RASH VOWS - JACOB
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God."
b) Scripture records the vows of many men and women. Some of these vows proved to be rash and unwise, and others, though extreme, were kept to the letter by those who made them.
c) Let us learn from the examples in God's Word not to make rash vows.
1. Jacob
(Text: Genesis 28:20-22)
i) 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:20-22 NKJV)
2. What was his vow?
a) To "choose" the true God and to give back a tenth to him if he kept him safe.
3. What was the result of his vow?
a) God protected Jacob, who kept his vow to follow God.
4. What is the text all about?
a) Was Jacob trying to bargain with God? It is possible that he, in his ignorance of how to worship and serve God, treated God like a servant who would perform a service for a trip. More likely, Jacob was not bargaining, but pledging his future to God. He may have been saying, in effect, "Because you have blessed me, I will follow you." Whether Jacob was bargaining or pledging, God blessed him. But God also had some difficult lessons for Jacob to learn.
The End ...
0. Introduction a) Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God."
b) Scripture records the vows of many men and women. Some of these vows proved to be rash and unwise, and others, though extreme, were kept to the letter by those who made them.
c) Let us learn from the examples in God's Word not to make rash vows.
1. Jacob
(Text: Genesis 28:20-22)
i) 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:20-22 NKJV)
2. What was his vow?
a) To "choose" the true God and to give back a tenth to him if he kept him safe.
3. What was the result of his vow?
a) God protected Jacob, who kept his vow to follow God.
4. What is the text all about?
a) Was Jacob trying to bargain with God? It is possible that he, in his ignorance of how to worship and serve God, treated God like a servant who would perform a service for a trip. More likely, Jacob was not bargaining, but pledging his future to God. He may have been saying, in effect, "Because you have blessed me, I will follow you." Whether Jacob was bargaining or pledging, God blessed him. But God also had some difficult lessons for Jacob to learn.
The End ...
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