Let’s Make a Deal

Judges 11: 29 -40

Today, I was captured right off the bat. A story of a sacrifice that I've overlooked in the past, a story much like Abraham and Isaac, but this one had a different ending. Please take the time to read the whole story for yourself!

Let's make a deal went through my small brain reading this story. How often have you tried to make a deal with God? You know Lord if you just get me through this appointment with good news I promise that I will teach in Sunday school from now on. Lord, if you will just get me out of this bad situation, I promise I will never do this again. Knowing full well that you will not be able to teach Sunday school from now on and the possibility is that you will do something again.

Well Jephthah made a vow that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites then he would give whomever walked out of his house to him in a burnt offering. Several things got my attention right here...1) God would have been upset at the beginning of these words this was pagan to offer human sacrifice 2) who did Jephthah expect to walk out of the house – his wife, mother-in-law, cousin, he had to know somebody that lived in the house was who he was talking about!

Trust such a small word with such big meaning. If Jephthah would have trusted God in the beginning and not tried to make a deal this would not have happened. Fact is that if he would have trusted God he would have had victory and his daughter. Instead, the ultimate sacrifice was made with his daughter. Many question this story, but I don't. I believe that first off God was upset that Jephthah would have made such a vow and would have allowed this to happen for many reasons. First, the lack of trust and faith in God to give him victory. Second, this was a pagan ritual and God really would not have been pleased. Don't make a vow to God unless you intend to keep it.

Why wouldn't it have been easier to say Lord, I'm afraid. Help me with this battle. You know me I cannot do this without you. Trust and honesty with the Lord and this story would have had a much happier ending much like the Abraham story. Do you see the difference Abraham trusted the LORD with his son's life and Jephthah didn't trust the Lord with a battle much less his child…he was a dealmaker, not a leader of the people and follower of the LORD.

I'm still intrigued with who he expected to walk out of the house…Who do you think was okay to sacrifice? What a story to teach us to trust in the LORD always!!!

Trusting,

Debbie