What Happens When We Break Our Promises to God?

[James Nored]

This week I was reading the book of Judges. And if you are familiar with this book, you know that there is a common cycle that the people of Israel find themselves in.

1. They sin by following after other gods--the evil, false gods of the Canaanites.

2. God punishes them by allowing or proactively sending their enemies in against them.

3. The people cry out to God for mercy.

4. God relents, and he raises up a judge to save them. This "judge" was a type of military leader as much as anything else (Samson, the mighty warrior, was a "judge" of Israel for 20 years). The people stay faithful to God as long as the judge lives.

5. After the judge dies, the people turn away from God, and the cycle begins once again.

This story resonates with me, as it does with most anyone who struggles with a cycle of sin, repentance, trouble, and asking God for help. When we fall upon tough times, we often examine our lives, telling God that we will change if he will only help us. Often God responds--but then we forget our promises and continue our previous lives and sins.

I have often wondered, does God write us off when we break our promises to him? Because I know that I have often failed to keep the promises that I have made to God.

In chapter 10 of Judges we find this story, which may shed light on the subject:

9 The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was in great distress. 10 Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”

11 The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? 13 But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”

15 But the Israelites said to the LORD, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” 16 Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.

This story gives me hope, for it shows that while God initially dismisses the Israel's cries for help due to their past sin cycle, when they cry out to him, he relents. It says, in fact, that "he could bear Israel's misery no longer." In effect, God changes his mind, as he has did with Moses in his decision to destroy Israel. And he changes his mind based upon seeing the misery that the Israelites are experiencing.

So, while we ought not to purposefully presume on God's grace and forgiveness, and we ought to seek to keep our vows to him, it may be that God can still be moved to help us--again--when we are penitent and he sees our misery. And that, my friends, gives me hope.

Do you think God loses his patience with us? What about when we repeatedly break our promises to him? What do you think that this story teaches us?

[James Nored]

Interesting thought, Larry. Certainly, we should be prepared for Christ no matter what happens, and we always have an opportunity, obligation, and privilege to share Christ with others.

[Larry Joseph Ciampa]

David, I believe that our nation and world is going to go through the trials and ups un downs, similar to the Israelites and their Judges, I believe that we are moving toward a HUGE FINANCIAL Meltdown, world wide. Look at the "Aftershock," and look at the "Economic Collapse Blog."

I believe this could be an opportunity to minister to and evangelize young people, they had better be prepared: Social Security could be cut, they need to adapt to the modern high tech high info.economy to keep their heads above water, There are things that a person can do to weather through this coming huge catastrophe.

God Bless, Larry Ciampa

[James Nored]

Thank you for your thoughts, David. Glad that this Scripture gives you hope. And we pray that all of the nations seek God.

[David Wesley Spillman]

Yes...I totally agree that scripture makes it very plain that God is still active in our world today and that He will move against nations that reject Him. I am praying that we here in America will wake up and turn back to God before He turns us over to whatever power to wake us up to Him. I am also praying for One true Jehovah God! These scriptures that you sited gives me tremendous hope that it is never too late when we repent of our sin and follow the way of our King!