The General Principles of Vows and Oaths
30: 16
The general principles of vows and oaths DIG: What have you learned from this chapter about vows and oaths? As ambassadors of Yeshua Messiah, why is it vitally important for us to keep our vows and oaths?
REFLECT: Why do you think God places so much importance on oaths and vows? What does that say about God and His promises? About human nature and our promises? Who can you pray for this week?
Relationships bring responsibilities, and to rush into unwise commitments is to suffer consequences that can be costly (Proverbs 20:25; Ecclesiastes 5:1-6).
These are the mitzvot which ADONAI ordered Moshe between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter, if she is single living in her father’s house. The concluding summary indicates the general principles of the chapter and are presented in the progressive stages of the marital relationship. Intermittent examples throughout the TaNaKh advance progressive of mitzvot regarding women in Jewish society and male-female relationships. Yeshua would further elevate women by His close association with those such as Mary Magdalene and Martha, and by His freedom in discussing vital theological issues with one such as the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:1-26).700
Haftarah Matot: Jeremiah 2: 3
(see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah)
The Haftarah for the next twelve weeks relates to calendar days. Tradition attributes the apostasy of the golden calf to 17 Tammuz, the same day that the outer walls of the Temple were breached by the Romans (see the commentary Jeremiah Ga – The Fall of Jerusalem). Then follow 21 days to 9 Av, the day when both Temples were destroyed (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gb – The Destruction of Solomon’s Temple on Tisha B’Av in 586 BC). During these three weeks, “the Haftarot of Affliction” warned of the impending doom. In today’s Haftarah, read the week of the 17 Tammuz, Jeremiah warns of catastrophe: Today I have placed you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant (Jeremiah 1:10). Though God remembered Isra’el’s devotion as a bride, first following Him (Jeremiah 2:2), now Isra’el has bowed to other gods and to idols (Jeremiah 1:16). Even so, she remains holy. Those who devour her will incur God’s wrath for eating His firstfruits (Jeremiah 2:3).701
B’rit Chadashah Matot: Philippians 3: 15-16
Rabbi Sha’ul (see the commentary on Acts Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey: Paul is Sha’ul and Sha’ul is Paul) called his readers to share with him the pursuit of being conformed in the image of Messiah (Romans 8:29). What he wanted for himself he also wanted for them. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things (Philippians 3:15). What view of things? The one he had expressed regarding persistently pressing on toward the goal. One mark of spiritual maturity is a desire to go on with Messiah. Paul’s appeal here was to maturing believers who shared his ambitions. He trusted God to make things clear to those who disagreed with him. No doubt the greatest need among God’s people is to live up to what they already have in Messiah. Most live far below their exalted position in Messiah. Paul’s plea to the Philippians was that they live up to what they had already attained, namely a righteous position in Messiah (Philippians 3;16).702
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