Vows were one character of communion under the law. There were required sacrifices, vowed sacrifices, and voluntary sacrifices. In these three ways the worshipers approached the Lord. We have a long scripture on the persons who, under the law, were competent to make vows. (Numb. 33)
We have another scripture on the law touching the things that were vowed, or devoted. (Lev. 27.)
The Son of God was the great maker of vows. "Lo, I come," was His language in such a character before the world was; and we know how He fulfilled it. In the day of His sorrow also He made vows. Psalm 22 shows this. He vows to declare God's name to His brethren, and in the midst of the Church, or congregation, to sing praise. The first He began to pay immediately on His being delivered from death (John 20:1717Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)), and is still fulfilling in all the saints (Rom. 8:1515For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)). The second He will pay in the kingdom, when Israel and the nations are gathered, and all the offerings shall only be to the Lord God of heaven and earth, according to which He says, "So will I sing praise unto Thy name forever, that I may daily perform My vows" (Psalm 61:88So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. (Psalm 61:8)). And again, "I will pay My vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalm 116:18-1918I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people, 19In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 116:18‑19)). Thus Jesus, as I need not say, perfectly fulfilled His vows, the great pattern of paying that which He owed.
But we have some few instances of vows undertaken by others, and differently paid by them, which read lessons of either warning or encouragement to our souls.
Jacob vowed a vow, that if the Lord would take care of him in such and such a manner, he would, among other things, make the stone on which he was lying God's house (Gen. 28). When God had accomplished all the desired mercy, Jacob grew slack, and is not in that readiness to fulfill his vow that became him (Deut. 23:2121When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. (Deuteronomy 23:21); Eccles. 5:44When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. (Ecclesiastes 5:4)). He lingers about Succoth and Sychem, and the Lord has to stir him up to go to Bethel, and there perform the vow of his distressful hour.
Jephthah vowed, as we know, what is commonly called a rash vow, and perhaps so. He was under excitement, and his lips spake too quickly, ere he had duly counted the cost (Pro. 20:2525It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry. (Proverbs 20:25)); and when the time of fulfillment comes, he consequently suffers some loss; for the honor of performing the vow rather rests on the head of his honored and devoted daughter, who, in due deliberation of soul, will have that (whatever it be I say not) accomplished, though against herself, which her too hasty father had undertaken. It is better to be slow and sure. (Judges 1125And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, (Judges 11:25).)
Hannah, by a vow, dedicated her child to the Lord.
This evidently cost her much; when the child was given to her prayers and vows, a mother's affections, as well as a suppliant's truth, assail her, and she has to meet a conflict of contending emotions. But the right prevails, according to her vow, and she is rewarded. The Spirit fills her mouth with praise, and the Lord gives her many children in the place of her little Samuel (1 Sam. 1 and 2).
These cases warn and encourage us. Jacob tells us not to delay, but be in haste to do our duty, be it what it may lest the Lord have to rebuke our lingerings. Jephthah warns us to sit down and deliberate with our souls, ere we undertake great services or sacrifices. Hannah encourages us to be true and devoted to Jesus, because, though this may at first, and for a time, cause the heart a struggle and a sorrow, blessing will surely be in the end thereof.
We are not to make vows, in the strict sense, as binding our souls to do something, or make a sacrifice in certain penalties, because service is now to know from love, and the sense of liberty, and the sense too of our own insufficiency.