The Role of God in Ordeals

In older societies, oaths were seen as a way to call down the fury of God if you lie. The rationale for your deal was more that God or the spirits, the divine would give a direct sign. If somebody took up a red hot iron bar on her hand and then the hand was bandaged up, then whether it healed or not was taken to be a direct sign from God That the person was telling the truth or not telling the truth.