Vows are to be taken very seriously! 510-1 - 5 - 4

Vows/ oaths often are made without thought and can result in tragedy.

Saul's son Jonathan with only his armour barer had a great victory over the Philistines. Saul and his men finally set out to battle. 1 Samuel 14:24, “And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.”

An army marches on its stomach. [Napoleon Bonaparte]

Jonathan was busy with the Philistines and didn’t know about his father’s vow of fasting. Jonathan tasted a drop of honey. Too late he was informed 1 Samuel 14:28, “Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.”

When Saul found out about the honey Jonathan consumed, 1 Samuel 44, “And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.” Saul was willing to have his hero son executed, however, the people convinced his not to.

Saul was not compassionate towards his son Jonathan, jealousy?

Unlike Saul, Jephthah, a Gileadite mourned his tragic vow.

Judge 11:30-31, "30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”

Unfortunate, Judge 11:34 "And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter."

Due to his impulsive vow Jephthah would lose his daughter and she would lose her life. Judges 11:36-40. His daughter asked, "let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows." At the end of two months "she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man."

There are warnings in scripture concerning oaths/ vows, James warns us in 5:12, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” Taking an oath and not honoring it can lead condemnation.

Then there is Peter, Matthew 26:35, “Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples

To his great shame, Peter lied, Matthew 26:72, “And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man” fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy “That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

A vow or oath should only be made only if there is total commitment. As a BAC, I feel that I’m doubly bound by my vow of loyalty to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.