Vows & Vengeance…

What are these vows? And why is it handled differently for males and females? 🤔

Most of us don’t take many vows these days. Marriage vows and being “sworn in” as part of judicial proceedings or as part of a government position are the kinds of vows and oaths we’re familiar with.

Well, back in Leviticus, we saw 3 things called “vows.”

1. A promised sacrificial offering that was distinct from other personal offerings like sacrifices for purification, sin offerings, or free-will peace offerings.
2. The giving of an unusually generous gift to YHWH that could include giving a lifetime of service by oneself. This was valued monetarily based on the estimated amount of labor the person could give.
3. The Nazarite vow – in which one will be separated to YHWH’s service for a set period of time. During this time the person was to remain ceremonially clean, not consume any grape products, and not cut their hair.

Moses has just reviewed the rules around the various offerings and festival observances. Here, he reviews vows and the caveats that apply to females.

Why do females have caveats and men do not? I don’t actually know. But here are my ponderings and supposings: 🧐

1. Females are kinda famous for making decisions based on emotion. We don’t always, and some of us are certainly more fact and logic based than others, but ya gotta admit, it’s a thing. And making a vow based on emotion is a bad idea. Not that a man couldn’t also make a rash vow based on emotion. Just ask Jeptha. But poor Jeptha had to perform his vow. He didn’t have someone who could say – “Nope. That’s a bad idea. We’re not doing that.” A woman could have that protection.
2. Suppose a young woman makes a rather emotionally-charged vow to forsake marriage and children and serve the Tabernacle? (Kinda like a nun.) Her parents may believe that when she cools off from her lofty aspirations she may feel rather sorry. So her father could nullify her vow and spare her the guilt for breaking it or a life of sorrow for having to stick to a vow she shouldn’t have made.
3. Suppose a married woman decides to take a Nazarite vow for a month or a year. Or two. If I understand the cleanliness laws correctly, it may imply that she would avoid intimacy with her husband. It’s called a vow of separation. I could be WAY off on that, but I kinda wonder. At the very least she’s not handling grapes, raisins, or wine in the home during her vow. The bottom line is, whatever she decides is going to affect her husband. It can’t be helped. So he really ought to at least have the option to say something. It’s like Paul’s advice on abstinence in marriage in 1 Cor. 7:5.
4. Suppose a girl vows to give the family dog to the Tabernacle. Or her father’s whole flock. She doesn’t actually own those things so they aren’t hers to give. So her father could nullify her vow.
5. Another insight from all this – passivity on the part of the man is confirmation. Or as people say today, not making a decision is itself a decision.

These are just my random musings – trying to make sense of the why. In case you hadn’t noticed, I do not accept “just because” as an answer. The LORD is not whimsical. He always has reasons for what He does. Sometimes the reason has everything to do with an ancient culture that no longer exists. And that’s fine. We’re not under this covenant. But studying it gives us insight into our God’s character and the nature of humans (from God’s perspective).

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Vengeance… ⚔️

The Midianites (who were also descended from Abraham) got in on the whole Baal of Peor incident. It was what is called in spy-parlance today a “honeypot” operation.

🍯🐝🐝🐝

Since Yahweh didn’t allow Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam “taught” Balak how to defeat them: Operation Honeypot of Peor. And it led to a plague and death. ☠️

So it’s payback time.

You’d think the occult seductresses would be high on the list of “take no prisoners,” but no. The men fall for the hot babe trick again.

This part of scripture is harsh. It is. Moses orders the execution of all but the virgin girls – who will become household servants and/or eventually wives.

But why kill the little boys? 🧒🏽

Because little Midianites grow up to be big Midianites. 🧒➡️💪🏼🧔

And yes. I know that sounds very racist and homophobic, etc. It’s 3000 year old ancient history. It is what it is.

What we can glean from it is:

Sweet little innocent sins that “aren’t hurting anyone” grow up to be strong brutes. They don’t stay little. They become tyrants that control your life and put you in slavery. You cannot pity them in your life. You must be ruthless in cutting them down.

Because here’s what happens in just a generation or two if you don’t:

“The Israelites did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave them into the hand of the Midianites for seven years. The hand of the Midianites prevailed over Israel; because of the presence of the Midianites, the Israelites made for themselves hiding places that were in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. And whenever Israel sowed seed, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the east would come up against them. They would camp against them and destroy the produce of the land as far as Gaza; they left no produce in Israel, or sheep, ox, or donkey.”
‭‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭LEB‬‬

This is what is coming for Israel. The Midianites are literally going to drive them into a post-apocalyptic, living-in-a-cave survival scenario. And who is doing this? Those Midianite men who were once little boys.

And I get it. It was a very cruel time back then. I’m VERY glad I live now. We are not at war with flesh and blood anymore. Our battle is spiritual. 🙏

We would do well to examine our lives for the presence of the spiritual equivalent of hot Midianite babes or cute little harmless Midianite boys. Don’t think you can bring them into your home and not be affected.

Oh – and we saw my hero, Phinehas, again. (Yes- I’m slightly crushing on a Bible character. 😍) He’s got the sacred trumpet and he’s bugling on it and leading the fray. 🎺

And did you notice who else was there? Balaam. That snake in the grass. 🐍

He met his end. Isn’t it weird and sad? The guy had been allowed a vision of Yahweh and had been used to utter prophetic blessings over Israel had ultimately betrayed them for money.

If the Church at Pergamum had people like Balaam, we should keep an eye out too. 👀

With this victory, plus the prior victories over the Amalekites, Israel has begun to make some space to live. They’re conquering the borderlands of Canaan. We’re really close now.