The Sanctity of a vow

Brother Sulley writes:—....I would also like to call attention to ....the Sanctity of a Vow. This is a very important aspect, for the Father especially reprobates covenant-breakers. Thus we read: “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” (Eccles. 5:4–6). Even if one makes a promise when in ignorance of all the facts of the case that promise is binding. So when the Gibeonites deceived Joshua, he was not permitted to break his covenant with them. And when Saul transgressed that covenant, the children of Israel suffered in consequence of it. Joshua could not turn round and say, “Ah, I was deceived, and I will not carry out my agreement,” as men of the world do now. Moreover, the covenant with the Gibeonites even caused Israel to transgress the command of God respecting their entry into the land, yet it was held fast and binding. According to this rule Jephthah could not go back from his word even if it required him to transgress the law. His daughter seemed to see that, and she willingly offered herself to enable her father to fulfil his pledge. From all this it is seen what a serious matter it is to pledge oneself to do a certain thing which one may not be able to carry out without transgressing a precept of Christ, and in consequence suffer loss.

REMARKS.—“The sanctity of the vow” is certainly “a very important aspect” and this, though not specifically discussed in recent answers, was well considered by the editor in the interpretation of the record of Jephthah’s rash vow. Saul’s rash vow, which virtually condemned Jonathan to death, is another example (1 Sam. 14.). In this Jonathan innocently became “a curse for us” (Israel) (compare Gal. 3:13); and though he was rescued by the people, was afterwards slain by the sword of the Philistine. Another example is the rash vow of the “more than forty” enemies of Paul who “bound themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul” (Acts 23:12, 21). We do not suppose that these were as consistent as Jephthah and his daughter. “Be not rash with thy mouth.”


(1927). The Christadelphian, 64(electronic ed.), 214.