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Keeping Your Word - Joshua 9-11
Keeping Your Word - Joshua 9-11
If you cross your fingers, your promises are not binding. So goes the childish concept of character. We see a different attitude towards one's word here in Joshua. The Gibeonites lied, deceived, and tricked Israel into making a covenant with them (9:11). What is Israel to do when they discover the deception? They keep the covenant! Even going to war to protect the Gibeonites from being destroyed.
This is called character. They freely gave their word. They did look into it before they made the agreement, they just didn't look hard enough. They then kept their word and honored the covenant they made.
Such is the example of God: He is faithful to His word. Such is the teaching of the Torah. "“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you. “However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. “You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised." Deuteronomy 23:21–23 (see also Num. 30:2).
David wrote concerning those who would dwell with God: "He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart." He then adds: "In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;" (Psalm 15:2, 4).
Ecclesiastes instructs us: "Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay." (Ecclesiastes 5:1–5)
What about Jepthah (Judges 11) or Herod (Matt. 14)? I see a problem here in that their word involved OTHERS to a costly commitment. It is one thing to commit yourself to costly and damaging consequences, it is another to commit others without their consent. I would have counseled both Jepthah and Herod to admit they were wrong in such 'promises' and bear their own consequences. Here you do have a problem of choosing the lesser of two evils. I hold that admitting to having made a rash vow and accept the consequences of this rather than taking an innocent life is the better coarse to take in these cases.
Does that undo the concept of keeping one's word even at cost? I don't think so, but it recognizes a difference between YOUR cost and a severe cost upon others. Herein we begin to see the wisdom of Jesus: "“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God," (Matthew 5:33–34).
Yet, back to where we started this thought, you DO need to take your word seriously. You need to think BEFORE you speak. You need to keep your word even if it is costly TO YOU. You will have to balance this with doing wickedly unto others.
Hugh DeLong
