She made a simple decision, a response really, that would alter her future forever. She did nothing wrong, she was just doing what anyone else would have done in the same circumstances, but she was unaware that someone else had set something in motion that could not be undone. The entire exchange has been the center of many discussions by pastors for many, many years with differing opinions. We never learn her name, only that she is the daughter of Jephthah, the man who made a vow to the Lord.
While she is first mentioned in Judges 11:34, her story begins with her father in the beginning of the chapter. His introduction is found in verse one: Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. This tells us two things about him, he was a mighty man of valour meaning he was a man’s man, he was no wimp, he possessed a great amount of courage. This verse also says that he was the son of a harlot, this means he was not accepted by anyone, it seems that his father might have accepted him, but when his half brothers grew up they wanted nothing to do with him and forced him to leave. So Jephthah made his own way in the world, he lived in the land of Tob and managed to gather a small band of men. But like many classic stories, those who turned their backs on him, ignoring his very existence, came face to face with some serious trouble that they could not handle so they go running to the one person who has the courage they lack and experience they need, the one they cast aside was the one they now looked to as a military leader. As you might have guessed, Jephthah did bring up the past, making a point to mention that these “brethren” of his had wanted nothing to do with him, in fact he says that they hated him but now they wanted him to be their captain as if they were all the best of friends. After the treatment he has received in the past, it's understandable that he is a bit hesitant to believe them but after they affirm their statement before the Lord, Jephthah agrees to help them. This need for a guaranteed reward is interesting, and makes you wonder if this was the main driving force behind Jephthah, a man driven from his people, forced to forge his own way without the support of family. Maybe he didn’t want to be used so he bartered for a position of leadership, or maybe he was desperate to be recognized as someone important, to make his family acknowledge him. We can’t know for sure but this could be what played a part in the tragedy that was to shortly take place. As he prepares to do battle he makes a vow before the Lord. 30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31 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. We read the words of a man who seems to be willing to do anything to guarantee a victory, he asked that the Lord without fail, deliver the children of Ammon into his hands. He is craving a victory, a need to win that may be fed by his desire to be accepted by those who cast him aside as nothing. Whatever the reason, Jephthah has made a vow that cannot be broken, one many say was done in haste. Did he think it through? Would it have been better to be specific in what he offered instead of whatever comes out. While many say that the animals may have moved freely in and out of people’s homes back then, there had to be at least the thought that a person may be the first thing to come out but as the old saying goes, act in haste, repent in leisure. It was a vow made in haste that would yield heartwrenching consequences. Jephthah was granted the victory he desired, a without fail victory delivered to him by the hand of the Lord and it was a great victory, the children of Ammon were completely subdued. Now Jephthah makes his way home, feeling pretty good about his victory, but his triumph quickly turns to tragedy as his eyes watch the first thing that emerges from the doors of his house, his daughter, his only daughter, she had come to meet him, to celebrate his great victory with song and dance. The Bible emphasizes that this was his only child, he didn’t have any other sons or daughters, just her. We read his agony in verse 35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. He was devastated, his hasty words would now cost him everything, there was no undoing it or going back. For this, Jephthah must be commended, he was a man of honor, a man of his word and it seems that he had instilled this in his daughter as we read her response to her entire future in verse 36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. Of course the big question here is, what happens to her? Did her father sacrifice her as a burnt offering? I am going to say right here that I am not sure, I am only going to give a little of my own thoughts mixed with some of the things that I read. First let’s read the remaining verses in Judges 11 37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39 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, 40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. For myself, personally I don’t believe he killed her, the text never specifies it and God was against human sacrifice and God never contradicts Himself. When He told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, the angel intervened before Abraham could fulfill it so I don’t think she was killed as a burnt offering. However, it seems that she was never to marry which was almost as hard as her life being lost. The continuing of the family was everything and while his family name would not have lived on when she married, his legacy would have, he would have had the chance to have grandchildren that carried a part of him. This was lost, a tragic loss for both father and daughter. She would never be a wife and mother. His daughter may have been dedicated to serving the Lord in the temple, perhaps like Samuel, or I also think of Anna in the New Testament, she served the Lord daily. It is worth pointing out that the text emphasizes her grief over her virginity. She asks her father to give her two months to bewail her virginity, her friends go with her and mourn and when she comes back to her father, he fulfills his vow with the added statement, she knew no man. Both of these statements lean to the fact that she would never marry instead offered as a human sacrifice. I want to share a few lessons that we can learn from this heartbreaking story. First, be careful of the vows you make. In Deuteronomy 23 verses 21 through 23 we read what God thinks about vows. 21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. To make a vow is a serious thing, that’s why Jephthah said he could not go back on it, he understood the gravity of his words. Notice that God tells us it is not a sin not to vow, but when we do make one it is a sin not to keep it. Second, be careful of the reason why you make a vow. A vow should never be flippantly made nor should it be to simply get what you want, like a barter. Jephthah made a vow to God for a victory, but was it because he wanted it for his people, did he believe he could manipulate God, was he willing to sacrifice anything to gain a victory in order to prove himself to his half brothers? Or was it a little of everything? I can’t help but wonder. Jephthah was an outcast, no one ever stood up for him. When his half brothers raised a fuss and threw him out there was no one who said it was wrong or that they should not have treated him that way. He was simply tossed aside, left to make out by himself. Maybe he felt that if he could guarantee a win, he would finally be accepted so he bargained with God. Remember how he phrased it to God? If thou shalt without fail, that is a specific request. God is not to be manipulated and we should never behave as if we can offer Him something in exchange for a specific service or deed. Third, remember that your choices often affect others. Japhthah’s decisions to make a hasty and in many ways foolish vow cost not only him but his daughter. All her dreams of becoming a wife and mother, of having her father’s grandchildren, were gone in an instant. Whenever we make decisions, especially ones on a larger scale, we should weigh our options, count the cost, and seek wisdom. The story of Japhthath and his daughter is not an easy one to read, it has no happy ending, in reality it ends in tragedy yet there are lessons still found within these verses. Decisions made in haste or even based on emotions rarely turn out well. We are told over and over again to be wise and to seek counsel, surround yourself with good friends, people you can trust, people you can go to when you have a question or pressing matters. Above all, seek the Lord, walk in His ways and ask for His wisdom. The best way is to spend time in the word of God daily. The more you do, the more He will reveal to you. Are you like me? Do you see December as the perfect time to make a plan for the upcoming year? As December rolls around I start thinking about what I want to focus on during my quiet time over the next twelve months. In the past I have read through the women of the Bible as well as the prayers. You can find those Bible reading plans here as a FREE download. I have also read through the Bible in a year. For this I enjoyed using a particular Bible, one of my many wonderful Goodwill finds I might add, because it features the entire text of the Bible arranged into 365 bite-sized sections. Each day you read a balanced blend of scripture from the old and new testament along with a little bit of psalms and proverbs. I really enjoyed this layout and it made it easy to follow through. You can purchase it on Amazon here.
Other times I enjoy focusing on a particular monthly plan. One year I chose twelve different reading plans that focused on different topics such as the names of God, anxiety, and encouragement and also paired it with twelve different devotional books. That was a tremendous blessing to my heart and I really enjoyed it. You can find some of them on my Pinterest board or search for others that are of interest to you. For the last couple of years I have made it a point to choose a word for myself, something that I believed I needed. Last year, it was the word renew, I wanted to renew my mind and my spirit. To restore and replenish myself, to remember who is the restorer of my soul, the good, kind Shepherd. This year I chose another word but have decided to do something a little different and focus on this word during my quiet time, selecting passages that emphasize this. I am already enjoying it and am excited to deepen my relationship with God more over this next year. To do this means that I have to be intentional about my time with the Lord. Quality over Quantity So often it is easy to get caught up in the day to day things in our life, our regular routine, including our quiet time. While it is good to have a regular quiet time, what is your purpose? Can you relate to this at all? You open your Bible, read a few verses, say a quick prayer, and mentally check off a list and then go about the rest of your day. What happens when we do this? Are we able to say that it was a meaningful time with the Lord, one that impacted our behavior throughout the rest of our day? Quality over quantity. My mom has stressed this to me over the years, she is a seamstress and always tells me that she is not a fast seamstress because it takes her time to create a piece of clothing that not only looks good but is well made, one that will last. Whenever my mom finishes a project it is always stunning, that’s why she believes in taking her time because the results will always be worth it. I believe this principle can be applied to our time with the Lord, it was never meant to be rushed. We should never worry about reading so many verses or spending so many minutes because if we do our focus is on the wrong thing. Our time in the word of God is not a quota that needs to be filled. It is a privilege to open the Word of God. Has that thought ever occurred to you? The words you just read are His Words, His own words preserved for us to read over and over again. They are meant to sink into our soul, to penetrate our mind and heart, why? So they can influence our life. The Bible is the only book that can transform our life, and gives us what we need to make a difference in our world. Having a meaningful quiet time But how do we make the most of our quiet time? These two passages from Psalms give us a hint. Psalm 1:1-3 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 119: 14-16 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Notice some similar words in these two sections? Delight and meditate were both mentioned. The man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, or sits in the seat of the scornful is the man whose delight is the law of the Lord. He is someone who takes pleasure in the Word of God and enjoys spending time in it on a regular basis. This is a challenge to us. Do we delight in the Word of God, do we enjoy spending time in it or do we see it as a duty, something that must be done in order to check it off our list? Do we simply read a few verses and go about our day untouched by what we read? If we are not careful, it can be easy to simply read and leave, but maybe that is because we came with the wrong attitude in the first place. We must come with the mindset that this is no ordinary book. I remember mentioning to a friend one time that it always amazed me how I could glean something new from a passage I had read so many times before. Their answer stayed with me, "the Bible is a living book." As we continue to read the Bible year after year, letting it change and shape us, familiar passages will reveal new truths to us and passages that may have been difficult or unclear will begin to make sense as we mature in our faith. Paul admonishes us to grow in the knowledge of our Savior and that only comes when we spend time in the Word of God, when we make it our delight. But there is another word, one that is the key to transforming our life, in fact it is the key to success. Meditation. The key to success Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. I once heard someone preach a sermon on this passage, on the importance of meditating on God’s Word and wrote a specific blog on this topic if you want to read it. He made an interesting point about this verse, it is the only place the word, "Success" is used in the Bible. This is important to note, especially since it was spoken by God. Joshua had just lost his mentor, Israel had just lost their leader and the entire responsibility now rested on Joshua’s shoulders. Understandably he was feeling very overwhelmed, but God assured him that He would be with him. Joshua had no need to be afraid but instead, could be strong and courageous because God was there with him as He had been with Moses. God also gave Joshua something special, the key to a successful life. What was it? Don’t let the book of the law, the Bible, depart out of his mouth. How was he to do this? Meditating on the Word of God day and night. You might think this is a bit odd or even foreign as it goes against all we have been taught on the topic of success. Success comes to those who work hard, who never quit, who are persistent, but wouldn’t you agree that those who read God’s word will find those principles taught throughout? True success is found by those who have hidden God’s Word in their heart through meditation, letting its truths and principles embed themselves into their heart so it can influence their everyday life. Our heart is where the issues of life abide, where they are born, and what is buried inside will make itself known through our words, actions, and beliefs. What does meditation look like? Well if you want some great tips you can listen to the podcast I did with Sarah Geringer on meditation. For the moment, however, I will share the illustration the preacher gave as he expounded on this important tool. He told us about a time when he was a teenager visiting a old man who spoke to him and his companions about meditation using Psalm 23 as an example. The elderly man said, "The Lord is my Shepherd." "Who is the Lord?, he asked. "He is our guide, judge, provider, deliverer, protector, redeemer, teacher….this is who the Lord is, this is the One who is our shepherd and what is a shepherd? He guides his flock, he protects, and provides for the sheep making sure they are safe, and well cared for, never without a want." The preacher told us that this exercise, of taking the different words in a sentence, breaking them down into their own thoughts then bringing them back together for a big picture was life changing for him. He was never able to read his Bible the same. And I was challenged that day I heard him preach, it has been over ten years since I heard that message but I never forgot his words or the principle. Why Meditate? Meditation is a critical part of our quiet time with the Lord because it is how we graft it into our heart as we carry it with us throughout the day. God wants to impart His wisdom to us and it is through His precious words written down for us. Are you looking for success? You hold it in your hand every time you open the Bible or hid it in your heart. It is the key to life, it has all the answers to those who are willing to spend the time in it. God will not withhold from those who wish to know His wisdom. Where do you start, Proverbs 2:1-9 has a great list. 1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. God is ready to give you His wisdom but the choice of just how bad you want it is up to you. Are you willing to incline your ear? Willing to search for her like you would for treasure? It is not an empty search, God promises that you will find it if you seek it. All who seek Him will find Him. Are you seeking Him? It begins with spending time in the word of God daily. Remember it is not about how many verses you read. Maybe you only read one verse but you take that verse to heart, you hide it within your heart, and you meditate on it all day. A cow does not eat grass and digest it at the same time. It grazes for a time, then spends the rest of the day chewing and rechewing it until it has gotten every ounce of nutrition from it. That is what God desires us to do with His word. If you take one verse, one truth and mull it over all day, as you drive to the store, as you wash dishes, as you get dinner ready, you will glean all that God wants you to for that day. Can I gently challenge you to examine your quiet time with the Lord? Is it something that you do out of duty, to say that you read your Bible today yet you walk away empty? Do you feel unsuccessful in life? We are in a new year, you couldn’t ask for a better time to begin a meaningful quiet time with the Lord. He is waiting to meet you there, in the stillness, and it is in the stillness that you will be able to know Him as never before. Isn’t that exciting? That the God of the universe, the One who is in control of everything, wants you to know everything about Him? Challenge yourself over the next week, the next seven days to read your Bible slowly, one verse at a time, letting the words sink inside your heart and mind, asking yourself questions about it and allowing God to speak to you and transform you into His image. Can I encourage you to take some time to format a plan of action for these coming months. Maybe you want to read through the Bible in a year? Maybe a friend has recommended a devotional book that you wanted to read but haven’t had the time? Incorporate it into your quiet time. Maybe it is focusing on a particular topic like anxiety, discouragement, worry, or the mind. Choose today to make spending time in God’s word a priority, even if it is just a few minutes each day, I promise it will be time well spent. For many, January marks the start of something new, the chance to become something better which often results in a resolution being made as the clock strikes twelve. We wake up on January first with great ambition, excited by a new month and a new year to resolve to become a new and improved you. Something that the local gyms thrive on. While our intentions are good, usually by the first week in February we have lost interest, gotten discouraged, or are simply too busy doing other things and have forgotten our resolutions.
This experience, yes, I too have made several resolutions only to have them fizzle out in a few weeks or maybe a month, leaves me wondering if it is even worth making a resolution. What is the purpose of resolving to do something if we will only quit? As often the case, it made me curious, so I decided to look up the definition of the word, "resolve" which is: "a firm decision to do or not to do something." As I read this definition my mind went to the hymn, “I am Resolved”, here are the three stanzas: I am resolved No longer to linger charmed by the world's delight Things that are higher Things that are nobler These have allured my sight. I am resolved To go to the savior Leaving my sin and strife He is the true one He is the just one He has the words of life. I am resolved To follow my savior Faithful and true each day Heed what he sayeth Do what he willeth He is the living way Should we have a New Years resolution? I believe new years resolutions are a good thing but the reason behind it is what really matters. What is our goal when we set a resolution?
So what should our resolutions look like? I believe we can gain some insight by going back to those lyrics of that old hymn. They are powerful lines that challenge us in almost every area. I want to use them as a suggestion for some new year resolutions. Three New Year's Resolutions1. I am resolved - I have made a firm decision to - no longer linger, charmed by the world’s delight. Think about that for a moment. When we are charmed by something, it has captured our attention, we are enamoured by it. Satan does his best to make the world a charming, captivating place, he wants us to stay focused on it, to linger. An unproductive Christian is exactly what Satan wants. We must be resolved to leave the world behind us, to press toward the mark, to set our mind on things above, things that are higher, nobler, to let them allure our sight. Allure means to powerfully attract, the things of God should be our only attraction. It should capture our sight completely and be our sole focus. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3 2. I am resolved - I have made the firm decision to - go to the Savior, to be in His presence. What a privilege it is for us to come boldly to His throne, to make our requests known, to share all our fears and cares, to lay them all at His feet and be assured that He hears and sees them all. We can go the Savior and received everything we need to face the day, overcome every temptation, and be refreshed. But to go to something means we leave something else, we leave our sin and our strife. Neither of these can abide in the presence of our Savior. How do we conquer our sin? We go to the Savior, we spend time with Him in His word, stilling our soul so that we can know Him. He who is the true One, He who is the just One, and He who has the words of life. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 3. I am resolved - I have made the firm decision to - follow the Savior. For those who use Instagram, you know what a follower is, it how you stay connected with someone and learn about their daily life. Can we say that we follow the Savior in the same way? Do we want to stay connected to Him, to know more about Him and what He values, likes, dislikes, brings Him pleasure? To follow someone means you pay close attention to them, are we paying close attention to our Savior? The One who is our example for everything? It is also important to remember that we are being watched by others, especially those younger than us, they are paying attention to the things we say and do. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul tells the believers: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Paul understood the importance of being a follower of Christ because it is the only way we can be a positive influence on those who may be following us. The choices we make matter, especially when it comes to the things we pursue or follow. The remaining words of the final stanza give us insight into how we are to do this. Faithful and true each day. Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth, He is the living way. We follow Christ today, right now, each day we need to follow Him, paying attention to the things He whispers to our hearts and meditate on His written words. Don’t worry about what you will do tomorrow, today is right now, this moment when we must heed what He sayeth, do what He willieth, why? Because He is the living way, the way that leads to eternal life. Will you make a firm decision? Should we make a new year’s resolution? My answer is yes, but I believe it should not just be ones that are about making ourselves physically better though they are worthy goals. We should make it our main goal, our firm decision, to seek to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is important that we resolve to become more like Christ, choosing to remove all the weights that would easily beset us, to firmly decide to spend that essential time alone in God’s word, saturating our hearts and minds so that our focus remains solely on Him. As we prepare to welcome a new year, can I challenge you to set aside some time over the next few days to write down some resolutions for yourself, some firm decisions? Maybe it is choosing a word that describes what you want to cultivate in your life like meditation or memorization. Maybe it is resolving to get up 30 minutes earlier each day to read God’s Word and journal a few thoughts. Maybe it is firmly deciding to limit your time on social media or even take a step away from it for the month of January using that time to memorize some scripture instead? Our life is short, it is but a vapor, we are not promised tomorrow, we only have today to prepare for eternity. May we be a people resolved, having made a firm decision to no longer linger in this fleeting world, charmed by its temporary and empty delights, resolved to pursue and follow our Savior, the One who is the way, the truth, and the life. |
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Sarah GraceI am just an ordinary girl who is loved by an extraordinary God and I seek to love others the same way. I love to bake, read, do puzzles, watch Hallmark movies, and go shopping with my mom! This blog was created as a place where I could share some thoughts that the Lord has shown me and to be an encouragement to others who desire to know Him in a deeper way. My prayer is to learn to sit still and trust God with my future. Archives
December 2023
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