Last week I wrote that the end is really the beginning of the “Promise” which is a neat play on words, or a layman’s admission that my knowledge of theological reason and lingo are not all that developed. As most of us are prone to do we underestimate the scope of things in order to keep them manageable. Well I was speaking of God’s promise of eternal life, again “God’s Promise” and once again the usual practice of underestimating something. According to one person’s count, there are 3573 promises in the Bible. The word promise itself occurs over 50 times in the King James Version of the Bible. (bibleinfo.com) Now I have seen other counts and as the sentence that says “one person’s count” is just that, one person’s count. I can write with complete confidence that I could say that the number is more than one and at least more than a hundred and more than just about eternal life. In secular terms I have opened a can of worms. First thing to be learned here is to never underestimate God and never think of God as one issue Savior.

None of God’s promises in the Bible ever fail, from the very beginning to now, this very day. The first promise in the Bible… Genesis 3:15, I will put contempt between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers. They will strike your head, but you will strike at their heels.”

The last promise found in the Bible:Revelation 22:20, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Here is a list of some verses where the word promise is found:
Hebrews 7:6
Hebrews 8:6
Hebrews 11:13
Hebrews 11:17
Hebrews 11:33
2 Peter 1:4.
Romans 9:4
Romans 15:8
2 Corinthians 1:20
2 Corinthians 7:1
Galatians 3:16
Galatians 3:21
Hebrews 6:12

Why the list in the middle of a post, is it to prove a statement, written or said? Truth is I hope you will take time to look these up and read each one. I have found that to be close to God, one doesn’t have to be on their knees. When you immerse yourself in the word there is a peace that transcends all the chaos that is in the world around us. There is knowledge and the wisdom that is of God, for direction of our life: Psalms 32:8, KJV. “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

The object here is not to play a numbers game but to present a case that can be proven by Biblical writings and lived out by those to whom God promised. Once more we are compelled say “None of God’s promises in the Bible ever fail.”It’s in the Bible, Joshua 23:14, “Look. I’m now walking on the road to death that all the earth must take. You know with all your heart and being that not a single one of all the good things that the Lord your God promised about you has failed. They were all fulfilled for you. Not a single one of them has failed.

In the same manner of promises we need to be aware that those promises of God containing retribution for sins and other transgressions are also kept in full. The God we serve is real and present yesterday, today and tomorrow. The very nature of the world today invites the devil to place in our lives those things that destroy our faith and lead us into the misery of sin and overwhelm us with a despair that challenges our faith.

Follow me on a short journey in words of God’s “Promise” in New and Old Testament form. God’s promise to Abraham ( Gen 12:2-3 ), in which the latter, although childless, was to become ancestor of a great nation. Later this promise was repeated ( Gen 15:5 ), and to his credit Abraham believed God’s utterances. On yet another occasion ( Gen 17:1-27 ) God brought his promise even closer to fulfillment by stating that Sarah would have a son ( Gen 18:10 ), because nothing was too hard for God to accomplish. Paul would write later and call these the “covenants of the promise” ( Eph 2:12 ; cf. Gal 3:6-17 ).

There is the promise to Abraham, a more general declaration made by God at the time of the fall ( Gen 3:15 ), and continued in a promise to David ( 2 Sam 7:12-13 ) that his seed would continue forever. From here on it continues and we see that with Christ’s kingship which was not of this world, it did fulfill the divine promise. Here is the “Promise” I referred to last week. There is now the dispensation of grace. We to this day still share in all the benefits of Abraham’s covenant ( Eph 3:6 ), while looking forward to a time when the kingdom of God, which was ushered in with the age of grace, will be realized when Christ returns to complete the kingdom of believers and establish it for all eternity before God in heaven.

There are so many things to write about here but for what I hope to leave you with this week, there is not enough paper or space to due it justice. We don’t just die, we begin a new and exciting journey just as God has promised. That which our God has promised, as written in His word in yesterday’s past and all the days to come will be fulfilled as “Promised”.

John 5:28-29, NKJV. “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

As I always try to do here are two web addresses to use for further study. They have been the source of the information I have shared with you.

www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/bible-promiseswww.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/promise/

God Bless, jk