Daily Bible Portion (Monday)
Daily Bible Portion – 2 of 7
"TRIBES"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 30:1-32:42, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-5:20)
Vows
If a man makes a commitment to God or his neighbor, he must fulfill the promise made. If a man makes an inappropriate declaration, he must make restitution, especially if he has made any slanderous remarks. He is bound both legally and morally to Yahweh for both accounts. If a woman still living under her father’s care makes an inappropriate statement, a careless word or oath, according to Torah her father can forbid/cancel it. The same is true for a married woman; her husband can respond to Yahweh on her behalf and nullify the vow. The vow will not be binding upon them. But if these men do not respond and cover their women, then the foolish pledge the women have spoken will be binding on both the man and the women. Yahweh holds the man accountable for their words.
This is the background to Paul’s words in the New Testament.
Women in the Assembly
In this setting, Paul was not speaking in a church like we see today. He was teaching in a pagan temple to a people not familiar with His God YHVH or His Word. The Corinthian’s were an untaught and unprincipled people practicing pagan rituals. The scene Paul entered into was unruly; it was also a female dominated society. Paul was sent there to establish proper Kingdom order. In his teaching Paul was not saying that women were never allowed to speak in church. These women Paul was addressing were accustomed to appeasing their pagan gods. One method was by screaming. Because of this distraction Paul requested they be silent so others could hear what he was teaching and if they wanted to learn more, their husbands could share with them when they got home.
Coverings
The word vow in Hebrew is neder (Strong’s H5088), which means: to bind or imprison, and to dedicate a specific object or creature to Yahweh. The word oath in Hebrew is sh’vuah (Strong’s H7621/TWOT 2319a) meaning: an obligation taken upon yourself rather than imposed on the object. Sh’vua comes from the root word sheba (TWOT #2318) meaning seven.
What happens to a person if they speak a vow/oath without a covering to guide them? What happens when words that were spoken have not been upheld or honored? What if the person making the vow/oath does not intend to keep it and what if after thinking about it they chose not to fulfill the vow? The Scriptures are very clear that we are bound by the words (vows and oaths) we make from our mouths.
We tend to think vows are only made during formal occasions like a vow and oath in marriage. What we have not been taught is that a commitment made from our mouth to God or to another person is a vow and oath that carries a creative force. Therefore we need to follow through by putting action to our words. This is basic fundamental teaching of the faith.
Promises
Many people make vows all the time with no thought of keeping them. We say things like. “I’ll call you sometime.” “We’ll get together.” “That’s a promise.” “You will have it on time.” “We’d love to come.” “We will be there.” “You can count on me!” etc. Sadly, these empty expressions have come to be acceptable closing remarks rather than sincere promises.
Then there are the personal ones like “I’ll never hurt you again.” “I’m going to quit.” “I am so sorry. I promise Honey, I will never do that again.” “I will be home on time.” “I love you.”
As children of God, our promised words become prophesy that act like principles/covenants. Once they are spoken they are linked to Yahweh’s Kingdom, as we are ambassadors of His Word. If the promises are empty and we say things we never intend to fulfill, we misrepresent (blaspheme) His Name and His Kingdom. Comments like these are called lies and are not part of the foundation Yahweh builds His Kingdom on.
continues tomorrow...
"TRIBES"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 30:1-32:42, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-5:20)
Vows
Numbers 30:2 “When a man, a widow or a divorced woman makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to obligate themselves by a pledge, they must not break their word but must do everything they have said.”
If a man makes a commitment to God or his neighbor, he must fulfill the promise made. If a man makes an inappropriate declaration, he must make restitution, especially if he has made any slanderous remarks. He is bound both legally and morally to Yahweh for both accounts. If a woman still living under her father’s care makes an inappropriate statement, a careless word or oath, according to Torah her father can forbid/cancel it. The same is true for a married woman; her husband can respond to Yahweh on her behalf and nullify the vow. The vow will not be binding upon them. But if these men do not respond and cover their women, then the foolish pledge the women have spoken will be binding on both the man and the women. Yahweh holds the man accountable for their words.
This is the background to Paul’s words in the New Testament.
Women in the Assembly
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak [out] [speak is Strong’s G2981 “laleo” meaning to utter a voice or emit a sound, to speak, to use the tongue or the faculty of speech, to utter articulate sounds]; but they are to be submissive, as the law [Torah: Numbers 30] also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak [out, ie: to scream] in church.”
In this setting, Paul was not speaking in a church like we see today. He was teaching in a pagan temple to a people not familiar with His God YHVH or His Word. The Corinthian’s were an untaught and unprincipled people practicing pagan rituals. The scene Paul entered into was unruly; it was also a female dominated society. Paul was sent there to establish proper Kingdom order. In his teaching Paul was not saying that women were never allowed to speak in church. These women Paul was addressing were accustomed to appeasing their pagan gods. One method was by screaming. Because of this distraction Paul requested they be silent so others could hear what he was teaching and if they wanted to learn more, their husbands could share with them when they got home.
Coverings
Numbers 30:16 “These are the regulations Yahweh gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living in his house.”
The word vow in Hebrew is neder (Strong’s H5088), which means: to bind or imprison, and to dedicate a specific object or creature to Yahweh. The word oath in Hebrew is sh’vuah (Strong’s H7621/TWOT 2319a) meaning: an obligation taken upon yourself rather than imposed on the object. Sh’vua comes from the root word sheba (TWOT #2318) meaning seven.
What happens to a person if they speak a vow/oath without a covering to guide them? What happens when words that were spoken have not been upheld or honored? What if the person making the vow/oath does not intend to keep it and what if after thinking about it they chose not to fulfill the vow? The Scriptures are very clear that we are bound by the words (vows and oaths) we make from our mouths.
We tend to think vows are only made during formal occasions like a vow and oath in marriage. What we have not been taught is that a commitment made from our mouth to God or to another person is a vow and oath that carries a creative force. Therefore we need to follow through by putting action to our words. This is basic fundamental teaching of the faith.
Promises
Many people make vows all the time with no thought of keeping them. We say things like. “I’ll call you sometime.” “We’ll get together.” “That’s a promise.” “You will have it on time.” “We’d love to come.” “We will be there.” “You can count on me!” etc. Sadly, these empty expressions have come to be acceptable closing remarks rather than sincere promises.
Then there are the personal ones like “I’ll never hurt you again.” “I’m going to quit.” “I am so sorry. I promise Honey, I will never do that again.” “I will be home on time.” “I love you.”
As children of God, our promised words become prophesy that act like principles/covenants. Once they are spoken they are linked to Yahweh’s Kingdom, as we are ambassadors of His Word. If the promises are empty and we say things we never intend to fulfill, we misrepresent (blaspheme) His Name and His Kingdom. Comments like these are called lies and are not part of the foundation Yahweh builds His Kingdom on.
James 3:9-10 “With it [the tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”
continues tomorrow...
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