The story of Jonah is widely known. God called Jonah, one of His prophets, to preach a message of repentance to the people of Nineveh: “Repent or face God’s judgment.” However, Jonah was unwilling to go because Nineveh was an enemy of Israel, and he did not want them to be spared from God’s judgment.Continue reading “Jonah’s Vow”
Tag Archives: promises
Jephthah’s Vow
One of the more challenging accounts in Scripture related to vows is the story of Jephthah’s vow, recorded in Judges 11. Here’s a summary of the incident:” Jephthah, a judge of Israel, made a rash vow to God before leading the Israelites into battle against the Ammonites. He promised that if God granted him victory,Continue reading “Jephthah’s Vow”
Absalom’s Vow
In 2 Samuel, we learn about the vow Absalom claimed to have made to God and shared with his father: At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made thisContinue reading “Absalom’s Vow”
Jacob’s Vow
For the next few days, let’s take a deep dive into some of the vows made by people in the Bible. The first human-initiated vow to God recorded in Scripture is found in Genesis 28—Jacob’s vow. Now, to set the stage for the situation that prompts Jacob to make this vow, we must go backContinue reading “Jacob’s Vow”
It’s A Trap!
If you’ve seen Star Wars, you’ll remember the iconic scene in Return of the Jedi when Admiral Ackbar shouts, “It’s a trap!” upon realizing that the Rebels have fallen into a cunning ambush set by the Emperor to lure them out of hiding—a trap that nearly destroyed the entire Rebel fleet. King Solomon makes aContinue reading “It’s A Trap!”
In The Presence of All
Psalm 116 is a psalm, most likely written by David, expressing gratitude and love for God. The psalmist loves God because He hears and answers prayers, delivers and saves, and offers care and comfort. It reflects on God’s salvation and calls others to join in worship and service. The psalm is a beautiful expression ofContinue reading “In The Presence of All”
Make the Vow
Sometimes we hesitate to make promises. This hesitation might stem from a fear of failing to keep them, or at times, from simply lacking the motivation or inspiration to commit to a promise or vow. As a result, we may resort to phrases like “we’ll see,” “maybe,” or “if I can.” While this cautious approachContinue reading “Make the Vow”
Thankfulness & Vows
Now that we understand the importance of keeping the vows we make to God and recognize that He expects us to honor our promises, let us delve into a discussion about vows and promises in our service to Him. The Psalms repeatedly discuss the role of vows in service and worship to God. Asaph andContinue reading “Thankfulness & Vows”
Freely Given
No one makes you make a promise or vow. When you choose to make a promise, it’s an act of your own free will. It is this freedom – this choice – that gives promises their true meaning—they are offered freely. Let’s examine one more law found in the Torah on vows and promises: IfContinue reading “Freely Given”
Thoughtless Promises
When you make promises, it’s important to truly mean what you say; otherwise, your words lose value. Thoughtlessly made promises are hard to keep because you’ve not really thought about the promise. But, is this how we often make promises? We casually promise to help or attend something without much thought. We set resolutions forContinue reading “Thoughtless Promises”
Adonai's Appeal 