One of the more challenging accounts in Scripture related to vows is the story of Jephthah’s vow, recorded in Judges 11. Here’s a summary of the incident:”
Jephthah, a judge of Israel, made a rash vow to God before leading the Israelites into battle against the Ammonites. He promised that if God granted him victory, he would sacrifice as a burnt offering whatever came out of the door of his house to greet him upon his return. God heard his prayer and Jephthah was successful in battle against the Ammonites. Then, when Jephthah returned home, his only child, a daughter, came out to greet him with tambourines and dancing. She was the first to come out of his house. Heartbroken, Jephthah realized the gravity of his vow. However, he felt bound by his promise to God. “I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.” The account ends with his daughter taking a short trip to mourn her fate and then the Scriptures state “After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed.“
Now, we are not going to debate how Jephthah kept His vow. Scholars debate whether he kept it literally (which would have gone against other commandments of God) or if he sacrificed her symbolically and she lived her life as a virgin in service to God. We don’t know but the reality is either way the lesson of Jephthah’s vow is the same – do not make foolish hasty promises because God still expects you to keep them.
Jephthah’s story underscores the importance of carefully considering the promises we make to God, especially under emotional or pressured circumstances. Jephthah’s story is a sobering reminder of how impulsive decisions can lead to unintended and heartbreaking outcomes. He did not have to make that promise to God. God’s victories and blessings are not contingent on human bargains. We need only pray to Him and request His help. However, if we behave like Jephthah and make a foolish, impulsive vow to God, He still expects us to keep it.
There can be no doubt Jephthah regretted His vow the moment he saw his daughter rush toward him. Yet, Jephthah’s love for his daughter did not outweigh his duty to God.
Jephthah offers us a very serious lesson: Be careful what you vow to God, as He will expect you to fulfill it. #KeepYourWord
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