AN AMAZING FACT: George Fox, the founder of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, was famous for his refusal to swear an oath. At the time, a person could be imprisoned for refusing to swear their loyalty to the king, and Fox was sentenced to prison for this offense multiple times. On one occasion, Fox challenged the judge to find a place in the Bible where either Christ or the apostles had sworn an oath—if the judge could find one, he would swear his loyalty. In his journal, Fox says that though there were several priests present, none of them offered to speak. Nevertheless, Fox was returned to jail.
Both Jesus and the apostle James make it quite clear that the Christian should not swear an oath. Jesus instructs us, “Do not swear at all … let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’” (Matthew 5:34–37). James repeats this instruction almost exactly.
Even so, in Hebrews we find that God himself swore an oath.
Hebrews tells us that since humans consider an oath a confirmation that they’re telling the truth, and because God wanted to show us “more abundantly” that His word was reliable, God decided to confirm His promise with an oath. What was this promise that was so important that we understand? We find the answer in the story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice.
Just after God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac, He called to Abraham a second time, saying, “By Myself I have sworn. … In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:15–18). In other words, the promise of the Messiah was so important that God swore an oath to give us a “strong consolation … both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:18, 19).
Even so, in Hebrews we find that God himself swore an oath.
Hebrews tells us that since humans consider an oath a confirmation that they’re telling the truth, and because God wanted to show us “more abundantly” that His word was reliable, God decided to confirm His promise with an oath. What was this promise that was so important that we understand? We find the answer in the story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice.
Just after God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac, He called to Abraham a second time, saying, “By Myself I have sworn. … In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:15–18). In other words, the promise of the Messiah was so important that God swore an oath to give us a “strong consolation … both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:18, 19).
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Hebrews 6:19Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 6:20