A Foolish Vow

And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If You give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

Judges 11:30-31 (NIV)

One of the errors we all commit—without even realizing it—is sometimes using our doubts to put God to the test. Most often, this occurs when we expect Him to do exactly what we want in order to prove something to those observing us, or to those we wish to impress. The one who expects others to see that he possesses a strong and unwavering faith also expects God to answer his prayers in the precise manner he desires. This, in his view, is what will convince those around him to believe in him—to say of him that he is a man of faith to whom God grants everything he asks.

When we consider Jephthah’s vow, we can conclude that this is precisely the error he committed when he told God that, if He granted him a safe return home, he would offer as a sacrifice whoever came out of his house upon his arrival. Perhaps Jephthah thought he would encounter an animal accustomed to the sound of his voice—such as a dog or a sheep. His error lay in the fact that he had no need whatsoever to make a vow to God regarding his safe return; for the Spirit of God already rested upon him, empowering him to fight against the enemy nations. Perhaps he was beginning to lose faith in God, or perhaps he had begun to believe that the victory God was granting him was limited to a specific period or a particular group of nations—and he feared that his season of victory was drawing to a close.

Often, when we see that everything is going well because God has the situation in hand, we tend to think that it will not last; consequently, we seek to gain the upper hand over God. Sometimes, we are led to believe that the only way to obtain what we desire from God is to strike a bargain with Him—that if He does this or that for us, then we will do this or that for Him. What you must understand is that God expects absolutely nothing from you in exchange for what He grants you. We all make foolish vows that we are unable to keep. God does not take our vows lightly; therefore, be sure to give Him glory and honor for who He is, without seeking to make promises simply to obtain more from Him.

May God’s grace and peace be with you.