Vows
Text: Numbers 21:1-3; Psalm 61
4 July 2016
VOWS
1. Vow made by Jacob
First vow recorded (Genesis 28:20-22)
a) Made by Jacob when God gave him a vision of a ladder ascending and descending from heaven
b) If God were to protect and preserve him
c) He offered this prayer as a vow to God
i) The Lord would be his God
ii) The stone would be God’s house
iii) He would give a tenth of all he has to the Lord
2. Vow made by Israel (Numbers 21:1-3)
a) Context
i) King of Arad attacked Israel (Numbers 21:1)
ii) Israel defeated by the King of Arad
iii) Some from Israel were taken as prisoners (Numbers 21:1)
b) Vow of Israel
i) Asked for God’s help
ii) Arad to be delivered into the hands of Israel
iii) Israel would utterly destroy the Canaanite cities of Arad (Numbers 21:2)
c) God heard that prayer-vow
i) He listened (Numbers 21:3)
ii) He delivered Arad into the hands of Israel (Numbers 21:3)
d) Israel kept its vow
i) The Canaanite cities of Arad were utterly destroyed (Numbers 21:3)
ii) Name of the place was called “Hormah” (Destruction)
To commemorate this event
3. Vow(s) made by King David
a) When he must have been in difficult straits (Psalm 61:1)
b) His life may have been in danger (Psalm 61: 7)
c) He made some vows to the Lord (Psalm 61:5)
d) He determined to fulfil his vows daily (Psalm 61:8)
e) What were those vows?
i) To abide in the tabernacle of the Lord forever? (Psalm 61:4)
ii) To trust in the shelter of the Lord’s wings? (Psalm 61:4)
iii) To sing praises to the Lord’s name forever? (Psalm 61:8)