Rash Oaths: The Tragedy of Jephthah

00:00:00 Speaker 1: But let your yes be yes, and you know be no. Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. Matthew five thirty seven. Dear Lord, we trust that your word is trustworthy. You don't say you'll do one thing and then do another. We can lean on your steady character. We ask that you give us that same trustworthiness. You call us to embody, integrity and simplicity in our communication, urging us to be people whose words are enough. Lord, help us cultivate trustworthy and reliable characters so that we do not feel the need to bolster our words with oaths. Strengthen our resolve to be truthful in all our dealings, so that our yes and our no may stand on their own. May our words always align with our actions, providing a clear and constant witness to those around us. Grant us the courage to live out our commitments, to fulfill our promises, and to abstain from what we have denied, so that our conduct may honor You in everything. Teach us, O God, to value truth and faithfulness as you do, making us reflections of your steadfast character. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast, Remain here for another story inspired by the Sermon on the Mount. If you've enjoyed this podcast, let us know by submitting a review. Thanks for being a part of this commune unity. Jesus' Sermon on the Mound was inspiring to some but cutting to others. His words uprooted traditional notions of God's law, grace, and holiness. Jesus knew that people tended to bind themselves to unnecessary and sometimes sinful religiosity. Jesus didn't come to bind them, but to set them free again. 00:02:29 Speaker 2: You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely. You shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. But I say to you, do not make any oaths to anyone. Do not swear by Heaven, for it is the throne of God. Do not promise anything by the earth, for it is his footstool. Don't make an oath by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you can't make one hair on your head white or black. Stop making oaths bace on things you have no control over. Be humble and be trustworthy. Let what you say be a simple yes or no. Anything more than this comes from evil, and if you aren't careful, may bring about evil. 00:03:18 Speaker 3: If you need to swear by something other than your good word, that means you haven't really developed a reputation or character worth trusting. If you want people to believe you, develop a habit of letting your actions match your intent. Welcome to the Jesus Podcast. I'm ethanwith pray dot Com. We've been going through a series on the Sermon on the Mount. We've been connecting the teachings of Jesus to other Biblical stories, showing how the entire Bible speaks to itself, reaffirming timeless truths for us all. Today we delve into a significant teaching from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew five, verses thirty three through thirty seven. This passage addresses the importance of integrity in our words and the seriousness of making vows. We will connect this teaching to the story of Jephtha's Vow and Judges chapter eleven, verses thirty through forty, exploring how rash promises can tarnish our good deeds and hinder God's work in our lives. Together, we'll learn how to speak with integrity and wisdom, reflecting a true understanding of who God is. 00:04:34 Speaker 1: He's the son of a prostitute Gilead. 00:04:36 Speaker 4: He's a reminder of our shame. 00:04:38 Speaker 1: We have sons, and they alone will get your inheritance. Remove that mut from my sight. Gilead had no answers for his wife. He looked out the window to see his son, Jephthah, playing with the animals. He was ten and already showing signs of great promise. He was fast, strong, sharp, and able to handle a large workload. But he was the son of a prostitute left at Gilead's door to raise. He was indeed a symbol of Gilead's shame. 00:05:13 Speaker 5: I can't cast him out. He's my son, but I assure you he will not receive any of my blessings. 00:05:19 Speaker 1: Gilead's wife shook in anger and stormed out. She took the hand of her two sons. The three of them passed by Jephtha and spat in his direction. So was Jephtha's upbringing. His father, in fear of his wife, didn't show him love for affection, his half brothers, fueled by the spite of their mother, rejected and ridiculed him. Jephtha grew up longing for acceptance, but found none. He pined after his father's affection, but received only the occasional glance in his direction. Yet the lord's and was on Jephtha. Years passed, and the hatred of Jephtha's brothers only intensified. They approached Jephtha on the way to the well when they were old and strong enough. Rada stepped in front of him as he walked, There's. 00:06:18 Speaker 6: No place for you here any longer, Jephtha. 00:06:21 Speaker 1: Rada had a hand on the hilt of his sword secured to his waist. It is time to leave. Jephtha looked down at the blade and then back up at his brother. His other brother, Rada, was also postured in a threatening manner. All of their empty threats in the past seemed serious now. Jephtha put down the pail of water and stepped backwards. Are you going to make me leave? 00:06:48 Speaker 4: Brother? 00:06:49 Speaker 1: If we must, Several other men of the city emerged with swords and clubs. They were ready to drive Jephtha out of town if he didn't leave. Jeptha clenched his fist and prepared himself for a fight. He counted them one, two, three, four, five, only five of them. Could he manage them? Perhaps, but he didn't want to be responsible for the death of his brothers. He didn't want their blood on his hands. He unclenched his fists in sighed, very well, I will leave. Jeptha turned to his home to say goodbye to his father, but his brothers, drawing their swords quickly. 00:07:37 Speaker 2: In the records, leave now, you'll take nothing with you. 00:07:41 Speaker 1: The men surrounded Jeptha, leaving him to fight or run. His belly burned with passion at the cruelty of his brothers, he shifted his foot back and prepared himself. They should have known better. With the swiftness of a hawk, jep thus druck Rada in the belly and then in the throat of the air, causing him to drop his sword. Jeptha picked it up and swung behind him, slashing one of the thugs and the leg. Jeppa leaped over him and kicked another to the ground. Nay Haash came at him, swinging his sword, but Jeptha parried each blow, swiping up and disarmed. He pointed the blade directly at his brother's throat. All the men seized their attack. As jeff The pressed the sharp edge of the blade closer and closer to his brother, rage boiled up inside him. It was nearly unbearable. Grow the cruelty you show me. 00:08:47 Speaker 4: You do not deserve mercy. 00:08:49 Speaker 1: He said with grated teeth. He lowered his sword and spat in his direction. He paused and breathed for a moment, considering the options before him. Jeptha wasn't a man with a hot temper. He was calm and calculated, and knew that if he killed his brother, they would only mean more trouble for him. Later, he grimaced at his brother and pressed the sword inches closer. 00:09:18 Speaker 4: I will leave you in this shame of your defeat. 00:09:20 Speaker 1: Jeptha threw the sword into the dirt beside him and walked away. There was no place for him among his family or his tribe. Jeptha ran east to the Jordan River. The journey was long, lonely and filled with grief. Bitterness made a home in his heart and fueled and strengthened him. He reached the Jordan River and stumbled upon the small city of tob the land was littered with worthless vagrance, an outcast. All of them seemed to share the same shame jep the head. They had chips on their shoulders, grudges to bear, and bitterness in their hearts. Jephtha felt right at home. Tab was brimming with opportunities to amass wealth for people with his skills. He was skilled with a sword, tall, dependable, and tough. Many wealthy merchants were more than willing to hire him as a mercenary or bodyguard. Jeptha remained in tob a massed wealth, influence, and a growing band of worthless fellows to follow him. He became renowned for his measured and mighty approach to battle. Yet Tab was removed from the influence of Israel and its God. Jeptha knew nothing of Yahweh. He knew nothing of God, his story, plans, or character. But God knew Jephtha and would not forsake him. Bale Ashtroth, Dagon, rischef Athtart, Milkhart, Chemush Milcom. These were the false gods of the Syrians, Cydonites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Philistines. They were mere graven images and statues erected from wood and stone. Yet they gripped the people of Israel. Their hearts were consumed with idolatry. The children of Israel removed themselves from the grace and abundance of Yahweh once again for the vain, idle worship of their enemies. They forsook their almighty Deliverer, the transcendent creator of heaven and Earth, for mere statues carved by human hands. The Lord, willing to share worship with no one, gave them the desire of their hearts. He removed himself from their presence and lifted his hand a favor and protection. With God's hand of protection lifted Israel's enemies sprang on them like predators. In the night, the Philistines came and overtook them. They raided their major strongholds and set their fields on fire. Second was the Ammonites. They crossed the Jordan into the region of Gilead. They pressed against the mighty tribe of Judah and the fierce tribe of Benjamin. Neither was able to defeat them. The Ammonites postured themselves without fear on the outskirts of Gilead. Their armies were vast and their men were well trained. The earth below shook as they marched into the land. They waited like wolves at the edge of their den, waiting for the armies of Israel to come up against them, like sheep in the woods. They didn't fear the Israelites. They had no king, no commander. They didn't even have the favor of their god. The Ammonites waited patiently for an attack. They were excited at the opportunity to crush them once and for all. Israel knew they had no choice but to march against them, even if it meant certain defeat. This was their final stand. The armies of Israel camped at Misbah on the outskirts of Gilead. Thousands of soldiers marched to fight the Ammonites and deliver their people. Yet there was no one brave enough to lead them. No commander was at the helm to direct them. Within the ranks of Israel were na Hash and Rada, the brothers of Jephtha, and two elders in the city of Gilead. They stood at the top of the mountain with the other elders, overlooking the battlefield and scanning the Ammonite camp. 00:14:14 Speaker 6: They don't outnumber us. However, they're more skilled and organized. We need a trained tactician to lead us, someone who thinks unconventionally. 00:14:26 Speaker 1: Nahash and the other elders agreed, But who could lead them? They looked down at the army and trembled in fear. The wind began to howl through the hills, sending chills down their spines. They shook their heads in defeat. 00:14:44 Speaker 6: There has to be someone. God always sends someone. 00:14:49 Speaker 1: They remembered ofth Now, Shamgar, Deborah, and Gideon. They remembered the promises of God told them time and time again. Would he leave them to die at the hands of the Ammonites? Was this the end of Israel? Were God's chosen people doomed to fade in the annals of history? They hiked down the mountain back to camp and considered these things. After a day of preparation, there was still no one to lead the people. Meanwhile, the Ammonites were thirsty for Israelite blood. They prepared themselves for attack. The elders grew desperate for an answer. They gathered the men of Gilead and waved their arms. 00:15:44 Speaker 3: Who among you are able to lead us? 00:15:47 Speaker 1: They asked, with strained voices. 00:15:49 Speaker 5: Please, are there any warriors in your family able to stand against the Ammonites and lead us? 00:15:55 Speaker 1: The men of Gilead were silent. They were cowards. They didn't want the fate of Israel on their shoulders. However, Rada and Nahash knew of one man who was brave enough and perhaps foolish enough to lead. Memories of their brother's skill came flooding back to their memories. 00:16:18 Speaker 6: We know of a man, but he is not one of us. 00:16:21 Speaker 1: The elders turned to him, perplexed. 00:16:23 Speaker 6: Dwelling in the land of tob there is a famous warrior from our clan. He is the son of a prostitute and was cast out many years ago. 00:16:33 Speaker 4: And how do you know he can lead us? 00:16:35 Speaker 6: He is our brother, though we have not seen him in years. Word of his skill us traveled far. From time to time we hear stories of Ammonite villages being burned to the ground by him. 00:16:49 Speaker 1: And his men. It was true, Jeptha had earned quite a reputation in the border lands. Some Ammonites even claimed that he was the son of a god, able to wield fire in his hands. However, his brothers knew where he really came from. 00:17:07 Speaker 5: Go and find him for us. That Tob is fifteen miles from here. Take your horses and find him before the Ammonites consumers. 00:17:16 Speaker 4: Give him anything he asks. If he delivers us, he is worth a great reward. 00:17:22 Speaker 1: The two brothers traveled the lonely dirt path that jepp the walked long ago. They didn't know what to expect from their brother. Stories of his conquests had, no doubt, been embellished for entertainment, But even if half the stories were true, he was undoubtedly a man to be feared. Tob was fifteen miles east northeast of Gilead. The area was desolate and lay outside the eastern boundary of Israel and the northern frontier of Mammon. The hills were scorched by the sun, and many river beds surrounded the land dried up. It was an ominous place, a place for vagrants and outcasts. The two brothers couldn't help but feel a sense of danger as they entered. It wasn't challenging to find Jephthas home. Every man and woman in tab knew his name. He unofficially governed the land with his band of misfits. Together they murdered the border dwellers and stripped them of their wealth and resources. The Ammonites didn't fear Israel, but they had learned to fear Jephtha. They opened the door slowly. The room was dimly lit with torches, and the walls were arrayed with the pelts of different beasts and predators, lions, bears, and wolves. Rada stepped in first Shiptha. He called out in a broken voice. He was nervous. The silence was ominous. 00:19:09 Speaker 6: Gypta, are you here? It's your brother? 00:19:13 Speaker 1: Who are you? The men turned around to see a girl standing near the hall. 00:19:17 Speaker 3: What are you doing here? 00:19:19 Speaker 6: We are friends of gypther is he home? 00:19:21 Speaker 2: My father doesn't have any friends. 00:19:24 Speaker 1: Suddenly, and violently, the men were grabbed from behind and hurled across the room. They fell on at the table, splitting it in half. The brothers sprang into action and drew their swords. In front of them was a large man with a braided beard. His chest was armored with thick leather, and his hands were calloused from years of battle. The beast that stood in front of them was none other than their brother Jeptha. Years as a mercenary had made him into a rugged beast. Stubb a man. His broad shoulders filled in with muscle, and his legs were as steady as storm. 00:20:08 Speaker 4: It's us, your brothers, I know who you are. 00:20:11 Speaker 1: He came after them, ferociously, kicking Nahash aside and drawing his sword. At Radah, he pressed his sword against his throat. The tip barely scratched the center of his neck, and a small drop of blood ran down his chest. 00:20:28 Speaker 4: Do you remember the last time I had a sword to your throat? Yes? 00:20:31 Speaker 6: Yes, I too, And every day of my life I've woken up and remembered that you spared my life, even though you had the chance to kill me. 00:20:40 Speaker 1: Jeffa lowered his blade and peered down at his brother. Something it changed. The pompous and entitled brat appeared desperate and humble. 00:20:53 Speaker 4: Defend Israel. 00:20:55 Speaker 6: We know about your success against the Ammonites. We know you have slain many of them at the northern border. We've come to ask you to be our leader and defend Israel. 00:21:07 Speaker 4: Defend Israel. Defend you do I need to remind you of what you did to me. You cast me aside and drove me out of my father's house. 00:21:17 Speaker 1: Jeptha's hands shook with anger. 00:21:19 Speaker 4: Please, Jephthah. 00:21:21 Speaker 6: We know how we treated you, but here we are now to make amends and make. 00:21:25 Speaker 4: You head over us, head over you. What makes you think that entices me? I rule this place with an iron fist. Nobody questions my authority. 00:21:37 Speaker 6: How can I trust you? We're desperate. We have no one else to turn to. No one has risen up to defend us. No hero, no judge, no prophet. Not even God has hurt our prayers. We are just as abandoned as you were. 00:21:55 Speaker 1: Jeptha paused to consider his brother's words. His calloused heart was beginning to soften. I have many men at my disposal. 00:22:06 Speaker 4: I also know the battle strategy of the Ammonites. I have studied them, learned their tactics, and discovered how to exploit them. He stopped again and walked over to his daughter. He stroked her hair and kissed her on the forehead. He sent her off and reassured her that he was safe. He then turned back to his brothers and said, I will lead you on only one condition. If the Lord grants me favor and I lead you into victory over the Ammonites, I will remain. 00:22:39 Speaker 3: Your leader and chief. 00:22:41 Speaker 1: You will not cast me aside again. 00:22:43 Speaker 4: I will remain in my father's land and be head over you. 00:22:48 Speaker 6: The Lord is a witness between us. If you lead us into victory, then you shall remain our leader. 00:22:55 Speaker 1: Jeptha nodded and held Rada to his feet, sheathing his sword. Let's get to work. The night before the battle, Jephtha stood alone in the valley and looked up at the heavens. The sky was a rayed with twinkling lights illuminating the swaying grass below. He had spent many years underneath these same stars, but tonight they seemed different. He was finally home, but it felt like a foreign land. The people he was defending didn't seem like his people, and the god he was fighting for didn't feel like his god. He was a man without a country, an outcast. Jeptha wrestled with the same question every man and woman must face. Who am I for? Jephtha? The path before him seemed clear, but he was still unsure what it meant to be a hero? God chose, what do you want from me? The wind gently caressed the valley below. Crickets continued their chirping, and the whistling of the wind joined in their chorus. Jephtha wasn't used to speaking with God. He didn't know what to say or what to ask, so he said what he thought he was supposed to say. Instead of referencing the law passed down from Moses or consulting the priests, he made an oath before the Lord. 00:24:37 Speaker 4: If you will give me victory over the Ammonites tomorrow, then I will sacrifice the first thing I see when I return to my home. I will offer it up as a burnt offering to you as a token of my gratitude. 00:24:50 Speaker 1: Jephtha spoke to God as if he was Dagon or bail. However, the God of Israel had already given his desires or sac He had laid out his will for leaders to consecrate themselves. Jepthough, was woefully ignorant of God's will, which would be his undoing. Jeptha rose against the Ammonites, with the people of Israel behind him. He led them, but he was not one of them. He marched with them, but he still felt like a stranger. Nevertheless, the foolish barbarian had been chosen by God for this very moment. The Ammonite army was poised and ready on the other side. Jeptha breathed in deeply and gripped his sword tightly. 00:25:44 Speaker 4: Give thanks men, for today we get to join in the victory of our God. 00:25:49 Speaker 1: With those words, Jeptha charged into the battle against the Ammonites. He ran with the tenacity of a lion running after its prey. Jeptha burst into the enemy lines first with a roar and the swing of his broadsword. His first swing was a direct slash to an enemy's stomach, and his second swing was another blow upwards to another's jaw. Jepthus swung with each step, leaving a trail of bodies behind him. He had split the army into two companies, having one march to the unguarded villages on the border of Amnon. They set fire to the village as soon as they arrived. He knew they would see the plumes of smoke rising in the distance and send a quarter of their men. All worked according to plan. As the battle raged, several Ammonites were called back to help the village. Jeptha had them right where he wanted them. They were running into an ambush, and the remaining troops could now overwhelm the dwindling army. Jephtha and the army of Israel continued their onslaught. The people of God were encouraged by the skill and power of their leader. They trusted the Lord to send a hero, and he did. They struck the Ammonites from there to the neighboring region of Minith, and then twenty more cities as far as able care him. When the battle ended, he fell to his knees and raised his hands to the heavens. 00:27:36 Speaker 4: Thank you, he shouted. 00:27:39 Speaker 1: All the pain and the suffering from his childhood somehow seemed worth it. For this moment, all the ridicule, rejection, and restlessness faded as he stood victorious. He was now the unopposed leader of Israel that had rejected him. Music and dancing filled the cities of Mispah, and Jeptha was at the front. Basking in the glory of victory. Jeptha marched with his men and allowed the citizens to shower him with praise. He finally reached the edge of the city where his new home was. He was mindful of his vow to the Lord. Whatever dog, goat, or stray animal caught his eye as he entered his house would be sacrificed to the Lord as Thanksgiving. He entered the gates wearing a large smile, looking around for what would come to greet him first. That is when all time stood still for a moment. The door of his home opened quickly, and Jeptha could hear sweet melodies coming from behind. There was no stopping what was going to happen next. Jeptha's countenance of joy was swiftly replaced by dread as he saw his daughter run to him with tambourines and dances. She wore ribbons and twirled in place for her father to see. She was young, beautiful, an a radiant image of innocence and pure joy. She was a vision to behold, But a Jephtha, it was a vision of death. She ran to her father and threw herself into his arms. She kissed him. I am so proud of you, father. She hugged him tightly, but Jephtha did not return her embrace. Jephtha took a step back from his daughter and stumbled his knees. His heart was pounding and he could barely breathe. What have I done, he whispered. He grabbed his hair and pulled at it. He slammed his fist into the ground, and tears flooded his eyes. My daughter, he wailed. Jep thea tore his clothes and screamed to the heavens. The stone below him became wet with his tears. My daughter, he shouted to God, Why Why was it? My daughter? His daughter was confused and concerned. She took a step forward, but Jeptha recoiled and scurried back. 00:30:44 Speaker 6: What's wrong, father. 00:30:45 Speaker 1: Jep The looked at his little angel and said, I have made an oath to the Lord. 00:30:50 Speaker 4: I promised him I would sacrifice whatever came to greet me. 00:30:53 Speaker 1: First, he placed a hand on her cheek and whimpered, because of my oath, you must die. The young girl was silent for a long moment. She dropped the tambourine and remained still. She put her head down and whimpered. Her small cries were like daggers to her father's heart. She shook her head and cuddled into her father's arms as he cried. She was shaking from fear. 00:31:28 Speaker 2: D e, father, do you have to? 00:31:32 Speaker 1: He didn't have to, and if Jeptha knew anything about God's heart, he would never have made such an oath in the first place. But Jeptha was a foolish barbarian, bound by his word as if he were a God himself. Yes, my daughter, I do. Jeptha's heart was utterly broken. He had trapped himself in a vow to the Lord. However, if he knew anything of the Lord, his character, his law, he would know that human sacrifice was forbidden, and a sin offering in her place would be sufficient. The dirtiness of his vow tarnished his victory over the Ammonites, so his daughter left for the hills. Jeptha watched as she went with her companions. Legends and stories were told of her. It became a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephtha for four days in the year. Some say Jeptha drug her to the altar and slit her throat before the Lord. Others claim she was offered up to be a servant at the tabernacle. Her fate remained the mystery, as did the fate of Israel. Their distance from God and the chasm that they had created through their sin had to be bridged. Sin had left them in bondage, and there were no more noble heroes to raise them out of their prison. God would eventually redeem his people once and for all. He would call them out of darkness and into his marvelous light. However, the story of the Judges gets far more dark. From here. There would be no more good heroes. Again. 00:33:46 Speaker 3: You have heard that it was said to the people long ago. Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made. But I tell you do not swear an oath at all, either by Heaven, for it is God's throne, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. I do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply yes or no. Anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Jesus emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity in our speech. Instead of making elaborate oaths, we're called to let our yes be yes, and our no no. This teaching underscores the value of straightforward, truthful communication. Jesus warns against making vows lightly, as doing so can lock us into specific outcomes and hinder our openness to God's broader plans. The story of Jephna provides a stark illustration of the dangers of making rash vows without understanding God's nature. Jephna, a judge of Israel, made a vow to God in a moment of desperation before going into battle against the Ammonites. And Judges eleven thirty and thirty one we read, and Jephtha made a vow to the Lord, if you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return and triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering. Jepfa's vow was made without considering the full implications and without true knowledge of God's will. Tragically, when he returned victorious, it was his only child, his daughter, who came out to meet him. Bound by his vow, Jeftha felt compelled to fulfill it, leading the heartbreaking consequences. Judges Chapter eleven thirty four thirty five describes the scene when Jephtha returned to his home and Mispah, who should come out to meet him, but his daughter dancing to the sound of timbrels. She was an only child. Except for her, he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, oh no, my daughter. You have brought me down, and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break. Jeff thus rash vow ignored the fact that God would never condone human sacrifice. His lack of understanding about God's character led to a devastating outcome, tarnishing what could have been a time of victory and praise. Let's explore the importance of integrity and understanding in our words. First, Jeff's story teaches us that good deeds can be tarnished by ignorant or rash vows. When we make promises without fully considering the implications or understanding God's will, we risk damaging the outcomes and hindering God's work in our lives. Second, making specific promises can block us into one particular outcome, limiting our openness to the different ways God might want to work in our lives. Jesus is teaching and ridges us to be flexible and open to God's broader plans, rather than constraining ourselves with rigid vows. Third, Jeffa's ignorance of God's character led to his tragic decision. It is crucial that we make promises and commitments with a deep understanding of who God is and what he desires. This ensures that our words and actions align with His will and his character. Fourth, Jesus calls us to speak with integrity and simplicity. By letting our yes be yes and our no no, we build trust and reflect God's truthfulness. This approach prevents unnecessary complications and ensures our actions are consistent with our words. So how do we apply this practically to our lives? How can we be trustworthy people? First, think before you speak. Before making a promise or commitment, take time to consider the implications and whether you can fulfill it. Avoid speaking impulsively or out of desperation. Second, be clear and direct. Communicate clearly and directly, avoiding ambiguous or misleading statements. This builds trust and ensures that others understand your intentions. Third, honor your commitments. If you make a promise, strive to keep it. However, if circumstances change and you cannot fulfill it, communicate openly and seek to make amends. Fourth, cultivate a heart of integrity. Allow God to shape your heart so that your words naturally reflect His truth and integrity. Spend time in prayer and scripture seeking to align your speech with God's will. As we reflect on Jesus' words in Matthew Chapter five, Verses thirty three through thirty seven, and the story of Jephthah's vow, let us be reminded of the importance of integrity and understanding in our words. May we strive to speak truthfully, avoid rash promises, and honor our commitments with the true knowledge of who God is. Let us pray for the wisdom and grace to be true citizens of Heaven, living out the honesty and integrity that Jesus calls us to. In our next episode, we'll talk about revenge, what happens when some one has brought us to the brink of our self control.