Committed to an oath
For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath. Hebrews 6:16-17 CSB
Yesterday, we read on how God swore an oath to Himself, to show that He would fulfill His promises. Because humans tend to not be trustworthy with promises, we have developed taking oaths to validate our statements and are always sworn to some greater power. Jesus Himself urged His followers to speak honestly and be trustworthy with their words in Matthew 5:37, “But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.” But overall, mankind still break their promises, and therefore, developed oaths to settle disputes, as seen in verse 16. “For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute.” We see this play out in court, where the witnesses testify, taking the oath on the Bible in the court of law to tell the truth under penalty of perjury, or when we have a new president who takes the oath of office on the Bible and swears to do the best of their ability with God’s help. Invoking the Name of God is to appeal to the truth for God is “the truth” (see John 14:6). So, once someone invoke the Name of God and violates speaking the truth, there will be the possibility of divine restitution. Now, God didn’t have to make an oath, for He is God. His Word alone created every fiber of every being. But, because He is loving, He chose to make an oath on the behalf of mankind to trust Him, as seen in verse 17, “because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.” The author’s audience are a product of God’s promise, being the numerous descendants of Abraham. Believers are also the fulfilment of God’s promise to provide a way of restoration through His Son, Jesus Christ. God will always fulfill His promises. No believer ought to doubt God’s will to save him, for God gives him perfect assurance that the nature of God’s purpose is unchanging. The believer has eternal security because of this unchanging will of God.
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
Comments