Judges 11:39 – “…who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed.” So it is just a matter of what did he vow? Judges 11:31 – “…whatsoever cometh forth to meet me…, I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” So, unless Judges 11:39 is wrong, Jephthah offered his daughter up for a burnt offering.
To argue that since Jephthah was a man of true faith, and that other scriptures teach against human sacrifices, somehow assures us that Jephthah didn’t offer his daughter for a burnt offering, would then also allow us to argue that since David was a man after God’s own heart, and since God’s laws forbade it, then David did not really commit adultery with Bathsheba, or cause Uriah’s death.
Even if there had been some way for Jephthah to redeem his daughter from this vow, according to Judges 11:39, he did not do so, for the scripture states, “he did with her according to his vow which he had vowed.” Had he just redeemed her for thirty pieces of silver (the price of a dead slave), it would have been no big deal for either him or her. It would have caused him no sorrow, only just brought him relief. Had she been redeemed from the vow, she would have been freed from all its claims and there would have been nothing to bewail. And rather than the scripture speak of Jephthah doing to her according to his vow and the daughters of Israel lamenting her four days a year, the Bible would just say she was redeemed and everyone went on with their lives as before.
Regarding Jephthah’s vow, the only thing he did that was lawful was perform his vow. NOTHING else about his vow was under Divine direction. God never required this vow. Jephthah did it rashly on his own without spiritual wisdom or consideration, because thoughtfulness would have considered that it would be a loved one who would be the first to go out to meet him upon returning home. Rather than Jephthah go forth to battle on the strength of faith alone, he yielded to the temptation of projecting that he was a mighty man by making such a bold vow.
Learn from this not to make our lives subject to any word but God’s Word. Beware of setting ourselves up as being a person of some superior principles. We must only make vows that are right with God and that we will keep. Human intentions, no matter how grand they may supposedly be, are never infallible. Be wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is.
SHARING
