TEVET 14
Promises, Promises
“… who stands by his oath even to his hurt …” (Ps 15:4 The Jewish Study Bible, ©2004 Oxford University
Press)
The word that has been translated
as ‘oath’ is the Hebrew word shâba‛ (Strong’s H7650), and has also been translated as ‘swear’,
which is what we do when we take an oath.
Intertwined in the word shâba‛ is also the number
seven, suggesting that an oath was repeated seven times, revealing the seriousness
of said oath. This same word shâba‛ is found in Gen 25:33, concerning the birthright which Esau sold to
Jacob, where “Yaʽaqoḇ said, “Swear
to me today.” And he swore to him,
and sold his birthright to Yaʽaqob” (emphasis mine). This
occasion in Genesis is also a good example of the seriousness of this type of
oath, one that must be kept even to the point of loss.
How does that apply to us today? My (natural) father would frequently tell me
that “a person is only as good as their word”, a saying that I never fully understood
until I came into Torah. Our word is our
promise, our bond, a type of oath, if you will.
When we fail to perform what we have said we were going to do, we become,
in essence, a liar and an oath-breaker.
When we give our word, it usually refers to some type of action – I will
come to your house, I will pay you on the 15th, I will call you
tomorrow – that we have promised (given our word) to do. When we fail to follow through on that
promise, our word is no longer reliable, and is not easily trusted.
My father also used the examples of
politicians and used-car salesmen as those who would seldom tell the truth. I have no desire to stir up a hornet’s nest
discussing politicians, but let us stop and think about the used-car salesman. How many horror stories have we heard through
the years of people buying a used vehicle – reported to be in perfect working
condition – only to have said vehicle spend more time in the repair shop than
on the road? Was the salesman who sold
that vehicle trustworthy and filled with integrity?
Brethren,
please, stop and think about what you
are giving your word to, about what you are agreeing to DO. Your word is your bond, your oath, and it is
witnessed by the ears of Abba Yahweh. Even
if it becomes difficult and inconvenient to fulfill a word given, every attempt
must be made to do so. Remember the parable our Messiah taught us: “‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set
you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Mat 25:21, emphasis mine)
“Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am Ěl, and
there is none else. I have SWORN BY MYSELF, a word has gone out of My mouth in
righteousness, and SHALL NOT RETURN, so that to Me every knee shall bow, every
tongue swear.” (Isa 45:22-23,
emphasis mine)
©2020
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