What does Judges 11:40 teach about the importance of keeping vows to God? Setting the Scene • Jephthah, an Israelite judge, vowed that if God granted him victory over the Ammonites, “whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me … will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:30-31). • God gave the victory. The first to greet Jephthah was his only child, a daughter. The vow cost her life—or, at minimum, her lifelong consecration to perpetual virginity. • Judges 11:40 records how Israel responded to that painful outcome. Judges 11:40 — The Verse Itself “that each year the daughters of Israel would go four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.” Key Truths About Vows Highlighted by Verse 40 • A vow once uttered before God remains binding; the weight of Jephthah’s promise shaped national custom for generations. • The cost of fulfillment may be higher than imagined, yet Scripture portrays Jephthah as keeping his word regardless of the personal anguish involved. • The community’s annual commemoration shows that the keeping of vows leaves a lasting testimony—people remember faithfulness (and its consequences). • Verse 40 underscores the seriousness with which God’s people must treat their spoken commitments; vows are never casual words. Supporting Scriptures That Echo the Same Truth • Numbers 30:2 — “If a man makes a vow to the LORD … he must not break his word but must do everything he has promised.” • Deuteronomy 23:21 — “If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will require it of you.” • Psalm 15:4 — One who pleases the LORD is “he … who keeps his oath even when it hurts.” • Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 — “It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.” • Matthew 5:33-37 — Jesus reaffirmed the Old Testament standard and urged straightforward honesty: “Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No,’ no.” • James 5:12 — “Above all, my brothers, do not swear … Let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No,’ no.” Guidelines for Our Own Vows Today • Speak thoughtfully; weigh promises in light of God’s holiness before uttering them. • Keep every commitment to the Lord promptly and fully, even when circumstances change. • Remember that integrity influences others; our faithfulness can encourage or stumble those who watch us. • Recognize that Christ’s grace forgives past failures, yet His Lordship calls us to truthful, dependable speech going forward. |
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