"The Use of Vows"
BIBLE
READING: Leviticus 26-27
DISCUSSION
Facing death,
even hardened atheists are known to pray.
Throughout human history, when men have found themselves in dire straits
they have prayed for deliverance and made vows to God, promising to do
something for God if He rescued them.
The Old Testament gives a number of examples of men making vows in such
circumstances. Jacob, fleeing from his
brother, offered to tithe his goods if God brought him home safely (Genesis
28:20ff). Israel, after suffering defeated
by the Canaanites, vowed the enemy cities to total destruction (Numbers
21:2). Jonah made vows in the belly of
the fish (Jonah 2:9).
Vows are made in the heat of the
moment. In retrospect, when the crisis
is over, they may well seem foolish and unnecessary, and the person who made
the vow may be tempted to forget it or only fulfill it partially.
Chapter 27 is all about vows. It also tells what happens when one doesn't
keep his vows. It may only be a
penalty. The real lesson to take away
from this study is to keep your vows to God and man.
PRAYER REQUESTS:_____________________________________________________________
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