Does your God swear? At first that may sound outrageous, blasphemous even. Especially because we’re taught that swearing is bad. Well, at least we used to be taught that. Now swearing and cursing are everywhere. Some places, like schools, courts and churches, are holding out, but it won’t be long before churches will be the only place where swearing is disapproved. Well, scratch that. If society accepts it then most churches will too.

But hold your horses there folks. Morning Minutes in the Bible on An American Missionary is not promoting swearing or cursing nor claiming that God does either. Yes, one definition of swear is “To use obscene or blasphemous language; curse”. But it is the third definition and comes behind, “To make a solemn declaration, invoking a deity or a sacred person or thing, in confirmation of and witness to the honesty or truth of such a declaration.” and “To make a solemn promise; vow.”

Like or not, our God swears. Hebrews 6:13-18 tells us God “swore by Himself” in His promise to Abraham. Men swear (make a solemn oath) by one who is greater than themselves. Since there is no one greater than God, He accommodated man’s desire for a sure promise and swore on Himself.

However, that’s not the only time God swore by Himself. We’ve been studying the OT prophetic book of Amos and find three times where God swore (made a solemn oath) that He would destroy Israel for its sin.

“The Lord God has sworn by His holiness, behold the days are coming upon you when they will take you away with meat hooks, and the last of you with fish hooks.” Amos 4:2

“The Lord God has sworn by Himself, the Lord God of hosts has declared: ‘I loathe the arrogance of Jacob, and detest his citadels; therefore I will deliver up the city and all it contains.’” Amos 6:8

Finally, in a play on the phrase “arrogance of Jacob”, God said this:

“The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob, ‘Indeed, I will never forget any of their deeds.’” Amos 8:7

He then went on to expand on the coming judgment that would cause everyone to mourn when He would shake the land and hide the sun. He would turn their “festivals into mourning…songs into lamentation…bring sackcloth on everyone’s loins and baldness on every head…make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and the end of it will be like a bitter day” (Amos 8:8-10).

Our culture now thinks it’s funny when children swear. It isn’t. Nor was it funny when God swore judgment on Israel. What is God swearing over us right now?