The Most Dangerous Vow in the Bible

The Most Dangerous Vow in the Bible

Vows are promises which are considered to be sacred! Vows could be in either cash or kind. This is why it is very expedient we keep to our promises either to God, or to man. Don't forget, "it is better not to vow, than to vow and not redeem it." Ecclesiastes 5:4-5.

Most of us make vows to God out of the urge to get a prayer answered; some of us make vows out of fear; while some of us make vows out of shame (because people are coming out to make public vows in church, so you want to join them, or because the pastor makes a call from the altar for seed sowing), while some of us make vows out of over excitement!

The big truth is that, Vows are very good and they bring speedy answers to our prayers. But, some people, after their prayers have been answered, they neglect their vows, while some fulfill theirs. It's very imperrative we fulfill our vows.

The man who made the most dangerous vow in the Bible, is Jephthah.

Jephthah was a mighty man of valour chosen by God to be the head over Israel despite the fact that his mother was an harlot and his step brothers hated him. (From here, we can learn that God can lift anybody up; despite your background, race, etc.) Judges. 11.

There was a war from the warriors of Ammon against Israel. The Children of Israel knew they would loose the battle, so they went to fetch Jephthah from the land of Tob where he ran to because of his brothers' trouble. The elders promised to make Jephthah the head over Israel, if he could help them win the battle.

JEPHTHAH'S VOW 👇

And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

Judges:11:30-31

For more clarity, Jephthah promised God that, if he wins the war, the first creature that would come to visit him, be it an animal or a human, would be sacrificed as a burnt offering to God.

The GOOD NEWS!

God delivered the Children of Ammon into the hands of Jephthah and the children of Israel got won the war. Judges 11:33.

The BAD NEWS!

And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 😢

Judges:11:34

His only Child, His only daughter who is a virgin. His only heir. His only family who loved him; who came joyfully to celebrate his victory with him 😢, was the first person to come meet him. OMG!

The END RESULT OF THE DANGEROUS VOW!

The daughter pleaded with the father to allow her go away for two months to the mountains to lament over her virginity before the sacrifice. Judges. 11:37.

And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

Judges:11:39.

This was how Jephthah a mighty man of valour sacrificed his only child. He fulfilled his promise.

We should be very careful with the vows we make. We should have a proper thinking of what we are capable of fulfilling. We should make sure our vows won't hurt others, but rather, bless lives and make people happy.

Don't forget, vows are very powerful; vows are very needful. Vows hasten the answers to our prayers.

God bless you all.