JEPHTHAH'S FOOLISH VOW
Judges 11: 29 - 40

I. Israel Prepares To Fight People Of Ammon
   A. Diplomacy failed to stop Ammon from fighting Israel
   B. The Spirit of The Lord came upon Jephthah to lead Israel into battle
   C. Just before the battle Jephthah made his foolish vow
   D.  If you will deliver the Ammonites into my hand I will offer the first thing that comes out of
my house as a burnt sacrifice
   E. It was foolish because God had already entered him - the battle was the Lord's not Jephthah's to win

II. Vows Are Special To God
   A. If you make a vow DO NOT delay in paying God. God does not require vows but it is sin not
to repay Deut 23: 21-23
   B. If a man makes a vow he SHALL NOT violate his word Num 30:32
   C. Bargaining with God is risky - we are bound by our oath

III. Jephthah's Victory And Total Loss
   A. The Lord delivered Ammon into his hand
   B. It was a huge slaughter
   C. When he returned home his DAUGHTER (his only child) came out to meet him
   D. Jephthah told her of his vow and that he could not fail to repay God
   E. His daughter said - if you gave your word to the Lord you must obey
   F. She asked for two months to go to the mountains with her friends to " bewail her virginity "
   G. After two months Jephthah carried out his vow

IV. How Did He Carry Out His Vow?
   A. Some believe he offered his daughter as human sacrifice (like Abraham was told to do to Isaac)
   B. Is is an abomination to burn your sins and daughters like the people of the land  Deut 12:31
   C. Deut 27 offers a pay system that God " could " accept if the vow could not be kept
   D. The Bible does not specifically say how he paid his vow
   E. Brother Ron believes that Jephthah offered her to the Lord the way Hannah offered Samuel to
the Lord
   F. The Bible says he kept the vow but does not say - “he offered her as burnt sacrifice "
   G. She bewailed her virginity; she was dedicated totally for God's service and never married or
had children

V. Take Homes
   A. Do not _______ with God - its easier to promise than it is to ______ ________
   B. Jesus said DO NOT MAKE _______  Mt 5
   C. We do not need to bargain with God - he has already given us _________ we need and we have _______ !!
   D. When we promise God anything we need to be sure we ______