Yes, I am a week late. It’s been a very busy time. Matot and Masei usually go together in a single week, so I’ll try to write something about Masei tomorrow, and all will be right again with the world.
Num 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
God obviously holds the keeping of one’s word to be very important. When we say that we will do such and such or that we something will be, we are exercising one of the ways in which we were created in God’s image. When God spoke, the universe was. His interaction with us has primarily been spoken through his prophets, his laws, his Word.
When we speak, like God, we create. We can change the universe by our words. “If you will say unto this mountain, ‘Be moved and cast into the sea,’ it shall be done.” Notice that he did not say if we ask God to move the mountain. He said we can speak directly to the mountain. Our words have tangible effects on the world around us. You can see that it might be important to watch what you say. Even if you speak without intent, there may be power in the mere sounds.
If you say that you will do one thing and then do something else, like trying to walk in two different directions at once, there are bound to be consequences. Your words have set spiritual machinery into motion to one end while your actions move you in another. The more significant your words, the more significant the consequences are sure to be.
This doesn’t mean that you always have to do exactly what you say regardless of the consequences. If you say you will do something that would cause harm then it might be wiser to break that word. There will still be a consequence to the words, but it’s better to break an oath to kill than to commit murder.
Words have meaning, perhaps more meaning than we know.
