Tag Archives: promises

WHAT IS “FAITHFULNESS”?-1

Bible Study, ,

We don’t have to look very far for an example of supreme faithfulness that sets the standard and the tone for what the Lord requires of His children…God Himself is faithful.

As always, who God is and what He does is the foundation of our response to Him. If He requires faithfulness in His children, He is first faithful to us in specific ways as God.

First, God is faithful to Himself…to His character and His ways. He is predictable when it comes to who He is. God is holy/love. This means that He fits perfectly and always, in His Words and works, into these two absolute qualities. Whatever He says and does matches who He is.

He is holy meaning, first, that He is absolutely separate from sin and, second, He is always consistent with who He is. He will never deviate from His perfect purity and He will never act out of character.

Moses’ encounter with the pre-incarnste Jesus at the burning bush gave him opportunity to ask Him His name. Why was this significant? In Biblical thought, a name is “a prophetic utterance of character”, (so I learned). Babies were often named according to the circumstances of their birth and/or in anticipation of who they would become.

So, Moses asked for much more than the title, the name by which the Deity he met would be known. He wanted to know who this God really was.

The reply was enigmatic, yet explanatory at the same time, YHWH in Hebrew, implies the absolute certainty of His being. In three tenses, Jesus was saying, “I am who I am,”, ” I was who I was,”, and “I will be who I will be!” This simple name was much more than a handle. It was a guarantee that He would never change. He would always be faithful to Himself in nature and function.

Scripture endorses the significance of that name in all the stories and records of His dealings with humans, both His own people, and the nations surrounding them. Whether He dealt with them in mercy or judgment, He was faithful to His name. Some people even added to that name a hyphenated description of who He was to them in their experience, for example, to Abraham Yahweh became YHWH-JIREH, Yahweh who provides. To Moses and the Israelites, He was YHWH-NISSI, Yahweh our banner, etc.

Hebrews 13:8 NIV
[8] “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

2 Timothy 2:13 NLT
[13] “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.”

What security in the assurance that God is not influenced by our circumstances. He will always be faithful to Himself…the God who is holy love.

Second, God is faithful to His Word. Again, I learned that God’s Word is “the manifestation of Himself in another form”. How true this is in the incarnation of Jesus! He came to earth as God’s Word in person.

John 1:14 NLT
[14] “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

Jesus not only spoke God’s Word. He WAS the Word. He declared two fundamental truths about the Word…

John 17:17 NLT
[17]”Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is TRUTH.”

John 14:6 NLT
[6] “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

So, Jesus was and is God’s final and complete message to the world and perfectly consistent with who He is…

Hebrews 1:1-2 NLT
[1] “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. [2] And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.”

Third, Jesus was faithful to His calling.

Hebrews 3:1-2 NLT
[1]”And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. [2] For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house.”

Jesus lived for and obeyed the Father even to the cruel death He suffered on the cross.

Psalms 40:6-10 NLT
[6]”You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand— you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. [7] Then I said, “Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: [8] I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart…”

Part of Messiah’s role on earth was to reveal the true nature of the Father.

“…[9] I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. [10] I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.”

So, He did the Father’s will…

Philippians 2:7-8 NLT
[7]” Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

Fourth, Jesus, the Son of God, is faithful to His “house”.

Hebrews 3:5-6 NIV
[5] “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. [6] But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.”

Jesus is head of the church, His house or household of redeemed people. He is in charge of all things, i.e.,

Ephesians 1:22-23 NLT
[22]”God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. [23] And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”

He loves, leads, and serves the church as His bride-to-be in preparation for and inticipation of His return.

Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV
[25]”…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

Fifth, Jesus is faithful to His promises.

2 Corinthians 1:19-20 NLT
[19]” For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. [20] For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”

Jesus’ faithfulness…to Himself, His calling, His work, His people, and His promises…forms the solid foundation for His requirement of faithfulness to Him in all the facets of our lives and service.

“What a celebration of who you are, Jesus, what you have done, and what you are doing as God-made-flesh so that we can become replicas of who you are! Every detail of my faithfulness to you, tattered and shredded as it is because of who I am, is a glad celebration of You, or not at all!”

STAMP YOUR AMEN ON GOD’S PROMISES

Prayer, ,

From time to time, we have examined what the Bible has to say about prayer. We have looked at some of the recorded prayers of Old and New Testament saints, tried to copy them, and probably still struggle with what prayer is really meant to be.

Prayer has so many facets that we find it difficult to embrace every detail, and end up getting stuck on a few, like praise, – perhaps, – thanksgiving, – if we remember, – asking God for things or to do stuff, – a whole lot, – and praying for others, – if we are alerted to a crisis or need. This list probably sums up much of our praying.

However, God made prayer simple. We can sum prayer up in one word, fellowship! Yes, God intends prayer to be, in all its many facets, fellowship with Him.

There is a difference between fellowship and relationship.

We have a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus. This means that we are His beloved sons and daughters, and He is our perfect heavenly Father. There is no greater or more wonderful relationship than this, God’s forever family.

There are many spin-offs from this relationship, as there are in human families, but perhaps the most comforting and secure is that of belonging.

‭1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT‬
[19] “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, [20] for GOD BOUGHT YOU with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

‭1 John 3:1 NLT‬
[1] “See how very much our Father loves us, for HE CALLS US HIS CHILDREN, and that is what we are!…”

‭1 Peter 2:9 NLT‬
[9] “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, GOD’S VERY OWN POSSESSION . As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

There are many Scriptures that affirm our belongingness to God which secures a life-long connection with Him that nothing or no one can break.

‭John 10:27-29 NLT‬
[27]” My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
[28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, [29] for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand”

However, belonging to God and being a member of His family is only the beginning. How precious it is when a baby says its first words and begins to communicate with the family. So it us with us.

That’s what we call ‘fellowship’. Fellowship is the interaction between people who share a common life, be it in the intimacy of a family or outside the family in common interests and activities. Our greatest and most meaningful fellowship happens in the ‘God-family’, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and within God’s human family.

‭1 John 1:3, 7 NLT‬
[3] “We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that YOU MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ….
[7] But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

We build our fellowship in God’s family by sharing our growing knowledge and experience of God and His ways, and by doing life together in loving service and ministry. So, fellowship happens through COMMUNICATION. Fellowship is built on the foundation of the knowledge of one another, honesty, transparency and trust.

Likewise, communication (prayer) is the way we have fellowship with the ‘God-family’ – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, built on the same foundation as we build fellowship in the human family.

So, if prayer, in its simplest form, is about communucation with God, (and remember that the three persons of the Trinity are the God-family we talk to), how do we communicate?

Communication happens when two people talk to one another with verbal and non-verbal language. If one dominates the conversation, that’s not communication. Speaking and listening are both included.

So, learning to listen is equally as important as learning to speak in the right way to God.

In this short meditation, I want to focus on one important way in which we ‘listen’ in this conversation with God.

God’s promises form an important and major way in which He speaks to us. The problem is that we come to Him with our issues but, before we stop to listen, we rush off to sit in our ‘worry rocking chair’ and get nowhere but deeper into despair.

When we stop to listen, God’s Word begins to speak. The Holy Spirit quickens promises that provide understanding and hope. Sometimes the promise comes in the form of a ‘pattern’, what God wants the person or situation to be in His original plan. Take, for example, His pattern for marriage in Ephesians 5:22ff.

‭Ephesians 5:22, 25, 31-33 NLT‬
[22] “For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord…
[25] For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church….
[31] As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” [32] This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. [33] So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.“

If your marriage, or any other for which you are praying, is out of line, you have God’s ‘ blueprint’ and intention which are in His promise. So, how, then, must you pray? Once again, the Bible has the answer.

‭2 Corinthians 1:19-20 NLT‬
[19] “For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.”… and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. [20] For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, OUR “AMEN” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”

So, instead of whining, and crying, and pleading with God… stop, listen… the Holy Spirit will provide the promise from God’s Word, a solid foundation on which your faith can stand, and you can stamp the AMEN on that promise!

Done! Finished! Guaranteed because “he always does what he says.”

Now all you need to do is to believe and wait.

‭Hebrews 6:12 NIV‬
[12] “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

Amen to that!

When we follow this principle, we quickly deal with issues so that we can enjoy the fellowship, the sharing of our lives with God and He with us, in the conversation we have with Him called ‘PRAYER ‘.

So, in the end, prayer is much more than communication, conversation, and even fellowship. Engaging in real communication with the God who has pledged to be our heavenly Father includes strengthening our faith in Him. Trusting in Him and His interventions for us, moves us along the way He has planned for us to prepare us for our eternal life with Him.

GOD WILL FINISH WHAT HE STARTED

Christian Life, ,

God’s story begins in Genesis, with a promise, strangely, not to humans but to the devil himself.

“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Genesis 3:15 NLT

Let’s fast forward, past the long history of God’s wayward nation, to a little teenage girl, Mary. She’s confronted by a high-ranking angel, Gabriel himself, with another promise directly connected to God’s first promise. Put that into your memory bank, Mary.

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David…. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
Luke 1:26‭-‬27‭, ‬30‭-‬32 NLT

She, little Mary, a virgin engaged to be married, is about to become pregnant with a son, not just any son and certainly not her fiancé’s child, but God’s Son. Impossible? Not if God’s in it.

Little Mary submits and puts that memory into her bank of precious memories.

Strange and unusual things happen at the birth of this Son. Shepherds come to the house in Bethlehem where He was born. Who sent them to this address? Angels! So they said.
She puts this visit in her memory bank too.

Then two elderly people meet them at the temple in Jerusalem, eight days later. Joseph and Mary, are on their way to make the required sacrifice for the birth of a boy when an old man meets them, prophesies nice things over the baby, says a word for her that sends chills down her spine. Into her memories goes that one too.

Two years later, magi from a far Eastern country pitch at their home in Bethlehem. Who sent them? A star! So they said. Another memory to store.

Soon after, a death threat. So they flee to Egypt… and boy toddlers are murdered because of Him. Such scary things to remember, not forgetting God’s oversight in this energency.

“The murderer is dead,” so they are told. “You can go back home.” So, they return to Nazareth in Galilee, as far from the seat of government as possible.

Little Mary is puzzled by the behaviour of her always-compliant, twelve-year-old Son. He goes awol, absent without leave, after a visit to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. She can’t get inside her Son’s mind. What was he thinking? Why did He just disappear? His answer puzzles her even more. “I’m about my Father,” He says. Another piece in the story to remember.

And so the years roll by. Jesus grows up, leaves home to begin His life’s work as the Son of God. Little Mary’s memory bank is filling fast… treasured memories of a perfect Son… puzzling memories of a Son who says and does things beyond her finite understanding.

Then the event predicted by the old man 33 years before! The sword pierces her soul. She gazes, aghast, appalled at the sight of her shredded, bloodied, precious Son impaled on a Roman torture stake. Was this what He was about? All His years to end like this?

Wait, little Mary. God’s story hasn’t ended yet. One more chapter to be written.

Three days later, Mary’s Son lives. The impossible has happened. The serpent’s head is crushed, Gabriel’s prophetic message fulfilled, God’s work complete, sin atoned, forgiven, removed from the record. Salvation accomplished. IT IS FINISHED.

Little Mary’s story can be ours if we allow God to finish what He started.

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Philippians 1:6 NLT

Faith in the fire loses its dross, emerges pure and precious, the highway to heaven’s glorious completion, written in blood, His blood and ours.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world…. The The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:6‭-‬7‭, ‬9 NLT

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”
Hebrews 6:12 NIV

Our beloved country is littered with unfulfilled promises and unfinished projects. We suffer under the reign of greedy and unreliable politicians who are in it for what they can get out of it, for themselves and their cronies.

Not God! His word is His bond. He created a planet destined to be the centre of His perfect family’s life. He created humans like Himself who will live forever on this perfect planet in harmony with Him and one another.

He provided a perfect solution for the mess humans have made by going it alone. He became like one of us so that we can be restored to fellowship with Him and become like Him.

And despite all our doubts and misgivings, God is well on the way to finishing what He started.

‭Revelation‬ ‭21:1‭-‬5‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. [2] And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. [4] He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” [5] And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”

And… what God says, He does.

“PROMISES ARE LIKE PIE CRUSTS…”

Christian Life, ,

… Made to be broken.” That’s, what my mother used to say.

‭Numbers‬ ‭32:23‬ ‭NLT‬
[23] “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”

How often this statement is misread; not “Be sure your sin will be found out,” but “Be sure your sin will FIND YOU OUT.”

In the statement “be sure your sin will find you out” is revealed the mystery of sin. The nature of sin is such that, whether or not others discover your sin, your sin will “discover you.” You cannot run from sin’s consequences. Sin carries within itself the power to pay the sinner back, and sin’s payback is hell. Don’t even think about toying with sin. It cannot be tamed, outrun, or shaken off. No matter how safe you think you are, if you are a sinner, your sin will find you out. Your heart will be exposed for what it is.

‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‭-‬10‬ ‭NLT‬
[9] “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [10] But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

Moses’ warning to the tribes of Israel, in our verse, “be sure your sin will find you out,” is echoed by Paul: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7–8). In the context, when we fail to support those who teach us God’s word, our selfish “flesh” will reap its fruit, like the law of the harvest.

The only way to escape sin’s consequences is to be forgiven by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 10:9; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 1:5) and to receive a new heart and a new spirit.

‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36:26‬ ‭NLT‬
[26] “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”

The context of our verse puts a specific sin into perspective. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad, requested territory on the east side of the Jordan River, during their conquest of the Promised Land. Moses interpreted their request as a way of dodging their obligation to fight alongside the rest of the tribes to take possession of their inheritance.

The leaders of these two tribes promised Moses that they would fight once their families were settled in the land they requested.

Reassured by their promise, Moses gave them what they wanted but warned them of the consequences, should they fail to keep their promise. In this context, he said,

“… You may be sure that your sin will find you out.”

Two principles emerge from this warning.

  1. Broken promises expose a sinful heart.
  2. Broken promises are sin against God.

Why is it so important to God that we honour our word? What God says is precious.

‭Psalms‬ ‭19:7‭-‬11‬ ‭NIV‬
[7]”The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. [8] The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. [9] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. [10] They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. [11] By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

‭Psalms‬ ‭138:2‬ ‭NLT‬
[2]”I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.”

God’s word is everything to God and to us. He works through His word.

‭Psalms‬ ‭33:6‬ ‭NLT‬
[6] “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.”

‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭NLT‬
[4] And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

God Himself came in the person of the Son to be the living Word.

‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭NLT‬
[14] So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Since God cannot lie and since His word is His bond, we can trust Him to do what He promised.

‭Numbers‬ ‭23:19‬ ‭NLT‬
[19] “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

Therefore, when we make promises we have no intention of keeping or for some reason we cannot or do not keep , we are lying. As God’s children, we are to live in keeping with His character and grow in our likeness to our Creator.

‭Colossians‬ ‭3:9‭-‬10‬ ‭NIV‬
[9] “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

So, Jesus said,

Matthew‬ ‭5:37‬ ‭NLT‬
[37] “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”

We need to be careful of what we say and what promises we make because there is no room in God’s kingdom for liars.

‭Revelation‬ ‭22:14‭-‬15‬ ‭NLT‬
[14] “Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. [15] Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”

A PLACE FOR THE GENTILES

Bible Study, ,

A PLACE FOR THE GENTILES

“For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written:

‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.’

And again it says,

‘Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people.’

And again,

‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the people extol Him.’

And again, Isaiah says,

‘The root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will hope.’

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:8-13.

It’s all very well, Paul, for you to explain the intricacies of God’s righteousness but on what grounds do we Gentiles have the right to think that we also have a share in the mercy of God? After all, God is the God of the Jews. He chose them to be His people and we were not included in His covenant with Abraham.

Oh, really! Was that God’s intention? To have a little group of people whom He could mollycoddle and leave the rest to spend eternity in hell? Never! The whole purpose of His choice of Israel was for them to be a model for the Gentiles, so that they would see, mirrored in His people the nature of God and believe in Him as well. Once He had sent His Messiah to earth through His people, He would throw the door open for the whole world to believe in Him.

Paul’s triumphant declaration of hope for the Gentiles was based squarely on God’s eternal plan, begun with Abraham and fulfilled in Christ, so that the people of the world, not only the Jews, would be members of His family and citizens in His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.

Embedded in His covenant with Abraham was the promise that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. The promises of God extended far beyond Abraham and his descendants.

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:3.

Has God ever withdrawn His promise? On the contrary, Paul reassured his Romans readers:

“…For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29.

There is a warning for the nations today in God’s irrevocable promise to Abraham. The world is being polarised over the conflict between the Jews and the Palestinians in Israel. Most of the nations side with the Palestinians because they regard Israel as intruders with no right to be in the land of Israel. On the surface, without taking into consideration the promise of God, it may seem so, but from God’s perspective the land of Israel belongs to the Jews because He gave it to them forever.

“I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:7, 8.

There is an extended prophecy in Zechariah 12:1-14; 13:1 that is yet to be fulfilled and seems on the brink of fulfilment even as I write. As the nations gather against Jerusalem, God will intervene to protect His people and destroy those who are trying to destroy them. The wars of the 1960’s bear witness to God’s protection and victory in the face of overwhelming odds.

Just as God promised His protection of His people, so He promised that the Gentiles would also have a place in His kingdom. And so, Paul could reassure all his Gentile readers, not only the Roman church then, but also every Gentile down the centuries, that our hope is based on the solid truth of God’s promise and Paul’s prayer:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.