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VOW
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Lesson Two: Jephthah’s Daughter
A word about the ‘tough texts' As one who preaches two different sermons each Sunday, as well as teaching at least four different Bible Studies each week, I find myself praying this prayer quite often: "Lord, I’m counting on your help. Help me understand your Word. Give me the right words to share with others. I can’t do this on my own. And Lord, one more thing - please don’t tarry!"The good news for this preacher and teacher is that He consistently answers my prayer with a sense of peace about the task, and a sense of unceasing excitement for the study of the Word. It may be an indication of a deep character flaw, but I confess that I’ve always been excited by the seemingly bizarre and disturbing texts of the Bible. I can blame it on my friend and mentor, Danny Massie, now the pastor of First Scots in Charleston, S.C. Danny once preached a series on some of the obscure characters of the Bible and I was hooked. I remember him saying "we can learn the biggest lessons from the people with the bit parts." He inspired me to go on looking for more overlooked characters and passages, and that led to careful examination of texts that most ministers I know purposely overlook. Shock value isn’t what I’m after. Rather, it is the consistent confirmation of what Danny said - The bit part characters have the potential to teach us the biggest lessons. And this is the perspective I bring to my study: I believe that the entirety of the Bible is the Word of God. Every last word of it! When I encounter a "problematic" text, in actuality, the problem is not with the text, but with me - the interpreter. We will all do well to bring to the study of God’s Word a deep sense of humility and reverence, and the recognition that our sinful nature limits our ability to grasp the perfect truth God is trying to communicate to us. So again I say, the problem is not with the Bible, but with me. That having been said, it is time to examine one of the toughest texts in the whole of Scripture. I. " And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, "If Thou wilt 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." Judges 11:30-31 These facts about Jephthah are clear: (1) He was a leader of Israel during a time of infancy for the nation. The people were not yet of one accord on the kind of nation they would become. To their detriment, they were easily influenced by other nations and other belief systems. And, they were still wrestling with the questions, "who is God?" and "what would God have us do?" (2) He was smart enough to realize that he could accomplish virtually nothing without the help of God. Jephthah desires to achieve a military victory. Thus, he offers God a deal in the form of a prayer: "Whatever comes out of the doors of my house...I will offer it up as a burnt offering." (3) At least in that moment, he wasn’t smart enough to think through the consequences of such a vow. What could he have possibly been thinking? What did he think would exit the doors of his house - a sacrificial goat, a heifer, a flock of turtle doves? In his pursuit of military victory, had he totally forgotten who lived in his tent? A quick survey of interpretive resources reveals that this text has been interpreted in many different ways. One tract renders a story about Jephthah’s personal tragedy. "Poor Jephthah didn’t realize what he was getting himself into." Within the world of this kind of interpretation, Jephthah is placed on the horns of a moral dilemma. What is one to do? Keep your word to God or break the vow? Many commentators place the emphasis on Jephthah’s astounding faithfulness in keeping his promise to God; not unlike that of Abraham in his willingness to offer Isaac at the altar. Still another train of thought emphasizes the sacrifice of his unnamed daughter as a type of national atonement; somewhat of a prototype of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten for sin of humanity. But let us keep in mind that the Bible presents as honest and realistic a portrait of humanity as we would ever find. The great figures in the Biblical drama are ordinary people just like us. They have faults and weaknesses. Sometimes, in spite of their faults, through God’s grace they shine. But then again, sometimes they act like they hardly know God. Jephthah talks to God. He knows how to call upon God’s help. But he seems to have forgotten the very nature of the God he seeks to serve. A bit of background: Jephthah had a tough childhood. He was an outcast in two ways. Judges 11:1 declares that he was the "son of a harlot." We can try to imagine the suspicious looks when they went out in public. We don’t have to imagine the names they were called, for we already know. And, Jephthah was driven away from the community by his father’s people (11:2). Jephthah grew up under the influence of "worthless fellows" (11:3) in the land of Tob. The "worthless fellows" practice a worthless religion full of horrific deeds like the ritual sacrifice of children. Could it be that the living among worshipers of false gods had a subtle but very negative effect on Jephthah’s faith? The book of Hebrews praises Jephthah as a man of faith, one whose victory was a victory of faith (Hebrews 11:32). But even the most faithful among us sometimes show a weakened and confused faith. Certainly we all know how easy it is to confuse the ways of the world with the way of God. Perhaps for a time, Jephthah could not adequately distinguish between the Almighty and the gods of those surrounding Israel. Could it be that Jephthah made a vow to God based on a false assumption of Who God is and what He wants? We are left to wonder. Question: Can you think of any ways in which our congregation may look more like the culture and less like the distinct Body of Christ?Still we wonder about Jephthah’s disturbing vow. Could it be that Jephthah got so wrapped up in "his" string of stunning victories and all the accolades they would bring, that he couldn’t think clearly about what is of utmost importance in his life - namely, his family. Had he totally forgotten his "one and only child?" (Judges 11:34) We cringe at the thought. But the fact of the matter is that countless families have been sacrificed at the altar of a seemingly worthy ideal. Even the strongest Christians will confess their daily struggle to keep priorities in order. How many children of Christian leaders have suffered the absence of their parents? How many families have taken a back seat to such worthy pursuits as a growing business, the development of a career, or increasing civic duties? II. "...behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing." Judges 11:34 Jephthah comes home, victorious! And then, he sees her. She was his only child. At first glance, he see her singing and dancing with joy, beating the tambourine in celebration of her Daddy’s overwhelming victory. He remembers the vow he made while praying to God. And now he sees her and weeps with grief. God was there. God saw her too. But how did He look upon her? Was there a desire in God’s heart to receive this joyful daughter as a burnt offering? Did God somehow see the daughter as an instrument to teach Jephthah to be more careful in his vow making? This is where the unnamed daughter of Jephthah begins to teach us some very important lessons about life and faith, about prayer and about the One who answers our prayer. First, our ways are not always God’s ways. She comes to symbolize the vast chasm of difference between our ways and His ways. Would God accept the terms of such a deal? Let us be very careful about the assumptions we bring to the reading of Scripture! A careful reading of the Word of God reveals a very clear answer. God would not accept Jephthah’s daughter (or any human life) as a burnt offering. The Law determined the purpose of sacrifice, and it has to do with gracious mercy, not bargaining. The Law of God determined the proper location for ritual sacrifice (Leviticus 17:1-9) and Jephthah was no where near the right place. The Law determined who was eligible to offer a burnt sacrifice and Jephthah simply didn’t make the cut. He was not a levitical priest! And, the Law clearly determined that which constituted an acceptable sacrifice. God forbade the human sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2; Deuteronomy 18:10 ). He desires none of His little one’s to perish. Perhaps the gift the unnamed daughter of Jephthah gives us, is the reminder that in the final analysis, there was really only one child worthy to be the sacrificed to God - Jesus Christ our Lord. Second, sometimes the most appropriate prayers don’t end with a period. She represents the importance of the prayer which ends in a question mark rather than a deal making handshake. As he stood there watching his daughter, Jephthah could have prayed again. Here are some other prayerful options for Jephthah: "Dear God, what was I thinking?" "Lord, was I praying for the right thing?" "Heavenly Father, could I have possibly offered you a deal that rubs against the grain of your nature?" "Lord, is it too late to pray another prayer and offer another vow?" The picture of Jephthah’s daughter dancing in the doorway should symbolize the reality that it is never too late to stop, look, listen, and pray again. There are no deals sealed in the prayer that never ceases. "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17) Third, the Holy Spirit perfects even our most feeble attempts at prayer. Can you remember the last time you knew you needed to pray, but you weren’t sure what to pray for? We’ve all been there countless times. In those moments, a certain fear can overwhelm us. It is the fear that we might be praying for the WRONG thing! Many a faithful soul has felt this fear in the waiting room of an Intensive Care Unit. Many a Christian has suffered through this fear when it comes time to make a decision about life support. Sometimes, relationships can become so complex and convoluted that we haven’t the foggiest idea of proper petition. And, the fact of the matter is that sometimes we do pray for the wrong thing. But remember, friends, God is always faithful. Remember, God never responds to prayer with wrong answers. The daughter of Jephthah stands there in the doorway to remind us of one of the greatest promises of the Christian faith. The prayer of the Christian is perfected by the Spirit of the Risen Lord Jesus! When we don’t know how to pray or what to pray for, pray anyway. Pray with the comfort and the confidence that as Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, He mediates on our behalf. The Spirit of the Risen Lord takes our prayers, edits them according the Will of the Father, and offers each prayer in absolute perfection! "...for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:26-27Fourth, faithful obedience is the most beautiful epitaph. What really happened to Jephthah’s daughter? Even as far back as the Medieval Ages, there was some question as to the true turn of events. Back then, many interpreters understood Jephthah’s vow not as that which ultimately leads to a child’s death, but of setting her aside for a life of purity and exclusive devotion to God. Jephthah’s own choice of words is terribly important. The word in verse 31, translated in many Bibles as "burnt offering," could just as faithfully be translated simply as "sacrifice." The word in Hebrew can also mean "a step up," or "an ascent," coming from the root verb "to ascend." Elsewhere in the Old Testament the same word is rendered "to perfect." The Jerusalem Bible translates the word as "holocaust." So you see, determining the original intent is not an easy task. (At times like this, I stop what I’m doing and give thanks to God for the faithful translators down through the ages who have had to lean heavily upon the Lord for interpretive guidance. It is a tough text, containing tough words to translate. And that is what makes Bible Study so exciting!) Also, notice the repeated emphasis in verses 37, 38, and 39 on her "virginity." Ask this question: Why is there grief over the fulfillment of the vow? If one reads this as story about the sacrifice that leads to the death of a daughter, the grief is obvious. If one reads it as a sacrifice of being set apart for a life of holiness and purity in perpetual virginity, there is understandable grief over the cessation of heirs, and the more profound grief of a young girl who will never know the wonder and joy of marriage, and never know the sacredness of holding a baby close to her breast. I’m still wondering which interpretive tract is correct. There seems to be ample evidence to support both traditions. But either way, she stands tall among Biblical characters as a role model of faith. Right along side young Isaac, who could have easily outrun is ancient Dad, stands a beautiful young woman whose faith in God was so profound that she would chose obedience over disobedience even if it meant great suffering and overwhelming loss, whatever form it might take. We won’t know her name until we have the honor to meet her in Heaven. There, to this very day, she sings and dances and beats her tambourine in joy over the victory of the Lord. One day, we will join her. Until then, we will remember her as a person of stunningly beautiful faith, all summed up in one line, an epitaph of faith: "My father, you have given your word to the Lord; do to me as you have said..." Judges 11:36For use as a closing prayer: Almighty God, bless Thou our children with healthful bodies, with good understandings, with the graces and gifts of Your Spirit, with sweet dispositions and holy habits, and sanctify them throughout in their bodies and souls and spirits, and keep them unblamable to the coming of the Lord Jesus. A prayer adapted from Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) English writer and Anglican Bishop (All Scripture references are from the New American Standard, unless otherwise noted.) Additional resources for further study: Most church libraries will have a copy of Edith Deen’s excellent book, All the Women of the Bible. A treatment of Jephthah’s Daughter, with background material, is found on page 74. Another book by the same title, All the Women of the Bible, was written by Herbert Lockyer, published by Zondervan Press. (See Chapter 3 beginning on page 170 for all the unnamed women of the Bible, and pages 182 through 185 for Jephthah’s Daughter.) Warren W. Wiersbe’s commentary on Judges entitled, Be Available: Accepting the Challenge to Confront the Enemy, contains some excellent background material for the understanding of Jephthah’s vow. It is also available in many church libraries. (See pages 98 through 101) Abraham Kuyper has a great little book entitled, Women of the Old
Testament. (See pages 78 through 81)
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