Page 25 - October 2025 - Truth & Tidings

and praise by speaking well of a person. is to show in the book of deliverances that
Jephthah’s daughter is therefore celebrated, salvation is not ultimately by heroes and
not mourned over. battles but in sacrifice. It is only the death of
Vows often turn out like this. Humanly a sinless substitute that can remove sin. This
speaking, Jephthah, his daughter and the small-scale narrative points forward to the
family name should have been consigned ultimate meta-narrative of Scripture. God
to distant memory, never to be spoken of would send the Saviour, who would deal
again. Instead, the name is not blotted out with the sin of the world, not by sword or
but is vindicated, remembered and adored. battle but by substitution and sacrifice. The
The obscure virgin daughter, through her vow (the determinate counsel of God) had
submission and sacrifice, is celebrated been declared in eternity past, and the only-
every year in Israel. Her passion gives begotten Son humbly obeyed that word and
way to praise, her barrenness to blessing, suffered for sinners.
her curse to celebration, and although her
name should have been blotted out, it is The man impaled on a cross in utter
forever recorded in the eternal pages of disgrace should have been forgotten forever.
holy writ. Just like the nameless woman And yet, God has supremely vindicated the
2
who anointed the head of Christ (Mar 14:3) name of His Son. The Welsh hymn writer
has her name recorded for time immemorial put it best: “He can never be forgotten,
(v9), Jephthah’s daughter fits into the same throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.”
category.
The main point of this narrative, therefore, 2 William Rees (1802–1883)

1 Timothy Continued from p. 310

The Mediator (2:5)
The Manifestation of God (3:16)
The Master of the House (4:6)
The Motivation for the House (5:21)
The Monarch (6:15)
Occurrence of Words and Phrases

Some (1:3,6,19; 4:1; 5:15; 6:10,21)
God our Savior (1:1; 2:3; 4:10)
Godliness or piety (2:2; 3:16; 4:7,8; 6:3,5,6,11)
Teach or doctrine (1:3,7; 2:7,12; 3:2; 4:11,13,16; 5:17; 6:2,3)
Faith (1:4,5,14,19; 2:7,15; 3:9,13; 4:1,6,12; 5:8,12; 6:10,11,12,21)
Conscience (1:5,19; 3:9; 4:2; 2Ti 1:3; Titus 1:15)
Thought of testimony to the world (2:1,2; 3:7,10; 4:12; 5:8,10,14; 6:1)
Command or charge (1:1,3,5,18; 4:11; 5:7; 6:13,17)
Savior (10x in Pastorals)

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