Promises that God has made and will keep
I am sure that we have all heard the phrase "..But you promised!..", when for whatever reason somebody has failed to keep their word; sometimes circumstances beyond their control made it impossible for them to honour the promise that they made. Nevertheless the disappointment is evident in the words uttered by the one who was to have been the recipient of the promise.
God is not like men, He keeps His promises, although some people do not agree. They point to promises God made in His word, the Bible, and suggest that God has not kept His promise. But they forget one thing, God's promises are not bound by time. If a man makes a promise, he has only his lifetime in which to fulfil that promise, unless it is part of a will. God however, cannot die, He is from "everlasting to everlasting", His promises cannot be frustrated by death.
So what has God promised? Well, to the man described as His servant Abraham, God has promised that all nations would be blessed through his descendants. To King David, who He said was a man after His own heart, He promised that one of his descendants would reign as King for ever. Both of these promises are about the Lord Jesus, as the apostle Paul wrote to believers in Jesus that those who serve the Lord Jesus will take part in the fulfilment of those promises.
The promises that God made were to men who lived several thousands of years ago, but who realised that God would raise them from the dead in order that He could fulfil His promises to them. The Bible makes it quite clear that those who follow the Lord Jesus will, if they die, be raised from death at the return of Jesus, to live for ever in His Kingdom when the promises are finally fulfilled.
The promise which God has made to man has hope. But it is a selective promise, it is for those who are "in Christ". Those who ignore His promises have no hope.
I am sure that we have all heard the phrase "..But you promised!..", when for whatever reason somebody has failed to keep their word; sometimes circumstances beyond their control made it impossible for them to honour the promise that they made. Nevertheless the disappointment is evident in the words uttered by the one who was to have been the recipient of the promise.
God is not like men, He keeps His promises, although some people do not agree. They point to promises God made in His word, the Bible, and suggest that God has not kept His promise. But they forget one thing, God's promises are not bound by time. If a man makes a promise, he has only his lifetime in which to fulfil that promise, unless it is part of a will. God however, cannot die, He is from "everlasting to everlasting", His promises cannot be frustrated by death.
So what has God promised? Well, to the man described as His servant Abraham, God has promised that all nations would be blessed through his descendants. To King David, who He said was a man after His own heart, He promised that one of his descendants would reign as King for ever. Both of these promises are about the Lord Jesus, as the apostle Paul wrote to believers in Jesus that those who serve the Lord Jesus will take part in the fulfilment of those promises.
The promises that God made were to men who lived several thousands of years ago, but who realised that God would raise them from the dead in order that He could fulfil His promises to them. The Bible makes it quite clear that those who follow the Lord Jesus will, if they die, be raised from death at the return of Jesus, to live for ever in His Kingdom when the promises are finally fulfilled.
The promise which God has made to man has hope. But it is a selective promise, it is for those who are "in Christ". Those who ignore His promises have no hope.
