Our Words Justify Or Condemn Us

INTERESTING FACTS : The word "Bible" does not occur in the Holy Scriptures. The English word " It's origin is in the Greek word for the papyrus plant that the Egyptians used to make paper. The Greeks called the plant biblos and eventually writing products derived from the plant such as scrolls became known as biblos. To invent the word Bible, scholars borrowed the plural Greek word "biblia" meaning scrolls, or "little books" and created the English word Bible.[1]

DAILY READING : [NUMBERS 28 - 30]

TEXT : 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.

THEME : VOWS

After the children of Israel are numbered for war, there is a reminder of the Laws of God concerning worship. The idea seems to be to remind Israel to take God with them into Canaan. Remember, Israel is unique in that there religious, civil, and military laws are all in the Pentateuch. Israel must constantly be reminded God is their ALL. At this point in their history, He was literally all they had, though that would change later as they acquired land, wealth, and prominence. Then, they forgot their God when appearances indicated they did not need Him. Worse, three were times in Israel's history when they thought the heathen deities they began to worship were the gods that blessed them. Therefore, like Israel, we all need repetition and remembrance of God and His ways since we forget so easily what we once embraced.

Matthew Henry comments on this chapter.

Now that the people were numbered, orders given for the dividing of the land, and a general of the forces nominated and commissioned, one would have expected that the next chapter should begin the history of the campaign, or at least should give us an account of the ordinances of war; no, it contains the ordinances of worship, and provides that now, as they were on the point of entering Canaan, they should be sure to take their religion along with them, and not forget this, in the prosecution of their wars (Num 28:1, Num 28:2). The laws are here repeated and summed up concerning the sacrifices that were to be offered, I. Daily (Num 28:3-8). II. Weekly (Num 28:9, Num 28:10). III. Monthly (Num 28:11-15). IV. Yearly. 1. At the Passover (Num 28:16-25). 2. At Pentecost (Num 28:26-31). And the next chapter is concerning the annual solemnities of the seventh month.

TRUTH FOR TODAY : OUR WORDS JUSTIFY OR CONDEMN US!

In chapter thirty, the subject of making vows is brought to our attention. As you see, there are standards for the type of vow taken, the circumstances under which the vow was made, and who took the vow. Vows have always been a measure of a person's honor and integrity. Yet, history and experience both remind us that men and women are not always honorable, nor do they always have the integrity to "keep their word." Of course, there are many people who are willing to lie in order to obtain some advantage without having any intention from the beginning of fulfilling their word.

This is the idea behind swearing on a Bible here in our American courts of law. As a witness swears "to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," the direct implication is that God is watching and listening. Further, the person taking an oath in a court of law is inviting a curse from God if they do not tell the truth. This comes from the concept behind the Biblical covenant in which a party or parties would walk between a divided animal [the Hebrew word covenant means "to cut"] stepping on the blood. The covenant was based on trust. However, if one of the members that entered into covenant did not keep their vow in the covenant, then the blood of the dead animal was representative of what would or should happen to them. This is the seriousness with which God takes Man at his words!

The principles behind the taking of a vow are serious enough that God promised punishment for those who did not fulfill it. In a Christian marriage the couple entering into the covenant [remember, Christian marriage is a covenant with responsibilities and obligations as well as privileges] will take vows. Many Christian ministers and Churches still use the vows as they are written in The Book of Common Prayer. They go as follows.

Groom: I,____, take thee,_____, to my lawful wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith.

Bride: I,_____, take thee,_____, to my lawful wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my faith.

Notice the oath is taken that the couple will not divorce or annul the vow no matter what life brings them - better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and health etc. The reason for the taking of vows is because of human nature. It is sinful. It is also selfish. Therefore, without a vow, there is no "fear of God" that your partner in the covenant will stay with you for life. All of us are whimsical and fickle. The Biblical vow was the "end" so to speak, of this tendency of man. That is, it was to insure men and women kept their word and overcame the sinful tendency we all have to either lie or not keep our word.

One day, we will all be judged by our words. Jesus said -

Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

The Apostle James adds -

Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Jas 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Jas 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Jas 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Therefore, as God told Moses in 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." Let us ask God to put a watch over our mouths as David asked. For the day is coming we will be judged by what came out of our mouths. In particular, let us not break our word once we give it for God is witness and will hold us accountable.