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Alright, you can turn in your 
Bibles to Numbers chapter 30 Numbers chapter 30 If you're paying attention, you 
should have said, but we should be in Numbers chapter 28. We're 
gonna actually read chapter 30 and then deal with 28 to 30, 
but not every jot and tittle because a lot of it is repetitious 
from what we've seen previously in the Pentateuch. So we'll make 
a few observations concerning the laws, concerning offerings, 
excuse me, in chapters 28 and 29. And then the law concerning 
vows in chapter 30. So I'll read chapter 30 beginning 
in verse one. Then Moses spoke to the heads 
of the tribes concerning the children of Israel saying, this 
is the thing which the Lord has commanded. If a man makes a vow 
to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, 
he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all 
that proceeds out of his mouth. Or if a woman makes a vow to 
the Lord, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father's 
house in her youth, and her father hears her vow, and the agreement 
by which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace, 
then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which 
she has bound herself shall stand. But if her father overrules her 
on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements 
by which she has bound herself shall stand, and the Lord will 
release her, because her father overruled her. If, indeed, she 
takes a husband, while bound by her vows, or by a rash utterance 
from her lips by which she bound herself, and her husband hears 
it, and makes no response to her on the day that he hears, 
then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound 
herself shall stand. But if her husband overrules 
her on the day that he hears it, he shall make void her vow 
which she took and what she uttered with her lips, by which she bound 
herself, and the Lord will release her. Also any vow of a widow 
or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, shall 
stand against her. If she vowed in her husband's 
house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath, and her 
husband heard it, and made no response to her, and did not 
overrule her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement 
by which she bound herself shall stand. But if her husband truly 
made them void on the day he heard them, then whatever proceeded 
from her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the agreement 
binding her, it shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, 
and the Lord will release her. Every vow and every binding oath 
to afflict her soul, her husband may confirm it, or her husband 
may make it void. Now, if her husband makes no 
response whatever to her from day to day, then he confirms 
all her vows or all the agreements that bind her. He confirms them 
because he made no response to her on the day that he heard 
them. But if he does make them void after he has heard them, 
then he shall bear her guilt. These are the statutes which 
the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between 
a father and his daughter, in her youth in her father's house. Amen. Well, as I said, this is 
a large block of narrative beginning in chapter 28, continuing to 
chapter 30, and it makes perfect sense as to why there is this 
repetition concerning religious observance. It's not strictly 
and exactly the same as to what we have seen earlier in the book, 
but it is pretty well parallel. So this emphasis on religious 
life comes at a notable point in Israel's history. The second 
census has been given. So of course, the emphasis, again, 
on religious observance in the context of Old Covenant Israel 
is absolutely crucial. Remember, it's not just a group 
of people moving from point A to point B. Rather, it is God's 
covenant people moving from point A to point B. And God must be 
central and these religious observances would make sure that they kept 
that in mind, or would be designed to make sure that they kept that 
in mind. So we'll look first at the laws 
concerning the offerings in chapters 28 and 29, and then secondly, 
the law concerning vows in chapter 30. So as I said, the connection 
is the second census given in chapter 26, and then after that 
in chapter 27, The daughters of Zelophehad ask about inheritance 
rights, and that is born out of that census, because one of 
the purposes for the census was to number able-bodied males for 
battle, but as well to number the tribes, or to divide the 
tribes, or to rather divide the land according to the tribes. 
And so the daughters of Zelophehad wanted to find out if they were 
going to be included in that, which of course God said that 
they would be. So here, the emphasis on religious life. The purpose, 
notice in chapter 28, verses 1 and 2, "'You shall be careful to offer 
to me "'at their appointed time.'" Sort of a controlling statement 
for all that follows. And then we have a summary statement 
at the end of chapter 29 in verses 39 and 40. "'These you shall 
present to the Lord "'at your appointed feasts, "'besides your 
vowed offerings "'and your freewill offerings, "'as your burnt offerings 
and your grain offerings, "'as your drink offerings and your 
peace offerings.' "'So Moses told the children of Israel everything 
"'just as the Lord commanded Moses.'" So God, through Moses, 
commands the people how it is they are to worship. And as we 
have seen many times in sections concerning worship in Old Covenant 
Israel, it was highly regulated by God. God didn't give them 
liberty. He didn't want them to engage 
in creativity. He didn't want them to be innovators. 
He wanted them to be obedient. That same principle carries over 
into the New Testament. We call it the regulative principle 
of worship. We do all that God commands us, 
nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else. We pray the Word, 
we preach the Word, we sing the Word, we read the Word, and we 
see the Word in the sacraments. So as we look at Scripture, whether 
Old Covenant or New Covenant, we see that God purposes how 
man is to worship Him. So after the purpose, then, we 
have the specific laws in the remainder of chapter 28 and into 
chapter 29. So you've got first the monthly 
calendar, things to be observed daily, things to be observed 
on the Sabbath, and then things to be observed monthly, and then 
the yearly calendar. So notice, with reference to 
the daily offerings in verses 3 to 8, we've already seen that 
in Exodus chapter 29 at verses 38 to 42. In fact, you can turn 
to Exodus 29, just by way of a reminder, not specifically 
with reference to the daily offerings, But with reference to the larger 
context, actually turn back to chapter 25 in the Book of Exodus. Remember, if you were to just 
do a broad stroke outline of the Book of Exodus, you would 
have deliverance, chapters 1 to 19. You'd have demand, chapters 
20 to 24. And then you would have dwelling 
from chapters 25 to 40. So deliverance, God redeems his 
people out of the house of bondage in Egypt. Demand, God commands 
them at Sinai with reference to the moral, the judicial, and 
the ceremonial law. And then the emphasis on dwelling 
in chapters 25 to 40 is God's presence among his people. In 
fact, if you look at 25.8. and let them make me a sanctuary 
that I may dwell among them." And so that is wonderful in terms 
of the religious observations that we see all throughout the 
Pentateuch. It's the reality that God is 
in the midst of his people. They are to present their sacrifices, 
they are to worship him in spirit and truth, they are to do so 
in a way that is well-pleasing in his sight. Back to chapter 
29, after the emphasis on the daily offerings, we have a similar 
statement that we saw in 25.8, here in 29.43. And there I will 
meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified 
by my glory. So I will consecrate the tabernacle, 
the meeting, and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron 
and his sons to minister to me as priests. I will dwell among 
the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall 
know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out 
of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord 
their God." Another way, deliverance, demand, and dwelling, we might 
also think bush, mountain, and tent. God appears to Moses through 
the burning bush, he commands them from the mountain, and then 
he promises to be with them in the tent. So Exodus sets the 
stage for all that follows in the Pentateuch. So going back 
to Numbers chapter 28, We see the emphasis on daily offerings. 
And then the Sabbath offerings in verses 9 to 10. And then the 
monthly offerings in verses 11 to 15. Again, it's all carefully 
regulated. It comes via the command of God. 
The people were not to add to it. They were not to take away 
from it. And they were certainly not to 
do anything else. No substitutes, no supplements, 
no additions, and certainly no innovations. With reference to 
the yearly calendar, again we see this in Exodus chapters 12 
and 13, specifically with Passover and unleavened bread, Exodus 
chapter 23, but primarily Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy chapter 16. 
So Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy chapter 16. So in terms of the 
yearly feasts, we see first of all the Passover. That's in chapter 
28, verses 16 to 25, and as well as those other passages. You 
can turn to the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy chapter 16. So Numbers 
is about the specific sacrifices that are offered at that particular 
feast. The book of Deuteronomy gives 
us a bit more information in terms of the significance behind 
it. So in Deuteronomy chapter 16, 
verses 1 and 2, we see that Feast of Unleavened Bread includes 
the Passover. The feast was celebrated in the 
month of Abib or Nisan after the exile about March or April 
on our calendar. Parallel legislation all throughout 
the Pentateuch. And then the reason for the feast 
was to celebrate the redemption by God from the house of bondage 
in Egypt. You'll notice that specifically 
in verse 3. For you came out of the land 
of Egypt in haste, that you may remember the day in which you 
came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. It's 
repeated in verse 6, you came out of Egypt. So it is a remembrance 
of God's deliverance of them from that place of captivity. And then the necessity in terms 
of observing the feast is that you must not come empty-handed. 
You must bring sacrifice before the Lord God. The next one in 
Numbers 29 is the Feast of Weeks. It's also referred to as the 
Feast of Harvest in Exodus chapter 23 and verse 16. Also in the 
Greek translation of the Old Testament, it's referred to as 
Pentecost the 50th. We see that in Leviticus 23 verses 
15 and 16. So the feast was celebrated in 
the month of Sivan, May or June on our calendar, and it was a 
time of blessing, a time of God's blessing upon the children of 
Israel, and a time to remember His provision. Deuteronomy 16.10 
tells us, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses 
you. So the idea being is that God blesses you, you then give 
your sacrifice in terms of gratitude and worship back to the Lord, 
not because he needs it, not because he is sustained by it, 
but because it is our act of worship and our expression of 
gratitude, as well the priesthood is sustained by those gifts given. The feast was a time to remember 
their bondage in Egypt and their redemption by God, Deuteronomy 
16, 12. And the feast was a time to express 
charity for the poor, according to Leviticus chapter 23 and verse 
22. So these aren't just sort of 
empty rituals that you had to put on your calendar, holy days 
of obligation, that you just had to show up and do your thing, 
but they had deep rich significance for the children of Israel. Now 
I realize not all of the children of Israel were converted, they 
probably didn't get those significances out of it, But nevertheless, 
the faithful, the ones looking to the promise of Messiah, those 
who were later described by the prophets as a remnant, they would 
have received benefit. And the second generation, God 
is leading them and encouraging them along that path. The next 
one in the Book of Numbers is in Numbers 29, verses 1 to 6. It's the Feast of Trumpets. It's 
also indicated in Leviticus 23, 23 to 25, Rosh Hashanah, which 
means the head of the year, or the new year, was a two-day observance 
that is 10 days before the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement 
is central in Israel's religion. The Day of Atonement is spelled 
out in great detail in Leviticus chapter 16. We'll see that in 
just a moment. But this Rosh Hashanah was a 
time for repentance, a time to examine oneself and to prepare 
with reference to the Day of Atonement. The next is the Day 
of Atonement in Numbers 29 verses 7 to 11. That is, as I said, 
Leviticus 16 and then Leviticus 23, 26 to 32. That was the one 
day out of the year where the high priest alone went into the 
Holy of Holies. He took off all of his garments 
except a linen garment next to his skin. He went into the Holy 
of Holies with blood. He went in there to make atonement 
for the children of Israel. He poured out blood for his own 
sin. He poured out blood for his family's sin. He poured out 
blood for the tabernacle itself. He poured out blood for Israel. 
After he finished or concluded that portion of the Day of Atonement 
rite, he then took the scapegoat, put his hands upon the goat, 
confessed the transgressions of Israel, and then sent that 
goat out into the wilderness. We sang, My sin, oh the bliss 
of this glorious thought. My sin, not in part, but the 
whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise 
the Lord, praise the Lord." Had they sung a hymn similar, they 
would have said, uh, my sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious 
thought, my sin, uh, I forgot the tune now, or I forgot the 
words, is laid on this goat, and I bear it no more. It was 
expiation. It was a perfect symbol of the 
removal of the guilt of Israel on that day of atonement. So 
you've got blood atonement, you've got all that is wrought by that, 
and you've got that visible representation of that goat being driven out 
into the wilderness. Certainly, Leviticus 16, along 
with the rest of the Pentateuch, is preaching Jesus to us, as 
are all of these particular feasts, and the daily, the Sabbath, and 
the monthly offerings. The next is the Feast of Tabernacles, 
you see that in 29, 12 to 38. That is also indicated in Leviticus 
23, verses 33 to 34. In fact, turn to Leviticus 23. 
Leviticus 23. This is also called the Feast 
of Ingathering in Exodus 23-16 in the month of Tishri, which 
is about September or October on our calendar. The feast was 
a time of celebration at the later harvest. And you note the 
purpose in Leviticus 23, specifically at verse 43, that your generations 
may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when 
I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your 
God. Meredith Klein says the name 
Tabernacles reflects the custom of dwelling in booths during 
the festival which served as a memorial of life in the wilderness. That's precisely what is happening. So back to numbers 28 and 29, 
you've got your monthly, activities, you've got those 
yearly feasts that you are to obey. And then I would suggest 
just by way of some observations with reference to the purpose 
of the feasts. The first is to remind Israel 
of their history. We need to remember where God 
has brought us from. When we come to the supper, that's 
another thing that we ought to do. We do this in remembrance 
of Christ with a specific reference to what he has done in terms 
of redeeming us with his own precious blood. So to remind 
the covenant community of their history. Second, to promote joy 
in the covenant community. In Leviticus 23, 40, you see 
that. It wasn't a time of misery and 
pain and destruction. It was rather a time for rejoicing, 
a time to recollect what God had done in terms of deliverance 
and in the reality of His dwelling among them. Thirdly, it was to 
encourage community participation in the covenant community. The 
focus, as we see in Leviticus 23 specifically, is on the laity, 
just like it is here. It's on the people. This was 
covenant community participation in these particular religious 
rites. The fellowship of the saints, the blessing of dwelling 
in peace and unity with one another. I would suggest, fourthly, it 
promoted reciprocity, there's the word I couldn't say the other 
day, to promote reciprocity within the covenant community. Charity 
for the poor, Leviticus 23, 22. The offering of sacrifice to 
God, Leviticus 23, 37 to 38. I would suggest, fifthly, this 
would help to protect or would be preventative maintenance to 
protect the children of Israel from idolatry. If you've got 
daily, Sabbath, monthly sacrifice or offerings, and then you have 
these yearly feasts all over your calendar, the idea is that 
you are to give your heart, to incline your ways to the living 
and the true God, not to seek out the false gods or the pagans 
around you. So it would be a help to promote 
a mindset that would resist the tendency to idolatry. Peter Craigie 
says, the Passover was a celebration of freedom, but at the same time 
it was a reminder that freedom from Egypt and worldly dominion 
had been exchanged almost immediately for a new commitment. The new 
commitment was made evident in that the celebration was made 
by the Israelites as the covenant people of God. So it was freedom 
from the bondage, but it was now the blessed liberty of service 
unto God. So this would be a means by which, 
or hopefully which, it would keep the children of Israel from 
going a-whoring after the false gods of the peoples around them. I would suggest, sixthly, it 
would promote obedience in the covenant people. it would promote 
obedience. These would be things that they 
would be required to do, and thus their obedience to God would 
be somewhat programmatic. Obviously, it's all spelled out, 
but that's the relationship that we sustain to our living and 
true God. And then I would say, seventhly, 
to provide rest for the covenant people. Very often, all throughout 
Leviticus 23, verses 8, 21, 25, 27, 28, 32, 35, and 36, that 
they do no customary work. In other words, there's a cessation 
from your regular labors and there is that rest then in the 
presence of God Almighty. So the feasts weren't just some 
sort of ritual, empty, devoid of any heart. The heart was to 
be engaged according to the prescribed word or command of God. and then 
to be celebrated in the presence of God. And again, I understand 
that not everybody was converted, not everybody had that particular 
heart, but for those who did, they enjoyed the fellowship of 
God, they enjoyed the fellowship of the saints. So that's an overview 
of chapters 28 and 29. Again, I commend to you Leviticus 
23 as some background, some Deuteronomy chapter 16 as well to sort of 
flesh out some more details. Now notice then the law concerning 
vows in chapter 30 verses 1 to 16. I don't know that we think a 
lot about vows or oaths. We think about wedding vows, 
typically. But I think the main emphasis 
here, among others, is the necessity to speak truth and to stand by 
that word that you have given. Just by way of a reminder from 
our confession of faith, chapter 23 of Lawful Oaths and Vows, 
I'll just read paragraphs one and two. It says, a lawful oath 
is a part of religious worship. Again, I don't think we typically 
look at it that way, but that's what scripture says and the confession 
rightly describes. A lawful oath is a part of religious 
worship wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and 
judgment Solemnly calleth God to witness what he sweareth, 
and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof. 
And then paragraph two, the name of God only is that by which 
men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy 
fear and reverence. Therefore, to swear vainly or 
rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any 
other thing, is sinful and to be abhorred. Yet as in matter 
of wait and moment for confirmation of truth and ending all strife, 
an oath is warranted by the word of God. So a lawful oath being 
imposed by lawful authority in such matters ought to be taken." 
Now you'll know that in the Protestant tradition There are those who 
suggest that the oath and vows and those sorts of things are 
no longer binding on us today. They typically invoke Jesus' 
words in the Sermon on the Mount. Let your yes be yes and your 
no be no. Jesus is talking about your interpersonal affairs on 
a daily basis. The confession underscores something 
I think is very important, yet as in matter of wait and moment. In matter of wait and moment, 
oaths and vows are sanctioned by God. It is proper to swear 
to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth 
in a court of law because it is a matter of wait and moment. You don't have to swear on a 
stack of Bibles that you'll be home by 5 p.m. You don't have 
to swear on a stack of Bibles that you'll clean the garage 
on Saturday. That's the context for Jesus' words. Let your yes 
be yes and your no be no. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount 
is not undoing civil government. He is not undoing certain applications 
of God's law. He is dealing with how we deal 
with one another in our daily lives. When he talks about turning 
the other cheek, He is not mitigating the reality that the Bible commends 
self-defense. He is not suggesting that in 
a courtroom a murderer or a rapist should just be sent on his way. 
He's not suggesting that you can't have a guard dog or that 
you can't have locks or that you can't try to keep a bad guy 
out of your house. The turning the other cheek means 
to have that interpersonal relationship where you're not a vindictive 
Pharisee that's always capitalizing on everything and seeking to 
exact a pound of flesh. It is interpersonal ethics going 
on. He is not undoing civil government. He is not undoing the judicial 
process. And he is not calling us to pacifism 
in the Sermon on the Mount. That is a bad way to read the 
Sermon on the Mount. So oaths and vows are religious 
worship. Waldron says vows are solemn 
promises made to the Lord. Oaths are solemn promises made 
before the Lord, but to men. The purpose of the oath is confirmation. The purpose of the vow is commitment. And then Wenham, commenting more 
directly on the Numbers 33, so that's a bit of a general, now 
the specific, Wenham says, vows either took the form of a promise 
to give something to God, usually a sacrifice, or a pledge to abstain 
from something. So it was a promise to give something 
to God, usually sacrifice, or a pledge to abstain from something. And that's what's likely going 
on here in Numbers chapter 30. Again, the overarching emphasis, 
devotion in the religious life. Oaths and vows are part of that 
religious life. Use them wisely. Use them judiciously. And if you happen to make one, 
you need to stand by it. You need to swear to your own 
hurt as we see our blessed Savior described in Psalm 15, verse 
2. As well, behind this is the sanctity 
of the truth. The third commandment, you shall 
not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, and the ninth 
commandment, you're not supposed to bear false witness. So when 
you say, I'm gonna do something, or you pledge something to the 
Lord, or you pledge abstinence from a thing to the Lord, you 
need to make good on that, you need to keep it. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 
says it's better to not vow or not say an oath than to do it 
and then not to fulfill it. And that's the thrust here in 
Numbers chapter 30. So there are specific details 
here concerning the man who vows and then the woman who vows. 
And interestingly, the woman who vows is subject to the man 
in her life. I realize that this will ruffle 
feathers in our feministic age, but if we're thinking Christianly, 
we ought to remember Ephesians 5, 23. The husband is the head 
of the wife. And as the head of his home, 
as the leader and commander of his home, the decisions affecting 
his home are ultimately under his control. So whatever the 
principle is taught here in Numbers chapter 30, though there might 
be some differences in terms of application, the main emphasis 
and the main principle still abides in the New Covenant. In 
fact, in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, when Paul is telling women 
to stay silent in the churches, he says, does not even the law 
teach you this? Well, there's not a particular 
text in the Old Testament that says women must keep silent in 
the churches. I think he's appealing to the 
Torah, the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses, where God made 
man first, and then he made Eve out of man, and brought Eve to 
the man to be his helpmeet. That's not a bad thing. It's 
the way God has ordained it, and we see that emphasized in 
this particular section. So first, the man who vows. Very 
simple. He shall do according to all 
that proceeds out of his mouth. Notice in 30, 1, Then Moses spoke 
to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, 
This is the thing which the Lord has commanded. If a man makes 
a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some 
agreement, he shall not break his word. He shall do according 
to all that proceeds out of his mouth. That's the fundamental 
underlying principle. If you do something or you say 
you're going to do something, do it. And in the interpersonal 
relationship world of letting your yes be yes and your no be 
no, it isn't a matter of wait and moment, but it's still the 
same principle. If you say you're going to be 
somewhere or you say you're going to do something, let your yes 
be yes and your no be no. That principle is overarching 
in terms of consistency among the people of God. Now, the woman 
who vows, according to verses 3 to 15, a quote from Timothy 
Ashley, some assumptions with reference to the passage. First, 
women could make vows to God. You see that in Numbers 6, and 
then again in 1 Samuel 1. Second, vows that were put in 
words were made to God, I'm sorry, vows that were put in words made 
to God were normally to be discharged as soon as possible. If you look 
again at verse two, he shall do according to all that proceeds 
out of his mouth. Look also at Deuteronomy chapter 
23. Deuteronomy chapter 23. When 
you make the vow, shouldn't be like five years later you carry 
it through. Deuteronomy chapter 23, specifically 
at verse 21, when you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall 
not delay to pay it, for the Lord your God will surely require 
it of you, and it would be sin to you. And then verse 23, that 
which has gone from your lips, you shall keep and perform, for 
you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised 
with your mouth. So going back to Numbers chapter 
30, back to the quote from Ashley, so vows that were put in words 
made to God were normally to be discharged as soon as possible. 
And then he said, or he goes on in that head, even rashly 
uttered and ill thought through vows were binding, Leviticus 
5.4. If you made a vow and you, wait 
a minute, no. If it was ill thought out and 
it was rash, you're still bound. Third, a woman in the house of 
her father or of her husband was under his authority. He continues, 
the principle is, however, that if these men, concerning the 
woman under her father or husband, if these men say nothing when 
they first hear about the vow, they establish it. Basically, 
silence is consent. That's another sort of juridical 
principle that flows from this section. Silence is consent. You can't come back after the 
fact and say, well, you know, I hadn't thought it through. 
No, you should have thought it through. So the principle is 
that if these men say nothing when they first hear about the 
vow, they establish it, and cannot later void the vow without incurring 
Yahweh's punishment. You see that in verses 5, 8, 
and 12. Now in terms of specific details, 
you've got a young woman in her father's house. She's a young 
woman, she's not married, she lives in her father's house. 
That's verses 3 to 5. Verses 3 to 4 tell us that if 
the father approves, the vow is carried out. If the father 
disapproves, the father overrules her and then she is released 
from that. He has the ultimate decision 
making in that particular situation. Secondly, the woman who made 
a vow in her father's house then got married in verses 6 to 8. Now there's a few ways to take 
6 to 8 and then 10 to 15. I'm giving you what I think is 
right. If you disagree, that's okay. But in verses 6 to 8, I think 
the situation is she makes the vow when she's under her father's 
authority, she then gets married, it's time to pay the vow, and 
her husband now is involved in this. So this, the husband approves, 
verses 6 to 7, the husband overrules, verse 8. So same sort of a law 
applies. She is subject to her father 
in verses 3 to 5, then subject to her husband in verses 6 to 
8, if that transition was from her father's house to her husband's 
house while the vow was still pending. Verse 9 speaks concerning 
a widow or a divorced woman. Also, any vow of a widow or a 
divorced woman by which she has bound herself shall stand against 
her. Robert Alter says this is the 
one category of woman not subject to the authority of a man that 
biblical law imagines, since it does not allow for the case 
of the spinster. And then he says, presumably 
a great rarity in biblical society with its ubiquitous imperative 
to marry and procreate. Probably wasn't common to have 
single women, spinster types, but there were widowed women 
and there were divorced women. And so the law stands that she 
is ultimately responsible It is not the case that if she's 
a 78-year-old widow, which is probably also unlikely in that 
time, but she's not moving back into her father's house so she 
can be subject to him and he can overrule or confirm any vow 
that she may have potentially made. And then the last section, 
verses 10 to 15, is the married woman in her husband's house. 
She's married, she lives with her husband, she makes a vow. 
You've got the vow voided without penalty in verses 10 to 12, and 
then the vow voided with penalty in verses 13 to 15. And again, 
the emphasis lie lays on the husband's decision in verse 13, 
the husband's confirmation in verse 14, and then the husband's 
liability in verse 15. Wenham says he shall bear her 
iniquity means he will suffer for the broken vow as though 
it were his. And then just to conclude again 
with Ashley, chapter 30 reinforces the right of women to make vows 
to Yahweh and limits a husband's right to void a vow by requiring 
that his objection be made when he first hears of his wife's 
vow and not after a long period of reflection. So a woman, in 
those particular situations, subject to her father, subject 
to her husband. She has the freedom to make vows, 
but the ultimate decision lay with her father or with the husband. If the father or the husband 
is hesitant, or hesitates, or doesn't act quickly, then he 
may be liable for a broken vow on her part. So it's about assigning 
liability to a party who transgresses God's law. And then the summary 
statement in verse 16, these are the statutes which the Lord 
commanded Moses between a man and his wife and between a father 
and his daughter in her youth in her father's house. So in 
conclusion, I would suggest the first observation is on the emphasis 
on religious life. And since our time in Numbers, 
we have seen this. We saw it in Numbers 15. If you 
go back there for just a moment, Numbers chapter 15. It's kind 
of like you're reading numbers, they're moving from point A to 
point B, they're sinning, they're getting judged, they're getting, 
you know, fire poured out from heaven, the earth is opening 
up, you've got a talking donkey, you've got Balaam trying to curse 
Israel, but he's blessing Israel. And, you know, smack dab throughout, 
we've got these emphases on religious observance. They happen at key 
moments. Numbers 15 occurs after judgment. Numbers 14, God promises that 
the first generation is not going to enter into the promised land. 
Numbers 14 gives us a down payment of that judgment in the death 
of many people. So it makes sense. Numbers 15, 
religion, sacrifice, atonement, offering to God, right relationship 
to God. That's what's going to keep you 
from Numbers 14 type incidents. See, when it's the case that 
we neglect the things that God's ordained for our good, and I'm 
speaking here of your private activities in terms of Bible 
reading and prayer, talking about family activities in terms of 
Bible reading and prayer, talking about corporate church activities 
in terms of Bible reading, prayer, preaching, singing, gathering 
together as the people of God, when we neglect those things, 
we're far more prone to the numbers 14 kinds of things. It's almost 
as if God is saying, and I think He is, that the more that you 
engage in the proper worship of God, the more of a corrective 
it is so that you don't go astray. You are prone to wander, you 
are prone to leave the God that you love, so in contrast, Go 
to Him, don't leave Him, but rather worship Him as He bids 
you. Notice as well, chapters 18 and 
19. Chapters 18 and 19, duties of 
priests and Levites and then purification laws. Well, what 
happens prior to that in chapters 16 and 17? A direct challenge 
against the priesthood. Notice in number 16, Korah was 
seeking Aaron's job. And Moses knew that, number 1611. Therefore you and all your company 
are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that 
you complain against him? Dathan and Abiram, they were 
after Moses' job. They don't like the fact that 
he's moving around like a prince over us. Notice in verse 13, 
is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land 
flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness that 
you should keep acting like a prince over us? Don't miss that. Korah is a religious rebellion. Dathan and Abiram is a political 
rebellion. They don't like Moses as a prince 
over them. And Korah doesn't like his place 
as a as a Kohathite. He doesn't want to just carry 
furniture in the tabernacle. He wants to be like Aaron. He 
wants to go and minister. And so that whole thing was about 
a rebellion against priesthood and against Moses' leadership. 
So on the heels of all that, we've got God's vindication of 
Aaron in chapter 17, and then chapters 18 and 19. Here's the 
importance of the priesthood. Here's what the priests are supposed 
to do. Here's how the priesthood is to function. Here's the laws 
of purification. Again, the idea being that if 
you keep this in your mind and heart, you won't do what Korah 
did. You won't do what Dathan and 
Abiram did. If you're worshiping, if you're 
using the means, if you're keeping yourself in the love of God, 
then you will not, or you probably may still, but you're hopefully 
not as inclined to go astray like these rebels against God's 
authority. So the emphasis in the book is 
not just a movement of people. There's been a history, a great 
deal of history, in terms of people movements from point A 
to point B. That's not what's significant 
about the wilderness wandering. What's significant is God guiding 
them by pillar of cloud and fire. What's significant is His dwelling 
in the midst of that. What's significant are these 
rites of religious obedience that they are to perform to express 
their gratitude and their love for the living and true God. 
So the emphases on religion in the Book of Numbers makes perfect 
sense. It's key here for the second 
generation. They need reminders on all these 
particulars. Secondly, the necessity of faithfulness, 
the monthly and yearly emphases and the sacrifices emphasizes 
faithful obedience to God. Faithful obedience to God. what 
God calls us to. In our covenantal setting, we 
call it sanctification, right? We're justified freely by His 
grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not me plus, 
it's not my works plus. No, it's salvation by grace alone, 
through faith alone, in Christ alone. Consequent to that, as 
an effect or result of that, a life of sanctification. God 
calls us to obedience. Jesus says, if you love me you'll 
keep my commandments. The Apostle John says the commandments 
of God are not burdensome, they're not grievous. The saint of God 
doesn't say, oh I hate that commandment that I'm not supposed to commit 
adultery. I hate that commandment that I'm not supposed to worship 
other gods. No, that's not the saint of God. 
We've got new hearts. We've got the Holy Spirit. We 
have eyes now to see the scriptures, and we want to obey. Most of 
the times, the believers that I know always lament that they 
don't obey as they ought. It's not the concept of obedience. 
It's not the principle of obedience. It's the failures with reference 
to obedience that pains the children of God. I always say, that's 
a good thing. If you're at the point where 
not obeying God doesn't bother you, then you're in a bad spot. 
Or, you know, oh, I'm really struggling with my sin. Well, 
keep struggling. That's good. Pagans don't struggle. 
They don't care. They give in. They wave the white 
flag. They do what they want. As well, 
preventative maintenance, that whole concept of avoiding idolatry. Get your mind regulated by the 
commandments of God. March onward to point B, doing 
what God calls you to do. Go into the land, know that that 
God is your portion and your lot. Hopefully that will prevent 
you from going after Baal and Asherah. As well, along the way, 
this would inculcate communion with God. I will dwell in the 
midst of them. Exodus 25.8, Exodus 29.40-ish 
there that we saw in the reading earlier. And then fellowship 
in the covenant community. They were supposed to like each 
other. They were supposed to love each other. They were in 
this together. And they were supposed to remember 
that. And these feasts were inculcated to promote that within the context 
of the people. And then I would suggest, finally, 
with reference to numbers 30 in particular, the importance 
of truth. The importance of truth. We don't 
know what the specific vows are. We don't know. I mean, we have 
good inclination to think that much of it or some of it may 
have included sacrifice to God. But if we take this passage and 
ones like it seriously, we'll see that God calls us to truth 
in all areas of our lives. Sanctity of truth in personal 
relations, family situations, ecclesiastical commitments, business 
dealings, political matters. I mentioned Psalm 15 earlier. 
I think it's a description of Jesus. I haven't yet to meet 
the man that looks like that, other than Jesus. But in 15.2, 
it says, and he speaks the truth in his heart. And in 15.4, it 
says, he who swears to his own hurt and does not change. That's Jesus' words in the Sermon 
on the Mount at the sort of micro level. Let your yes be yes and 
your no be no. Personal relations, family situations, 
ecclesiastical commitments, business dealings, political matters. 
All these things require truth. We're not given license anywhere 
in Scripture. Well, you can lie here. You can 
lie there. You can shave the truth off over 
there. Then I want to conclude with 
a quote by David Dixon in his commentary on the Westminster 
Confession, commenting on the chapter of lawful oaths and vows. He says, because an oath rightly 
taken is an act of religion whereby we glorify God and adore his 
attributes, we thereby first solemnly acknowledge his being 
in existence. The oath or vow does that. We 
solemnly acknowledge his being in existence. It's a confession 
that God is. Secondly, his ubiquity. That 
means his everywhere presentness, his omni-presence. Secondly, 
his ubiquity, that he is present in all places and in all times 
and within our hearing. Right? If we're taking an oath 
and we happen to be, you know, tucked away in a small building 
in a small part of the world, when we take that oath, we're 
acknowledging God's ubiquity, His presence among us. His omniscience, 
thirdly, that He knows all things, that He is the searcher of the 
heart. The apostle calls Him literally heart knower in Acts 
15.8. We acknowledge, fourthly, his 
truth and veracity. He is a witness brought into 
the court that cannot lie, nor be imposed upon, as saith the 
apostle, be not deceived, God is not mocked, Galatians 6.7. 
Fifthly, his supremacy over all creatures, for verily men swear 
by the greater, Hebrews 6.16. We acknowledge, sixthly, his 
vindictive justice, as he is a revenger of perjury. Seventhly, 
we acknowledge his providence and fatherly care of the concerns 
of mankind, owning the cause of the righteous. Amen. I think that is a wonderful summation 
of the beautiful value there is in oaths and vows. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in Heaven, we thank you for these things that we see here in Numbers 
28 to 30. We thank you that things have 
not changed in the New Covenant. We know that religious worship, 
we know that those things you call us unto are calculated to 
help keep us from idols, to help keep us on the right path in 
terms of our service and expressing gratitude to you. We thank you 
for what Jesus has done in saving us from our sins. We are washed 
in his blood and clothed in his righteousness, and we rejoice. 
And we know it's not owing to anything on our part. It's not 
owing to our contribution, our merit, our law-keeping, but it's 
solely and alone by your grace and for your glory. We give praise 
to you. We pray for your blessing upon 
us, upon all the brothers and sisters in our local church. 
We pray that you would be with us in the remainder of this week 
and bring us together, that we may worship you. in spirit and 
in truth, and we pray through Christ the Lord. Amen. Any comments? No questions are allowed, just 
comments. Sophia? Come on. No?