Being in the mindset of curiosity when reading the Old Testament can help you deepen your understanding and awareness of God and His plans. When we look through our own human eyes, we may think, How could God let this girl be sacrificed? But when we pause and contemplate, ask God for guidance and understanding, our questions and our responses become quite different.
We spoke about a story this week that had some twists and turns that are unpleasant. Jephthah, who is leading the Israelites and very influenced by the worship of Baal, who do human sacrifice, makes a vow to God: if He will help them in battle, he will sacrifice the first thing that comes out his front door returning from battle.
Jephthah is living in a time of great evil. The Israelites have turned to worshiping false gods, and the Lord God is angry. He says, I have had enough of you, I turn my face from you. God expresses His anger towards the Israelites for their disobedience, stating that He handed them over to their enemies and would not help them. This is particularly noted in Judges 2:14, where it describes how the Lord allowed them to suffer because they did not listen to Him.
Jephthah does not have the ear of God. God is not speaking to him or guiding him in his leadership. His people have betrayed The Lord God over and over with idol worship. God is silent.
In Judges 11:30-31, Jephthah, a judge of Israel, made a foolish vow that if God gave him victory in the upcoming battle, he would sacrifice whatever first came out of his door when he came home. Jephthah was victorious in the battle against the Ammonites (Judges 11:32-33). When Jephthah returned home after the battle, his daughter came to greet him (Judges 11:34). Jephthah was devastated and stated that he had made a vow to the Lord that he could not break (Judges 11:35). Jephthah’s daughter asked for a two-month “reprieve,” and Jephthah granted her request (Judges 11:36-38). The passage then states that Jephthah “did to her as he had vowed” (Judges 11:39).
I wondered about this after reading it slowly, and I saw a foolish vow and a merciful God. God accepted the vow so He could receive this beautiful girl into heaven immediately. She did not suffer, and she was immediately with God in heaven. The stupidity of the father making the vow had nothing to do with what God wanted, directed, or asked for. It was done by a mind influenced by his environment – in a subculture of human sacrifice of Baal worshippers.
There are a couple things to pay attention to as you read the story. The daughter is willing to be sacrificed and asked for 2 months to spend time with friends first. It was a foolish but great gesture on the part of Jephthah, as we read how beautiful his only child, a daughter, was and understood the love he had for her. All expectations were that she was being offered, meaning sent to God. Everyone believed, and rightly so, she would take her place in heaven. After this, they observe her purity and sacrifice for 4 days yearly, and it is ongoing for many generations, so she is honored and revered.
God will allow us to be foolish and will use all things for good.