It is a solemn promise or pledge
that binds a person to perform a specified act or to behave in a
certain manner. A covenant is a vow with a life-long span, for
example, the marriage vow. But a vow is not necessarily a covenant
as it may be just a one-time or term basis, for example, Hannah
dedicating to the Lord her firstborn son, Samuel, solely for His
service. The rest of her children remained with her (1 Samuel 2:21).
All vows are made to God as a
promise in expectation of His favor (Gen. 28:20) or in thanksgiving
for His blessings (Psa. 116:12-14). Vows might be made at daily
devotions (Psa. 61:8) or at the annual feasts (1 Sam. 1:21). All
vows must be paid to God in the congregation at the Tabernacle or
Temple (Deu. 12:6,11; Psa. 22:25).
The first mentioned vow in the
Bible is of Jacob at Bethel (Gen. 28:20-22; 31:13). Examples of
others making a vow are Jephthah (Judg. 11:30-31,39), Hannah (1 Sam.
1:11), David (Psa. 132:2-5), and Absalom (2 Sam. 15:7-8).
In the New Testament, the
apostle Paul took a vow (Acts 18:18), probably at the end of a
30-day period of abstinence from food, and had his hair cut off at
Cenchrea. This vow that Paul took was probably the Nazirite vow
(Num. 6:1-21). Samson in the Old Testament also took the Nazirite
vow (Judg. 13:5,7; 16:17).
What is abstinence?
It is the voluntary,
self-imposed, and deliberate denial of certain pleasures, such as
food, drink and sex.
There are basically two kinds of
(1) a total abstinence
involving an absolute renunciation of a forbidden thing, such as
in a Nazirite vow; and
(2) a temporary abstinence as, for example, the mutual consent
of husband and wife to give up sexual relations for a time, in
order to give themselves "to fasting and prayer" (1 Cor. 7:5).
The Israelites were commanded to
abstain from eating flesh that contained blood (Gen. 9:4). They were
to refrain from eating certain unclean animals (Leviticus 11).
Priests could not drink wine while doing their holy ministries (Lev.
10:9). Others were abstained from drinking wine forever (Jer. 35:6).
The apostle Paul taught that
Christians should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, lest it
cause a weaker brother or sister in Christ to stumble (Rom. 14:1-23;
1 Cor. 8:1-13). The believer's body is the "temple of the Holy
Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:19) and should not be polluted by unclean things.
Paul also exhorted the church of
the Thessalonians to "abstain from sexual immorality" (1 Thes. 4:3);
and they were to "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22).
The Christian is called to live
a life of unselfish and sacrificial love towards God and others.
Abstinence should always seek to glorify God and to build up fellow
believers in the faith.
The excellent example of the
It is a Kenite tribe founded by
Jonadab, the son of Rechab (Jer. 35:1-9). The Rechabites were
convinced that it was possible to live a godly life as nomads than
in the settled life of the cities, where they could be tempted to
compromise with idolatry and immorality. They did not drink wine or
any other intoxicating drink; they chose to live in tents rather
than houses; and they refused to plant crops or own vineyards. Their
strict life-styles were very similar to the Nazirites (Num. 6:1-21).
The only biblical description of
the Rechabites occurs in Jeremiah 35. When the army o f
Nebuchadnezzar attacked Judah and besieged Jerusalem, the Rechabites
sought refuge in the city (Jer. 35:11). Jeremiah tested them to see
if they would live up to their vows. He set wine before them and
encouraged them to drink, but they refused. Jeremiah praised them
and held them up as an object lesson to the people of Judah who had
disobeyed the laws of God.
Because of their faithfulness,
the Lord promised that the Rechabites would never cease to exist
(Jer. 35:18-19). A rabbinical source claims that the daughters of
the Rechabites were married to the sons of the Levites and that
their children ministered in the Temple. Professed followers of this
group still live in the Middle East today - in Iraq and Yemen.
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary