Topic: The Power Of A Vow [Saturday April 8, 2017]
“And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (Judg. 11:30-31)
Jephthah made a vow. God wrote it down and honoured it. Jephthah defeated his enemies, and returned to a heroic welcome. After all the pageantry, he had to go home, and home he went. In Judg. 11:34&35, something striking happened:
“And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.” (Judg. 11:34-35)
On getting home, the first person that came out to meet him was his daughter. In his vow, he said, “…whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me….” Obviously, he did not factor his daughter into the mix and that is most likely because whenever he got home, his daughter was never the first person (thing if you like) to come out to greet him. He must have been thinking of some animal. If he had a human being in mind, he would have used ‘whosoever.’
That noted, he said, “I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.”
If you have an unfulfilled vow, find a way to go and clear it before today. God rewards faithfulness.
Words of Wisdom: Faithfulness is being consistent in character, being predictable.
Confession/Prayer: God, help me to be faithful to my vow in due time.
Further Reading: Num. 22:2&3
Eagles Devotional is a daily revelatory and inspirational Publication by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the founder and presiding Pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, Nigeria.
African Broadcasting NetworkEagles Devotional: Ayo Oritsejafor Ministries (Word Alive Publications)
