The Greeting. Peace to you in the name of Christ. I trust that you had a restful Lord’s Day afternoon.
The Word of God. We are in Numbers chapter thirty tonight, a short chapter. Verse one, hear the holy word of holy God – read.
The general directive that all vows ought to be honored. Numbers 30:1. Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the LORD has commanded. 2 “If a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
The particular directives concerning the vows of a daughter under her father’s leadership. Numbers 30:3. Also if a woman makes a vow to the LORD and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 “But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her because her father had forbidden her.
The particular directives concerning the vows of a wife under her husband’s leadership. Numbers 30:6. However, if she should marry while under her vows or the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 “But if on the day her husband hears of it, he forbids her, then he shall annul her vow which she is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself; and the LORD will forgive her. 9 “But the vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, everything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her. 10 “However, if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an obligation with an oath, 11 and her husband heard it, but said nothing to her and did not forbid her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 “But if her husband indeed annuls them on the day he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning the obligation of herself shall not stand; her husband has annulled them, and the LORD will forgive her. 13 “Every vow and every binding oath to humble herself, her husband may confirm it or her husband may annul it. 14 “But if her husband indeed says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her obligations which are on her; he has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard them. 15 “But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”
The summary statement concerning the vows of women. Numbers 30:16. These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses, as between a man and his wife, and as between a father and his daughter, while she is in her youth in her father’s house.
The prayer. Please pray with me – pray.
The doctrine. This is an interesting passage. There are a number of truths here that we could rightly unpack from this chapter.
Male headship. This is one of the Bible passages that people use in their discussions on male-headship or male leadership and or on patriarchy, which means father-rule. (Gen.2:18-25)
Human government. My purposes this evening will be a little bit different. It will not be my intention to deal with male-headship exclusively or in detail. I will address it. But I will address it in the larger context of divinely instituted human government over other human beings. (WLC 123-133)
Solemn promises. My larger purpose is to look at the truth of solemn promises made to God.
For further study on the Biblical nature of these solemn promises read the Westminster Confession of Faith chapter twenty-two with all of the Scripture proofs.
Purposeful worship. And even this is a species of something larger, namely religious worship unto God. (WCF 21.5)
And what we see here in this passage is that all of life is religious for the true Believer in the Lord. This is worship in the home, in the work-a-day life as it were. (I Cor.10:31-33)
The definition of oaths and vows. Now to understand the main idea we need to get a grasp on a few definitions. Let’s begin by defining a few of our terms.
An oath – Man’s invocation of God, a promise of truthfulness. Oath in Hebrew is shaba and shebuah. (Num.5:19, 21)
An oath is calling on God as a witness to the truthfulness of some statement that is made by the oath-taker.
In an oath one takes the name of God and says something like, I swear as God is my witness such and so is true. That is an oath.
When you go into a court of law ordinarily, they install you as a witness by making you take an oath with these words that you swear to tell the truth “so help me God” with your hand on the Bible.
So, an oath is a solemn promise to speak the truth and invoking God’s name (in the name of God). Oaths usually deal with solemn promises concerning our words.
The apostle Paul took an oath on a number of occasions in order to confirm or convey to the solemnity of the truth that he spoke.
Romans 1:8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers. (Rom.9:1)
2 Corinthians 1:21. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. 23 But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.
A vow – Man’s pledge to God (and or to Man), a promise of obedience. Now we come to a vow.
Vow in Hebrew is neder. (Gen.31:13, Lev.22:21,23, Eccl.5:4-5)
Vows are also solemn promises. And with a vow mostly this is a solemn promise to some kind of behavior or to fulfill some duty or deed.
Listen to Jacob’s vow.
Genesis 28:20. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the LORD will be my God. 22 “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
In summary, an oath is a formal calling upon God to witness to the truthfulness of a statement and a vow is a promise to God to perform certain action or service.
Often these two things are combined, so that the person swears an oath in the name of God in taking his or her vow to do something.
Our passage has this.
Numbers 30:2. If a man makes a vow (neder) to the LORD, or takes an oath (shebuah) to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3 “Also if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth.
Of course, when we speak of this oath-vow, the traditional wedding vow comes to mind.
I [Name] take you [Name] to be my wife/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 and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.
As a side note, let me give you a note attached to a modern English wedding service regarding wedding venues and wedding vows, currently (as of 9/14/21). This is a sad sign of the times.
QUOTE: If you’re wanting to say religious vows, your ceremony will need to be in a registered religious building like a church. A civil ceremony offers greater venue choices, but it must not have any religious references in words or music, so this is something to consider. (https://www.pyneshouse.co.uk/blog/traditional-religious-wedding-vows/)
My thoughts. A so-called “registered” “religious building” –this in the same country that gave us the Westminster Assembly and codified the doctrine of religious liberty and religious worship, and also the state’s responsibility to help the church. (WCF 20-22, 23.3)
The gold has become dim. (Lamen.4:1-2)
A command – Man’s obligation to God, the Third Commandment. We see that the moral law addresses this oath making and vow taking. These solemn promises are directly associated with the Third Commandment. And of course, the Third Commandment necessarily brings in the obligation to the First and the Second Commandments.
Let me read a bit from Exodus chapter five. Listen for the Third Commandment, try to think how this ought to inform and affect taking an oath and or a vow.
Exodus 20:1. Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
The propriety of oaths and vows. There is no need to establish the propriety of oaths and vows in the Old Testament epoch, the Scripture is full of them. Here are just three examples.
The Jews made oaths and vows before the Lord corporately as the covenant community. (Dt.27, 28, the blessings and cursing chapters). Back in Numbers chapter six we looked at the Nazirite vows. Under king Josiah, the people take corporate oaths and vows before the Lord (2 Kg.23)
Let’s address the propriety of oaths and vows in the New Testament epoch.
Let me give us two statements that seem to forbid all oaths and vows, one by Jesus, the other by James the half-brother of Jesus regarding oaths and vows.
Matthew 5:33. Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ 34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes ‘ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
James 5:12. But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.
I believe the prohibition is against rash or flippant vows. (Exod.20:7, Lev.19:12)
Christ puts Himself under an oath, when the high priest said, I adjure you by the Living God tell us if you are the Christ. (Mt.26:63)
The apostle Paul toke oaths, calling God as his witness. (Rom. 1:9, 9:1, 2 Cor.1;23)
Christ tells us we are to own Him publicly. (Mt.10)
The great commission calls us to make disciples, this necessitates that one can own publicly the faith that has been handed down to the saints (Jude v.3).
I will say, that for myself I believe that taking a oath or a vow ought to be very seldom, because it is so very serious.
The general directive for oaths and vows. In the first two verses of our passage, God through Moses gives us His general directive concerning oaths and vows, it is exceedingly clear.
Numbers 30:1. Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the LORD has commanded. 2 “If a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
I want to say that oaths and vows are totally voluntary. God is not forcing the people in view to make them. They make them of their own free “agency”. Presbyterians do not like to say free will.
Right away, we should learn that we are also free not to make the oath-vow, if we are not serious. (Eccl.5:5)
The people. This directive is applicable to all of Israel, to every member of the household of faith.
Be obedient. God says, if you use His name to attest to the truthfulness of your promise of duty, then do what you promised.
Be fearful. Of course, by this all rash or foolish or unbiblical vows are denounced. And to use God’s name in relation to these things is to break the Third Commandment, something that God takes seriously. God will not hold those guiltless that take His name in vain. (Dt.5:11)
The idea here is that these oaths and vows are a terribly serious affair. Using God’s name and vowing by God’s name to do something is fearfully serious.
Of course, in our modern day much of the church views God as a dotting grandfather figure or like a buddy or a casual friend, and therefore there is no fear of God before their eyes. (Rom.3:18)
As proof of this, listen for the breaking of the Third Commandment.
As proof of this, look at all the casual breaking of wedding oaths and vows even in the church. These things must not even be hinted at in the church of Christ. (Eph.5:3-5)
Beloved, God is holy. In Christ we are holy, and we are called to live holily.
The leaders. The next thing I want us to see from these two verses, is that before God speaks about oaths and vows in relationship to women, He first addresses the men.
And actually, God does not first address all the men, at least not directly. God first addresses the leaders of Israel, who are men, elders, tribal chieftains. (I Kg.8:1, 2 Chron.5:2)
God tells the men that He has put in charge over His household – you men, you leaders fulfill your oaths and vows.
Sadly, we saw earlier that the male elders were foremost in sinning against the Lord.
Numbers 25:1. While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel. 4 The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” (Ezra 9:2, 13, 10:1—17, see also I Sam.14:24-45)
The worst rash vow in the Bible is by a male leader, Jephthah’s rash vow! (Judges 11, 12)
With responsibility comes greater obligation and culpability. (WLC 151)
Part of the application of telling the leaders to be faithful to their oaths and vows, is this is meant to inform their guidance of guiding others to be faithful to their oaths and vows.
The women. Now we come to the trickier part of the passage dealing with the oaths and vows of the women.
Actually, this is not a tricky passage at all. What make’s is “hard” is that women don’t like it. And I think this is perhaps because it is misunderstood. And I think also, because some men corrupt it.
At the core of the dislike of this passage is that the flesh hates to be submissive to authority.
And not just the flesh of females hates to be subordinate to authority, the flesh of males hates it as well. Look at any little child, male or female – tell them no, and watch the anger rise in their little faces. The flesh always wants to do what is right in one’s own eyes. (Gen.3:1-8, Jg.21:25)
Let’s look at some basic truths here first.
The worshipers – the commonality. Remember we said that vows are a part of religious worship, albeit extraordinary parts of worship.
Let me give us a summary statement of that.
WCF 21.5. The reading of Scriptures with godly fear;(1) the sound preaching,(2) and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence;(3) singing of Psalms with grace in the heart;(4) as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God:(5) besides religious oaths,(6) vows,(7) solemn fastings,(8) and thanksgivings upon special occasions,(9) which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.(10)
(1) Acts 15:21; Rev. 1:3. (2) 2 Tim. 4:2. (3) James 1:22; Acts 10:33; Matt. 13:19; Heb. 4:2; Isa. 66:2. (4) Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19; James 5:13. (5) Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Acts 2:42. (6) Deut. 6:13; Neh. 10:29. (7) Isa. 19:21; Eccl. 5:4,5. (8) Joel 2:12; Esther 4:16; Matt. 9:15; 1 Cor. 7:5. (9) Ps. 107; Esther 9:22. (10) Heb. 12:28.
From the passage here are some of the worshipers, the leaders, the men, the women, young unmarried women, married women, and so on.
All of the household of God worships God.
Oaths and vows, in part are speaking to God, which is praying to God. Every Believer in the household of God speaks to God. We are all equally loved and forgiven and welcomed by God in Christ.
Listen to what God says through the apostle Paul.
Galatians 3:26. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
The worshipers – the dissimilarity. Now we come to the “harder” part, the part of certain men having the right or the authority to either annul or confirm the oath or vow of certain women.
This is not stating that all men have authority over all women. The Bible does not teach that they do.
First let’s look at the two general classes of women in view.
The dependent women. There is the “dependent” class of women, which consists of two categories, 1) verses 3-5, unmarried women subject to their father 2) and verses 6-8 newly married and 10-15 already married women subject to their husband.
More on them in a bit.
The independent women. Verse 9. And the “independent” women also consist of two categories, 1) the widowed 2) and the divorced women. Their oaths and vows are treated like that of the men; they are obligated to what they say.
A brief word about the widowed or the divorced women, from the context of the passage after losing her husband she does not return to the status of her unmarried (youth).
This is not to say her father (and mother) cannot help her. Of course, if they can, then they should.
But at least in this regard of vows, the widow or the divorcee is not back in the dependent status of an unmarried maiden.
A word about the words dependent and independent.
Mostly in our culture we think being dependent is bad and being independent is good.
Well, let me ask you, in this time in the Bible, was it a good thing or a pleasant thing for most women to be an independent woman by the death of her husband or by the divorce of her husband?
Was she now living as a strong independent woman as the saying goes nowadays?
No. She had no protector or provider.
And how strong and how so-called “independent” are such women? Ask the women’s parents, they watch her children. Ask the taxpayer, they pay for her children’s health care with their taxes. And on and on. So-called independency for males or females is a farce, a lie of the devil. (Gen.3:1-8)
Beloved, we have been created by God to live in society with other people. We need other people. It is not good for man or for woman to be alone.
Look around at what the lie of the devil about strong independent women has done to our families, our churches, our culture.
Look around at the men that have believed the devil’s lie that they are not responsible for the families.
Men are under the same Moral Governor. May I speak in love to the ladies. If this seems like an unfair scenario by God. One, remember God is the supreme governor over all, all men and all women.
Male leaders lead by serving. The other thing people in a following or a submitting place should think about, especially as regards to those people that God has placed over them in a guidance position, is that EVERYONE is dependent upon someone else. (I Cor.12:1-31)
Everyone is in a subordinate or a serving position to someone else. Also, for the men in these places of authority, it is the authority to serve! To serve their wife, to serve their children. (Mt.23:11-15, Eph.5:21-28)
The family. You also remember that we said that the outset and also just a bit ago that these oaths and vows are religious worship within the family.
The leadership. This brings us to God’s leadership or guidance on the family. The father is responsible for the members of his immediate family, his wife and his sons and his daughters.
I want to stress something here. The wife is bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh. The children are the divine gift of God to him through his wife. He wants or he should want what is best for them, by according to God’s standard of best.
And the responsibility in view is a religious responsibility.
Clearly the women in view are making these religious oaths and vows, they are religious, they are offering up worship.
The father and husband must be worshipers. This passage requires that their fathers and husbands also are worshipers. This is why a Believing woman must marry “in the Lord”, the same is true for the Believing man. (2 Cor.6:14-18)
What a horrible thing it is to be religiously unequally yoked. And that, willingly and knowingly on the Believer’s part. For the most part people know what religion their prospective spouse believes in. Marry a non-Christian and you will live to regret that sinful decision.
The father and the husband must be informed. And that they are informed worshipers.
And informed in three ways.
Informed in the household. One, informed by way of what is going on in their home, religiously what is going on with each member. So, the father and the husband are intimately involved with his wife and his children.
The husband and the father is a joint-inheritor with his believing family members.
Listen to Peter speak to this.
I Peter 3:5. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. 7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
Informed in the word of God. Two, he must be informed in the word of God, what God approves of and what God disapproves of.
The implication of the father and the husband’s annulling or approving of the oaths and the vows taken by their daughters and their wife is he approves that which God approves, he annuls that which God disapproves.
So, the implication is not that the father and or the husband is given arbitrary universal tyrannical rule over his daughters and over his wife.
We have already seen earlier in Numbers that the five daughters of the fellow Zelophehad that had no sons, that God gave these women equal inheritance rights within Israel. (Num.27:1-11)
But let me say, and this is the dangerous part, that the father and or the husband they are to be especially watchful for their wife and their daughters, because of the words of Scripture regarding the religious vulnerability of females. (Gen.3:1-8)
Let me give you some of God’s word on this, and I say at the outset, I know I am not supposed to say this, not at least out loud, not if I value my own peace. But I remember the words of Proverbs 29:25.
I Timothy 2:11. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint. (Genesis 3:13)
I Corinthians 14:33. for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
I Peter 3:5. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. 7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
2 Timothy 3:5. (avoid the heretical male teachers who) holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Pt.2:13-14)
Informed in wisdom. God gives to the father and to the husband the obligation, the duty to care for those that God has committed into his care.
So, the better way to look at this annulling or approving is an aspect of loving care.
Remember that the oaths and the vows of the daughters and the wife more than likely will affect more than just the daughter and or just the wife. Their oaths and vows would most likely affect all of the members or at least some of the members of the household.
And therefore, the father and the husband have to take those other members into account as he annuls or as he approves.
Let me give a silly example.
Say, the 14-year-old daughter in the home, vows to give the only cow or sheep that the family owned to God as an offering. If she carried out her vow, she would impoverish her entire family.
And so, her father should seek the welfare of the entire home.
And not to be too delicate, but say the wife took a vow of celibacy. (Lev.16:29-31, 23:27-32, Num.29:7)
Well, this vow necessarily will adversely affect the husband. The apostle Paul says these religious vows should only be by mutual agreement and only for a short time. (1 Cor.7:1-5)
Let me use a personal example, not of a oath-vow but a religious directive born out of love.
Many years ago my wife spoke to me asking me about stopping for the men that panhandle on the side of the road, and whether or not this was a religious duty that God wanted her to do, to help them.
I said that sometimes these men can be dangerous, and that she should not stop, unless I was with her, and then I would go to deal with the men directly.
Beloved there is such a thing as sincere misguided religiosity. And people get hurt by it. (Ps.15:4, Judges 11)
God has given us people in authority to help us, especially fathers and husbands.
If we could see the people that God placed over us as 1) given to us by God, and 2) given to us by God for our good – we would greatly benefit.
The father and the husband must be doers. The last thing I want to say as regards to the father and the husband is that they must be doers.
If they hear a rash vow and they do not annul it, then it stands, then they are culpable. (Num.30:15)
Beloved, responsibility is fearful, and religious responsibility is fearful.
Fathers are sometimes afraid of saying no to their daughters.
Husbands are sometimes afraid of saying no to their wife.
The calling for all of us is to fear God, and love others while we fear God.
The applicatory conclusion. In closing we have learned that all that we are as Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ is religious.
God is truth personified. Truth-telling sanctifies God. (9th commandment, Exod.20:16, WLC 143-145)
Our words are religious. Our words are part of our worship of the Lord.
Our deeds are religious. Our deeds are part of our worship of the Lord. (Mt.5:13-16)
In Christ God has given us every blessing.
May we solemnly joyfully commit ourselves to Him.
May our whole lives be a living sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him.
Amen
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