Deuteronomy 23:21-23
“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.”
INSIGHT
-A vow in Hebrew is written as neder and it is defined as a binding oath or promise made between two or more parties, that must be honored. Judges 11:30-31 reveals how Jephthah the judge made a vow to the Lord and had to fulfill despite the pain that accompanied it. He requested the Lord that, if he won the battle against the Ammonites, then he would pay it with whatever comes out the door first to him after the conquest. The Lord granted him success and when he came back celebrating, he was shocked to see his only daughter come to meet him. He tore his clothes for he knew that he had to fulfill his vow at all cost. Since a vow is irrevocable and his daughter knew this, she requested him for a duration of two months to bid goodbye to his friends and mourn since she was a virgin and would never be married. Jephthah then sacrificed his only daughter and it was made custom that every year, young women in Israel would go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah. This story shows us the seriousness that a vow deserves, even if it means to be paid by death. Sometimes we make vows to God and forget about them, and other times we disregard them or take them lightly. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 reminds us that, it is better not to make a vow than fail to fulfill it, for the Lord takes no pleasure in fools.
PRAYER
This is the day that the Lord has made we rejoice and are glad in it. We thank You Abba Father for the gift of life and the air that we breath. Thank You for granting us the opportunity to see this new day. We rejoice and are glad in it. We thank You Almighty Father for this far that You brought us and the far that You are taking us. Thank You for Your word that we receive from You each day. May You help us to hear it and do according to Your will. We repent of all our trespasses and humbly ask You to forgive us. We repent of all the vows we have made to You knowingly and unknowingly, and humbly beseech You to forgive us and wash us with Your precious blood. May You increase us in wisdom that when we make vows we may fulfill them, otherwise abstain from making them. May You dear Jesus shepherd us throughout this week and grant us victory in all that we do. May You grant us peace and favor before You and before men. May You heal all our wounds and grant us good success. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now, and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Proverbs 20:25, Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
Psalms 50:14-15
“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
INSIGHT
-King David honored God with his gifts just like his son Solomon; who gave a thousand burnt offerings at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4). After this encounter, Solomon was rewarded with wisdom, honor, wealth and long life. David also offered thanksgiving to the Lord and expressed this through praise. Sometimes we request God for a job or business opportunities, with a promise to give our tithes and offerings faithfully. When we receive our requests, sometimes we honor our promises and other times we give partially or even forget about it. It is paramount to notice that there is a reward that accompanies our gifts. Malachi 3:10-11 reminds us that, when we offer all our tithes to the Lord, He will open the floodgates of heaven and pour our abundant blessings unto us, and He will preserve us from the devourer.
PRAYER
We give thanks to You Lord our God for You are good and Your mercies endures forever. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, we exult and praise Your holy name. Only in You Lord do we put our trust. You have protected us, provided for us, preserved us through out the year and given us the gift of salvation, we honor You are blessed Your holy name. We repent for the times we have made a vow to give to You and have not honored it, please forgive us Lord our Savior. May You guide us as we give our tithes and offerings unto You that they may be pleasing to You. May You open the floodgates of heaven and rain Your blessings upon us and all our generations. We thank You Abba Father for the rains that we enjoy during this season, may we bear much fruit for the glory of Your name. Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. Amen
Further reading: Jonah 1:16, Proverbs 7:14
Numbers 21:1-3
“When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.” The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.”
INSIGHT
-This chapter narrates the journey of the last stage before the conquest of the promised land, from mount Hor to the plains of Moab. Arad was located in the promised land and the king thought that the Israelites wanted to enter through the south, but their intent was to go through Edom. They launched a preemptive strike but Israel counterattacked. Even though the king captured some Israelites, they made a vow to the Lord, that if God delivers them, they would destroy their cities. The Lord fulfilled His promise and the Israelites obtained victory, and we see this new generation gaining entry to the promised land. Our God is a faithful God. He keeps His promises and fulfills His vows. He is not a man that He should lie or a son of man that He should repent. His promises are yes and amen, and we are called to put all our trust in Him.
PRAYER
Praise awaits You our Lord and God, to You our vows will be fulfilled. You answer our prayers and fulfill our promises, how great are You in all the earth. When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions, we worship You and praise Your holy name. You have crowned this year with Your bounty, and Your carts overflow with abundance. You are a promise keeping God, we worship You. You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, we praise Your holy name. We sing a new song to You Lord our God, for You have been faithful unto us. You have been faithful unto us even when we become faithless. Your faithfulness and grace are everlasting. How great are You our Lord and God in all the earth. You are our Source and our Life, our Strength and our Guide, our Protector and our Shield, our Provider and Sustainer, our Healer and Deliverer, we put all our trust in You. Some trust in horses, others trust in chariots but all our trust is in You our Lord and God. Thank You for the gift of salvation, by Your grace we shall share in Your heavenly glory forever. Thank You for this new month Abba Father. We have experienced Your grace dear Jesus throughout the year. We have seen Your glory all through the year. We have felt Your presence in our lives and families loving Father. We have encountered Your favor in our going out and coming in. All victory belongs to You. You are our Lord of lords and King of kings, all glory and honor belongs to You Lord. We praise You Lord and worship You, and it is in Jesus name we pray trusting and believing. Amen
Further reading: Psalms 65:1-13, Ezekiel 12:28
Numbers 30:6-8
“If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.”
INSIGHT
-The conditions under which a release from a vow may be granted are outlined in this chapter. There is no mention of releases of a man independent of his fathers care, and an independent woman who has never been married. Although we find three ways of releasing a woman from her vow have been submitted herein. That is:- release by her father if she is still a dependent (Num 30:3-5), release by her husband at the time of her marriage is she made a vow prior to her marriage (Num 30:6-8), and release by her husband which her vow was made while she is married (Num 30:10-15). Some vows are made jokingly or unknowingly where you find younger men and woman utter statements like:- I will never marry or get married, or I will never be in a relationship etc. Such are vows that may have been made in front of witnesses, and people may remain single or unmarried for longer durations than they expected. Other times you find people in marriages and relationships utter words like:- this relationship or marriage will not last, I will leave you etc. Such vows break relationships and marriages easily because they are binding oaths. We are called to be wise in talk and to take care of our relationships and marriages. Vows of marriage should also be taken seriously since ultimately they are made to God. Marriage is a sacred union ordained by God and whatever God joins together, no man should separate (Mark 10:6-9). Ephesians 4:32 reminds us that we should be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave us. Ephesians 5:33 cautions that each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Only a vow of true love builds a bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14). We are reminded to measure our words and put on unconditional love in our relationships, above all things.
PRAYER
Almighty and Everlasting Father, we praise You and glorify Your holy name. Only You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Only You are God and worthy to be praised and adored. All glory, honor, power and praise belongs to You. May You help us dear Jesus to hearken to Your voice and do Your will. May You teach us to be humble and temperate in word and deed, taking heed to Your word. May You forgive us for the times we have uttered idle words and made negative declarations upon our lives, relationships and marriages. May You forgive us for the vows we may made to either delay or destroy our marriages. Marriages belong to You, we are sorry, please forgive us dear Jesus. May You remember all those who are single and waiting upon You for marriages, that You may unite them with their spouses dear Jesus. No one shall lack a mate Almighty God. May You bless all those who are planning their weddings that You may go ahead of them and make every crooked path straight. May You remember all those are separated and divorced, that You may answer their prayers and hearts desires. May You bless all those who are married Holy Spirit that You may fill their hearts with love, so that they may love You and one other with unconditional love. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: John 15:12, 1 Corinthians 13:1-2
Genesis 28:20-22
“Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
INSIGHT
-Jacob saw angels ascending and descending upon a stairway to heaven, and experienced God’s glory, as he set out to Paddan Aram, upon his fathers instructions. God promised him many descendants, inheritance of land for him and his descendants, and a blessing. He then proclaimed a conditional vow to the Lord for provision, protection and success in his mission, where he would give a tithe of all in return. He also anointed the stone that was upon his head, and called the place Bethel. The Lord granted him success. Sometimes we ask God for such blessings in return for a tithe. We might have also experienced or heard of parents or grandparents who have made conditional vows on our behalf or other people. These vows might have been offered in form of libations by sacrificing goats, sheep, cows or any other animal, during traditional occasions. Some animals are offered during child birth, circumcision, marriage, burial etc. These vows might cause bondages when the spirit of death ancestors is invoked. We need to be careful when we interact with traditional practices and repent of all such oaths that might have been transacted on our behalf.
SUMMARY
Vows are powerful. They may either work for us or against us. Vows made out of idle talk or sound judgement are binding in front of witnesses. It is vital to be aware of the physical and spiritual presence of witnesses as we make promises. Sometimes we are involved either as active or passive participants in some traditional practices that involve offering of libations and invocation of ancestral spirits. These might cause hinderances if we are not covered by the blood of Jesus. Other times we make promises to God, that if He responds to our prayers; we would give a tithe or offering. We might fulfill our vows but other times we forget or dishonor our pledges. When we fulfill such vows, God promises to deliver us from trouble (Psalms 50:14-15). King Solomon honored his vow at mount Gibeon and the Lord blessed him with wisdom, honor, wealth, long life and peace. We are reminded that when we make a vow to the Lord, we should not be slow to pay it; lest we are guilty of sin (Deuteronomy 23:21-23). We also have vows of marriage that are binding infront of witnesses. These should be properly understood and kept to the later, for marriage is a binding union ordained by God. To fulfill the vow of marriage, we are called to love one another deeply from the heart (1 Peter 1:22). Vows must be taken seriously and to fulfill them is prudence. Jephthah had to sacrifice his only daughter to the Lord to fulfill his vow (Judges 11:30-31). Hannah also fulfilled her vow by dedicating her son to the temple as her husband Elkanah went to offer his annual sacrifice to the Lord (1Samuel 1:21-22). Even as we interact with the power of vows, we should note that; God forbids us from making vows either by heaven for this is His throne, or by the earth for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King (Matthew 5:33-37).
PRAYER
You are Great God and greatly to be praised. You are honored above all other gods which are made by human hands and cannot see nor hear. In Your name Jesus; every knee should bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ You are Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We worship You Jesus. We honor You Abba Father. We exult You Holy Spirit. May You increase us in wisdom, knowledge and understanding as we interact with the power of vows. May You break every vow that is not godly in our lives and families by Your precious blood Jesus. May You forgive us all our trespasses as we forgive all those who trespass against us. May You teach us dear Jesus to do Your will. May Your bless the work of our hands and make us fruitful our Lord and God. May You bless our nation and protect us from terrorism, unrest, political violence, poor governance, corruption, financial and economic distress, spiritual slackness, and give us leaders who are after Your own heart Lord Almighty. May You bless our families, nation, purposes, ministries, and all the nations of the world. May You bless us Lord and keep us. May You make Your face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance upon us and grant us peace. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 5:33-37