THERE ARE TIMES IT’S WISE TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

2. THERE ARE TIMES IT’S WISE TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

3. Jephthah provides a prime example of why it’s wise to keep our mouths shut at times.

4. Jephthah provides a prime example of why it’s wise to keep our mouths shut at times. Jephthah seems to have been a good man.

5. Jephthah provides a prime example of why it’s wise to keep our mouths shut at times. • Jephthah seems to have been a good man. • God raised him up to be the leader of his people.

6. “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Heb 11:32- 34, ESV).

7. But, Jephthah had a problem with his tongue.

8. But, Jephthah had a problem with his tongue. Judges 11:20-40.

9. When we do not keep our mouths shut, we say things without thinking. vv 29-31

10. “Then the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (vv 29-31, ESV).

11. Jephthah made his vow without thinking.

12. Jephthah made his vow without thinking. • Jephthah was conquering God’s enemies, and he was heading toward the Ammonites.

13. Jephthah made his vow without thinking. • Jephthah was conquering God’s enemies, and he was heading toward the Ammonites. • Jephthah seems to have been somewhat fearful of the Ammonites, so he made a vow.

14. Jephthah made his vow without thinking. • Jephthah was conquering God’s enemies, and he was heading toward the Ammonites. • Jephthah seems to have been somewhat fearful of the Ammonites, so he made a vow. • The vow asked for God’s help in overcoming the Ammonites.

15. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house.

16. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. • That is a bad translation.

17. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. • That is a bad translation. • The Heb term only refers to people.

18. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. • That is a bad translation. • The Heb term only refers to people. • Jephthah seems to have been making a vow of human sacrifice.

19. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. • That is a bad translation. • The Heb term only refers to people. • Jephthah seems to have been making a vow of human sacrifice. • He would sacrifice this person as a burn offering.

20. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. • That is a bad translation. • The Heb term only refers to people. • Jephthah seems to have been making a vow of human sacrifice. • He would sacrifice this person as a burn offering. • Many commentators deny that Jephthah actually sacrificed his daughter.

21. Jephthah said that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. • That is a bad translation. • The Heb term only refers to people. • Jephthah seems to have been making a vow of human sacrifice. • He would sacrifice this person as a burn offering. • Many commentators deny that Jepthah actually sacrificed his daughter. • But, that is exactly what he promised!

22. This vow shows poor thinking.

23. This vow shows poor thinking. • Human sacrifices were forbidden by God.

24. This vow shows poor thinking. • Human sacrifices were forbidden by God. • “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering” (Deut 18:18, ESV).

25. This vow shows poor thinking. • Human sacrifices were forbidden by God. • “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering” (Deut 18:18, ESV). Jephthah’s vow was forbidden by God.

26. This vow shows poor thinking. • Human sacrifices were forbidden by God. • “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering” (Deut 18:18, ESV). Jephthah’s vow was forbidden by God. • Jephthah seems not to have considered that the first person out of his house might have been a loved one.

27. We need to think seriously before we speak.

28. “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov 29:20, ESV).

29. “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov 29:20, ESV). “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (Js 1:19, ESV).

30. “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov 29:20, ESV). “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (Js 1:19, ESV). “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29, ESV).

31. When we do not keep our mouths shut, our words cause much grief. vv 34-35

32. “Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow’” (Judg 11:34-35, ESV).

33. Jepthah suffered much because of his vow.

34. Jepthah suffered much because of his vow. • The Lord gave Jepthah victory over the Ammonites.

35. Jepthah suffered much because of his vow. • The Lord gave Jephthah victory over the Ammonites. • When Jephthah returned home, his daughter came out to meet him.

36. Jephthah suffered much because of his vow. • The Lord gave Jephthah victory over the Ammonites. • When Jephthah returned home, his daughter came out to meet him. • When Jephthah saw his daughter, he tore his clothes.

37. Jephthah suffered much because of his vow. • The Lord gave Jephthah victory over the Ammonites. • When Jephthah returned home, his daughter came out to meet him. • When Jephthah saw his daughter, he tore his clothes. • He loved his daughter & did not wish to harm her.

38. Jephthah suffered much because of his vow. • The Lord gave Jephthah victory over the Ammonites. • When Jephthah returned home, his daughter came out to meet him. • When Jephthah saw his daughter, he tore his clothes. • He loved his daughter & did not wish to harm her. • Yet, he knew he could not go back on his word.

39. Our word can cause much grief.

40. Our word can cause much grief. • “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov 15:1, ESV).

41. Our word can cause much grief. • “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov 15:1, ESV). • “The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness” (Js 3:6, ESV).

42. We need to keep our vows vv 36-39

43. “And she said to him, ‘My father, you have opened your mouth to the Lord; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the Lord has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites. So she said to her father, ‘Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions.’ So he said, ‘Go.’ Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made” (vv 36-39, ESV).

44. Since Jephthah had made a vow, he had no choice but to keep it.

45. Since Jephthah had made a vow, he had no choice but to keep it. • Just because Jephthah kept his vow does not mean that God approved of the vow.

46. Since Jephthah had made a vow, he had no choice but to keep it. • Just because Jephthah kept his vow does not mean that God approved of the vow. • But, since Jephthah made the vow, he felt he had no choice but to keep the vow.

47. We need people who believe in keeping their vows.