An Oath vs a Promise

 We got into a little discussion in Sunday school Sunday morning about the passage in Hebrews 6:17-18,

“God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.”

Here it refers to both a promise and an oath. The question was, "why does God, who cannot lie, also swear on Himself. It seems redundant and unnecessary."

I did a little word study on the passage of Hebrews 6:17 (Reading down the Right side, literal translation, meaning is second part)

By whichGodwilling – has an affectionate desire to execute a purpose.
more abundantly –exceeding, more than is necessary, superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon.
to show – to display so it can be looked upon. To set forth and prove so it can be acknowledged.
to the heirs – one who receives his allotted possession by right of sonship.
of promise – To voluntarily announce  or proclaim what one is going to do or furnish.
the immutability – unalterable, fixed, cannot be transferred or deserted.
of His counsel –affectionate, desired deliberate purpose
Confirmed – to mediate between two parties, to pledge oneself as a surety. To accomplish something between two parties.
it by an oath. - a fence, an enclosure or confinement. To pledge or promise with and oath. It is something definite, measureable, confined, describable, tangible.

Doesn’t this just show God’s heart? We know, and He knows, that His promise of salvation and relationship with Him is His bond, but He is so tender to our hearts that He says, “I will make sure that you know and are utterly confident that I will make this happen, that I will execute it with extraordinary, surpassing, willing, affectionate desire. . .”  

I think it shows not only God's desire for intimate relationship with us, but also humility in God’s heart, one of those character qualities that He is building in us. He does not say… “how dare you not believe me when I say something”, He goes out of His way to let us know in our deepest heart, where logic doesn’t not reign but absolute trust should, that He holds us and He holds the promise of salvation. That He will happily and most willingly do whatever it takes for us to trust Him and enter into relationship with Him freely and without any reservations. 

And thus vs 19 of Hebrews 6

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”

Oh, that I should trust Him utterly… Oh that I should be so tender towards others, not thinking of my own pride, but only of them.

Other thoughts on oaths. There is a difference between the promise or betrothal and the final oath or marriage. I wonder how much these two intersect or are similar, an oath between us and God. A marriage is far more than a piece of paper. It is a bonding, a tying of souls..........

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and later.....

 I was really discouraged this morning. I had weird icky dreams again and woke up incredibly depressed. I don't know why. Maybe cleaning out some of Joe's stuff set me off. I don't know. I was so depressed breathing was a chore. Doing that devotion turned me around.

I love the quote from Matthew 8. It puts me in mind of. Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it."

I wonder how often we are not healing... or rather, are delayed in our healing, because we will not rest, we will not rest, we will not be still and KNOW that HE is God? Ah, so difficult to become.