Num. 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Making a vow to God was a serious matter in the Old Testament. Once a person makes a vow to God, he is expected to carry through and fulfil his end of the vow. And if he does not follow through and pay his vow, according to Deuteronomy 23:21, the Lord will require it of him and it will be considered sin. God will demand that he fulfils his vow.

A "vow" is a solemn pledge to do something, or to behave in a certain manner. Never make a vow to God unless you can fulfil it. Too many individuals make rash vows and wake up too late to realize they should never have made such a solemn promise. We remember Jephthah who had made a vow to God without thinking (Judges 11:30-31). He was fighting the Ammonites. He made a vow to God that if God would grant him victory over thee enemies, then, when he returned home, the first thing that came out of his house to greet him he would offer it as a sacrifice to God. It happened that it was his daughter that came out to greet him. Jephthah was so filled with anguish when he saw his daughter emerged from the house. But he kept his promise to God and offered his daughter as a sacrifice. Note that God did not ask for it nor did He approve of human sacrifice. This shows the foolishness of a sudden vow without thinking.

God tells us in Ecclesiastes 5:5: “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” This verse tells us that it is better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Vows in Israel were not mandatory and were made completely by one’s own desire to do so. So Jephthah was under no obligation to make a vow.

Today we rarely hear of anyone making a vow except in regards to weddings. Sadly, the marriage vows are the most misused vows make today. A couple stand before the Lord and say they will take each other for life. Then one year later they call it quit and got a divorce. They have abrogated the vows they took before God. If more people would realize that the vows they made to God in marriage are serious and to be kept, maybe more would try hard to keep their marriage alive. And, it is sad when Christians act like heathens and just set aside their vows and do what they want. God says He hates putting away, referring to divorce (Malachi 2:16).

We have passed into an age when vows are not commonly made, except at marriages. How about keeping our promises? Keeping a promise is keeping our words. It is about one’s integrity and honesty. A broken promise, whether to God or man, broken not through infirmity, but of set and selfish purpose, is in God’s eye a great transgression. Breaking a promise speaks of a character that is untruthful, dishonest, and lack of integrity.

Do you keep your word? Are you known as a man or woman of your word? When you tell your friend you will meet him at 6 o’clock, are you ready and waiting at 6 o’clock? When you say you will do something, do people know it’s as good as done? God wants our conversation to be a yes or no; it means, keeping our promises (Matthew 5:37).

God is listening to our conversation; let us keep our words and promises. Husbands and wives: keep your marriage vows.

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.