JESUS: THE PROMISE OF GOD
'And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.'
Joshua 23:14-16
'Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: '
Romans 1:1-4
'But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. '
2 Corinthians 1:18-20
Joshua finished his life with an astounding observation about God’s work. He claimed that God had been faithful to fulfill every one of his promises to the nation of Israel. In spite of the sin of the people and the vast scope of God’s redemptive work, God had proven the covenant-keeping nature of his character. He is always faithful to his promises. He always keeps his word. He will never break a promise.
While this claim comes at the culmination of Joshua’s life and mission, it continues throughout all subsequent generations. In fact, God’s promises were meant to extend throughout all generations. His promise in Genesis 3:15, that one would come who would “crush” Satan forever, was not merely a promise to the nation of Israel but to all those who would suffer under the implications of life in a sin-drenched world. His promises to the nation of Israel, fulfilled in their taking of the land, represent only a portion of the great and glorious promises made by God throughout all history.
Paul, at the beginning of his letter to the church at Rome, claimed that Jesus was the pinnacle of the fulfillment of the promises of God (Ro 1:1 – 4). Jesus’ sacrificial death was not a knee-jerk reaction by God to address human sin but was the plan of God before the foundation of the world. Paul traced the details of the coming of Christ — from his lineage, to the timing of his birth, to the manner of his death — and identified them as a fulfillment of God’s plan. The writings of the prophets validate this claim, as they make repeated promises about intricate details of Jesus’ life that are ultimately fulfilled hundreds of years later. This confidence led Paul to conclude, in 2 Corinthians 1:18 – 20, that all of God’s promises are answered in Christ. Both the specific promises regarding the Messiah and the general promises regarding God’s plan for dealing with human sin are fulfilled by Jesus.
God’s faithfulness to his promises provides hope for his people. Not only has he done what he said he would do, but he will continue to perfectly execute his plan. In spite of the seeming chaos of life in a fallen world, Christians can take heart that he has overcome the world and will perfectly accomplish all he set out to do (Jn 16:33).
Jesus, I know you do not break promises. Help me to wake each morning, live each day and sleep each night in confidence of your faithfulness. Amen.
Jesus Bible Reading Plan