Scripture to Read: Matthew 5:35
Jesus continued to include other parts of God’s creation that were not to be used as the foundation for a promise. Jesus said in Matthew 5:35, “or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.” So, an oath/promise was not to be made swearing by earth or by Jerusalem. Again, Jesus wanted the people to know that even the earth is God’s footstool and belongs to Him, and Jerusalem is the city God had chosen for Christ our King. God says this in Isaiah 66:1, “Thus says the Lord, 'Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?’” God created everything, and every part of God’s creation was created for His glory. When anyone makes a promise based on any part of God’s creation, they still make it based on God Himself because it belongs to Him. We must not misunderstand what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:33–35 so far. Our Lord is not prohibiting all oaths/promises. We find that even in God’s Word, some oaths were permitted as long as they were not abused and used as a cover for deception. God allowed Paul to make promises based on God in Romans 1:9, 2 Corinthians 1:23, Galatians 1:20, and 1 Thessalonians 2:5. In each of these verses, God allowed Paul to use God as his witness to what Paul was doing on their behalf.
Challenge & Application
· What has God taught you so far this week about making promises and keeping them?
· How do you guard against falling into the trap of making empty promises just to get your way or be liked?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!