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PROVISION FOR FOOLISH VOWS!
LORD’S DAY, JUNE 30 MORNING
Leviticus 27

Ecclesiastes 10:12

 

“…then the priest shall estimate it,
whether it be good or bad: as the priest

shall estimate it, so shall it stand.”

 

PROVISION FOR FOOLISH VOWS!

 

What happens when a vow is made foolishly? Or, on the spur of the moment, made erroneously such that if the vow is kept a sin is committed? The LORD knows man better than the man himself! Leviticus 27 provided for the “breaking” of vows that were made under the above or similar circumstances. The restitution amount varied from person to person. For a young man from the age of 20 to 60 years, the estimation was 50 shekels. For a female of the same age range, the estimation was 30 shekels. If the age range was between 5 and 20 years, then the estimation was 20 and 10 shekels respectively for the male and female. If the age range was from 1 month to 5 years, then the estimation was 5 and 3 shekels respectively for the male and female. If the age range was from 60 years and above, the estimation was 15 and 10 shekels respectively for the male and female. For the poor, the priest would decide on the estimation. The reason was that the stronger the person, the more he could serve the LORD, so the higher the estimation. If a clean beast had been vowed, it had to be kept. There was no estimation for a clean beast. For an unclean beast, the priest would estimate how much the unclean beast was worth, and the owner would make payment unto the LORD accordingly.
 
The law of estimation upheld the importance of making a vow in the sight of the LORD. This was a guard against making foolish vows. Yet, at the same time, it prevented foolish actions from being committed because a vow made had to be kept without a way out that might lead to sin and more evil. This was the case of Jephthah, the foolish judge, who vowed to offer as a burnt offering whoever came out of his house if the LORD were to give him victory against the Amorites. His only daughter, who was a virgin, came out to greet him when he returned from battle in victory. He kept this foolish vow and offered his daughter as a burnt offering unto the LORD! It is important for Christians to make and keep vows today. But more importantly, they must be careful to make vows that they are able to keep and not make any foolish ones that may lead to sin when they are kept.
 
MEMORISATION: Leviticus 27:2

PRAYER: Father, may I make my vows prayerfully and wisely.

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