God Rules Over All

I watched television shows like Matlock starring Andy Griffith as a kid, and there were times in court when the judge "overruled" an objection from an attorney.  I observed the judge also had authority to "sustain" an objection, which meant the question asked or evidence presented was to be disregarded according to the objection.  In the Law of Moses,  we see God granted authority to a father or husband to release his daughter and/or wife from a rash oath.  However, there was no such protection for a man who rashly made an oath before the LORD:  he was required to make good on his word.

Numbers 30:3-5 says, "Or if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father's house in her youth, ⁴ and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁵ But if her father overrules her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the LORD will release her, because her father overruled her."  The law reads similarly for husbands who heard their wife make an oath they deemed rash:  they could allow her vow to stand, or they could overrule and release her from the obligation to make good on her word.  The objection of the father moved God to forgive or release her from being bound by her words, and she would be free.  If the father or husband initially allowed the vow but later made it void, it would be accounted to him as sin (Num. 30:15).  He would be required to make atonement by sacrifice as prescribed in Leviticus 5:4-6.

Rather than splitting hairs between what oaths were rash or should stand, Jesus taught His disciples in 

Matthew 5:33-37:  "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  The Pharisees placed the weight of their words on the item they swore by, whether it was the temple or the gold on the temple!  Jesus exposed the folly of this approach and explained they ought to do as they had said--whether they swore an oath or not.  They were to do (or not do!) as they said, for all our words are spoken before the LORD.

Thing I love and appreciate about God are His authority, sovereignty, wisdom and power to do all He has said.  I wonder how many times I have spoken rashly and God has overruled my ignorance and folly.  Not only this, but Jesus Himself became a sacrifice for sin and laid down His life to atone for my lies, presumption and arrogance.  God has also provided everyone His word that is true, trustworthy and unchanging.  God never speaks rashly or foolishly; He does not promise to give eternal life and withhold it on a supposed technicality.  God is able to overrule every accusation the enemy brings against me because He has sustained His gospel of grace towards me and all unworthy sinners.  When Satan or others seek to condemn Christians walk in the Spirit, God overrules according to His unfailing word (Romans 8:1).  How good it is Jesus is the Head of the church, and may we all speak and uphold His pure, enduring word in sincerity and truth!