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< STRONG No. He didn't command people to offer their children up as sacrifices in the same manner as animals. (Biblical)

Deuteronomy 12:31 "You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods."

Leviticus 18:21 " 'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed* to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD."

Genesis 22:2 "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."

- http://www.ffrf.org/books/lfif/?t=contra

< STRONG Yes, He did order a human sacrifice for ONE person, but he prevented it from actually happening.

The reason for requesting that from Abraham was to determine Abraham's faithfulness and obedience to God. It does not mean God commanded the rest of the Jews to sacrifice humans.

>> WEAK Yes. Since God ordered the first fruits to be given onto Himself.

Ex 22:29 "For thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors; the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me."

- http://www.ffrf.org/books/lfif/?t=contra

< STRONG That does not mean to kill the firstborns!

Rather, firstborns were given to work in the temple, dedicated to God.

>> WEAK Yes. For God ordered certain people to be given up to Himself, meaning death.

Judges 11:30-39 "And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: "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." Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break." After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed."

II Samuel 21:8-14 "But the king [David] took the two sons of Rizpah... and the five sons of Michal... and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest...And after that God was intreated for the land."

- http://www.ffrf.org/books/lfif/?t=contra

< STRONG God didn't order human sacrifices. Jephthah made a foolish vow, and the killings in 2 Sam 21:8-14 weren't a sacrifice.

Jephthah did not have a human sacrifice in mind...Commentator Adam Clarke agreed that according to the most accurate Hebrew scholars, the best translation is I will consecrate it to the Lord, or I will offer it for a burnt-offering. As he wrote, "If it be a thing fit for a burnt-offering, it shall be made one; if fit for the service of God, it shall be consecrated to him."

Human sacrifice was strictly forbidden by the Mosaic Law in passages such as Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31. It is almost certain that Jephthah was familiar with such passages because when he negotiatiated with the Ammonites, he demonstrated that he knew God's Word.

Also, 2 Sam 21:8-14 doesn't speak of the bodies being offered as sacrifices, they were simply hung.

- Commentary on Judges 11, David Guzik

< Why didn't he break his vow since human sacrifice was forbidden?

< STRONG It is important to keep your vows to God.

Jephthah knew the importance of keeping our vows to God. He would keep an oath even when it was to his own hurt (Psalm 15:4).  Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 and 5:4-6 speak of the danger of making foolish vows. This passage makes it clear that it is better to not make vows at all than to make foolish vows. This does not mean that vows are bad - they can be good. It means we must take them seriously. Christians need to take seriously the sin of broken vows, and when we see them we must either repent and keep them or repent of your foolishness in ever making the vow, and seek His release from the vow.

-Commentary on Judges 11, David Guzik 

>> STRONG Yes. Since God offered Jesus as a sacrifice to Himself.

• Hebrews 10:10-12 " ...we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ...But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God."
• I Corinthians 5:7 " ...For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."

< STRONG But that doesn't mean God commanded us to do the same.

The whole point of offering sacrifices was to take away the separation (sin) from man and God. If Jesus did that once and for all (which He did), then there is no need to offer any more animal sacrifices, nor is there a need for human sacrifice.