mastering the tongue

MASTERING───THE───TONGUE

JudgJudg11:29-4011:29-40

MASTERING THE TONGUE

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

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Jephthah provides a prime example

of why it’s wise to keep our mouths shut at times.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• But, Jephthah had a problem with

his tongue.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• But, Jephthah had a problem with

his tongue.• Judges 11:20-40.

MASTERING THE TONGUE

WHEN WE DO NOT KEEP OUR MOUTHS SHUT, WE SAY THINGS WITHOUT THINKING.

vv 29-31

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Jephthah made his vow without

thinking.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Jephthah made his vow without

thinking.– Jephthah was conquering God’s

enemies, and he was heading toward the Ammonites.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Jephthah said that if God would give

him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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!

MASTERING THE TONGUE• This vow shows poor thinking.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• This vow shows poor thinking.– Human sacrifices were forbidden by

God.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE

WE NEED TO THINK SERIOUSLY BEFORE WE SPEAK.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE

WHEN WE DO NOT KEEP OUR MOUTHS SHUT, OUR WORDS CAUSE MUCH GRIEF.

vv 34-35

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Jepthah suffered much because of

his vow.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Jepthah suffered much because of

his vow.– The Lord gave Jepthah victory over the

Ammonites.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Our word can cause much grief.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Our word can cause much grief.– “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a

harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov 15:1, ESV).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE

WE NEED TO KEEP OUR VOWS

vv 36-39

MASTERING THE TONGUE• “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).

MASTERING THE TONGUE• Since Jephthah had made a vow, he

had no choice but to keep it.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE• 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.

MASTERING THE TONGUE

WE NEED PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN KEEPING THEIR VOWS.