QT 23 Apr 12, Husband's role is to esteem and protect his wife

Num 30:1-5 (NIV) Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the Lord commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

3 "When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her. . . .

NOTE: There is one verse for a man concerning a vow or oath, and then 13 verses follow for a woman concerning a vow or oath. The man is given freedom to take a vow or oath without any second guessing or review. Except for the case of a widow or divorced woman (vs. 9), the woman's vow or oath can be nullified by various persons depending upon her situation (Father or husband). So is that unfair? Actually it would seem that the woman is given a better deal. She is protected from a rash vow or oath. Also, the husband bears the guilt if he waits too long before nullify a vow or oath of his wife. On the other hand, the man must be very careful with his words because he has no one to protect him from rashness. Nor does he have an advocate to release him from his words. One principle that comes out of this section is the role of a Husband as the protector of his wife. He protects her from rashness and he bears her guilt of rash statements that he is slow to nullify. The husband's wife is not a servant to be abused. She is a precious gem to be protected and loved. The husband is to be interested in all aspects of her life and he is to seek to present her to God in the radiant beauty that God designed her to be.