Scholars and theologians throughout the ages have wondered, "Did Jephthah really sacrifice his daughter? Are the Rapture and the Second Coming the Same Thing? 57:5), but the concern of the text is never death, but always virginity. 1001 Bible trivia questions to test your scriptural knowledge! The illegitimate child of Gilead and a prostitute, Jephthah was disowned and driven out by Gileads legitimate children. And in Romans 12:1, Paul admonished believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to the LORD, an act of spiritual worship. And you may be the decisive factor. Believers never completely escape the influence of the times in which they live. So she said to [Jephthah], My father, if you have given your word to the LORD, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth because the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon. (v36). Our lives are not our own to do with as we please (I Corinthians 6:19-20). In the next verse, the writer says that these faithful people "subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness [and] obtained promises." 11:34-35)? The book of Judges rehearses Israels history from Joshua to Samuel, who likely wrote the book.1 It ostensibly is designed to demonstrate the need for central leadership, i.e., a king. Vain men (Judges 11:3) begin gathered themselves to him soon after he arrived in Tobit. This means growing in His image and bearing fruit, putting on the holy character of God and helping our brethren in their development. He knew he would have to kill whoever came out of the house first. How do we understand and explain such difficult texts? He then launches an attack against Ephraim whereby the tribe loses the life of 42,000 men (verse 6). But that's because he did not vow his daughter as a burnt sacrifice. Also, she was Jephthah's only child. Many vow to reform themselves, to do some act that will please their god or to give themselves to his service. God is not obligated to bail out His saints, even a choice servant like Jephthah. Yet, if this is so, how do we explain his apparent ignorance of the blaring prohibition against child sacrifice contained in the books of Moses? The structure of Judges is designed to impress the reader with the fact that, throughout the whole period (about 400 years), things just went from bad to worse. What is the Church, and What is Your Part in It? The clause "or I will offer it up as a burnt offering" could also be rendered, "or I will offer Him a burnt offering." (Judges 11:30-31). In fact, Judges 11:29 says the Spirit of the LORD was with him. This claim probably was Ammons pretext for war. His vow was spoken, not on the eve of battle, but on the march to it. Thus, as it states specifically, Jephthah's daughter mourned with her friends over her virginity, not her impending death. The inevitable punishment came swiftly. Again, immediately after sending the ambassadors to Ammon "the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah" (verse 29). This changes the complexion of the difficulty entirely. In Brief. Where are the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel Today? Jephthah must have considered his offer of inestimable value to God, when in reality it was but the overstepping of a proud and rash man. It begins with the faithfulness of Joshuas generation and the tribe of Judah, but terminates with the tribe of Benjamin becoming Canaanite, as wicked as Sodom (cf. It was the sort of thing that generals and kings have done throughout history. Jephthah replied that he had summoned them, but they had not reacted. The Lord does as He pleases. Appeal for Religious Liberty to a Culture Embracing Pride Month, J. I. Packer on the 6 Things You Should Tell Yourself Every Day. The Lord used him to free Israel from eighteen years of Ammonite oppression. And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. The judge Jephthah had just won a battle over the Ammonites, and vowed he would give the first thing that came out of his house as a burnt offering to God. His reputation as a brave and brilliant military commander grew and spread. In the ancient world, when men returned from battle, women would customarily come forth in procession in order to participate in celebratory dancing (cf. Gideon puts out a fleece; Jephthah makes a rash vow; and Samson trusts in his Nazirite vow. He dies after serving six years as a Judge in the eastern part of Israel (verse 7). America is head- ing where its never been before. The Real Meaning of When Two or Three are Gathered in the Bible, The Difference Between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, The Part Where God Says Its Okay to Eat Bacon. And certainly it would not have become a tradition of praise, a customary event in Israel, if God was not pleased. Does this not sound like the gospel promised beforehand, a sure testimony to the person and work of Jesus? Find out about Bible & Theology events at TGC23. New International Version And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, New Living Translation And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD. In their message, however, the Ammonites left out some vital information regarding why their land was taken by Israel (Judges 11:12 - 22). We cannot afford to rest on our accomplishments or become satisfied with our present state of growth. He knew that God requires parley before battle to give the opponent a chance to surrender or retreat. Antiquities, 5.7.10) wrote that he actually killed her, but enough evidence exists to suggest that he did not offer her on an altar, but made her a lifelong Nazirite, totally dedicated and holy to God (Numbers 6:8). What was the purpose of this vow?Was it an act of worship, or was it an attempt to secure insurance? What is it about those who face lifes biggest heartaches, find a way to bounce back, and turn setbacks into breakthroughs? Likewise, Proverbs 14:15 says a prudent person considers well his steps. Jephthah reminds us to be wise before the Lord, to think before we speak, and never give in to hastiness. Jephthah vowed to God that if the Lord would grant him victory over the evil Ammonites, the first thing that came out to meet him upon his return home, would be Jehovah's, and/or it would be offered as a burnt sacrifice. Additionally, these men served by faith and executed justice, not innocent young girls. And Rebekah? Gods choice of appointing Jephthah as a judge indicates he was, as the author of Hebrews describes, a man of faith who executed justice (Hebrews 11:32-34). Typically, he was not one to be irrational and hasty. Is There a Problem with the Synoptic Gospels? Are we firmly anchored in God and His Word? 2). After her father explained what he had done, Jephthah's daughter amazingly put up no resistance. When Ammon began to raid parts of Israel, mostly Gilead, the elders of the land came to him for help. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. Jephthah gathered an army of Gileadites and defeated the Ephraimites. Each is more flawed than his predecessor. The Bible contains the story of a man of God, Jephthah, who went beyond these customary vows before the big battle of his career (Judges 11:29-40). If he had truly sacrificed her, would it not have been better to write, "And she died"? The vow contained a choice to be made by God: either accept a consecrated person or a burnt offering. Pay what you have vowedBetter not to vow than to vow and not pay. Even Paul rebuked Peter over the issue of eating with Gentiles (Gal. If that is so, why was there such great grief, anguish and mourning? Understanding the custom, Jephthah probably had human sacrifice on his mind, a widely used practice that expressed profound devotion. The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. How then are we to understand Jephthah's vow? They were not designed to replace, augment, or even enhance that faith. First, let's note that Jephthah was making a conditional vow with God. Nor was Jephthah an impetuous or rash person. Another troubling episode recorded in the book of Judges appears in 11:29-40, when the judge Jephthah makes a vow that many have argued cost him the life of his daughter and only childa human sacrifice. When he reached a certain age his half-brothers chased him away from home. Are we ready to face the horrors and temptations of the time of the end? Like Gideon, he attacked the enemy before they attacked him. He knew that God requires parley before battle to give the opponent a chance to surrender or retreat. Maybe you have never heard of him. His daughter understood this requirement. We wonder why Jephthah did not find some way to break his vow, and yet even his daughter encouraged him to keep his vow. What it shows is that this aspect of Christian spirituality, far removed as it was from most Jewish sources and actual behavior, apparently had some impact.3. Furthermore, the narrative is not clear about the purpose or the daughter's knowledge, and why no one else in the story, including YHWH, intervenes. Gen. 13 with Jud. Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. Word was sent back that the Ammonites felt the need to go to war because the Israelites had stolen their land after they came out of Egypt. Have we completely put ourselves in God's hands? A much more important rejected half-brother will appear later in history, and his name will be Jesus. Second, the phrase "whatever comes out to meet me" is actually "the one who comes forth to meet me" in Hebrew, an apparent reference to a person. His previous godly character: He was not a rash character. Unfortunately, the Ammonite King did not agree that Israel had a divine right to own the land that was once possessed by them (Judges 11:28). However, he likely did not expect his daughter to be the first person to greet him. Log in, (This article has been read 528 times plus 1 today. If he remained in character, his vow must have been well considered. This is why the maidens of Israel praised her so much! This pattern keeps the glory where it belongs: with God. But not everyone submitted an actual burnt offering. Jephthah's Perfect Vow | HeadHeartHand Blog It is unfortunate that he made the vow at all. Rather than leaping at the chance to command Gilead's army, he patiently negotiated for a more powerful position. 1 Sam. Who Were the Two Criminals Hanging Next to Jesus? With Friendship in Decline, Belonging Is a Powerful Apologetic. And Samson's parents? It is impossible to derive this from an internal Jewish tradition of celibate eremiticism [seclusion]. Jephthah was a leader in Israel during the time of the Judges. Who Was Jephthah? What's the Story of Jephthah's Daughter? - Christianity Unfortunately, leading the celebrants was Jephthah's only child, a daughter. How is that to be explained? . 11:13). He was the son of a prostitute and driven from his father's house by his half-brothers. What emerges from a clear understanding of the Hebrew is significant. We vowed to take Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, and in effect we gave our lives to Him for His use and His service. One of these judges was Jephthah. She gave upsacrificedthe one thing that they prized most highly: their ability to have children. 12. Jephthah: Words Matter (Judges 10:1-12:15) | Bible.org What about Gideons fleece in Judges 6, or Samsons repeated relationships with illicit women in Judges 1416? To be sure, the Lord still would have delivered Israel and Gilead without Jephthahs hasty vow. Today three ominous trends threaten the area. Answer (1 of 11): No. What the Bible Says About Racial Injustice and the Church, The Overwhelming Evidence of Gods Goodness, Why Playing the What If Game is the Wrong Thing to Do, The Extraordinary Gift of Letting Jesus Breathe on You. The vow contained a choice to be made by God: either accept a consecrated person or a burnt offering. If he were working against the Lord, it is unlikely the writer of Hebrews would count him in the hall of faith.. Presumably, a clean animal in this scenario would be sacrificed while an unclean animal would be dedicated like a person. Subscribe now or log in for access. Since the Ammonite king did not accept Jephthah's reasoning, Jephthah went into action, motivated by the Spirit of the Lord. And John the Baptist's parents? Jephthah's mother was a prostitute. Does the Bible Tell Us to Pray in Jesus Name? The gospel has always been most attractive to and most effective for the poor in spirit. The unconditional promises of God cannot be earned; they can only be freely received. Similarly, those who adhere to the belief in the divine inspiration of Scripture have found the story to be a stone of stumbling, especially since the book of Hebrews includes Jephthah by name in its famous catalog of the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11). In verse 39 the writer repeats, "She knew no man" immediately after he writes that Jephthah performed the vow. Samuel wrote Judges to highlight the worsening social and political climate that existed in Israel from the time of Joshua until the nation accepted a king. Have you ever thought God let you down? Whoever could not pronounce it was killed. Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on. Agreeing that he must keep his vow, she asked only to mourn her virginity for two months before he did. Word of his success raced across the land. He grew up in a family who lived in the land of Gilead, which lies east of the Jordan River. Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.. I am not saying that the judges were sinless, perfect people. Verse 35 says he tore his clothes and said, Alas, my daughter! His readers would have known this fact. But if, indeed, Jephthah's daughter was sacrificed in gruesome and flagrant disobedience to God, this added statement about knowing no man would seem to be superfluous and inane; it only appears to make sense if she continued in a state of celibacy after Jephthah fulfilled his vow. The following reasons support the conclusion that Jephthah's daughter was sacrificed as a burnt offering: Reason #1. As the book develops, Gods people decay into greater and greater wickedness (Jud. For more details, review our Privacy Policy. Our vows today mean very little, because we are nothing like Jephthah in our commitment to . 11:29-31)? He said, "If you give me victory over the Ammonites, English Standard Version And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, Jephthah had apparently not thought this through . Sign up for weekly devotions, relevant Christian news, and special offers! Though a mighty warrior ( Judges 11:1 ), he was driven away from the family as an adult because he was considered an illegitimate child. Are we truly strong and faithful? Philippians 4:6 NKJ, 9 Ways to Know if You Have Genuine Saving Faith. to the anointing of Saul as king (1050 B.C.). Marc Saperstein, a professor of Jewish history, wrote, Now clearly the Christians did not learn about cloisters from this ambiguous passage. Which one of these is not part of the Nazarite vow?| Not to cut hair | Not to drink wine | Not to touch the dead | Not to eat pork |, Why did Jephthah flee to the land of Tob?| He killed one of his brothers | He eloped with his neighbour's daughter | He was illegitimate and his brothers drove him out | He wanted to spend his inheritance |, Against which enemy did Jephthah lead Israel?| Midianites | Edomites | Philistines | Ammonites |, Which ruler of the synagogue asked Jesus to heal his sick daughter?| Nicodemus | Joseph | James | Jairus |, When Job had his fortune restored he was blessed with seven sons and three daughters. He was shocked and deeply grieved that his daughter was the one who came out to meet him, stating that this had brought him very low (verse 35). Jephthah was one of ancient Israel's eighteen Judges who sporadically governed God's people from the time of Joshua (who became the first Judge in 1398 B.C.) List the 4 judges in the book of Judges that were section topics in your textbook-. Which of these was not a daughter of Job? How Much Faith Did God Measure Out for You? When the two months were over, Jephthah performed his vow, and his daughter's great sacrifice was commemorated yearly by the women of Israel. Not every act of worship is physically burned, which is why some scholars contend that Jephthah did not kill his only child but only offer her symbolically. Who Wrote Pauls Letters in the New Testament? He knew that vows are sacred promises to be kept (Numbers 30). But having made the vow, Jephthah kept it, even though the law (which he seems not to know) provided him with a way out. Proverbs 8:11 tells us wisdom is better than rubies. $14.99 Christianbook.com. 29, 30. Or did he dedicate her to God for the rest of her life?" It is also possible that Jephthah never intended to sacrificially kill anyone or anything that came out of his house after he had returned from battle. And do not protest to the temple messe. And he carried out his vow. Judges 11:39. We have the responsibility, now that we have been redeemed from our lives of sin, to live up to the high standards of God's way of life and to glorify God in whatever we do. They use selected historical materials to advance a theological agenda. Unwilling to share the family's wealth, his half-brothers forced him into exile. 1. July 1, 2022by RAMcKinley FacebookTweetPinLinkedInEmail God chose a man called Jephthah as one of the judges of Israel. According to Mosaic Law, the purpose of a burnt offering was to offer a sacrifice as a sign of total devotion to God. Unwilling to share the family's wealth, his half-brothers forced him into exile. So to impugn the work of the judge is to impugn the work of the LORD through that judge. Jephthah began judging about 1096 BC. The final element to this story hinges on the purpose of the book.
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