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“And what more shall I say? For time would fail
me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets…
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” -Hebrews 11:32, 39-40
We all have heroes. The author of Hebrews dedicated a whole chapter of his letter to address heroes of the faith. Before he can tell us what it means to be a “hero of the faith,” he begins his chapter by defining what faith is. He writes, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” - Hebrews 11:1
Within
his discussion he gives us the importance of faith. He writes, “ And without faith it is impossible to please him,
for whoever would draw near to God must
believe that he exists and that
he rewards those who seek him” – Hebrews 11:6.
Faith is belief in God, and that belief in God brings some sort of
reward. Faith is not just belief, but
true faith sees faith as something to be valued. This faith was found in all of the writers
heroes of faith.
He walks through the Old Testament recounting classic stories of the faith! Anyone who has been to church or a VBS has probably heard a few of these stories. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Samson, Gideon…..Jephthah? Some of you might be asking, “Who? Jephthah? Who is that?” While others of you might be asking, “Jephthah? The guy from Judges who sacrificed his daughter? How was he a hero of the faith?” The answer may just surprise you…
He walks through the Old Testament recounting classic stories of the faith! Anyone who has been to church or a VBS has probably heard a few of these stories. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Samson, Gideon…..Jephthah? Some of you might be asking, “Who? Jephthah? Who is that?” While others of you might be asking, “Jephthah? The guy from Judges who sacrificed his daughter? How was he a hero of the faith?” The answer may just surprise you…
Who
was this hero of faith? Jephthah was a
ruler in Israel during the time of the Judges.
The “Spirit of the Lord” rested on him (Judges 11:29). In Judges 11, before he enters into battle
against the Amorites he makes a vow, “And
Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “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.”
In short: whatever comes out of my front door when I get home is to be offered to the Lord. Deep inside I wonder what exactly he thought was going to meet him. Did he hate his family pet and want to get rid of it? Was he not fond of his wife? I can only imagine!
But, whatever Jephthah thought would meet him, he obviously had faith that God would reward this vow with a victory (remember the definition of faith). This was a good thing to Jephthah. In fact, the Lord gave him a victory, though we do not know whether this is due to him making the vow of not (Judges 11:32-33). But Jephthah did not get the happy ending he was hoping for…
In short: whatever comes out of my front door when I get home is to be offered to the Lord. Deep inside I wonder what exactly he thought was going to meet him. Did he hate his family pet and want to get rid of it? Was he not fond of his wife? I can only imagine!
But, whatever Jephthah thought would meet him, he obviously had faith that God would reward this vow with a victory (remember the definition of faith). This was a good thing to Jephthah. In fact, the Lord gave him a victory, though we do not know whether this is due to him making the vow of not (Judges 11:32-33). But Jephthah did not get the happy ending he was hoping for…
Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came
out to meet him with tambourines
and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor
daughter. – Judges 11:34
Jephthah’s beloved, only daughter runs to meet him
(and celebrates his victory)! Jephthah
is devastated but determined to keep his vow to the Lord. His daughter submits herself to the vow of
her father, wanders in the mountains for two months to “weep for her
virginity.” (11:37). We are told that he fulfills his vow and that Israelites
for generations afterward would lament four days in the year because of this
vow. Even to this day this story leads
many to confusion and shock as we read it!
Yet Jephthah is still remembered as a hero of faith. How? How is something as (seemingly) gruesome as this an act of a hero of faith?
Yet Jephthah is still remembered as a hero of faith. How? How is something as (seemingly) gruesome as this an act of a hero of faith?
First, I think we understand the nature of
Jephthah’s sacrifice. While some commentators
would disagree with me, I think a strong case that can be made that his sacrifice
was not a human sacrifice.1
First, Jephthah, while being the son of a prostitute, was still very familiar with the Scriptures. In his reply to the king of Ammon he recounts
the Torah’s rescue of the Jewish people.
From verse 15- 28 Jephthah recounts the Israelite encounters with Moab,
even the encounter with Balak in Numbers 22!
Jephthah knew the law of God and therefore knew the prohibitions against
human sacrifice (Lev. 18:21 for example).
In fact, Jephthah’s emphasis upon the conquests of the Torah, where the
nations were driving out for human sacrifice, seem to be clear evidence that he
knew that it was prohibited by God (Deut. 12:31, in light of Deut. 7:1-5).
This knowledge would have made Jephthah keenly aware that any foolish and rash vows could be atoned for (Lev. 5:4-6). He had plenty of time to do this if he had second thoughts.
Let’s also remember that Jephthah did this as the “Spirit of the Lord” was upon him. Meaning, the Spirit led him to do it. The Spirit of God never leads us toward what the Word of God condemns.
This knowledge would have made Jephthah keenly aware that any foolish and rash vows could be atoned for (Lev. 5:4-6). He had plenty of time to do this if he had second thoughts.
Let’s also remember that Jephthah did this as the “Spirit of the Lord” was upon him. Meaning, the Spirit led him to do it. The Spirit of God never leads us toward what the Word of God condemns.
Second, look closer
at the vow he actually made. First, it
is actually a possible Hebrew translation that he said, “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, or I
will offer it up for a burnt offering.”
Also, the word for
“burnt offering” can also mean “total dedication” (though, I acknowledge this
is rare).
Third, we can notice the reaction of the people around Jephthah. His daughter is right to be concerned that she was going to be a virgin forever. But, notice, it never records her freaking out about losing her life. It is mentioned twice in v. 37 that she is weeping over her virginity. Also, I suppose if she didn’t want to die a virgin, she had 2 months in the mountains to do something about that. This was the time of the Judges, it wouldn’t have been very hard to fix that. Also, notice that for generations this was remembered and “commemorated” (NASB). They remembered this the same way Deborah back in chapter 5 remembered the “righteous triumphs of the Lord.”
All of this is evidence that Jephthah did not literally sacrifice his daughters life (the text doesn’t ever say he did that), but that he dedicated his daughters life unto the Lord, and therefore unto holiness. She was given to service the Lord, not to marry like most Israelite women.
This was a great sacrifice because to be childless in Israel culture was to bear a curse from God. (Exodus 23:26 shows how to have children was considered blessed). Also, by going through with this vow, Jephthah would end his family line in Israel. Jephthah’s vow was that he would curse his whole family. This is exactly why Jephthah and his daughter are remembered and “commemorated” both in the Old Testament and New Testament.
Jephthah was a man of faith because he would keep his vow to God. Jephthah teaches us that true faith will sacrifice everything in obedience to God, even if it means bearing social stigma. True faith leads the church to sacrifice when it comes to the issue of marriage. True faith leads us to sacrifice to continue to turn the tides of sanctity of human life. True faith leads us to give everything, time and resources, for the spread of the gospel to the nations. Even if it costs us our “street cred” (which is of no value). Jephthah knew not only that God existed, but that His reward was worth giving up everything for. He knew the treasures of God were greater than the treasures of this world! (Heb. 10:34. 11:10)
Jephthah tells the church that we need not cave on these convictions. Jephthah’s daughter teaches us that submission to the will of God, even if it means sacrifice, will never leave us empty handed. Jepthah was not on the wrong side of history, though to many readers it may seem like it. He was commended for his faith, though he did not receive what he was promised (Heb. 11:39). He longed for a Messiah. I’m sure he hoped the long awaited would come through his daughter. But that would never happen now.
The good news though was not for waste. For the Messiah did come. Much like Jephthah and his daughter, he made a promise, a vow. But His was perfect. Jesus Christ the Son of God made a vow to God the Father to go to earth and redeem a people. He would go to earth as a man and redeem vow breakers. All of us have broken fellowship with God because of our sin. We are the ones who have made vows we should not have. Vows we could not and should not have kept. Jesus would fulfill his vow. He would need to suffer.
Jesus was rejected by men, but greater than that He was rejected by God. He would bear the holy curse of God in the place of sinners (Galatians 3:13-14). Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient to God, went to suffer, bleed, and die upon the cross as a substitute for a vow breaking humanity. He felt the full punishment for sin on the cross. Three days later He would rise again from the grave to defeat sin, death, and Hell and today stands in Heaven with His arms wide open to forgive any who will turn from their vow breaking ways of sin and trust by faith in His finished work. Jesus Christ vows to not turn away any who turn to Him (John 6:37) and He will not turn anyway anybody who will come upon His name (Romans 10:14).
Third, we can notice the reaction of the people around Jephthah. His daughter is right to be concerned that she was going to be a virgin forever. But, notice, it never records her freaking out about losing her life. It is mentioned twice in v. 37 that she is weeping over her virginity. Also, I suppose if she didn’t want to die a virgin, she had 2 months in the mountains to do something about that. This was the time of the Judges, it wouldn’t have been very hard to fix that. Also, notice that for generations this was remembered and “commemorated” (NASB). They remembered this the same way Deborah back in chapter 5 remembered the “righteous triumphs of the Lord.”
All of this is evidence that Jephthah did not literally sacrifice his daughters life (the text doesn’t ever say he did that), but that he dedicated his daughters life unto the Lord, and therefore unto holiness. She was given to service the Lord, not to marry like most Israelite women.
This was a great sacrifice because to be childless in Israel culture was to bear a curse from God. (Exodus 23:26 shows how to have children was considered blessed). Also, by going through with this vow, Jephthah would end his family line in Israel. Jephthah’s vow was that he would curse his whole family. This is exactly why Jephthah and his daughter are remembered and “commemorated” both in the Old Testament and New Testament.
Jephthah was a man of faith because he would keep his vow to God. Jephthah teaches us that true faith will sacrifice everything in obedience to God, even if it means bearing social stigma. True faith leads the church to sacrifice when it comes to the issue of marriage. True faith leads us to sacrifice to continue to turn the tides of sanctity of human life. True faith leads us to give everything, time and resources, for the spread of the gospel to the nations. Even if it costs us our “street cred” (which is of no value). Jephthah knew not only that God existed, but that His reward was worth giving up everything for. He knew the treasures of God were greater than the treasures of this world! (Heb. 10:34. 11:10)
Jephthah tells the church that we need not cave on these convictions. Jephthah’s daughter teaches us that submission to the will of God, even if it means sacrifice, will never leave us empty handed. Jepthah was not on the wrong side of history, though to many readers it may seem like it. He was commended for his faith, though he did not receive what he was promised (Heb. 11:39). He longed for a Messiah. I’m sure he hoped the long awaited would come through his daughter. But that would never happen now.
The good news though was not for waste. For the Messiah did come. Much like Jephthah and his daughter, he made a promise, a vow. But His was perfect. Jesus Christ the Son of God made a vow to God the Father to go to earth and redeem a people. He would go to earth as a man and redeem vow breakers. All of us have broken fellowship with God because of our sin. We are the ones who have made vows we should not have. Vows we could not and should not have kept. Jesus would fulfill his vow. He would need to suffer.
Jesus was rejected by men, but greater than that He was rejected by God. He would bear the holy curse of God in the place of sinners (Galatians 3:13-14). Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient to God, went to suffer, bleed, and die upon the cross as a substitute for a vow breaking humanity. He felt the full punishment for sin on the cross. Three days later He would rise again from the grave to defeat sin, death, and Hell and today stands in Heaven with His arms wide open to forgive any who will turn from their vow breaking ways of sin and trust by faith in His finished work. Jesus Christ vows to not turn away any who turn to Him (John 6:37) and He will not turn anyway anybody who will come upon His name (Romans 10:14).
Why was Jephthah a man of faith? He sacrificed. He faced social stigma for the sake of being
faithful to God. This is a lesson the
writer to the Hebrews wanted to teach his readers in the first century, and
those in the 21st century. We
must be willing to sacrifice for our faith.
Obedience cost Jephthah his
daughter. For others it will cost future jobs. For some it will cost “street
cred”. For some in history it has cost them their lives
(Hebrews 11:37-38). Will we be willing
to sacrifice like Jephthah knowing that God truly does “reward those who earnestly
seek him?” (11:6)
1I
am well aware this is not the most widely held view of this passage. John MacArthur, Matthew Henry, and Charles
Spurgeon (to name a few) would disagree with me on this point. I find that the arguments to believe it was
not human sacrifice are stronger than the argument (often assumption or assertion,
in my opinion) that he did sacrifice her given by these godly men whom I
respect. I am greatly indebted to Dr.
Joel Beeke and his sermon at FPC Jackson called, “Contagious Sacrificial Submission” for influencing my thinking of this passage. John Wesley also held to this view. This view
also appeared in a recent article from Miles Van Pelt of RTS at TGC.
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