Former Blackout Artist

Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. – 1 Samuel 15:22

When Jephthah prepared to go to battle against the Ammonites, he made a crazy vow that revealed more desperation than devotion. He promised God that if He would give him victory, in exchange he would sacrifice whatever came out of the door of his house to meet him upon his victorious return. We might recall that this foolish vow ended tragically, costing the life of his daughter.

Did Jephthah not know the law? The Torah strictly prohibited human sacrifice! (Deuteronomy 12:31; Leviticus 18:21) This wasn’t a case like Abraham being tested with Isaac – where God commanded it for a specific purpose and then provided a substitute. Jephthah’s foolish words were his own idea, born of desperation and misunderstanding. Whether God would have punished him for breaking the vow, we will never know. But what we do know is that keeping such a vow was never God’s will in the first place!

King Saul made a similar error. In the heat of battle, he swore that none of his men could eat until evening, hoping that his rash command would somehow guarantee victory (1 Samuel 14:24). Instead, this horrible vow weakened the troops, nearly costing his son Jonathan’s life, and revealed Saul’s recklessness and foolishness as a leader.

Both men remind us that God is not impressed by impulsive promises or desperate bargains (as if we could even possibly have something to offer God!). He doesn’t want irrational vows. He wants faithful obedience.

We may not make sacrifices like Jephthah or starve an army like Saul, but many of us still fall into the same trap today. In moments of fear, we say things like:

• Lord, if You get me out of this mess, I’ll serve you more faithfully.
• God, if You give me this job, I’ll finally start giving.
• If You will heal me, Lord, I promise I’ll change.

These vows may sound pious, but at their root they are often selfish. They try to leverage God, as if His blessings can be earned by our bargaining. The truth is, the only vow God wants from us is not one we make in panic, but one we live out daily: to trust Him and to obey Him. That’s the vow that brings life, peace, and blessing…. not ruin.