Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Judges 10-12.
What a horrific scene!Last year, I wrote an article where we discussed: Did Jephthah's imbecilic vow result in his
daughter's burning as a human sacrifice?
What strikes me this year is not necessarily Jephthath's rash vow, but the making of a vow to begin with.
It seems to me that a vow is a bargain with God: If you do this God, then I will do that.Apparently, nowhere in the Bible does God instruct his people to make vows.
Yet, if they did make a vow, he expected them to keep it:
“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. 23 You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth." (Deut 23:21-2
However, if you did make a ridiculous vow, that would ultimately lead one to sin, then God had also provided an escape clause:
"...or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; 5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin." (Lev 5:4-6)
Further still, we can see that Jesus was unhappy with the oath-making Jews, and condemned the practice:
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil." (Matt 5:33-37)Later still, James make the same point:"But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation." (James 5:12)
Therefore, God would not like his children to make an oath. However, if you do, he expects you to keep it, unless it would force sin upon you.
Rather, let's just not make an oath at all, because who are we to presume to have a bargaining chip with God!
