God's Promises

[Bob Berendt] Ever since man was created, there has been an interaction between their Creator and mankind. Some of those interactions were very warm and close and personal, as it first of all was with Adam and Eve and God; and then things would have/could have developed, and did develop, in that case, which made that interaction a bit more distant, and even brought God to the point where He had to actually bar them from the Garden of Even – which He had created for them – and put upon them, furthermore, the sentence of death, which He did not want to do. But He had to do that, because that was part of what He is and what His overall big plan is.

Within that great plan of God though, He does make various promises, and even at the most difficult time for Eve, God made a promise to her. He said that He would send, or there would be then, this Savior would come, this Redeemer would come, this One would come and correct the problems that were made.

There were relationships God had, or interactions with people like Cain; and Cain talked with God, but he did not do what was right and good in God's sight. Then there was Abel, who talked with God as well, but who did what was right in God's sight. And so you see a close relationship, and then a more difficult relationship.

The world continued to develop until the time of Noah, into a time where God looked around and saw there was nothing but wickedness and evil wherever He would/could look; sort of like the direction our world is going in today. And that time He made a decision; same decision in a little way that He made with Adam and Eve – that He had to make – that when there was that kind of evil and anger and frustration against Him, the great Creator, He would have to act.

But, God also promises us that He is the same – yesterday, today and forever – He hasn't changed. So when He says He's going to do something – when He makes a promise – that He has to keep it and follow through with it. Our responsibility, sometimes, is to understand what that promise is. But, it's hard for us to do that. Within all of what God is doing, He has to allow us to have freedom of choice. He doesn't force us to go in certain directions, although He brings things to pass upon us; sometimes puts pressure on us even, for our own sakes, just like a good parent would put pressure on their children for the children’s sake. But, He is the same, allowing us still freedom of choice since the very beginning; and human beings then, wonder where God is sometimes, when their idea of what His promise was isn't fulfilled; because people would believe that when I've obeyed God that everything's going to be just wonderful in my life. And yet, when it isn't, we wonder why, sometimes; what has happened, and where is He when I need Him? And so, I would think that pretty well all who are God's people, whoever they may be, from Adam and Eve, onward, I would think, had times where they were so much in doubt and, in concern, that real tears would just flow from their eyes, from what they were seeing. Tears are a sign of grief or confusion or frustration, sometimes fear, sometimes discouragement. Tears sometimes come when you think a promise has been broken from somebody you trust or somebody you love. So God's people have shed many tears in their lives, waiting for God to act. And always, those tears are shed because they believe God made a promise, and sometimes they're not sure when God's going to fulfill a promise, or even if He's going to fulfill it, and sometimes they even feel forsaken by God.

But He is our Creator, and He is a promise-keeper. So God's promises are real, and they are His promises; they need to be understood by all of us. God does see His people when they weep and cry –  like Hezekiah did when he was about to die – while he began to weep, and God heard his cry and helped him. Job, when his spirit was broken – he was in tears as well. David wrote, I drench my pillow with tears – and David was not a sissy, he was a real man. I drench my pillow with tears – when he needed deliverance, or healing. King David also wrote the words in Psalm 22, which Jesus Christ, of course, reflects Jesus Christ, My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me, which He felt at times. And I think, I would imagine that, somewhere along the line, God's people sometimes have that very strong feeling. Let's go to Psalm 42 for a moment. Psalm 42 is a contemplation of the sons of Korah. Now Korah was the one who rebelled against God and had to be corrected; and we sing this sometimes, as a deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. So when a person gets into difficulty in their life, in trouble in their life, then they seek this Creator of theirs, this God they believe in, and they ask then, to be redeemed or pulled out of their problems.

Psalm 42:2 – My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Vs. 3 – My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, Where is your God?

People are asking that question, even of Jesus Christ, as He was dying. It was said to Him, if God is Your God, if you're the Son of God, come on down from there; call Him, He'll rescue You; and all these various words and terms that are used. So this Psalm, in a way, reflects what people feel, and God's people too. Sometimes you are in dire need and have dire problems in your life, and you pray to God about it – you pray again and again and again – and sometimes the answer is no, or there's no answer, and you wonder if God hears your prayers, you wonder if He is, if you've done something wrong, if He has forsaken you. He said in verse 4:

Psalm 42:4 – When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Vs. 5 – Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. Vs. 6 – O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon...he goes on explaining what is going to occur and happen. And verse 8, he says:

Psalm 42:8 – The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me – A prayer to the God of my life...he goes on explaining that as well.

Psalm 56, I won't turn to it (Vs. 8) it says in a prayer to God, put my tears in Your bottle – and sometimes when famous people cry, they put a little jar here and put a little tear in it – put my tears in Your bottle and in Your book. So it seems that God does keep track of the tears of His people, because there's times where He watches what they do, and withholds His help and His assistance. Psalm 80 (Vs. 5) says, You've given them tears to drink in great measure, talking about Israel; and in Jeremiah and Lamentations, there's a lot of comments there about Jerusalem being destroyed and the tears that were shed. Let's look for a moment in the book of Luke; people who have done things in their lives that are causing them deep inner grief, and that does happen in time – if we break God's way, and His laws and His commandments – as we heard in the sermonette; if we live by the Bible, we're blessed. If we don't live by the Bible, we get a curse. Sometimes we think we live by the Bible, but we've got something within ourselves that needs to be overcome, and God sees that. He wants children who have overcome whatever it may be that blocks His relationship to them. So, in Luke chapter 7, there's a very touching account here – verse 38, or verse 37:

Luke 7:37 – And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner...now, this woman had done things; maybe had things done to her when she was a young girl, and she either became a sinner or was a sinner, and she knew what she was doing was wrong. She was very likely shunned by her family and friends, and laughed at or mocked, or whatever...when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house...she...brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil. She had heard Him speak, she heard things about Christ, she understood things about Christ, she saw herself in the mirror that He held up in the Word of God. (Vs. 38) – ...she...stood at His feet behind Him weeping...now these were tears of regret, tears of hope, tears of sorrow, tears of repentance...so...she began to wash His feet with her tears...I mean, she must have really been crying – a lot of tears there, ...to wash His feet with her tears...and then she...wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. That took quite a little bit of time, and I would imagine, that Jesus wasn't too ticklish. If anyone touches a person's feet, sometimes you just, you know, can't sit still. But He sat still through this whole span of time; and others were watching this and, you know, being very unhappy; don't you know who it is that's washing Your feet? Don't you know who it is that's there, and all these things that they were thinking to themselves. (Vs. 38) – ...she anointed them with the fragrant oil. (Vs. 39) – Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself...this is in his own mind, but God heard this and knows it...this Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him; for she is a sinner. It's an amazing thing how people discount those who are sinners, which is really all of mankind. But, when this person is an obvious sinner, they get discounted, or they get killed, or they get executed. There is a lady who is due to be executed because she married a Christian. That's a sad commentary of a certain religion. (Vs. 39) – she is a sinner. (Vs. 40) – And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you,”...and he says, well...Teacher, say it...Now, Simon must have been shocked when he realized that Jesus knew what he was thinking. (Vs. 41) – “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other...owed...fifty. (Vs. 42) – And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” (Vs. 43) – And...Simon answered and said...well...I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” And so it is with God, when a person recognizes themselves, and their sin before God, and then repents. You know, you appreciate the concept of mercy and forgiveness. (Vs. 44) – Then He turned to the woman...Jesus did...and said to Simon. “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. (Vs. 45) – You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. (Vs. 46) – You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. (Vs. 47) – Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

So God's looking for things in people; and people experience things in their lives. We make our own troubles – this woman did – she ran into all kinds of problems within herself, and was coming to herself at this particular point. But, it's a very touching account of the reason tears come, and the promises that God makes to this person, as Jesus made a promise to this woman; her sins will be and are then, forgiven. In the book of Acts, just over a few pages, we read the account of one of the most remarkable teachers and workers for God that ever existed, and that was Paul. Paul was, it was amazing what he did and what he went through. He was often upset by the people he was pastoring. He would go to them and he would heal people who were sick. He would do miracles that were to bring people and draw them to God. He would teach them God's way of life. And most of the time, he ended up being rejected, not by the people he was teaching, but by the others who disliked him. So, in Acts chapter 20, in verse 18:

Acts 20:18 – And when they had come to him, he said to them: You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you. He was a humble man. He was a brilliant man, an intelligent, brilliant, highly-educated man – but very, very humble – patient, kind, understanding. He said. (Vs. 19)– I was...serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews. (Vs. 20) – how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house. (Vs. 21) – testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ...He says. (Vs. 22) – And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there...so here Paul is reacting to the promises of God that he made to God, and God made to him...I go bound...to Jerusalem... because he was going to serve God in any way he could...except in...Vs. 23 – that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me....So before he ever got to anywhere he was going to, he knew what the outcome would be; he'd end up either in prison, or he'd end up being stoned, or he'd end up being chased out. And, many times, Paul was in tears over those things. (Vs. 24) – But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

So we see here, even some of the most qualified and incredible servants of God, do run into great difficulties, and wonder sometimes, what God is going to be doing in a certain circumstance; what He has then done, as Paul would have done.

The Bible does tell us – and we'll go back to Psalm 126 for just a moment – there's just one verse I want to give you there, as just a strong verse as a reference point. Psalm 126, and we'll take just verse 5, if I can get to it. Psalm 126 and verse 5. I would think by this time in my life – turning my pages with my left hand, even though I'm right-handed – I'd get better at it. Psalm 126 and verse 5, it says:

Psalm 126:5 – Those who sow in tears, Shall reap in joy. (Vs. 6) – He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.

So there are times where the people of God run into things in their lives that are pretty sorrowful and pretty sad, that you face – not just necessarily for yourself – but sometimes for your family, sometimes for people you care about and that you love – and they go through things – sometimes for this world as a whole. You can't help but shed a tear for the 300 families that lost their young teenagers in this shipwreck off of Korea. And, just a silly kind of a mistake. But, there is a promise that God makes in Revelation chapter 7. So let's look at that promise too, and realize that this promise is a reflection of a promise that God made in (Isaiah chapter 25). I won't turn to Isaiah, but you can note it down. Revelation chapter 7, and beginning in verse 14. What God did say in (Isaiah 25 and verse 8), He said that God will swallow up death forever, and wipe away tears from all faces – of all faces – from everybody who had tears to shed, and that would be probably everybody in this world. So, in Revelation chapter 7 and verse 14, John wrote:

Revelation 7:14 – And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation...people who recognized God, or recognized themselves...they...washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Vs. 15) – Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. (Vs. 16) – They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat. (Vs. 17) – for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

So it's not a big problem, or wrong – if people of God, from time to time – need to shed tears; are confused with what's happening in their lives, or hurt by what's happening in their lives, or what's happening in the lives of others. I hope that when we read of some of these occurrences and see the things that are happening – these 300 men that died in the mines of Turkey – they've got Mums and Dads and families and children that won't see them again. And many of them died just of carbon monoxide poisoning, because the mine was not properly aerated and properly taken care of. Well, you have to think of those families, and if we don't shed a tear for that, then there's something wrong, I think, with us, with our hearts. In chapter 21 of Revelation – another promise that God has made is here. Revelation chapter 21:

Revelation 21:3 – And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. That's the overall purpose and plan of everything which is occurring and happening in this world;  everything from the beginning of the foundations of the world – where Christ was all ready to be slain from the creation of this universe – right up until today. All of that is looking towards this plan. That they will be His people. He will be their God, and they will be His children (offspring). God then, in Verse 4 – ...will wipe away every tear from their eyes...and you wonder sometimes, you know, if you had really traumatic experiences, like the death of children, especially, it seems, or somebody very, very close to you, that a time way in the future, you will no longer feel sorrow over that. God will wipe away those tears. (Vs. 4) – there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

That's a promise from God. Sometimes you wonder how it can be fulfilled; when you also read that God is going to have – there's going to be a second death – of those who have sinned; and that's somebody's sons and daughters too, or husbands and wives. How do you get to the point then, where God says there will be no more sorrow, not even for those? These are promises that are from God, and they're not yet fulfilled. Some promises are fulfilled, some are not. And God made promises to Adam and Eve and to Abraham, and to all of mankind, that there would be a Savior, that there would be help, that there would be some assistance and help coming.

So, the title of the sermon is, God's Promises. It's an important subject. If God did not keep His promises, He wouldn't be God – they would be worthless, but they are not – these promises; and they are in the Word of God – which we are, have been, recommended, certainly in the sermonette – to listen to carefully. Let's go to the book of Hebrews. Sometimes, you read a section or a few verses of the Bible that encapsulate a great deal of what's occurring and happening. Paul wrote some of the most incredible work, this marvelous apostle of God. In the book of Hebrews chapter 6, he wrote as well of the difficulties that human beings have put God into. In Verse 4, he says:

Hebrews 6:4 – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened...once God has given you truth, and the blood of His Son, and you see the sacrifice of Christ that's there, if they've...tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit. (Vs. 5) – and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. (Vs. 6) – if they fall away...it's impossible...to renew them again to repentance.

Now, God's promise is to grant a person repentance, to bring us to repentance, to allow us to come to repentance. So He is fulfilling His promise. He also would have liked to have seen Adam and Eve not eat of that tree, obey Him, and then eat of the tree of life; but, that was not the way it was to work. So He allows freedom of choice, but He has to work with the results that we give Him, and sometimes they make it difficult for Him. And that's why, when Jesus Christ came over the hill and looked at Jerusalem, He burst into tears as well, cause He recognized and realized what was going to have to be done in that city, and to that city. Let's jump ahead just a little bit down to verse 13, after He continues talking about us being diligent and being obedient to God, showing how we trust Him. Verse 13 says:

Hebrews 6:13 – For when God made a promise to Abraham...or a promise to you, because He does that; He makes a direct promise to you upon your baptism, upon your repentance, upon your acceptance of Jesus Christ. When He made a promise to Abraham...because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself...and that is certainly what God is. Vs. 14 – saying, Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you...at your baptism, God says, your sins are forgiven, they're gone; and we need to recognize that. If we don't, and we get down on our knees and feel that we are still sinning, or sinners in God's sight, then we cannot pray to Him with an open heart. We need to understand our sins, your sins, are forgiven. And if you slip, you get on your knees quickly and say, Father in heaven, I am sorry about that, and change and come back to Him...in blessing...I will multiply you. Vs. 15 – ...and after that Abraham now waited patiently...he...endured...he waited and waited...and...he obtained the promise...now he didn't obtain the fulfillment of the promise; all he received was the promise. So as a converted person, through the blood of Jesus Christ, receives the promise of eternal life; but, you don't get that promise until a resurrection occurs. Abraham obtained the promise from God. Vs. 16 – For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Vs. 17 – Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise...that's all of God's chosen people then up until today...the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath. So when God makes a promise, He's a promise-keeper...by two immutable things...inVs. 18 – ...The first one is that...it is impossible for God to lie...absolutely impossible for Him to lie. So when He makes a promise, then that promise is going to be kept. Now, we may not understand the promise; we may have other thoughts in our minds as to what the promise should be, but the way God presents it and gives that promise, that will be kept...we...we though, He makes it so that...we might have ...a...strong consolation...the consolation is only something you need when things don't go well in your life; like when you're sick, and when you don't believe you're going to live much longer. Well, then, we need to have that hope of something beyond that, which God promised; but that's not going to be fulfilled until a later date. So our hope rests in the promise that was made. Abraham died having the promise from God, but never seeing the fulfillment of the promise, never seeing the city he envisioned, never seeing the children of his being like sand of the sea in this world...that...we may have...a...strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. So in a promise of God that results in a hope a person has, that you have, a hope to have eternal life, to be in God's family, to be like Him, and to be like His Son. And so you work then, day by day, towards that goal, but it's a hope that's based upon a promise which God made. Vs. 19 – This hope we have as an anchor...for...the soul... and I know as a pastor in the church, I've talked to people shortly before they've died, and it's astonishing to see the strength in those people when that hope is strong. They're not afraid, because they do have that hope anchored in the promise of God. And, I think years ago, you know, the martyrs that went, or even Paul, when he went to cities and knew he was going to be chained, or he was going to be beaten, or he was going to be stoned, you know, he had that hope that God would move him further on. Finally, he says, I know I've got this crown laid up for me, the hope is in the future...This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast...it's only sure and steadfast if we trust His promises...and which enters the Presence behind the veil. Vs. 20 – where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

And when people do push the Bible away from their lives, they push away this hope. Now they fulfill it with other kinds of hope – like Satan said to Adam and Eve – when God says, in the day that you eat thereof, you're going to die; and Satan says, He didn't mean it, you're not going to die. So, the modern teaching of today is, oh, you just live somewhere else, life goes on, Nirvana, or whatever all else, you know, the experiences – after death experiences – and everything, except understanding what God said. The day that God said to Adam and Eve, when you touch that tree, or eat of it, you're going to die, and He made him fulfill that sentence. That sentence is still there for mankind as well. In chapter 7 and 8 of the book of Hebrews, God goes on explaining a little bit more there about Jesus Christ and what He had done, but in verse 6 of chapter 8. We see that by the coming of Jesus Christ, the ministry (Hebrews 8:6)...the...more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

So God made promises, even to Israel under the Old Covenant. Now, He has made promises which are better promises, in what we call the New Covenant. But because He made the promises in the Old Covenant, we can't cancel those and annihilate them and say, well, therefore, we'll start all new all over again. That is not the case. God's promises do not/are not changeable. But, they do grow, and they're magnified; so He showed to Israel, right from the time of Adam and Eve – as far as that goes – He showed them the need for a blood sacrifice. And animals had to be sacrificed for their sin; and God was the One that killed the animals and covered in skins Adam and Eve. And Abel gave a sacrifice then, to God, and so did Noah, after the flood, and Abraham, and it went on and on and on. The Passover Lamb was introduced. But, we know that all of that was pointing towards the true Passover Lamb, which was Jesus Christ. And so that's the fulfillment of God's promise; and as it grows – and God made that promise then – that there would be forgiveness of sins. He was showing them, first of all, how, making it possible to the nation of Israel, and as they failed, then made it possible to the rest of the world. Israel was the seed of Abraham. God made a great promise to Abraham that in his seed he would become a mighty nation. Let's go back to Genesis 18, to remind ourselves of this promise that was given so long ago. Genesis chapter 18, and in verse 18, God says of Abraham:

Genesis 18:18 – since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.

So it's a promise that Abraham's going to be a great nation; and the nations of the world – the whole world – will be blessed in Him. Now that's, of course, referring to the birth of Jesus Christ, which was then to take place later on; a blessing for the whole world of the seed of Abraham. Jumping ahead to chapter 22. Chapter 22 of Genesis, beginning in verse 15, it says:

Genesis 22:15 – Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven. Vs. 16 – and said: By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord...so this angel is quoting God, saying the words of God...By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing...you've obeyed Him, whether it was in that case, with Isaac. Abraham also kept God's laws, and the statutes and the judgments...and have not withheld your son, your only son. Vs. 17 – in...blessing, I will bless you...He said to Abraham...and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. Vs. 18 – In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.

That's a great promise that God made – an unconditional promise to Abraham – a promise which God cannot break. How important is it that God makes a promise, and that He keeps them? How important is it for you and for me? And how important is it that hope that He instills in each one of us then? His promises are secure, but they often depend upon the generation that's obeying God's voice and His commands. He made promises to King David; it was dependent upon the conduct of Solomon. God would have liked to have seen Solomon become the greatest king that ever was, if he would have obeyed God. But within that promise, even to David, and even to Solomon, there always was the condition that Solomon would have freedom of choice, and if he would choose God's way, that would be correct.

The truth of God and from God, went underground, we know, as His church was hidden from history for about 1,260 years – so roughly from 400 to 1600 A.D., or if you heard in the sermonette, roughly 1550 or 350, the fall of the Roman Empire – to that span of time. Where the Bible became available to a lot of people; that truth brought a number of people close to God. It was always there though, God said He would never leave His people or forsake them, but it was able to become multiplied. Back in the book of Acts, chapter 17, when we read about Paul, we understand that God opened up this concept to a level which maybe hadn't been understood before – His promise to Abraham to have so many descendants that you couldn't count them for the sand of the sea and stars of the heaven. But when you look at the descendants of Abraham, and ask yourself, how did this possibly happen? He only had one son with Sarah; that was Isaac. Hagar had Ishmael, another son, and through Ketura, there were other children born. It wasn't God's plan, Sarah was God's plan, and Isaac. But, in Acts chapter 17, there was an expansion of this information and set of laws that God was going to give, or a set of promises – I should say – and Paul, he was talking now, to Greek people, to Athenians. They didn't really understand God's way or the Torah.

Acts 17:24...He said...God, who made the world and everything in it...now they believed in different kinds of gods, greater than they were, and so you have this concept of this great being...since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Vs. 25 – Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things...that is, to the Greeks, to the Romans, to everybody on the face of this earth. Every race of people; it doesn't matter if a person is black or yellow or red or white, God gives them all life and breath and everything. Vs. 26 – And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings...so it was God's design and plan to have different nations; His design and plan to have the different races, and so on; that's the way He made them, and we need to respect that completely. Vs. 27 – so that they...all, all people from all over this world...should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us...Paul's talking to the Athenians here; he says, He's not far from you either. He's not far from every human being. Vs. 28 – for in Him we live and move and have our being...and he quotes one of their poets...for we are also His offspring...it's an interesting thing that a Greek pagan poet wrote that humans are the children of God. We are His offspring. Vs. 29 – Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. Vs. 30 – Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

And so, the Divine Nature is something that God expects His people to grow into. So when we look at the promises to Abraham, just singling him out, perhaps – we could look at other promises as well – but let's focus for a moment on Abraham. He said the descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Then you ask yourself, well, where are they then, as numerous as the dust of the earth? You  might say, well, let's go back to Isaac and Jacob, and then Israel, the 12 tribes. And let's calculate around the earth the population of all the 12 tribes, even today, in a world of six-and-a-half billion people, how many could possibly be direct descendants of Abraham? And, if you add them together, you would come up with something like 500 million. Maybe that's generous, maybe that's a little bit less than what it should be – about 500 million or half a billion – which you could say are the direct descendants of Abraham. He also said, many nations and kings were to descend from Abraham – many nations and many kings. Well, there were 12, we can say, that is Israel. Is that many out of, maybe, 180 or 200 nations on the face of the earth? Well, that doesn't seem to be so many. He says in Genesis 17, the line of descendants would come through Sarah and Isaac – not Ishmael, not anybody else – but Sarah and Isaac. They would possess the gates of their enemies. And it says, God gave you the dew from heaven, the fatness of the earth, in Genesis 17; plenty of corn and wine, and peoples and nations will serve you. God says, cursed is everyone who curses you, and blessed is everyone who blesses you. So if we were then, to look for the fulfillment of the promises of God to Abraham, we would say, well, alright, what about the direct descendants then of Abraham? And, would that be/would that fulfill all of it? We could say, well, partially, but when we look at the population of the world, and you see a half a billion, compared to 6-1/2 billion, it's a pretty small amount. The six billion are much, much more. That, whoever that is, that's got the sand of the sea counted more than Abraham. But, let's go back to I Chronicles. I Chronicles chapter 5 is a brief summary statement that is made there, which tells us a little bit about the 12 sons of Abraham, and what happened to them. And God gives freedom of choice, has a plan, and then He allows human beings to function and to work, so that He, overall, sees His plan coming into fruition; but, not always the way that maybe we would have wanted to see it done, or maybe even the way that God would have preferred it; but, He will bring it to pass, because He made a promise. I Chronicles chapter 5, the first few verses, it says:

I Chronicles 5:1 – Now the sons of Reuben...Reuben was...the firstborn...son...of Israel...and there was a law that the firstborn son was to inherit more than the others. However, if he disqualified himself, that would be different...he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed...so he went to bed with Zipporah, apparently, the slave of the other wife that Jacob had...his birthright...therefore...was given to the sons of Joseph...now Joseph was the firstborn of Rebekah, so he was a firstborn in that sense...he was...the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright...the promise of God is intact – it's been kept – but, it had to be shifted for these reasons; and Judah shows up all of a sudden. Vs. 2 – yet Judah prevailed over his brothers...over the 11...and from...Judah...came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph's.

So interestingly enough, there was room in here for Judah to do things – and the others as well – and we see then, out of Judah, came Jesus Christ. That's where He was to come, through this line of rulers, and of course, the line of King David – all came through Judah. When Jacob then blessed the 12 tribes, or the 12 sons, in Genesis 48 and 49, he specifically singled out the children of Joseph – and it tells us that in here the children of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh – and he said a great company would be there of nations; for Ephraim and Manasseh would be a very great nation as well.

So we look around this world and find and ask ourselves, did God carry out His promises? And the answer is of course, yes, because He is God. Then how did they get carried out, cause these nations of Joseph were not great in the Middle East area, where God originally wanted to have them go into the promised land? They all moved into the promised land, and God put Judah right over the area which was where the temple was to be built; over the area of Jerusalem there over Judea. That's where Judah was settled, because of its position. And then, Ephraim and Manasseh were settled as well, and the other nations as well.

We know that there were many things that occurred and happened specifically because of the sins of Solomon, the errors of Solomon. God caused, as He said, Israel – who sinned as a whole – to be scattered throughout the world. And so, He scattered the ten tribes all over the world. First of all, they were taken by the Assyrians – captured by the Assyrians – and taken north. There is a thing in the minds of Gentiles, it seems, when they come into a land and invade a land, they move people around all over the place. It's an amazing thing; they just take this people and just shift them over somewhere else. Just like when Communism began, you know, they took away all the private land from most people, and then they would take this tribe of people – this group of people, like in the Crimea – and ship them up to somewhere in Siberia, to get that populated; and take this group of people and ship them up over here, and just move people around like you would dominoes. That's the way it seems to be that Gentiles do things. And so, the ten tribes were taken away from their area of Jerusalem, of Judea and Israel. Israel itself, later on – I should say, Judah itself, Judea – was taken by Babylon, and exiled to Babylon. So the land then, became empty, and God said that He was going to scatter them. That was what He said He would then do, but, He never forgot His promise to Abraham. That had to be intact, nevertheless.

And so, an amazing series of things occurred and happened; because in this world of ours, it's astonishing to know how many parts of the world were basically empty. Nobody lived there, or very, very few people lived there. The whole continent of Australia was basically empty. New Zealand had nobody living on it until about 600 years ago – the whole of New Zealand. It's an astonishing thing. North and South America did not have great giant-sized populations – they were very small in population; so was Europe. Europe was basically a wilderness north of the Danube River, and those areas. So was Russia, cause the population of the world was very small overall. You think in terms of the time of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and those individuals, and the population of the world wouldn't have been any more than a few million. That's about all it would have been. It reached a hundred million somewhere along the line in there, but the billion mark didn't come until 200 years ago. So we're talking about small populations, but God was fulfilling all of His promises, nevertheless.

And so, He took then, these ten tribes, and moved them to the north – and Syria did that. And then, God was going to set them free, which He did; He did through Alexander the Great – about 300 years before Christ – went in there and set them free, and they didn't go back to the promised land; they then, were scattered. They started wandering along and moving over the world, to perhaps, perhaps, a land, which we can say today, is like the promised land. I mean, Canada is a wonderful place to live. The United States is a wonderful place to live – I would say, you know – boy! You know, when I was over in Israel, it's not so nice over there. We are in a promised land – in a way – we're in an absolutely wonderful place that we should be thankful for.

But, it is a part of the fulfillment of God to all of mankind. And since 1600 roughly, the world has been blessed by the presence of Israel. And it's a fascinating thing to know, that the Bible is called the white-man's religion – but it sort of originated and stayed in the Western world – specifically, in Britain and the United States, and from there it has been sent to all over the world as well; as those nations spread out and scattered and spread out. So the blessings always came to the ten tribes, the way God promised to Abraham, but not always the way that a person would expect it to come. There were wars, there were setbacks, there were accusations that were many; but, nevertheless, one thing was noticed. When the nations of Israel went out to other places and began to settle them, along with them came law and order and government, and a respect for the individuals. Roads were built, railways were built, universities were built, ultimately. To this very day, people who were part of the British Commonwealth – or even part of the work from the United States – became nations that had great education systems, and they had the laws put in place, and lands of peace, under the rule of Joseph. There was plenty of food, transportation, law and order. And sometimes, it was not nice; that's true when it got started. You take, for example, southern Africa, Rhodesia, and South Africa itself, those nations were all exporters, and they were exporters of food. They grew so much food during the time of the British rule, that they were exporting it. Now that the British rule has ended – now, it's being run by Gentiles – it's now importing food, and the system, the law system, is falling apart, and so on. In South America – where the nations who were down there, and went down there – were ruled or were run over by Gentile powers – Spain and Portugal – not the children of Israel. And there's a different mindset, it seems, that occurs and takes place when that occurs and happens.

It took about 400 years for Israel – as a prisoner in Egypt – to become large enough to become a nation – two or three million people – over 400 years. And God was making sure that all occurred and happened. Then it took another 400 years for the very first king, that was David, to be crowned in Israel. We are looking in the terms of 400 years, and things happened and occurred, but, in the last 400 years – we start back to date, then go back 400 years to the 1600s – there are enormous things that have happened, to fulfill these promises of God to Abraham, and to the world. Maybe not the way that you and I would have expected it, or Jacob would have expected it, or Israel would have expected it, actually, or even Abraham. We know that Israel, that is, the nations of Joseph, certainly, and Ephraim and Manasseh, changed their laws to conform to the Bible – and were allowed then – or God was able to bless them. Furthermore, we know there's a royal family that traces its roots back for 3,000 years. A fascinating thing to comprehend – 3,000 years of the same group or family being in rule. But the population of the world has, since 1985, doubled. It's an astonishing thing to think about that. You know, it's hard to understand the enormity of something along that span of time. It's doubled. It was estimated to be 3.7 billion at that time, and now it's about six-and-a half billion. That's brought so many changes now that God is working with, in the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham; and of course, part of those promises are, if you leave Me, if you forsake God, you turn against God, then God will forsake you too, as He did with Solomon. That's part of what is happening today. Let's go to Leviticus. This is sort of listed in Leviticus, but it's a common statement made for all the time. Leviticus 26, and here's what God's promise is to Israel, to the tribes of the 12 sons. And I think we can say without even thinking much about it, that those 12 sons did not make up as many as the sand of the sea, or the stars of the heavens, they just didn't. But, in Leviticus 26, and the first six verses, God goes on saying:

Leviticus 26:1 – You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image...and He goes on and on saying these various things...Vs. 2 – You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the Lord. Vs. 3 – If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments...and all these various things He says to them. He will bless them and take good care of them, look favorably in Vs. 9 – For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you.

And, God didn't do that during the time where the Bible became available to every home; every home had a Bible, everyone could read the Bible; you weren't ashamed to do that; you went to church on Sunday. In some cities in the United States, there was a law, if you didn't go to church, you didn't have a job, so you had to go to church, everybody went to church.

Leviticus 26:10 – You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new...abundance of all sorts was to be there, and certainly, we know that the lands that we've lived in – that Israel has lived in – have been the ones who give and give and give to the rest of this world. When there is a drought, when there is hunger – all these places where there are millions and millions of people who are homeless now – guess who is sending food to them? You don't see any food coming from Russia or from China. You don't see that. You see it coming from the nations that make up Israel, and that is all of the 12/the 10 tribes of Israel. And, it's interesting too, to note that although the Jewish people, the tribe of Judah, don't have great lands to do this with, they have supplied this world with advances in science, in music, in medicine, and in those areas of looking after one another, which is phenomenal, when you think of what occurred and happened there. But He says in verse 12:

Leviticus 26:12 – I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people...that's always God's desire, and whenever someone stands up and wants to obey God, He does want to become their God...and you'll...be My people. Vs. 13 – I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt...so...that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright...and God did that again and again and again and again for them. Vs. 14 – But if  you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments. Vs. 15 – and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that  you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant. Vs. 16 – I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease...etc, and on and on it goes over all this time, again and again, He mentions that...Vs. 18 – And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

So God does get involved with this world, because He knows where it's going to lead to, ultimately, and because He sees the potential, and wants to fulfill His promise to Abraham. Now, involved in that promise in the final analysis, it says that there will be three, super-leading nations of this world, in time to come. Those nations will be Israel, Egypt and Assyria; it says that in Isaiah chapter 19 and verse 28. But, in Deuteronomy 31 – Deuteronomy 31, we want to see just the fulfillment of this promise that God made to Abraham. Deuteronomy chapter 31, verse 6:

Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you...now, that doesn't mean that He doesn't let things happen for a little while. He said, I'm going to let you go for a little while, but He doesn't let them go completely; He still controls what occurs and happens there. Vs. 7 – Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it...that's the promise God made. Vs. 8 – And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed...but, in all of that was the command of God to choose wisely, and to follow Him, and to be obedient to Him. In verse 14 – Then...God...said to Moses, Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him. So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting. Vs. 15 – Now the Lord appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle. Vs. 16 – And the Lord said to Moses: Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners...so God could see what was going to happen after Moses died...of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them...God knew the minds of the people; He could see Satan working. Satan does continually follow along, to disrupt anything that God is doing, as the Bible even says – many are called, few are chosen – the sower sows the seed, Satan comes and tears them up; that's been an ongoing struggle and battle that we don't always see personally. But, He goes on saying in verse 17 – Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them...just a very short span of time...and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us? Vs. 18 – And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods...so He says. Vs. 19 – ...write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to...the people. And so God said He would do this, but He would never, ever forsake them completely. For a short time, but He never took His eye off of Israel.

There's an interesting find that came up recently. Crimea, of course, is in the news, and the Ukraine, and those areas – that's the area that the ten tribes went through – but an interesting find came out recently, actually it's been a little while there, but it's been spoken of, and written about recently. It's called in the Synchronous History, Volume 3 – a man by the name of Bosanquet, noted that there were gravestones in Crimea, an old gravestone. And a fellow by the name of Neubauer, wrote, in the old gravestones of Crimea – which are not recognized as genuine, by all men of learning – a test which, I'm sorry – which are now recognized as genuine, by all men of learning – a test that there were Israelites, or Jewish – they called them Jewish communities in the Crimea – as early as 6 A.D., which is around the time about ten years after Christ was born. Christ was already wandering around in Jerusalem there. They say Jews, but they weren't Jews – these were the ten tribes of Israel – because there was an epigram found. An epigram is somebody who writes this on a gravesite area – an epigram was found – and this man could read it. Here is what it says: I Jehuda, or Yehuda Ben Mose, ha-Nagolon, of East country, of the tribe of Naphtali – that's not Judea, it's not Jews, and it's not Benjamin – this is of the tribe of Naphtali, who went into exile with the exiles – that's the Syrian exile – who were driven with Hosea, the King of Israel, together with the tribes of Simeon and Dan, and some of the generations of the other tribes of Israel. So these all sort of went out together. They were led into exile by the enemy, Shalmaneser. The cities of the exile tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of Manasseh, which Pilnezer drove into exile and settled there. That's all written in this grave, the grave they found in this area of the Crimea. So Crimea is an interesting spot and a place, right now, of course, in history; but it's one of the most fruitful and abundant place, as far as good land is concerned, through the Ukraine going up there; it's just all farmland and beautiful countryside, where God obviously sent Israel.

We now observe the nations of Israel in different parts of the world; but, nevertheless, the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham is not in that, because that's not as the sand of the sea. That's not as the stars of the heaven. It's a limited number, and if we're generous and try to figure out how many we would come up to, we would see maybe five-hundred-million. But, let's go to the book of Galatians and read how God sees this promise, so that we understand, then, the promises that He makes are with His thinking and His plans. Galatians chapter 3, and beginning in verse 26:

Galatians 3:26 – For you are all sons of God...Paul writes to the Galatians...through faith in Christ Jesus. Vs. 27 – For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Vs. 28 – There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus...now we're talking about all the nations of the world and your races of people; all the nations of the world, everybody on the face of this earth who, as the Bible clearly indicates, has then, repented...Vs. 29 – And if you are Christ's...that is to say, if you are converted...if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed...so the promise of God...and heirs...of God...according to the promise...the promise of God that Abraham would have so many seed/so much seed – like the sands of the earth, like the stars – includes everybody on the face of this earth, ultimately, who will be converted; which will be the vast, vast number of people.

So God made these great promises, and keeps them, and will keep them – and we see them in here – and it's important for us to follow through with even the concept of Abraham; because, it reassures us of promises that He has made to us as well. Let's go to II Peter, and look into for just – as we close here – some of the most important parts of what God has said for mankind. The fulfillment of His great promise to Abraham, so that his descendants will be as the sand of the sea, and as the stars in heaven. So numerous, every human being, which will be the vast majority of people who have ever lived, will repent one day and turn to God, even if it will be in the first or the second resurrection – they will have to do that at that time – or the coming of Jesus Christ. II Peter chapter 1, verse 2:

II Peter 1:2 – Grace and peace be multiplied to you...Peter says...in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Vs. 3 – as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue...that's what Paul was saying basically, to the people in Athens...that...His divine power...was...given to us...everything...Vs. 4 – by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust...then he goes on saying of course. Vs. 5 – But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge. Vs. 6 – to knowledge self-control...as we heard in the sermonette, put your nose in the word of God, and let that be your guide.

The point is, that there are great promises that God has given. And those promises that He has given are not yet fulfilled. They're not fulfilled in your life and in mine, fully. Now, they are fulfilled in the sense that you have peace within yourself; a hope for the future gives you/so strengthens a person, gives you a lot of, a lot to live for, cause you look beyond the troubles of this day and age. And, if we ever do run into a time where we live in a land where there is indeed an act of war taking place, and people are starving, and we see all the horrors that have been seen in the first and second world war; it's indescribable. The human mind should never have to see those things, but they have. Some of your ancestors have lived through that and seen those things. Certainly, mine did, in the northern part of Poland and east Prussia. Hebrews chapter 10 – close by Peter here – Hebrews chapter 10, and just a few more verses left beside this one. Hebrews 10 and verse 19:

Hebrews 10:19 – Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Christ...that's what trusting in the promise of God will give you. You have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Christ. You're able to get on your knees and know that your sins have been forgiven, and God hears your prayers, He sees your life. Yes, He sees also, maybe things within yourself, that need correcting. Peter needed to be corrected. Peter had a problem with Gentiles, cause he grew up as a little boy thinking, you don't visit them, you don't touch them, you don't go into their home. He had to get over that, and God helped him get over that. We may have prejudices, we may have biases. A friend of mine, many years ago, was George Osborn. His father was one of the Canadians who won the Victoria Cross in Hong Kong. He was blown up fighting the Japanese there. He jumped on a grenade and saved the lives of 20 other Canadians. But, George Osborn, who was a young boy at the time, hated the Japanese, because of his father. He never saw a Japanese in his life, never met one/a person from Japan. So, he had something to overcome. And we all would have something to overcome. So he says, we've got the boldness, in Vs. 20 – by a new and living way which He...made through us. It's through Jesus Christ. He consecrated that...through the veil, that is, His flesh. Vs. 21 – and having a High Priest over the house of God. Vs. 22 – let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

That's what believing the promise is. Now parents make promises to their children, and woe to a parent who doesn't fulfill a promise to a child. That really hurts the child, confuses the child. Do everything you can to/don't make a bad promise, but fulfill a promise that you do make. In the book of James, finally, chapter 1 verse 12, he says:

James 1:12 – Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

That's the promise of God. That's the promise that's been given since the time of Adam and Eve, when you get right back to that far, ultimately; that's the promise given to you and to me, as the driving force behind how we live our lives, and why we're not trying to get the most we can out of everything and everybody about us. He has promised the crown of life, which Paul said he knew – as he was about to die – he knew that he had now obtained that. Chapter 2 though, and verse 1:

James 2:1 – My brethren...James writes...do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. Vs. 2 – For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes. Vs. 3 – and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, You sit here in a good place, and say to the poor man, You stand there, or, Sit here at my footstool. Vs. 4 – have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Vs. 5 – Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

So, we're here because, however it occurred and happened in your life, the promises that God made, maybe because of the loss of your parents, grandparents; somewhere in your life where you realize that life has to go on – He promises that to Abraham – and, we read then in the Bible, some of the promises of God. We see the fulfillment of the promise of a Savior, the life of Jesus Christ, the way He died; all of that is given for us to give us the assurance that God is a promise-keeper; He makes promises. That promise is eternal life forever and ever in the spiritual body in a new and a better place; and we've not yet seen it. That promise is still to come, but it rests upon the fact that God never breaks a promise He makes.