Eventually, Jacob returned with his family and settled in Canaan for 10 years. He settled near the city of Shechem – Gen. 33:18. Obviously, he had forgotten his vow to God Almighty. Instead, he made the new place a comfort zone by building an altar. “He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected there an altar and called it El”-Gen 33:19-20.

Unfortunately for Jacob, the place became dangerous for him and his family, because he had stayed for 10 years without going back to bethel, where he vowed to build an altar to God. Jacob’s daughter (Dinah) was raped, his sons (Simeon and Levi) avenged by murdering the men of the land. For this reasons, God commanded him to return to Bethel – Gen 34;35.

You may have forgotten what you promised to do, when God brings you out of that trouble, but He does not forget. Please ponder on this, and bring back to memory where you might have missed it with God in the area of vow. God expects us to keep the vows we make. He does not take vows lightly, and neither should we.

There is another character in the Bible, who sought divine intervention by making a vow to God. She is Hannah, Elkanah’s wife and mother of that great Prophet in Israel. “Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. She made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” 1 Sam 1:9-11.

God granted Hannah her heart’s desire. She equally fulfilled her own side of the covenant.
“It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.” …So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.  Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young.  Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli.  She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.  “For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there”-1 Sam 1:19-28.

Finally, when we fulfil our vows, there are renewed blessings! Learn from Mrs. Elkanah Hannah. She did not delay or hesitate in paying her vow and she received multiple blessings of the womb. “Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod. And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 

Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the LORD give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” And they went to their own home. The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD”-1 Sam 2:18-21.
• Prophet (Dr.) Abiara is General Evangelist, CAC Worldwide
[email protected]
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