The God Who Promises
And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you
throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
Genesis 17:7
You will be my people and I will be your God. Jeremiah 30:22
Which is your favourite Bible promise? That may be a hard question to answer because there are so many of them. The Bible is filled with promises from God. One of the first things we learn about him from the first book in the Bible is that he is a covenant-making God. It is one of his characteristics. His first words to Abram contained a promise (Gen. 12:2). How interesting. As humans we are very sparing with our promises. We shy away from making them perhaps for fear that we will not be able to fulfil them, or that they may later become a burden to us. But we do make an exception for those closest to us, the ones we love with all our hearts. Where there is deep love, promise-making comes easily.
Could this be a clue to God’s readiness to make irrevocable promises and the lavishness of them? His love is deep.
God’s promises cover every area of life: prayer, daily needs, protection, the Holy Spirit, guidance, health, to name a few. They assure us of his availability, his protection, his provision, his love. Here are a few favourites:
If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:14
God shall supply all our needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:19
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:15
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8
Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13
All of these promises find their root or ground in the fundamental promise that God made to the Israelites, captured in this covenant statement: “I will be their God and they will be my people” This promise he made to Abraham and his descendants, and to all who would believe in him, from all the nations of the world (Zech. 2:10-11; 2 Cor 6:16). And so, today we who believe are part of the people of God, and beneficiaries of this amazing offer.
This comprehensive promise is repeated over and over throughout the scriptures as a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness. Here are at least 13 occurrences mainly from the Pentateuch and the books of the prophets whose job it was to remind the people of God’s words: Genesis 17:7, Exodus 6:7, 29:45-46; Lev. 26:11-12; Ezekiel 34:24, 36:28, 37:27; Jeremiah 7:23, 30:22, 31:33. 32:38; Zechariah 2:10-11; 2 Corinthians 6:16.
These are the words of a God who does not change, whose word is sure and steadfast and who has no doubt in his ability to carry out his promise.
Anyone may receive the promise by entering into covenant with God. The offer is for all as stated in the Old Testament and emphasised in the New (Rev 5:9 ).
How wonderful that God has undertaken to be God to us, that is, to take on to himself the responsibility for the welfare, defence, the flourishing of those who are willing to give themselves to him. There is no better offer anywhere. Does it fill you with gratitude, joy, comfort, security, wonder and excitement?
What a God! One who so humbly offers to serve us, who seeks us out like a lover eager to take us places and shower us with kindness.
We owe him such gratitude. Let today be a day of thankfulness and worship.
