Verse of the day: Judges 11:30-31, And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, 31 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.”
Here is a man who knows God, is being used by God, and yet even when filled by the Spirit makes a foolish vow. Every one of us who is a born again believer has access to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are immediately sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit when we call upon Jesus (Ephesians 1:13-14). However, there are instances when we need to be filled with the Spirit (or draw from His power) to receive clear guidance and receive empowerment to witness, preach, teach, and serve Him in certain ways (1 John 2:20, 27). Jephthah was filled with God’s Spirit and moved forward in the power of the Spirit to face the Ammonites. Yet, he felt the need to make a vow that he would later regret. As God’s servants, we must be careful about doing things or making promises to God that are unnecessary, as we cannot twist God’s arm when we desire a certain outcome to the situations in our lives. When we walk with God daily, and face the challenges of life, we must trust that whatever we are facing, God already has an outcome in mind for each situation. He knows where He wants to lead us, and what He wants to accomplish. He desires to use us and does not need His arm twisted. Therefore, we do not need to fast or make foolish vows in hopes that God will give us the results we are looking for. Fasting for the purpose of drawing near to God in prayer and the study of His Word, and becoming more sensitive to His leading, so that we can serve Him the way He wants us to is much different than fasting simply because we are looking to receive an answer to prayer the way we want it answered. Making a vow that puts conditions on God, such as, “If you do this, I’ll do that” is not the kind of vows we should be making before God. We should be obedient and serve Him simply because He is God and has been better to us than we deserve, and because we love Him. God was in the process of leading Jephthah and Israel to victory against the Ammonites, even before he spoke his promise to God. There was no need for him to make such a vow, which cost him his daughter. There are differing opinions as to what actually happened to his daughter, as human sacrifice was strictly forbidden in Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31. It is more likely that she was given to serve in the Tabernacle, based on the guidelines given in Leviticus 27:2-4, and based on examples of women serving in the Tabernacle in Exodus 38:8 and 1 Samuel 2:22. Regardless, the point is that we must walk with the Lord knowing that the power of the Spirit is available to us to help us and guide us through all of life’s difficulties. I truly believe that if any one of us had made this vow, and then saw our child coming to meet us, we would have broken that vow, piling sin upon sin in not only making a foolish vow, but then breaking it because of our own haste. The positive aspect of what Jephthah did is that he was unwilling to break the word and promise he made to the Lord. That is the only quality that each of us should be known for as Christians. In a day and age when people’s word means nothing, we should be known as people who can be trusted and counted on if we tell someone that we will do something or not do something. The bottom line is that our word should be our word. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 5:37, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” In the power of the Holy Spirit we can do whatever it is God has called us to do. He provides us with guidance using His Word and prayer. We truly have all that we need in order to navigate the twists and turns of life without the need for making foolish vows. Simply trust God and the power He provides us via the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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