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Moses seems to have ended recapping all the laws that God had wanted him to teach the Israelites to follow and in the last four verses of this chapter, he reminds them of what it all means and how God sees what has happened. He talks about the Israelites' vow to God and His vow in return.
Before we delve into this passage, I must admit that after reading it, I was reminded of the various times in my life, perhaps not unlike yours, that a Christian may make a vow to God. I was reminded of the vow I made to trust Him to lead my life when I was still a pre-teen, accepting Christ as Savior. I was reminded of the vow I made when a number of years later I was baptized -- a vow that indicated I was prepared to fully die to self and live in and through Him. And then I was reminded of the vow many of us make when we get married.
As we look back over those vows, I believe most of us could easily see how God has indeed kept His vows to us. I am not so sure we have been as diligent in our keeping of our vows to Him, or to others perhaps. This passage in the Old Testament gives those studying it an opportunity to relook at the whole idea of exchanging vows with God. Let's dig in.
A Specific Date is Involved: In verse 16 Moses indicates that there is indeed a specific point in time when an exchange of vows with God takes place. In the passage, we read the phrase "this day". This day God commanded you to follow His laws. And in verse 17, he says, "today" you, the people, have agreed by declaration that the Lord is to be your God, and that you would keep His statutes, etc. and listen to His voice.
Just as there was a specific date when the Israelites exchanged these vows, so there is a specific date when I (or anyone) accepted Christ as Lord, was baptized in obedience, and even got married. Having those dates somehow helps all of us remember the very vows that were made.
Verse 16 also points out the Israelites had to work at, or be "careful to" make sure they keep their vows. Keeping vows is a very conscious thing -- it has to be in your face all the time. There needs to be reminders of the event so that we do not forget our vows. And sadly, even those reminders are not always one hundred percent proof. That's why verse 16 goes on to say you need to heed your vows by keeping the statutes "with all your heart and with all your soul". If our heart and/or our soul are no longer engaged in the vow we made, I can assure you, we will fail to keep it.
Each Party to a Vow Has Responsibilities: When it comes to vows with God, verse 17 tells us that we are going to let the Lord be our God; that we would walk in His ways; we would keep His statutes, commandments, and ordinances; and, last but not least, we would listen to His voice.
Even though God is not keeping score or grading us (He loves us too much for that), we owe it to ourselves, and perhaps to Him, to stop and think for a moment as to how well we have done in each of those responsibilities. The first one (let the Lord be our God) seems easy enough at face value. But there's a lot more to it when we seriously pursue the full understanding of Who God is and what having Him be our Lord and God really means, especially from His perspective.
From there we can go on to ask ourselves about our progress in walking in His ways (do we even know what His ways are? may I suggest we may fall shy of the mark there if we don't study our Bible regularly), or keeping His laws (same thing applies), or worse still listening to Him. I think that's an area where many of us would not fare too well at all. How many times have I counselled individuals who come to me for advice prior to taking a certain action or step and I can tell within five minutes of our discussion whether or not they are really receptive to any idea other than what they've already planned to do in their hearts. Unfortunately, even Christians carry that attitude over to their listening to what God has to say to them.
Now God also has a responsibility (which He gladly accepts, nay, rather offers to us). Verse 18 says "this day" -- the day we exchange vows, God declares we will be His people (or His person). In fact, we would be his "treasured possession". And, as His People (and I believe the rest of Scripture bears this out -- that this applies to us collectively and individually), we shall be "set high above all others" who aren't His people (verse 19), we'll be praised, be given a name (fame) and be honored, and be a consecrated people to Him. And He has thus spoken, says the verse, and so it will be.
Matthew Henry does a great job on expounding on these ideas -- being praised, given fame, being honored, and being a consecrated people. Here's how he puts it:
"Two things God is here said to design in avouching them to be his peculiar people (v. 19), to make them high, and, in order to [do] that, to make them holy; for holiness is true honour, and the only way to everlasting honour.
- [1.] To make them high above all nations. The greatest honour we are capable of in this world is to be taken into covenant with God, and to live in his service. They should be,
- First, High in praise; for God would accept them, which is true praise, Rom. 2:29. Their friends would admire them, Ps. 48:2. Their enemies would envy them, Zep. 3:19, 20.
- Secondly, High in name, which, some think, denotes the continuance and perpetuity of that praise, a name that shall not be cut off.
- Thirdly, High in honour, that is, in all the advantages of wealth and power, which would make them great above their neighbours. See Jer. 13:11.
- [2.] That they might be a holy people, separated for God, devoted to him, and employed continually in his service. This God aimed at in taking them to be his people; so that, if they did not keep his commandments, they received all this grace in vain."
Now that's a great deal, wouldn't you agree?
In Summary: What can we ask of ourselves based on this passage? Well, here's what I'm asking myself and maybe you'd like to borrow some of these questions for yourself:
1. Do I realize who God really is as I enter into an exchange of vows with Him?
2. Am I keeping my part of the responsibilities that I have, that I promised to undertake, when I entered this vow exchange with Him?
3. Am I prepared to, regardless of how I have screwed up in the past, re-commit myself to do my part with respect to my vows to God, counting on His Holy Spirit to help me do so daily, as I commune with God in prayer and in the study of His laws and Word?
4. Do I realize who my spouse really is and that she is a gift to me from God with whom I have exchanged holy vows, and that as such, I must commit to keeping my vows with my wife, because of my vows to God, and that going forward, again no matter how badly I may have screwed up in the past, I will do all to keep those vows?
5. Will I do all I can to help those with whom I have influence, in my family, at my work, and in my local church, to ask themselves these questions and to encourage them to meet their responsibilities in this matter of vows?
I believe God has blessed us greatly, and it's only just begun. Surely, surely, we must not receive "all this grace in vain."
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