“It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.”
and only later to consider one’s vows.”
Admiral Ackbar’s cry of warning to the Rebel Alliance in the movie ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’, when they realized the shield around the “fully armed and operational battle station” was still up, was the first thing my kids and I heard. After we took some time giving our best Ackbar impersonations, we began to explore this proverb from a long time ago, in a culture far, far away. Because of its intro, we began to know this as the Star Wars’ proverb.
When we considered it, the story of Jephthah came to mind as one who made an oath rashly, in Judges 11. Jephthah wanted to win a battle against neighboring Ammon over a dispute of land ownership, Judges 11:12-29. So he made his oath to the LORD, in Judges 11:30-31, and said, “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” The LORD did as Jephthah asked, but the first thing that came out was not a thing, it was his daughter! The trap of an oath rashly given was complete! After he saw this, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break,” Judges 11:35. She was his only child.
Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter? I’d consult the ‘book of armaments’ in: https://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/did-jephthah-sacrifice-daughter-to-god.html, to answer that. Jephthah got to experience the truth of this proverb and in bitterness fulfilled his vow.
I then asked my kids, “Where’s Jesus in this proverb?” As I asked this, it’s not to say that Jesus looked at each proverb and took the task to fulfill each one, but in His completeness as the Son of God, it was written in Colossians 2:3 “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Jesus fulfilled everything. Although again, as in most other proverbs, we feel the inescapable jaws of judgment and condemnation and are taught the discernment to ‘avoid the noid’, I mean the trap of impetuous oath making, Jesus is the One who sets the captives free as it is written of Him in Luke 4:16-21 quoting and fulfilling Isaiah 61:1.
Praise be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who sets us free! We are made new and complete in Him, Colossians 2:10! Although this Star Wars’ proverb warns us and Jephthah’s example witnesses to us and we learn to be wise in what we say, Jesus gives us our freedom no matter how many Death Stars are built by the Empire.