Today’s devotion comes from Judges 11:29-40.
“Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD gave them into his hand. He struck them with a very great slaughter from Aroer to the entrance of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.
When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.” So she said to him, “My father, you have given your word to the LORD; do to me as you have said, since the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go to the mountains and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions.” Then he said, “Go.” So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity. At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she had no relations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel, that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.” Judges 11:29-40.
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Although I checked out the vow highlighted in bold italic font above in several versions (King James Version, New King James Version, NIV, and ESV in addition to the New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) which I use for quoting Scripture in my Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions), each of these versions described the vow as “burnt offering”. Nevertheless, there is no way that we should consider that fulfilling his vow necessitated to literally offer his daughter up as a burnt offering. The LORD condemned the practice of offering children as burnt offerings. See Jeremiah 19:5, Ezekiel 16:21, and Ezekiel 20:31.
Rather, we should consider that his vow was to keep his daughter as a virgin. “At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she had no relations with a man.” Verse 39.
Today’s Scripture leads us to meditate more generally on the importance of making any vows.
“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD. But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.” Matthew 5:33-37.
Although generally we should not make vows, there are specific situations when it is allowed according to the Heidelberg Catechism.
Q. 101. May we then swear religiously by the name of God?
A. Yes; either when the magistrates demand it of the subjects, or when necessity requires us thereby to confirm fidelity and truth to the glory of God and the safety of our neighbor; for such an oath is founded on God’s Word, and therefore was justly used by the saints both in the Old and New Testament. Heidelberg Catechism citing the following verses as support – Ex. 22:11. Neh. 13:25. Deut. 6:13. Heb. 6:16. Gen. 21:24. Josh. 9:15, 19. 1 Sam. 24:22. 2 Cor. 1:23. Rom. 1:9.
“But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.” James 5:12.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 