“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.” Judges 11:30-31 (NKJV)
Oh, be careful what you promise to God! Jephthah made a rash vow that he would live to regret. God indeed did deliver the people of Ammon into Jephthah’s hands. In fact the Bible says there was a very great slaughter of their enemy.
Upon returning home his only daughter ran out of the house to greet her father with dancing and music. Jephthah’s heart was extremely saddened. He had made a vow to the Lord and could not break his word.
Jephthah’s daughter chose to honor her father’s vow, but requested that for two months she be allowed to wander on the mountains with her friends to mourn the fact that she was a virgin and would never lose her virginity. Jephthah agreed and gave her the two months time.
At the end of the two months, the daughter came back to her father and he fulfilled his vow to offer her as a burnt offering. How can I reconcile that with a God who tells us not to kill? How can I reconcile that with a loving, redeeming God? I find the example in the Bible almost as a warning to be careful what I promise to God or anyone else. My words may come back to haunt me!
Listen to Jaci Velasquez as she sings “I Promise.”
Published on MyBibleRoom.com 1/28/25, 6:00 am