all these heathen nations and you know they're going to push them out and wipe them out but you know I know that they're going to be dwelling you know on the borders of these people. I mean I'm going to have to make a rule that says don't sacrifice your children to a false God. I mean think how dumb we are as people. God has to make rules like this. Okay? But look, I mean people did it in the Bible and that's not what Jephthah did. You say, okay it wasn't to Moek. You know Jephthah was you know sacrificing whatever his sacrifice was going to be to God. Okay? So that's why. But look, let's see if God wants that type of sacrifice. Look at Jeremiah chapter 7 in verse number 31. Jeremiah 7 in verse 31. And the Bible says and they have built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire which I commanded them not. It's the same thing from Leviticus 20 in verse number 2. He says, I never told them I never said to sacrifice children to any false God. He says, neither came it into my heart. Look at Jeremiah 32. He said, it didn't even he's like that kind of thing that kind of evil doesn't even exist in my heart. God says. You know as far as sacrificing children. Look at verse number 32 or Jeremiah 32 in verse 35. The Bible says and they built the high places of Baal which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom to cause their sons and daughters to pass through the fire. This is their sacrificing their children which I commanded them not. God says, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination to cause Judah to sin. Look, so first of all child sacrifice is an abomination to God. That means he hates it. Okay. And it's some evil. It's some evil that we see doesn't even exist in the mind of God or in the heart of God. So God's like where I mean that's why he had to warn him. This kind of stuff it's nowhere in my mind or in my heart. It doesn't even exist. I mean now look this is a perfect example by the way of why you know Romans chapter one you know you see that people in this world that end up doing all sorts of unnatural acts that Romans chapter one talks about homosexuality and all this other perversion. The Bible talks about that it says that they're reprobate, they're rejected because look a person with a normal conscience from God that kind of thing doesn't exist in them. It's not even there. It has to be reprobate or rejected and then that sort of thing comes in. It's very similar to the concept here of this child sacrifice where that type of evil doesn't even exist in the mind of God. Okay. So God doesn't want child sacrifice and here's another thing turn to Genesis chapter four. God we know that it doesn't even exist in his heart it doesn't even exist in his mind but here's another thing just more another nail in this coffin does God just accept any sacrifice? Will God just accept anything? I mean does God just like any sacrifice you could possibly think of as long as you're giving it with a good heart that's fine. No, he doesn't. Look at Genesis chapter four. I mean the fourth chapter in the Bible God rejects a sacrifice. Look at Genesis four and verse three and in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought the fruit of the ground and offering unto the Lord. And Abel he also brought the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and to his offering he had no respect. He didn't accept it and his countenance fell. Then we see of course Cain kills Abel you know we know why that is. You know God requires certain sacrifices and you know a basket of fruits not going to cut it. So there is certain sacrifices that you know God allows. So look God abhors human sacrifice and God doesn't just accept anything as far as a sacrifice. And look if you know anything about the Bible I mean Matthew 18 you know the Jesus himself has some pretty harsh words for anybody on the contrary of human sacrifice or child sacrifice. I mean Jesus said that anyone who would offend the child or commit an offense against the child you know here's your Jesus right here. He said to be better if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea then you would harm one of these little ones. I mean that's what Jesus thinks of somebody that would hurt a child. You think Jesus wants child sacrifice? Give me a break. You have to be crazy to think something like this. Okay turn to Exodus chapter 20. So here's the thing what so we know that we know that God you know we know that God wants us to keep our vows but he didn't want this sacrifice. He didn't want someone to sacrifice their child to him. We can clearly see that from the Bible. So you see you know Jephthah is in between a rock and a hard place here. So the question is what should he have done? I mean first of all you know he should have not made the vow in the first place. Okay he should have not made open-ended vows. Okay but look at the end of the day he should have not carried out the vow. He should have not carried out the vow. He should have just confessed it. First you know first John 1 9. I mean he should have just confessed it. I mean making look here's the thing are you in Exodus chapter 20? Making a stupid vow doesn't negate God's law. Okay if I make a vow to you know make whatever's mine whatever drives around the corner and Brother Ryan drives around the corner in his car and I hit him over the head and steal his car. I mean I stole his car just because I made a vow doesn't mean that you know stealing is correct that that sin of stealing is okay. So I mean my vows think of my vows do not change God's law. In Exodus chapter 20 look at verse 13 what's this say? This is some complicated doctrine right here. Thou shalt not kill. There you have it. But now you see now and this is kind of the point I want to make tonight Jethus caught between a rock because he either commits murder or he breaks a vow. Either way he turns he sins. Either way he turns there's going to be consequences. Turn to Matthew chapter 5 and verse 37. And this is why this is why Jesus says this in Matthew 5, 37. Matthew 5 and verse 37. This is why Jesus says this. It's not that a proper vow to God is wrong. It's not that a proper vow to God is wrong. It's the kind of vows that men were making that were wrong. Look at Matthew 5, 37. Let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil. I mean if that doesn't wrap up Judges chapter 11 I don't know what does. I mean Jesus here is saying just do what you say you're going to do and that's it. Just let your no mean no and your yes mean yes. That's it. He's like quit making all these open-ended all these open-ended crazy vows. I mean he's like just don't vow at all. Just make your yes a yes and your no a no. Because that at least you know what you're agreeing to. If you say yes yes to what? Well what you just said to me. Or no no to what you know what was just proposed. Men were making all these stupid open-ended vows that led to terrible sin. Just like this one turn to Mark chapter 6 there's another vow in the Bible that shouldn't have been carried out either. Look at Mark 6 in verse 22. Look at Mark 6 in verse 22. You must have just read this if you're on the 9 chapters a day reading. Look at verse 22 and when the daughter said the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced and please Herod that sat with him so Herod has John the Baptist in prison whatever thou wilt and I'll give it thee and he swear unto her whatsoever thou shall ask of me I will give it to thee unto the half of my kingdom and she went forth and said to her mother what shall I ask and she said the head of John the Baptist and she came in straight away with haste unto the king and said I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist and the king was exceedingly sorry and for their sakes was sat with him and all his buddies were sitting around him he would not reject her so he kept his vow and he murdered John the Baptist I mean you can say that that wasn't a vow that should have been kept right so look these open-ended vows they led to sin and men just carried them out for the sake of just carrying out these vows now look so what should turn to 1st John chapter 1 in verse number 9 what should Jephtha have done let's just rework this problem for Jephtha what should he have done turn to 1st John chapter 1 in verse number 9 the only yeah 1st John chapter 1 in verse number 9 look what the Bible says so if Jephtha didn't keep his vow this is what he should have done he should have not kept his vow and he should have confessed his sin of making a stupid vow okay in 1st John chapter 1 verse 9 it says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse all unrighteousness he could have just confessed it and guess what the consequences if there was consequences would have been on him and that's another thing that we'll talk about in a minute but that's what he should have done he should have offered God a proper sacrifice that would have been appropriate confessed his sin and moved on instead of committing murder and killing his own daughter but look it's important to recognize these philosophies in the Bibles because look with men and mainly because look all these things come about because we do not follow God's law you know all these situations that men get themselves in it's because we're not listening to the Bible in the first place I mean we get ourselves into some crazy situations in this life and look they're not all specifically covered in the Bible but if you think about the crazy situations that you've either gotten yourself into or somebody that got yourself into look if they would have followed the Bible they never would have ended up in that situation in the first place that's why the Bible doesn't cover every single situation but look even if we apply the philosophy of Numbers chapter 30 of a father and a husband you know making void a foolish vow I mean this is pragmatic protection for women and daughters against this against sinful vows we can extrapolate this to men's higher power being God we can extrapolate that that you know what God can he has the power to void my stupid vow but I need to confess that I need to confess that sin so to believe that God would not to believe that God you know God does not want you carrying out an evil vow is what that shows us that philosophy of Numbers chapter 30 because he gives us that protection for our wives and our daughters and if we apply philosophy to us to our higher powers which is God which is Christ we can see that I mean he wouldn't want us making you know carrying out a stupid vow either Ecclesiastes 5.5 of course says I mean of course it would be better better it is it that now should us not vow then now should us vow and not pay so look don't make stupid vows don't make open-ended vows but here's the thing he shouldn't have done it he should have confessed it he was just in a really tight spot but this lesson right here if you don't take anything from this story but you take this this is what you should take sometimes sin will lead you to a place where every option out is sin and look it's not God's fault that you got in that situation but you can get yourself into situations where you have no choice but sin because you've put yourself in that situation I mean you say what you say I want to get right and the only way to get out there's still consequences yes you can get yourself into that type of situation I mean you say there must always be just a right perfect way but it wasn't right a right perfect way that got you into this hole you could end up in a situation like that let me give you an example I once worked with a guy many years ago super nice guy he was a super nice guy good guy hard working guy the guy he got married when he was young and he got divorced after like a year or two I mean just had a failure of a marriage and he was bitter and he was you know he's this guy wasn't saved he wasn't a Christian he didn't claim to be I mean but look he was a decent enough guy I mean I worked with him and he was he was a decent enough guy and he never wanted to get married again but he was divorced at a young age so he was living in fornication with this girl for years it was one of these relationships where they just live together in fornication which the bible is you know I mean don't make me preach a sermon on fornication it's terrible and the bible says that it's a terrible sin so here he's in this terrible sin of fornication and he has a child together with this girl and now you have a man living in fornication with this girl and now there's a child involved well here's the problem if the guy got saved right there and said you know what I'm saved now and I want to clean up my life and I want to do the right thing and just be a disciple for Christ look he's got no way out except sin here and you have to choose you know does he get married and be a father to that child and you know confess that sin which I would think most people would probably say is the best solution or should he you know just leave you know them both and then be 1st Timothy 5.8 who's not you know who's worse than an infidel he's not supporting his own so you can get yourself in situations where there is no choice out but sin okay but look if you confess the thing and move on and here's another thing here's another thing the main lessons here is always avoid sin in the first place because look it will take you to places that you don't want to be it will take you to places look Jephthah was in a place where he either had to break a vow or commit murder is where he was and but here's the thing even if God required Jephthah's life for not keeping that vow even if he confessed that sin and God decided you know what I'm going to take your life for not completing that vow at least then the consequence was on Jephthah for his own sin it would have been the better choice because at least he's not putting the consequences of his sin on somebody else which by the way every single time that there's somebody that thinks you know what I'm just going to I'll clean up my life later I'll clean up my life down the road I'm just kind of in this sin right now look you know who's going to pay somebody else is going to pay for you it's probably going to be your kids it's probably going to be somebody that you know and love they're going to pay the price for you that was the problem with Jephthah's sin here is somebody else paid the price for his sin look if I'm going to get myself in a hole I mean I'm going to take it myself that's what you should do and so look the consequences I mean you should pick the path where the consequences are on you not anybody else so that guy should get married and raise that child so those consequences aren't born by the child he could just confess that sin and get things right and he can take those consequences I mean look it's serious he's committing adultery the Bible says if he gets remarried but he can confess that sin and move on I mean it's a situation where there's no way out but consequences at least pick the one that the consequences are yours does this make sense I mean it's complicated people can get themselves wrapped up into some messes but look confess it and leave it to God in these cases I mean we look at paths in front of us we should choose the way that's least offense to God take responsibility and realize that it's our own sin that brought us there it's our own sin that brought us there so I mean the lesson it's a messed up story it's one of the most messed up stories in the Bible but the lesson is a good one the lesson is a good one it's better to vow not vow at all than to vow and not pay we know that but look don't make stupid open-ended vows I mean it'd be better if Jethra had just not done this it'd be better if he just said you know what God I'm just gonna sacrifice to you when I get home and give you a proper sacrifice but it's clear that once he did make this open-ended vow that God did not want that sacrifice it's clear from the Bible and look the biggest thing that we need to learn tonight is that sin will take you where you don't want to be sin will take you where you don't want to be and maybe it's a better way of putting it than this once you're in sin and you're in that sin especially if you're knowingly sinning that's even worse because the Bible says you know if you're knowingly sinning you're gonna be beaten with many stripes but once you get into that you can get yourself in situations where you can't just say hey okay I'm done now you can end up in situations and you likely will where there's consequences anywhere you go even if you want to get out and guess what everybody misses this but I don't know how many times I have to see it in my life but the consequences are almost never paid only by you and that's the problem I wonder I wonder if people we're not talking about going to heaven here but everyone thinks oh man you know eternal security I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ I'm saved and you'll have a hard time convincing people of this because they're like are you telling me I can just go do whatever I want I can just go live however I want I could be a drunk and I could beat my wife and I could be this horrible human being and after I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and I'd still go to heaven yes that's what the Bible says but don't you think that there's not consequences for what you do right and I'm telling you if it was between me and my kids for any kind of punishment especially one that they didn't deserve I mean I would take their place for any of that sin is no free ride are you crazy people that say stuff like that don't understand what they're saying there's no free ride here and you're going to pay and your family's going to pay especially you men especially you men you guys get wrapped up in sin your kids are going to get wrapped up into that even worse you sow the wind and your family's going to reap the whirlwind have a nice day there's your free ride I mean there's consequences and look the consequences of Jeff's sin they were paid by his family they were paid by his only child I mean think about that think about that when you're just willingly sinning and you're like I'm saved yeah you're not going to go to hell everyone's going to pay for you I mean what kind of person are you that would do that what kind of character do you have to do something like that your consequences will be borne by those around you especially men because you have such a big responsibility in your families in that leadership role so there's huge lessons to be learned here and we can see that when we take concepts from the Bible and we put them on these stories we can see the light that this shines and the story the lessons that this shows us for our life the lesson here is just that there's consequences to what you do you're saved congratulations you're never going to go to hell but there's serious consequences the fact that you get wrapped up in sin it could mean that maybe somebody else doesn't get saved it could mean eternity for somebody else because if I'm living this wicked life and I'm saved and I'm raising a bunch of kids what do you think when I'm living this wicked life and my kids know that I'm wicked and I go to open the Bible and I'm like hey let me teach you the Bible you're a joke it costs somebody else their salvation and that's serious consequences and it's always worse trust me if you're a little bit older you've seen it it's always worse than people think the consequences for their sin it's always worse people would look back and they'd say you know what I didn't see that coming God's a perfect judge so we need better learn these lessons now which is why we're going through the Bible let's bow our heads