PursuingYHWH

Judges 11: 30-40

The people of Israel were being led by individuals whom God used to get back on track. Meaning back to worshipping only YHWH and following His commandments.

We see the repeating cycle of the peoples’ behavior. When they follow God He blesses them, then they get comfortable, and sooner rather than later they begin to pursue pleasure and serve other gods. They don’t turn from their ways and then God punishes them most often with being attacked by their cruel enemies. The people eventually cry out and God helps them, only for the cycle to repeat.

How patient is our God? How generous for Him to continually help His people even though it was completely their fault? God’s love, faithfulness, and kindness is obvious here in the old testament.

In this period of Israel’s history, God used a man by the name of Jephthah to lead Israel in battle against the Ammonites. The scripture reads that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him so we know the Lord’s favor was upon him. Because God was with him.

Now, before the battle, Jephthah said, “I will give to the LORD whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” Judges 11:31

Jephthah made a promise or vow to the Lord. The scripture doesn’t say why he made the vow/promise so we’re speculating here.

Earlier in the chapter, the elders promised him that if he led the army against the Ammonites that the elders would make him the leader of Israel. So he obviously wanted to win and be the leader. This likely accounts for a major portion of his reasoning.

Interestingly, he says “when I return in triumph” versus saying, “If the Lord grants me victory, I will then…” Perhaps the Lord already told him he would have victory, or maybe he was speaking in faith and offered up this vow meaning if the Lord grants me victory, I will then sacrifice whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. We just don’t know.

God gives victory to Jephthah.

Jephthah returns home and his daughter greets him upon his arrival.

Crap…

Jephthah’s heart must have sank to the ground. His only daughter is now on the hook because of the vow he made.

I think he realized in that moment the foolishness of making that promise to God before the battle. His words have caught up to him. They must have seemed so distant when he first made the promise. I’m wondering if he was thinking of the clingy goat or cow that always met him when he returned home. Maybe he was thinking of animals? Not his daughter, or wife….or so I hope.

His daughter ends up going away for 2 months with her friends and then comes back and Jephthah fulfills his vow by sacrificing her as a burnt offering.

How are we supposed to take this? Did God give victory to him because Jephthah made this vow?

God can’t contradict Himself. He cannot violate His own instructions or being. He is Holy, perfect, and without fault.

Prior to the people entering Canaan where they are now in Judges, we read in Deuteronomy 12:31 that God gave instructions saying:

You must not worship the LORD your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.

So God said not to worship Him in the way the other nations worship their gods – for that is what God hates. One of those being, burning their kids in fire.

The scripture does not say that God instructed him to make this vow. It does not say that the Spirit led him to make this promise.

God wouldn’t give that command as it would be violating his previous instruction.

No.

The scripture records that Jephthah made this vow.

He did this all on his own. God couldn’t have inspired/instructed him to do this as it would violate God’s own command.

I suspect this vow made was driven by Jephthah’s desire to win offering up this vow/deal to God for victory. I think in large part the reason he made this type of vow is because of the influence of the pagan nations surrounding Gilead.

This pagan ritual of sacrificing their children to false gods rubbed off on the people of Israel.

Why? No where in the instructions God gave did God say to sacrifice humans. Only animals and with very specific instructions.

There is only one instance where God clearly commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. But what happened? An angel of the Lord stopped Abraham from carrying it out. God can’t violate His own instruction, command, way.

What should Jephthah have done?

He should have never made this vow. He should have kept his mouth shut and simply trusted the Lord.

Now, after he made the vow I think he should have simply asked the Lord for forgiveness and asked for a punishment on himself for making a foolish/rash vow and for breaking it. Instead of burning his daughter.

Before we feel high and mighty for not doing what Jephthah did, how often do we make promises to God like, “Lord if you give me x, I will pray 5 times a day.” or “God, I need x, please give it to me and I’ll give you 20% in tithe”

I realize I do this far too often than I want to admit. It is our childish, selfish nature to strive to get the things we want.

So the next time our negotiator starts to come out in our thinking and then praying – let’s stop. Remember Jephthah’s foolish vow, and change our attitude and prayer.

Before we end up eating our promise and causing unnecessary pain and loss to others and ourselves because of a rash promise or deal we make in a moment of selfishness.

God bless you and your work today!

Your brother in Christ,
Dave