Jeremiah 22

There is an odd ritual we sometimes go through when we want to lend weight or credibility to our words. We add a “swear” to our words. I swear to God that I will do such and such… I promise to be there on time, cross my heart and hope to die… I swear on my mother’s grave, I’m not lying…

Typically, these kinds of inflated statements are attempts to disguise a lie. But even if we add them when we are being truthful, for the most part, much of our “swearing” has to do with God. This custom dates all the way back to Biblical times, when oaths by definition called on a deity to witness them, and it was believed that the oaths contained curses that the deities would visit on those who broke their oaths. Thus, if you wanted to be taken seriously, you swore by the highest deity you knew.

So, what would the Highest Deity do if He wanted to swear an oath? Why, swear by Himself, of course! “If you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. But if you do not obey these commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.” (vs 4-5)

When I read this, it made me laugh out loud. Apparently, there is no other name under heaven by which to swear besides God’s—even if you’re God! Certainly, God doesn’t need to “swear” by anything to add credibility to His words. All we need to do is look back over the record of history and see that He does what He says. He always makes good on His promises.

In this case, I think this was God’s way of telling the Israelites, “I really mean it! I will do what I say!” Unfortunately, even when God swore an oath by His own name, it didn’t make a dent in the hardness of the Israelites’ hearts. They were hell-bent on destruction and captivity.

And God swore to let them have their way.