Good morning, We reach the middle of another week. Today we read Numbers 30-32.
Marriage vows
Last week we celebrated Valentine’s Day. As one of the most romantic days of the year, it is very popular for marriage proposals. I’m a complete sucker for romance. But asking someone to marry you because it is a romantic holiday is foolish. Marriage is a sacred commitment, ordained by God. It is a lifelong vow to love each other all the days of your life.
I have been engaged five times, married four. My current marriage has lasted thirty-two years, and I recommend marriage. But you need to enter marriage for the right reasons. Not because of a commercialized holiday.
Why bring up Valentine’s day today? We read about how God views vows. Chapter 30 is all about this topic. I failed to keep my vows the first three times I was married. The only reason my current marriage has survived is because I have learned to love God and keep His commands.
He commands me to love my wife. There were no qualifiers. It wasn’t love her if… It was love her like Jesus loves the church. The church is a group of people who fail the Lord daily, yet He loves us so much; He died for us.
According to Numbers Chapter 30, a woman’s vows are not as binding. Only if her father, or her husband, knows about the vows and does not object to them, are they binding?
God’s commands are difficult
I have read this chapter twice today, and I am not sure God commands this. Nevertheless, that’s what the text states, and I don’t have to comprehend God’s ways. I just have to trust that He has reasons and to accept and follow His commands, trusting that His reasons are just.
God commanded Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites in chapter 31, and Moses had to accept God’s reasons.
The Israelites killed all the men, but took the women and children captive.
Moses reminds them it was the women who caused them to sin by following Balaam’s advice in Peor. Therefore, he sends them to kill all the women and boys, leaving only the virgin daughters to capture.
Because women can lead men to sin, I can understand why God puts some restrictions on their vows and obligations.
Share the blessing
Earlier this year, I had noted that not all tribes were prosperous because we had not read that the warriors had to share their plunder. Chapter 31 describes a shift, mandating equal sharing with everyone but the Levites. They were all required to support the Levites in their sacrifices and tithes.
Then in chapter 32, even though they had seen how their ancestors had wandered in the desert and died there, because they would not cross the Jordan and take the land God was giving them, that the Gadites and Reubenites were once again trying to stay on the wrong side of the river.
They agree to send their warriors to help the rest of Israel, so it was not because of fear. Therefore, Moses permits them to remain.
Accept responsibility
They received a warning: if they failed to keep their agreement, their sins would find them out. Which brings us back to those vows we make before the Lord when we get married. Keeping this vow is important. There is no wiggle room. We trust God can work out any issues within our marriages when we trust him. I believe this weighs more heavily on the men because of what we read in chapter 30.
If we don’t, our sins will find us out and we will not find the promised land. We will wander endlessly.
Fortunately, my first three divorces were while I was an atheist. My salvation created a new me. (See 2 Cor. 5:17) I still feel there are limitations on me because of those choices. However, He has blessed me with my present wife and I praise Him for this.
