Title: Making a vow
Contents
making vows
Leviticus 27:1 - 34
When we are in great trouble or in great danger, we ask for God's help and make a vow to dedicate what we will give if the answer is answered. The same is true at this time. Of course, there are many such vows recorded in the Bible as well.
For example, if Jacob, who was fleeing, made a vow to God that he would return home safely, he would not only build an altar in Bethel but also give a tithe of his possessions (Genesis 28:20-22). Jonah also made a vow in the belly of the fish (Jonah 2:9).
But the problem is after the big crisis has passed. In a moment of crisis, I made a vow without regrets, but when the crisis is over and I find my composure, I feel stupid for making that vow.
You may be tempted to try to forget it or make a partial payment. But what is clear is that, as Psalm 15:4 says, “the vows made in their hearts must not change, even if they are harmful.” Psalm 76:11 says, “Vow ye to the LORD your God and pay it.”
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 says, “If you have made a vow to God, do not delay paying it; God has no pleasure in fools. . In this way, the Bible tells us to always fulfill our vows.
Of course, Leviticus 27, which tells how to cancel a vow, is no different. The words of Leviticus 27 are aimed at encouraging us to refrain from hasty vows. Because if you change your mind and want to cancel your vow, they will tell you to pay a much higher price than the vow you made. Who would cancel a vow if he had to pay more than he vowed? Of course, we will do as we have made our vows, so this is the purpose of this text. Let's take a look at what rules are in place.
■ First, a person or an animal is the object of a vow.
In verses 3 to 7, it is said that if you make a vow to offer a person to God, you should offer it to God at a price set according to your gender and age.
The price was higher for men than for women, and more young people than younger or older people. The lowest amount was 3 shekels for girls from 1 month to 5 years old, and the highest amount was 50 shekels for men aged 20 to 60 years old.
This amount is a large amount considering that the average monthly wage of a worker in the Old Testament was about 1 shekel. Therefore, it was a heavy amount for a poor person. God told us to go to the priest in this case. Then the priest told him to set a price according to his circumstances and pay it.
Verse 10 says that if an animal is the object of a vow, do not exchange it for better or worse, and if an animal is to be exchanged for a less expensive animal, both must be made holy and both must be sacrificed. If the animal made a vow was unclean, the priest set a reasonable price and imposed it, and if it wanted to cancel it, it had to be paid plus one fifth of the price. So there is a way to cancel the vow, but no one can do it.
■ Second, a house and a field are objects of vows.
If a house was consecrated and presented to God, the priest set the price of the house properly and had it paid in money. However, if the vows were to be fulfilled, the five minutes were added to the offering.
The same is true for fields. You had to pay a fixed price according to the size of the field and the period remaining until the Jubilee.
However, if you do not want to lose it or you sell it to others, it becomes a sacred object offered to God on the jubilee year, and becomes the inheritance of the priests just like the land offered forever.
■ Third, the rules for various other vows.
He said that the first-born children cannot be offered as a vow offering because they belong to God. Even if it was an unclean animal, it could not be offered to God. In this case, it had to either be sold and paid for, or a fifth of the price had to be offered. Among the offerings offered by vows, there were “things very dedicated to the Lord,” which could not be sold or belonged to because they were most holy to God. For example, an evil criminal who must die cannot be redeemed in any other way and must be put to death.
Another thing that cannot be given as a vow offering is tithing. Because tithing is originally God's share. If he wanted to pay off his tithe, he too had to add one-fifths. Also, it is forbidden to change superiority or inferiority when paying tithing, and if so, both would be sacred gifts and both would have to be offered to God.
It is not the right attitude to feel sorry for giving tithes or vows to God, whether it is a thing, a person, or a gift. Because we have received and should be given more grace from God than we can give. I hope you can always give thanks and joy. - Amen -