READINGS FOR OCTOBER 24, 2024: NUMBERS 30, HEBREWS 6, PSALM 110
Numbers 30
The subject of this chapter is about the vows made to God. A vow is a formal promise that you will follow through on something (think wedding vows). They should not be spoken lightly.
In the book of Deuteronomy, God gave the people instructions about vows made to God:
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. (Deuteronomy 23:21-23, NIV)
Also, the book of Ecclesiastes (5:1-7) warns of the misstep of making a rash vow before God. If a person does not fulfill the vow, it is considered a sin. The warning is to make sure that when you make a vow, you are willing to follow through with it.
The first part of the chapter has to do with men who makes vows to God. If a man makes a vow to God, he must fulfill it. There is no way out of it. Any attempt to delay or not follow through is considered a sin.
The second part of the chapter has to do with young women who are still living in their father’s household. If a young woman makes a vow and the father objects, then she is released from the vow. As the head of the household, the father has the authority to “overrule” the decisions of anyone of his household.
The third part of the chapter has to do with wives who make vows before God. Even if the vow was made before the wedding, the husband has the right to refuse that it be fulfilled. The nation of Israel (and the entire Middle Eastern culture) was a patriarchal society. The male, head of the household, had significant power over the desires and vows of the women in their home.
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells the people to not make vows to God.
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37, NIV)
It should simply be “yes” or “no”. We are to be trustworthy and honest. When we say we will do something, we do it. No vow necessary.
Hebrews 6
Hebrews 5:12 is an often quoted scripture:
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (NIV)
The idea here is that as Christians, we should be working toward being a mature Christian. Just as a child matures, they go from milk to solid food, as Christians we should be growing our faith deeper and more intimate with God.
READINGS FOR OCTOBER 24, 2024 (CONTINUED): NUMBERS 30, HEBREWS 6, PSALM 110
Verses 4:4-8 often brings up the question: can a true Christian “lose” their salvation. The issue is that is the wrong question to ask. Salvation is the free gift of God. It is not ours to be “won” or “lost”. It is ours to be accepted as a gift.
The deeper question is can a Christian “fall away” from the grace of God. People who read this chapter tend to answer in one of two ways. First, that if a person falls away then they did not really accept God’s grace in the first place. On the outside, by their actions, they look like they were Christians. But, in their heart, they had not truly accept the gift of God’s salvation.
Second, the answer is yes. If you are in the Wesleyan Arminian theological “camp”, we believe that it is possible to fall away (which is where Methodists find themselves). John Wesley has a sermon and a “treatise” where he delves deeply into this possibility.
Predestination Calmly Considered: https://evangelicalarminians.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Wesley.-PREDESTINATION-CALMLY-CONSIDERED.pdf
“Serious Thoughts Upon the Perseverance of the Saints” (1754) https://wesleyscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Serious-Thoughts-on-Perseverance-of-Saints-1751.pdf
In Predestination Calmly Considered, Wesley has this to say about these verses:
Must not every unprejudiced person see, the expressions here used are so strong and clear, that they cannot, without gross and palpable wresting, be understood of any but true believers?
Although it is does not happen often, because we believe in free will, we believe that it is possible for a person to distance themselves so far from the will of God that they have fallen away from any semblance of religion at all.
Psalm 110
Psalm 110 contains two prophecies concerning the Messiah. Specifically, as Jesus’ role as the king-priest. Of course, the triumph over his enemies will take place when Christ returns. However, his place at the right hand of God occurred upon Jesus’ ascension to Heaven.
Verses 1-3 – The first prophecy concerns the power of the Messiah as the King of kings. Jesus will sit at the right hand of God (the position of authority). God will make all of God’s enemies bow down in honor of the Messiah (enemies a footstool implies a posture of submission.
Verses 4-6 – The Messiah will be a priest in the order of Melchizedek (see comments on Hebrews 7 (October 25th – tomorrow)). God will be at the Messiahs’s right hand assisting in his overcoming the world.
