Ecclesiastes 5:4 – When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools:  pay that which thou vowest.

 

Thought:  A vow is a thing promised to God.  In times of trouble, it is easy to make a vow.  In times of fear, it is easy to make a vow as well.  Mouthing a promise is a simple thing.  Bringing the vow to fruition can be a difficult thing.  The trouble passes.  The fears are relieved.  When all is well, the vow is not nearly as important.  The warning from Solomon is:  “…defer not to pay it…pay that which thou vowest.”  Why?  God has no pleasure in fools.  A fool makes a vow and refuses to honor it.

 

Numbers 30:2

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Definition of the word vow:

1.       Lexicons:

a.  Strong (5087):  a promise (to God), a thing promised

b.  BDB:  vow, votive offering

            2.   Dictionary.com:  a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment

 

B.      In the Bible, the first vow about which we read is recorded in Genesis 28:20-22.  It was made by Jacob.

 

And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If the Lord will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God:  and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house:  and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

 

C.     In the Old Testament, one of the most well known vows was “the Nazarite vow” (Num. 6:1-21).

 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord.

 

D.     Interestingly in the New Testament, the word “vow” is only found two times.  Both are in the book of Acts (Acts 18:18; 21:23).  Therefore, we do not speak about vows very much in the Christian dispensation.

 

E.      The teaching in this verse is simple:  “Pay your vow!”

1.       Defer not to pay it.

2.       Pay that which thou vowest.

3.       Two verses:

a.  Number 30:2

 

If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

 

b.  Deuteronomy 23:21

 

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it:  for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

 

 

4.       Three times Christians make vows:

a.  In marriage

b.  When they obey the gospel of Christ

c.  In times of struggle, hardship, and distress

 

F.      God has no pleasure in fools.

1.       A fool is one who makes a promise to God and does not keep it.

2.       Mouthing a promise is a simple thing.  Bringing the vow to fruition can be a difficult thing.  The trouble passes.  The fears are relieved.  When all is well, the vow is not nearly as important.

3.       God will hold the person who has made a vow accountable.

4.       This goes back to the previous verse. 

a.  The fool utters all kinds of words, even vows to God which he often fails to keep.

b.  It is better to refrain from speaking when it comes to a vow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 5:5 – Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

 

Thought:  Not making a vow is not a sin.  In fact, not making a vow is better than making one and refusing to pay.  The latter shows one’s dishonesty.  It shows one’s irresponsibility.  It shows one’s hypocritical nature.  Basically, when one refuses to honor a vow, he reveals a weak and evil character.  We need to be extremely careful with the promises we make to God.  He is listening and expects us to honor our word just as He honors His words to us.

 

Deuteronomy 23:22

 

Commentary:

 

A.     A vow as an optional matter.  If a person was not going to fulfill his vow, it was better not to make it (Deut. 23:22).

 

But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

 

B.      To make a vow and not pay displays some evil elements within the individual.

1.       It shows dishonesty.

2.       It displays irresponsibility.

3.       It manifests a hypocritical nature.

4.       It evidences insincerity.

5.       It reveals an extremely weak character.

 

C.     Some would argue:  “It was just a simple vow.”  That statement highlights immaturity and ignorance on the part of the individual.

 

D.     Who am I?  A vow and its fulfillment is the answer to that question.

1.       I am true.

2.       I am faithful.

3.       I have integrity.

4.       I am genuine.

5.       I am real.

 

E.      Two verses about God.

1.       1 Thessalonians 5:24

 

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

 

2.       Hebrews 10:23

 

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.

 

3.       What if…

a.  God made promise to us.

b.  We lived our lives faithfully based upon those promises.

c.  Then, God refused to pay His vows to us on the last day.

d.  What would you think of God?

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 5:6 – Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin:  neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands.

 

Thought:  Here we learn of the consequences of making rash vows.  First, they cause the flesh to sin.  A vow is made with the mouth, but the body does not fulfill the vow.  Thus, the flesh sins.  Second, God becomes angry and brings forth punishment.  This will happen even if the individual pleads with the priest, that is, “the angel,”saying:  “It was an error” or mistake.  Vows are serious things.  The one who makes a vow needs to understand the serious nature of it and fulfill his promise.

 

Leviticus 5:4-6

 

Commentary:

 

A.     This verse teaches us the consequences of unfulfilled vows.

 

B.      Solomon notes three consequences.

1.       The mouth causes the flesh to sin.

a..  The words of a vow are spoken by the mouth. 

b..  However, the body, the flesh, fails to fulfill the vow.

2.       God becomes angry with our voice.

a..  God is a God who possess the emotions of anger and wrath.

b..  His anger, however, is not sinful.  It always involves His righteous disgust with those

      things that war against holiness.

3.       The Lord will destroy the work of our hands.

a..  God has the ability to destroy the things that man creates with his hands.

b..  We cannot see God, therefore, we often forget His abilities.

                        1)  “…and they left off to build the city” (Gen. 11:8)

2)  “…and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the

            Egyptians fled against it:  and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of

            the sea.  And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen,

            and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them;  there remained not

            so much as one of them” (Exo. 14:27-28).

3)  “…that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man

                              straight before him, and they took the city.  And they utterly destroyed all that

                              was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass,

                              with the edge of the sword” (Josh. 6:20-21).

 

C.     Can God intervene in our lives and bring them to ruin without bringing acts of violence upon us?  (Ex., time, finances, people, events).

 

D.     “…neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error…”

1.       This seems to be an odd statement because when we think of angels, we think of heavenly, spirit beings.

2.       Who is this angel?

a.  The Hebrew word means “to dispatch as a deputy,” or “a messenger.

b.  It is translated elsewhere as:  “ambassador, king, messenger.”

c.  Here, the “angel” is a “priest.” 

                         1)  Many vows were spoken before a priest (Ex., the Nazarite vow).

                        2)  If a vow went unfulfilled, it was not sufficient for the person to simply say:  “It was

                             an error.”

3.       LESSON:  Man too easily attempts to excuse his lack of responsibility to God.  God does

                   not take man’s vows lightly.  He expects individuals to fulfill their vows.