Judges 11

And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, "If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering."

(Jdg 11:30-31)

When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, there was his daughter, coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing; and she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it."

(Jdg 11:34-35)

The Holy Spirit had come upon Jephthah, he was prepared to do a great and glorious work for the Lord… then he opened his mouth and made a very foolish vow. “If you do this God, then I’ll sacrifice to you the first thing that comes out of my house when I get home”. This foolish vow cost Jephthah big time. The first thing that came out of his front door was his daughter!

Now he was in trouble, he had made a promise to the Lord, but this promise now involved something forbidden in the law… human sacrifice. The big question that surrounds all of this is pretty simple: Was God pleased with Jephthah’s sacrifice? I believe the answer to that question is NO. The real issue goes back even further than this… it is a question even more foundational. Did God want Jephthah to make any kind of vow at all? Does God ever want us to make these sorts of vows? “God, if you_____/then I will_____”… does that please Him?

I believe that the Lord doesn’t want vows from us at all; He is after a committed relationship! Not commitment to do things He never asked us to do… (Like how He never asked Jephthah to sacrifice ANYTHING) but a commitment to FOLLOW HIM, and to OBEY HIS COMMANDS.

I think sometimes we struggle with just what it is that the Lord requires of us, what He wants us to do. I often come back to this verse… No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Mic 6:8)

Don’t be stumbled by the events of this chapter… learn the lesson of thinking before you speak!