Making promises to God: "Its no joke"
Judges 11:35 “When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. “Oh, my daughter!” he cried out. “You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”
This text is one that is so hard to swallow. This man (Jephthah) is a judge over Israel and he makes a vow that if God will give him victory he will sacrifice whatever comes running out of his house when he returns home. God gives him the victory and he returns home to find is one and only child, his little girl comes running out of the house. Jephthah, cries out this verse. What is so amazing though, is that Jephthah never even thinks to take back his vowel. Not once does the text even hint that this man will even question or not live into the vowel he made to God. Its as if this vowel to God is more important than the life of his one and only girl. What kind of God would let such a think happen? What kind of God could this be where promises to Him are more valuable then the lives of our children? Isn’t this taking it a little to far? Where do we go from here?
This is crazy huh? I’m not even sure what to do with this text. How could it be that keeping a promise to God is more important than the life of our children? I guess I should just make sure I don’t make any absurd promises. I read this text and then think about all the empty promises that we make toward God. In fact, we find ways to constantly rationalize our breaking of promises around this abused theme of forgiveness. Its as if we got this thing backwards; that some how if we are going to break any vowels we ought to do so to God because, after all, he’ll understand. But yet this verse puts a whole different spin on things; its as if because God is the one that will understand, is precisely why our vowels to God should be the first priority. It is in making God the first priority in our life that all other life flows from. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if a group of people felt this passionately about keeping a promise to God. I wonder what would happen in our marriages, our parenting, our churches………. I have to admit this text has got me in a minefield of questions and I’m not really sure which direction to go; I’m only reminded that promises to God are serious business.
Oh God, I’m not really sure I even know what to say this morning. I am reminded of how important our vowels are to you; I’m reminded that you are a first priority. I’m reminded of how often I do the exact opposite. I guess I’m wondering that if I brake a vowel and my child lives, is that really so bad. I guess I’m wondering how keeping a promise to you and loosing my child is better than the other way around. How can keeping a promise to you be more valuable then my own flesh and blood? Surely you understand this. I guess I’m wondering how you did it; how did you give up your flesh and blood to keep your promise. Why was keeping your promise more important then Jesus’ life? Perhaps it is because your promise is what leads to life. Continue to teach me through this struggle. Amen!
The priority of life is first and foremost God; all else is secondary!
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This is by far the best view of the story of Jepththah that I have ever read.
I too have have struggled with numerous broken promises made to God, of which two come to mind. It has been a very confusing time for me recently, due to the last of the two promise I recently made. The result of this confusion has stopped me from going to church or even getting on my knees to pray, which exactly where satan wants us all to be!! I eventually confessed to my Wife the reason for my recent spiritual downfall. She kindly said “You poor thing, well you know what you should do”. Suddenly all my heartache, anger, and shame disappeared, and I felt the Lords grace upon me. I knew then that I had to keep my promise, which was a sum of money donated to church. By not keeping my promise to God, I had felt so bad, and worthless that I put my family Wife, and two boys in harms way, and ultimately hell fire, for a few thousand dollars. I could feel my family slowly drifting apart, and the cup that runneth over, now was drying up. Please keep your promises to the Lord my brothers, and sisters…God Bless
*looks down* Amen *looks up* Amen
God bless
*sighs* yes Thank you very much for your input on this matter I will keep my promise to God, my Father in Heaven. Pray for our brothers and sisters in countries where they put their own lives on the line for Jesus Christ. They are true to their word to God.
Amen Pray in the spirit at all times brothers, sisters.
i was in a desperate situation about my childre, and i promised god that if he answers my prayers, i will serve him for the rest of my life, if i do not serve him , he should kill me and my children as the prayer was on their behalf, God honoure me by answering my prayers, but I am finding it hard to fulfil my promise and the devil seems to be taking an advantage of that,However, God has forgiven me and given me another chance and I have seen a lot of improvement. When you make a promise to God , Please keep it, otherwise the devil might take advantage.
I made a vow when I married a man. I was very young and dumb. Not fully understanding what I was doing I did it because I didnt want to be looked upon as a woman with a child and no husband. Well to make a long story short he was not the man for me to marry. I now struggle with the fact that I made a vow and did not keep it. I asked for forgiveness, and continued to pray that the Lord send me a husband and teach me to be meek and submissive. The Lord response was yes, BUT I was going to have to go through for the simple fact of me not keeping my vow. Now that I know more about the Lord I understand that If I would have trusted in him to make my marriage right I would not have to go through to get something again that the Lord had already given me. The man that I am dating I fast and pray for growth. I have actually promised God that if he would move in a situation that he was facing I would allow myself to be a vessel for saving this man.. I know that this is a big promise, but I also know that he will put nothing on me that I cant bare. In doing so with making that promise I also asked him to keep me and my family safe from all hurt harm and danger. I know if I keep up my end of the promise he will do exceedingly and abundantly for me. I did not know some of the things that I know now about the man before I made the promise. That is the hard part, because I am now having to subject myself to things that I do not normally face in the sheltered life that I have lived.
Ecclesiastes 5: 4 ”When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.”
This reminds me of this verse. A verse that I find myself quoting alot to check my spirit on why I am making a vow or promise.
Good insight!