Tag: Promises

3. God of Covenants.

All through the Bible we see many covenants and we ourselves had considered three out of the seven covenants in the Bible, in my earlier posts. Every ‘Covenant’ ( Hebrew : berit means an association with two parties with various responsibilities, benefits and penalties ; ‘to cut a covenant’ means ‘to make a covenant’, a figure of the act of ceremonially cutting an animal into two parts, with an implication of serious consequences for not fulfilling the covenant ) was founded on one or many promises made by one or both parties and their violations demanded punishment. We people in the modern world are more familiar with the term ‘Contract’ and the phrases ‘Terms and conditions’ and ‘Breach of Contract’, where if one party breaches the contract, the other party is absolved from all obligations and has the right to seek compensation from the other, for losses incurred. But unlike a contract, if one of the parties violates the sanctity of a covenant, the other party is still obligated to fulfill his or her part of the promise, whether or not the first party is taken to task. ( Doesn’t that sound like a marriage covenant ? ) Now it makes sense when Scripture says, ‘If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.’ ( 2 Timothy 2 : 13 ) God desired an everlasting relationship with man and he was the one who initiated these covenants with those that he chose, just as he did with Abraham and his descendants, with David and his descendants and now with the Church, the bride of Christ. God had modelled marriage to be a covenant relationship ( But we have made it look like a contract ! ) and that is why he hates divorce. “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, … So guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith. ( Malachi 2 : 16 )

As we considered in my earlier post, he is a God of promises by which he woos those he choose, as he did Abraham and cut an everlasting blood covenant with him. Abraham therefore, could depart in peace because he believed that the ‘zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish’ the task of testifying to his descendants, as he himself would not be alive to oversee their adherence to the covenant. It was God’s responsibility to bring Abraham’s descendants to the faith of their forefathers. Now we understand why the Lord appeared to Jacob at Bethel, while he was fleeing from his brother Esau and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Issac … I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” ( Genesis 28 : 10 – 15 ) God made all these wonderful promises to Jacob when he didn’t deserve any but because of his covenant with Abraham.

If we have a covenant with God, we can rest assured that God will take care of our children, even after we depart because he is faithful to keep his covenant with our children’s children.

‘From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him and his righteousness with their children’s children – with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.’ ( Psalm 103 : 17 – 18 ) Amen.

7. The New Covenant founded on ‘Better’ promises.

The ministry Jesus has received is as superior as the covenant of which he is a mediator is superior and it is founded on better promises.’ ( Hb 8 : 6 )

What were the promises under the old covenant ?

  1. Freedom from slavery in Egypt. ( Ex 3 : 8, 17 )
  2. Land flowing with milk and honey. ( Ex 3 : 8 ) – Though they were free from slavery, they died in the desert because of their sin and rebellion. Only Joshua and Caleb could enter the promised land.
  3. Conditional healing ( Ex 15 : 26 ) – However, the nation of Israel that had the covenant of healing, was filled with sickness, when the Jesus began his ministry. Why ? Because the promise of healing was conditional and many could not appropriate it.

How are the new testament promises better ?

  1. Freedom from the slavery of sin ( Gal 5 : 1 )
  2. Heavenly country ( Hb 11 : 16 )
  3. Unconditional healing. (1Pt 2 : 24 ) – All who touched Jesus and the ones he touched were healed, including his enemies. Why ? Because the Prophet Isaiah predicted that ‘by his wounds all are healed’. ( Isaiah 53 : 5)

Healing is for all of the human race and if this truth is realized, it will be the God given ‘vehicle’ for us to reach the Gentiles with the Gospel. Amen.

6. The Gospel promise of Spiritual Blessings : God’s oath to Abraham.

We considered two gospel promises on which the new covenant was founded.
Firstly, the promise of the Spirit for all who believe and are washed in his blood of Jesus.
Secondly, the promise of unconditional healing for all, in the name of Jesus.
Now let’s consider the third gospel promise of Spiritual blessings in Christ, which in fact should have been stated second because the order in which it beset man was : sin, curse, sickness and death.

‘When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you … Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his promise very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.’ (Hb 6 : 13 – 17 )

‘The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham : “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are BLESSED ALONG WITH ABRAHAM, the man of faith.’ ( Gal 3 : 8 – 9 )
‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us … He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus …’ ( Gal 3 : 13 – 14 ) ‘Praise be to God….who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ( Eph 1:3 )

The greeting of the angel to the shepherds couldn’t be more appropriate : “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” ( Lk 2 : 10 )
Had we really understood the gospel, there would have been untold joy in our hearts. If the gospel doesn’t change us, nothing will ! May the glorious gospel be revealed to us. Amen.

2. God of promises.

When God Almighty wanted Abram’s attention, he promised this childless nomad more land and children. Unlike politicians who make promises to get the our attention, which they can’t or won’t fulfill, God is able and faithful to fulfill them. Just as God made a covenant with Abram based on those promises, so also has he made a covenant with us in the blood of Jesus upon better promises. More than getting our attention, God’s promises sustain us, when we are down and under, as it did Joseph when he was put in the dungeon, David when driven out into the wilderness and many more. And finally God’s promises are a revelation of his plans and purposes concerning us, as it was revealed to Abram when the Lord said, “… all the people on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen 12 : 3 )

Hold on to your promises today and it will go well with you ‘for no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.’ ( 2Co 1 : 20 )