March 04, 2013: What is a Vow ?
Category: General
Posted by: IDF Minister
According to dictionary.com a vow can be defined as the following:
1. a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment: marriage vows; a vow of secrecy.
2. a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service, or condition.
3. a solemn or earnest declaration.
What does a vow mean to you? Some, if not all, make vows (solemn promises, pledges, or personal commitments) during wedding ceremonies but do they keep them? Ruth made a vow (a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service or condition) to Naomi, her mother-in-law but most importantly to God. Take a look at Ruth 1:16-17 (New Living Translation)
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Did Ruth keep this commitment to Naomi and to God? Absolutely, she kept her vow and also became a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Ruth was King David’s great grandmother. Ruth later had a son named Obed with her second husband, Boaz. Obed had a son named Jesse. Jesse was the father of David. What is most interesting was that Ruth, a Moabitess, grew up serving false Gods but she made a decision to follow the one and only True Living God. She decided to leave Moab and go back to Bethlehem- Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi even though as far as the physical eye could see, really had nothing to offer Ruth, made several pleads to Ruth to go back to her family and to her gods. Ruth had married one of Naomi’s two sons. Naomi had lost not only her husband Elimelech, but also both of her sons. Despite all of this, Ruth made this vow (a solemn or earnest declaration) “May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
In conclusion, before making vows consider if you are willing to go the distance to keep. Ruth did and she was so glad about it!
Minster Althea
1. a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment: marriage vows; a vow of secrecy.
2. a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service, or condition.
3. a solemn or earnest declaration.
What does a vow mean to you? Some, if not all, make vows (solemn promises, pledges, or personal commitments) during wedding ceremonies but do they keep them? Ruth made a vow (a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service or condition) to Naomi, her mother-in-law but most importantly to God. Take a look at Ruth 1:16-17 (New Living Translation)
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Did Ruth keep this commitment to Naomi and to God? Absolutely, she kept her vow and also became a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Ruth was King David’s great grandmother. Ruth later had a son named Obed with her second husband, Boaz. Obed had a son named Jesse. Jesse was the father of David. What is most interesting was that Ruth, a Moabitess, grew up serving false Gods but she made a decision to follow the one and only True Living God. She decided to leave Moab and go back to Bethlehem- Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi even though as far as the physical eye could see, really had nothing to offer Ruth, made several pleads to Ruth to go back to her family and to her gods. Ruth had married one of Naomi’s two sons. Naomi had lost not only her husband Elimelech, but also both of her sons. Despite all of this, Ruth made this vow (a solemn or earnest declaration) “May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
In conclusion, before making vows consider if you are willing to go the distance to keep. Ruth did and she was so glad about it!
Minster Althea
