Message Notes

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)