Numbers 30:1b-5″This is what the LORD commands: When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

“When a young woman still living in her father’s house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.

So I read this last night and I got from it that if this is a daughter listening to her parent, shouldn’t this apply to all sons and daughters? For example if I make a promise to my friend and say I will meet them somewhere in 30minutes but then my parents tell me that I can’t go, I have to obey my parents. See even though my “vow” or “promise” to a friend was made first I still have to obey my parents first. This is the right thing for me to do, because the Lord says so. It’s doing what God wants and what my parents want. Now I wouldn’t just leave my friend to wonder where I am, I would somehow get in contact with them if possible, but I must obey my parents. So if this is true for me obeying my parents shouldn’t this be more true when God tells me it? If I make a “vow” or “promise” to a friend or brother, maybe even to my parents and God says “no, that’s not what I want you to do” then you follow God. So let’s go extreme here. Let’s say that someone has made a vow, not just any vow but a vow of marriage, this person is engaged. So you’re engaged and happy, you can’t wait till the wedding day etc. etc. Now what happens if God suddenly tells you that you should go on this mission trip to say Zimbabwe. Are you gonna listen? If you have read the story of Jonah when he ran away from the Lord there was great consequences and God still got him to do what he wanted.

Jonah 1:12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Jonah 1:17 “But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”

So back to the obeying. Even when you have probably the greatest vow ever on you head you still have to follow God. If you truly follow God in this situation and hold off on the marraige, your wife or husband will understand, and if not then why are you marrying them at all? Vows and pledges are powerful things, but the will of God is greater still.