Does God Swear?

You may be surprised by the answer but it’s true. God swears. 

In Genesis 22: 16-18 God speaks, “By Myself I have sworn,” declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son,  I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore…And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”  

        

     God’s swearing  is not like our popular conception of ugly swearing. The word “swear” includes synonyms like solemn oath, vow, and promise.  In a court of law, we are familiar with taking an oath to tell the truth by placing a hand on the bible. And in the pages of the bible itself,  God makes it clear that He is a promise-keeping God. One of the best illustrations is God’s promises to Abraham through a series of events and interactions. God’s ancient vow to Abraham is profoundly filled in the modern Jewish state of Israel. Despite all odds. 

     An oath is considered weightier than a promise. It is solemn. God’s promise to Abraham transitioned into an oath, a vow, because God wanted to put an exclamation point on the unchangeable character of His purposes. He made a solemn declaration to keep His covenants with the Jewish people. It is amazing to then understand His pursuit and inclusion of us non-Jews who have been adopted into the promises. That the God of the universe would pursue us with His love, promises, and goodness is next to incomprehensible. 

     The author of Hebrews says that God's oath is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul allowing us into the holy of holies. It is quite amazing to think that God swears an oath to us, His children.  In a court of law, we take an oath and swear on the Bible yet God in His own divine self swears by Himself. When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 

     And after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. God the Father goes out of His way to assure us of fulfilling His promises to those who trust and believe in Him. Repeatedly in scripture we read about His pursuit of His chosen people,  the Jews. Surely this is a hope and an anchor for the soul in the midst of the storms of life. With so much uncertainty in the world it's more important than ever. We don't know how suddenly any life can change in the twinkling of an eye, so we surely need a strong, unchangeable anchor for our souls. 

     Hebrews 6:17-20 "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf." 

“God’s promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine.” Author David Nicholas-Professor of History, Clemson University