What other biblical instances emphasize the consequences of breaking covenants or promises? The Setting in 2 Samuel 21:5 “They replied to the king, ‘The man who consumed us and plotted against us to destroy us so that we would have no place in all the territory of Israel—’”. Saul had violated Israel’s sworn treaty with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9). Years later, famine struck because God still held Israel accountable for that broken oath. The passage reminds us that promises made before God do not expire with time or changing political situations. Covenant-Breaking in Genesis: Foundations of Accountability • Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6-19 – Adam and Eve disregard the command not to eat from the tree; immediate spiritual death and eventual physical death enter creation. • Genesis 4:6-12 – Cain defies God’s warning; he becomes “a restless wanderer” under curse. • Genesis 6:11-13 – Humanity’s violence nullifies its implicit covenant with the Creator; the flood follows. National Promises and Their Collapse • Exodus 24:7 compared with Exodus 32:1-10 – Israel pledges, “We will do all that the LORD has spoken,” then worships the golden calf; three thousand die and a plague follows. • Numbers 14:22-23 – Refusal to enter Canaan after God’s oath of victory results in forty years of wilderness wandering. • Deuteronomy 28; 2 Kings 17:6-20 – Centuries of covenant violation bring the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom. • Jeremiah 34:8-22 – Judah frees slaves in a covenant ceremony, then re-enslaves them; sword, famine, and pestilence are decreed. • Ezekiel 17:15-19 – King Zedekiah breaks his oath to Nebuchadnezzar; God calls it “My covenant” and promises Babylonian conquest. Individual Vows Gone Wrong • Numbers 30:2 – “He must not break his word but must do everything he has promised”. • Judges 11:30-40 – Jephthah’s rash vow costs his daughter’s life. • 1 Samuel 14:24-45 – Saul’s impulsive oath nearly leads to Jonathan’s death and fractures troop morale. • Judges 16:17-21 – Samson violates his Nazirite vow; his strength departs and he is blinded. Corporate Fallout from One Person’s Breach • Joshua 7 – Achan hides banned spoils; thirty-six soldiers die and Israel’s advance stalls. • 2 Samuel 21 – Saul’s broken treaty triggers a three-year famine; seven of his descendants are executed. Shared lesson: sin may be private, but covenant consequences often ripple through families, tribes, or entire nations. Wisdom Literature’s Straight Talk on Promises • Deuteronomy 23:21-23 – Delaying a vow brings guilt; keeping silent is safer than speaking lightly. • Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 – Failing to fulfill a vow makes one a fool and invites God to “destroy the work of your hands.” New-Testament Echoes • Matthew 5:33-37 – Jesus underscores truth-telling: “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” • Acts 5:1-11 – Ananias and Sapphira lie about a pledge; both fall dead, and “great fear seized the whole church.” • Hebrews 10:29-31 – Treating the blood of the covenant as common invites “a fearful expectation of judgment.” • 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 – Partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner results in weakness, sickness, and death among believers. Why God Takes Our Words So Seriously • His nature is truth (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). • We bear His image; false or broken words deface that image. • Covenants structure His redemptive plan—from Noah to Abraham to the New Covenant in Christ (Luke 22:20). Violating covenants assaults that plan and harms human flourishing. Living it Out: Guarding Our Promises Today • Slow down before making commitments; count the cost (Luke 14:28-30). • Write vows, agreements, and deadlines so they are remembered and kept. • If a promise is broken, repent quickly, seek restitution where possible, and rely on Christ’s atoning blood for cleansing (1 John 1:9). From Eden to the early church, Scripture speaks with one voice: God honors His covenants and expects His people to honor theirs. The famine in David’s day is more than history; it is a standing reminder that integrity before God is never optional and never outdated. |
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