Tough passage in Judges
Judges 11 provides us with the account of Jephthah's vow: “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”
God gives Jephthah victory, and as he returns to his home... his only daughter walks out the door, signifying what his end of the vow entails. Unlike the account of Abraham and Isaac, God does not provide an alternate sacrifice in this case. In trying to humanly understand this (which I am having a hard time doing), I look through the passage for clues as to why God causes/allows this to happen.
Perhaps the fact that Jephthah's life is influenced by "worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him." Is it possible that we don't have the full picture of some egregious events that this posse conducted? Is it possible that God used the vow as a means by which to punish Jephthah for consequences of past sinfulness? Merely speculation on my part...
What I do know is that God uses circumstances in the lives of His people to turn their hearts and eyes towards Him. While I may not understand the passage, I know that He sits on the throne and used this girl's death for a purpose.
Update: thought some more about this, and perused a couple of commentaries... Why would Jephthah make such a vow? Did he not consider what the consequences could be? Some say that he probably just excommunicated his daughter and didn't sacrifice her...
God gives Jephthah victory, and as he returns to his home... his only daughter walks out the door, signifying what his end of the vow entails. Unlike the account of Abraham and Isaac, God does not provide an alternate sacrifice in this case. In trying to humanly understand this (which I am having a hard time doing), I look through the passage for clues as to why God causes/allows this to happen.
Perhaps the fact that Jephthah's life is influenced by "worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him." Is it possible that we don't have the full picture of some egregious events that this posse conducted? Is it possible that God used the vow as a means by which to punish Jephthah for consequences of past sinfulness? Merely speculation on my part...
What I do know is that God uses circumstances in the lives of His people to turn their hearts and eyes towards Him. While I may not understand the passage, I know that He sits on the throne and used this girl's death for a purpose.
Update: thought some more about this, and perused a couple of commentaries... Why would Jephthah make such a vow? Did he not consider what the consequences could be? Some say that he probably just excommunicated his daughter and didn't sacrifice her...
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