You have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised

 Judges 11;29-40

And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.

“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.

From this comes the Israelite tradition that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Jephthah's vow is an indication of how little the Israelites understood God at this time. Human sacrifice might please the heathen gods, but never the God of Israel. Abraham had learnt this long before, and God's law forbade ti. Yet, though ignorant and mistaken, the vow was made in good faith; Jephthah would forfeit 'whatever' (person or animal) came out of the house first. And he kept his word, though it cost him his only child, and his daughter her life.

But how can a moral God associate himself with actions like this - with people like Jephthah, Samson and the rest? We certainly cannot discount the fact that the 'heroes' of judges are people of their age - an age which the Bible plainly shows was one of religious decline, falling far short of the standards set out in God's law. God acts through men and women, by definition imperfect. These people are not ser up as models: their failures, weaknesses and immorality are simply recorded, not glorified, condoned or glossed over. Only their faith and courage are commended. Only their faith and himself or turn a deaf ear to a cry for help, even in an age os seemly hopeless decadence. He acts, despite the lack of 'suitable' people. And because he acts, a 'dark age' like that of the Judges may be followed by a time of the real spiritual advance.

Why?

Made a vow before the Lord has to obey it. Actually do not make a vow God blesses Jephthah to subdue Ammonites either. Make a vow just shows the brave and faith before men. 

In that environment maybe is a good example before the people. And Jephthah obeys the word of the Lord.

Jephthah has a good daughter who knows what is right should follow the word of the Lord.

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耶弗他許願卻執意守約。是顧大局的人，從來不埋怨，至始至終對神忠心。

也許耶弗他以許願來加強神的應許。許願不是如此。許願是為了感恩。提前感恩，不是拉著神的手。

神是禁止把人獻為燔祭，不可能神允許此事。他女兒去山上，與同伴二個月為她不能嫁而哀哭。兩種說法都有根據。

堅持要還願這件事看到什麼?看到他忠於守約，還願！向神開口許願，不能挽回。從耶弗他身上及他女兒身上看到他們的忠心。

當我們看到耶弗他所許的願，其實是多餘的，我們要反省，我們不能有觀念，神不給我們不行，我們懂得感恩嗎？

律法無人知曉時。犯下多大的錯誤，基甸、耶弗他都是，我們今天同樣也受到環境的影響。我們服事神不是為了得賞賜，而是為了感恩!當我們替耶弗他找理由可以不還願，我們是否自己也是找理由?因為我們困擾的問題神已經解決了。耶弗他絕對是我們的榜樣。

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How?

Be careful to make a vow before the Lord!