Jephthah's 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)

Lack of faith and fear of failure often lead us to make decisions and promises without even realizing their implications. Rejected by his brothers, the Gileadites, because he was the son of a prostitute, Jephthah fled to another territory and formed his rebel army. Faced with a war they could not win, his brothers turned to him for help, offering him leadership over all the inhabitants of Gilead. An offer that pleased Jephthah.

Driven by his pride and his desire to be the leader of those who had rejected him years before, Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: if He granted him victory, he would offer as a sacrifice anyone who came out of his house to meet him upon his return from battle. To his great misfortune, the first person to come out of the house to greet him joyfully and celebrate his victory was his daughter. This placed him in a difficult position before God, for He had granted him victory over enemy nations. Imagine the heart of a father who must sacrifice his only daughter for making a selfish vow.

How many times have you made promises to prove something, but were unable to keep them? This is a situation that happens to almost all of us, not being able to keep the vow we made to the Lord if He would act in our favor. The Lord will never let you down. Even if you don't see a way out, He does, and He has a reason for not yet acting in your favor. Do not follow Jephthah's example by making foolish vows to the Lord, for one way or another, He will be at your side and defend you. Your vow can extinguish the spiritual flame within you; do not play this game with God.

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.