The Promises of God

I remember an incident when I was a child, and many of us have memories that go back in the childhood. I had to be somewhere around the first grade when all of this occurred. The school I was attending, we moved away somewhere in the middle of the second grade, so it was a year before that. Every year, the various classes in our grade school would perform for the parents and people around, and the whole class would get up and do something. Maybe they would sing, maybe they'd dance, maybe they'd do something. I forget exactly what our class was doing, but we had to perform something. Then what do you do with all of these students after they perform? Well, what they were doing was taking the students, and they had promised us that we could go over to the auditorium, and they were going to show cartoons. I'm looking forward to seeing those cartoons. In fact, I was more excited about the cartoons than I was about performing whatever we were doing. I remember after the activity was over that we all came off the stage and we darted for the room where they were having these. Actually, looking in and seeing all these cartoons being played, they were about ready to go in, and they said, No, you're not going in. We're going to have you go over to the other room. We had to go over and watch some type of film about health. Now, you talk about being disappointed. We were extremely disappointed. Who wants to talk about health? I remember trying to tell the teacher, You promised. You said that we would be able to go and watch the cartoons. Well, we didn't get to see the cartoons, and I was extremely disappointed. I remember.

How many times have we heard politicians, or people in key positions, make promises? We know, and they know that they know, and we know that we know that they know that they're not going to keep those promises. There's no way that they're going to keep promises. If you elect me president, if you elect me senator, if you elect me as a representative, if I'm your mayor, I promise that everybody will have a job. I promised in war. I promise that we will have better education. I promise no new taxes. Read my lips. No new taxes. I'm not going to raise taxes. And so you get all of these promises, and immediately they seem to be broken. It's better not to make a promise than to make a promise and not keep it. And yet, all of us have done it, have we not? We've made a promise. And guess what happens to us as human beings? We forget. You make a promise to a child, and the child doesn't forget. They will remind you constantly, you know, you said we were going to go swimming. You said, you know, we were going to do this. And if you don't keep that promise, they will, you know, they'll remind you of it.

Honoring promises actually shows that a person is an individual of integrity. You make a promise, you give your word, you will keep your word. And when you don't, people feel betrayed. People feel adversely affected by that. What is a promise, anyway? A promise is a declaration by one person to another that something will or will not be done.

I will do this, or I will not do that, whatever it might be. Giving the person to whom it may be the right to expect the performance of whatever has been specified. So you say that you're going to do something, and that you will do it. You make a declaration. Now, what's the major difference between the promises of men and the promises of God? Ever stop to think about what the differences are between the two?

Men cannot always keep their promises, can they?

I can promise you that tomorrow I'll come by and visit you. And tonight I get sick. Tonight I drop dead of a heart attack. Tomorrow I have an accident. I just can't get there. So, you know, sometimes we make promises, or we say we're going to do something, and being human, we're not able to carry them out. But this is not true of God. The promises that God gives the man are far more significant. These divine promises are absolutely trustworthy. If God says He will do it, we can trust God, because the one who gives them is totally able to perform what He promised. Who's going to keep Him from doing what He said He would do? He's absolutely totally able to perform. We've just arrived back from the Feast of Tabernacles. We have had painted for us once again. We all heard in most feast sites ten sermons, nine sermonettes, had the opportunity to have Bible studies, some of the feast sites. They also had additional seminars that covered various topics. And so we've had, once again, like a beautiful artist, a painting. We've had the future painted for us. We've had etched in our minds, again, the calling that God has given us, the purpose for our being alive, why we're being trained, where we're going for the future. As I mentioned earlier, the Feast has emphasized the urgency of the times that we live in, that we truly do live in the end times, that we live in the time and the age when Jesus Christ is going to be returning, and that you and I need to be energized, that we need to be on fire, that we need to be motivated. Now, I think, as I brought out to start with, that we cannot grow complacent. We cannot be lukewarm. You'll find the signs of the time that we live in is a period of time when people are selfish, people are seeking their own will, people, you know, you look at society around us, people are always getting upset and they feel they have rights or they're not being treated properly. And we live in a time when people simply have grown complacent. And that attitude rubs off and comes over into the church. And it's something that we all have to be aware of. When you begin to look in the Scriptures, there are literally hundreds of promises from God and the Scriptures. I'm not going to cover hundreds of Scriptures today because that would be impossible. But we want to take a look today at some of the promises that God gives that are actually classified as promises, are listed as promises. There are a lot of promises in the Bible where God promises to do something or that He will do something in the future. But do not say this is a promise, but we know by the very nature of the way they are praised that they are promises from God. God is totally trustworthy. If He says He will do something, it will happen. It will take place. There's no power in the universe that can prevent Him from carrying out His promises, from doing what He wants to do. And God is not forgetful either. God doesn't wake up one morning and say, I was supposed to cause the sun to come up this morning. I forgot this morning. Or, I forgot to let the sun go down. And God doesn't do that. God never forgets. And so therefore He will always fulfill His promises. So what I'd like to do is I've categorized these into what I would call clusters or groups of promises from God that are mentioned throughout the Scriptures. And first of all, let's take a look at a group that I would call the immutability of God's promises. The immutability of God's promises. And by that, by immutability, I mean God's promises are always true. They will always come about. Let's begin in the book of Titus, Titus chapter 1, verse 1.

Titus chapter 1 and verse 1.

It says, Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God, elect in the acknowledgment of the truth, which accords with godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, notice to begin with. God cannot lie. Human beings lie. Human beings shed the truth. But God does not lie. Promised before time began. So God has promised us eternal life, and that promise was before time began. But it has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me, according to the commandment of God, our Savior.

So we find that God is not like human beings. God doesn't lie. And we have the promise from God of eternal life. Now we'll dwell on that more as we go on. Notice what Balaam said in Numbers, chapter 23. Now, normally we don't quote Balaam as an authority, but here's one case I think we can. Numbers 23, beginning in verse 13. If you remember the story, the Moabites and Balak here wanted Balaam to come along and curse Israel. And they were afraid what Israel was going to do to them, because they'd heard what God had done to Egypt, what God had done to some other nations.

Now in verse 13, Balak said to him, said to Balaam, this is Numbers 23, Please come with me to another place with which you may see them, and you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them for me from there. In other words, you get up where you can look at them, look down on them, curse them.

Pronounce curse. So he brought him to the field of Zopham to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, an altar to burn a bull and a ram on each altar. And he said to Balak, stand here by your burnt offerings while I meet the Lord over there. So I'm going to go over here and talk to God. Then the Lord met Balaam. Now we don't fully understand everything here, but apparently God had communicated with Balaam. And he put a word in his mouth and said, Go back to Balak, and thus shall you speak. So he came to him, and there he was, standing by the burnt offerings. And the prince of Moab were with him, and Balak said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

What has God said? Then he took up his oracle and said, Rise up, Balak, and here, listen to me, son of Zippor. God is not a man that he should lie. See, God doesn't lie. He's not like a man. Nor a son of man that he should repent. God doesn't have to repent of mistakes and sins.

Has he said, and will he not do, if God says he will do? Or has he spoken, and he will not make a good? Behold, I have received the commandment to bless. He is blessed, and I cannot reverse it. See, I may have divination. I may be able to do all kinds of things, but I can't reverse it. God has said, He's going to bless Israel.

He's going to bring them into the Promised Land. I can't come along and curse them. So you're out of luck. You cannot go against God's will. God had promise. God's promise is a certain. God's promise is a sure. But you have to realize, sometimes, that participation in the blessings often requires certain conditions on our part, on which they are predicated and which must be met. Divine promises are not always guaranteed of blessings unless you obey.

You and I have to obey. Sometimes we have a part in seeing that promise fulfilled. Let's notice this brought out over here in Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10, verse 35. It says, Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance. So you and I have to endure, and so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. So when are we going to receive the promise of eternal life? Being God's kingdom? After we've endured. Those who endure to the end, the same shall be saved. The Bible indicates. He who overcomes will be in God's kingdom.

Are there conditions for salvation? Salvation is a free gift, is it not? I mean, God gives us eternal life. That's His gift. But don't we have to repent? Don't we have to be baptized? Don't we have to have hands laid on us? Don't we have to receive God's Holy Spirit? Do we not have to overcome? Endure to the end? All of those are things that we have to do.

God is not just because you come up to God and say, God, here I am. I want eternal life. I'll profess you and just profess Christ. And He's going to say, okay, now I have to give you eternal life. No, you have to grow, as we heard in the sermon at it. You have to grow in character. You have to develop the gold, silver, precious stone. You and I have to have that type of character. 2 Corinthians chapter 1, beginning in verse 18. You'll find a very interesting scripture when you stop to think about it and analyze it. Paul's writing here, he had been accused of being duplicitous, of not really keeping his word because he had promised to come to the people in Corinth.

He didn't come. He promised again, didn't come. So now, they're saying, you can't depend upon Paul. Well, there were circumstances that prevented Paul from coming. But he goes on to say here, that God is faithful. Verse 18, 2 Corinthians chapter 1. Our word to you is not yes and no. He said, our word to you wasn't yes. Yes, we'll do it, but no, we don't. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Sylvanius, Timothy, was not yes and no, but in him was yes.

God is not yes and no. God is yes. If he says so, yes, it will happen. For all the promises of God in him, in Christ, are yes. And in him, amen, are so be it.

Now, to the glory of God through us. And then he goes on to talk about, now he has established us with you in Christ and has anointed us. The one who's anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee, down payment, or earnest. Moreover, I call God his witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. He wanted to come to Corinth, but he thought it was better to wait because he was going to come correcting them. And so he spared them. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but you, our fellow workers, but we are fellow workers for your joy, for by faith you stand.

So God's word is always yes. Notice the new Revised Standard Version, how it translates, verse 20. For in him, every one of God's promises is a yes.

For this reason, it is through him that we say the amen, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. So be it. To the glory of God. Now, as Vincent Wordstudy says, the meaning is, how many so ever are God's promises in Christ? Is the incarnate answer yea to the question, will they be fulfilled? And the answer to that question is, yes, they will be fulfilled. And how do we know they will be fulfilled? Because Christ came. He lived a sinless life. He died for our sins. He's been resurrected. He's at the right hand of God. And so therefore, the plan of God will be fulfilled. The promises of God will be fulfilled. Because God has said so. So what we have to start with is the immutability of the promises of God. Now, that leads us to the second group of Scriptures. And that is the promise made to Abraham, and the impact of those promises upon us today. God made to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to David, and so on. A number of promises. Let's go back to Genesis 22. Now, we could read Genesis 12, Genesis 17, a number of Scriptures. But let's notice a summary here in Genesis 22.

Remember in Genesis 22, God told Abraham, Go out and sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham didn't question God. Abraham went, took his son, gathered some wood, put him on the wood, was about to kill him, had the knife raised in his mind. He was about to slay his son. And God said, Stop, don't do that.

Notice what God said in summary of the attitude of Abraham. He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him. For now, I know that you fear God. And since you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.

Brethren, God will test every one of us in the same way.

God must know that we fear him more than anything, that we will obey him without reservation. Now dropping down to verse 15, Then the angel of the Lord called to Abrahams, a second time out of heaven, and said, By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, Because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son. Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the sea shore. And your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, and all you have obeyed my voice. So this is just a short summary, again, of the blessings that God gave to Abraham, passed on to Isaac, passed on to Jacob. The blessing of race and the blessing of grace. The blessing of the one seed, Jesus Christ, the blessing that God would bless all nations through him. That's one aspect of the blessing. And also that his physical descendants would become great. In Genesis 49, we read beginning here in verse 1, the whole chapter devoted to the blessings that God would pour out upon the descendants of Israel at the end time. And I want you to notice here, in verse 1, Jacob called his sons and said, gathered together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days. So I'm about to tell you what's going to occur to you in the last days. Rather than we live in the last days, we live in the end time. We live in the time that these prophecies were meant to be fulfilled. Picking up the story in verse 22, talking about the descendants of Joseph. Notice, Joseph is a fruitful vow. A fruitful vow by a well, his branches run over the wall. The archers had bitterly grieved him, shot at him, hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arm of his hands were made strong. And by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel.

By the God of your Father, who will help you, and by the Almighty, who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, and blessings of the deep that lie beneath, and blessings of the breast and of the womb, blessings of your Father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors. And he goes on to talk about how God blessed Joseph and the descendants of Joseph, Ephraim. And Manasseh. Rather than the last days, God promised blessings upon the descendants of Joseph. And we are living those blessings today. How often do I hear commentators on television and the radio keep talking about the American dream? And they talk about all of the blessings that we have in this country. And they attribute it to the unique character of our people. They attribute it to our Constitution. They attribute it to our form of government. They attribute it to any number of things. I've yet to hear one of them stand up and say, it's because of Almighty God that we have all of these blessings. It's because God has blessed us. And it's because of Abraham's obedience that we have received these physical blessings. Sure, these other things have contributed. If we had been a dictatorship, if we had been a monarchy, if we had been some other type of government, obviously we would not have had the freedom to be able to do what we've done. So those things have contributed. But the underlying, the girdle, the foundation under all of these blessings are because of Abraham and his obedience. And so we do have the American dream or the British dream or the blessings. This is where God was going to do his work in the end time. Ask yourself, why did God bless and say he was going to bless the descendants of Joseph in the end time? Well, God was going to do that because he also had other things he was going to do. And one of those was to do a work. And that work would be headquartered here within Manasseh. And God was going to bless his people. You and I are here today, and the standard of living that we enjoy and the blessings that we have are a direct result of the blessings that were given to Abraham. And the fact that you are sitting here in God's church hearing the Word of God expounded is simply because God was going to do a work in the end time. God was going to do a work among his people. This is a nation that has the Bible, has the Scriptures. It's called a Christian nation. We know it's a so-called Christian nation. But it is a nation where people have the Bible, have the Scriptures. God did not start his work in a Muslim country. Can you imagine this work trying to get off the ground in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Indonesia, some of those areas? It would not have flown. What about a Buddhist nation? What about a Shintoist nation? What about Confucianism? All of these types of major religions. It had to begin in an area where people had the freedom to practice religion. That's part of where the government comes in, that we did have freedom of religion. And where God had blessed his people. And where part of those blessings could then be used to preach the gospel. The wealth and the monies have been here to do the work of God. Now God is beginning to remove those blessings from us. And we see a spiraling downward. And God said that that would happen too. Those are part of the prophecies. In Hebrews 6, beginning in verse 13, we find... There are so many of these prophecies that we could read. But let's just read here. This is a summary. Hebrews 6, beginning in verse 13.

For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an indidig- dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly the heirs of promise, is show to us the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. God swore by himself. And that by two immutable things, in which it's impossible for God to lie, so again we find that God cannot lie, and God takes an oath, that we might have a strong consolation to have fled the refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil. And so we find that God made this promise to Abraham, and this promise involves, as we will see, the opportunity for salvation for all mankind, and the blessings that God would bestow on his people. And, brethren, we're sitting here today because of both of those promises being fulfilled by God. So God cannot lie, and God has said he would do this.

Now, let's move on to a third group of promises that God gives. They tie in directly with what we've been reading here. That is, the promise of salvation and eternal life, not only for Israel, but for the Gentiles. See, at one time, the Israelites thought that the Gentiles were just dirt. Gentiles weren't going to be called by God. That's one of the big lessons they had to learn to begin with. Romans 15, beginning in verse 7. Romans 15.7. Actually, we could read the book of Romans 8, 9, 10, and 11.

You would cover this. We don't have time to read all of those. But let's just read a few of these Scriptures. Beginning in chapter 15, verse 7. Therefore, we receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now, I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the fathers.

So He confirmed those promises. The word confirm means to establish the truth of. And so those promises are sure because Christ did His part. He came. He never sinned. He died for our sins. He's been resurrected. He's on the right hand of God. He is the forerunner, the example. He went before us. And then verse 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy as it is written. For this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.

And again, He says, Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people. And again, praise the Lord, O you Gentiles, laud Him, O you peoples. And again, Isaiah says, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles. In him the Gentiles shall hope. And now may the God of Hope fill you all with joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So here we find that Jesus Christ confirmed the promises made to the fathers. And you will notice the examples that are cited are from the Old Testament examples of the Gentiles, promises to the Gentiles. I would like to encourage all of you, if you have time this week, if you want to make an interesting Bible study, go back and take each one of these scriptures where it gives a promise.

And go back and look up in the Old Testament where those promises were made. And you will see that the New Testament and many of the promises that God gives and articulates, explains and expounds upon in the New Testament come directly from the Old Testament. And many times they are phrased a little differently in the Old Testament. In your reading in the Old Testament you wouldn't understand that that applies. But yet God inspired the apostles to explain that these do apply to today. Galatians, the book of Galatians, chapter 3 and verse 10. We read, For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.

In other words, the works of the law relying upon the works of the law, thinking that you're keeping the law would save you. That's basically the approach the Jews had. So many as are who rely upon, what the word of means here, the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, cursed is everyone, it is not continuing all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

So if you don't keep the law perfectly, you come under a curse. Why? Well, you sin. The wages of sin is death. You bring a curse on yourself. But no one is justified by the law on the side of God. The law cannot justify you. You're justified by the sacrifice of Christ. It is evident, for the just shall live by faith. Yea, the law is not of faith, but the man who does them shall live by them.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. The curse of the law is the death penalty. You and I come under that curse when we sin. Have He become a curse for us? He died on the cross, so we wouldn't have to die spiritually. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. Notice that this all occurred that the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles. In Christ Jesus, we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. So these promises were to come on the Gentiles. Now in verse 19, what purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgression, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Who was that seed? You'll notice back in verse 16, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say to seeds, plural, as of many, but as to one, into your seed, who is Christ. So we find that the seed that the promises were made to was Jesus Christ.

Through Christ, you and I can inherit those promises. Now, in verse 21, is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not. For if there had been a law given, which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. If God can give you eternal life just because of a law, then you could pass a law and say, if you keep the Sabbath faithfully, I promise to give you eternal life, and you then earn eternal life. So there is no law that does that. It's the promise of God. Eternal life is a gift that comes from God.

Now, in verse 26, says, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And as many of you, as were baptized into Christ, had put on Christ, 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. If you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So you and I, it doesn't matter if you are Jew or Gentile, male or female, Jew, Greek, slave-free, whatever, if you accept Christ, you become an heir, an heir of the promises made to Abraham. Now, in Ephesians 2, over a couple of pages here in my Bible, Ephesians 2, verse 11, Ephesians 2, beginning here in verse 11, Therefore, remember that you once, that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called the uncircumcision, by what is called the circumcision, made in the flesh, that at that time you were without Christ. So there was a time when the Gentiles were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. So they were not a part of Israel. Strangers from the covenants, covenant made to Abraham, the old covenant, new covenant, they were strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once afar all, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Now, I want you to notice here, it talks about the covenants of promise. That there are certain promises that God gave to ancient Israel under the old covenant. What were the promises? Were they physical promises? Were they not? You obey, you'll be blessed. Go back and read Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28. You obey, you're blessed, you disobey, you're cursed. If you keep disobeying, you'll go into national captivity. But under the new covenant, we find that there are other promises given. Not only just the physical blessings or cursings, but the promise of eternal life. Now, in verse 14, it says, But he himself is our peace, who is made both one, both who? Both Israelite are Jew and Gentile one. We become one in Christ. We become part of one body. He's broken down the middle wall of separation. Anciently, there was a middle wall or a partition of separation that separated the Gentiles from the Jews. When the Gentiles, those who were proselytes, would come up to the temple to worship, there was the inner court, the inner place where the priests would perform the work of the tabernacle. Next came the court of the men, then the court of the women, then the court of the Gentiles. There was a separation made, quite a distinction made, between the two. Figuratively, he said, that's been broken down. Having abolished in his flesh the emmathy, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man, thus the two, thus making peace. The things that stood between the Jew and the Gentile have been eliminated. The ordinances that the Gentiles had and customs that they followed, as well as the physical ceremonies that the Jews followed, that he might reconcile both to God and one body. So both have been reconciled through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

So we are no longer to be at enmity with one another. Both Jew and Gentile are of the same family. We are of the family of God. We all have the same promises. Verse 19, now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners. That's talking to the Gentiles, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. So now you find both Jew and Gentile have to become a part of spiritual Israel and become a part of the calling of God. So even though a person may be a physical Israelite, the promise of eternal life is something that they have to become a spiritual Jew. The Gentiles now have hope. All humanity has hope. You'll notice that God worked through Israel first. In the Old Testament, the dot God called Israel out of Egypt, brought them into the Promised Land. And what were they supposed to do? They were supposed to be an example of life before all nations. All nations would be attracted to them, and all nations would then learn about God, His way of life, and come to follow God. Well, instead of doing that, they began to imitate the nations around them, follow their gods, and eventually they went into national captivity. Now, God allowed the Jews to come back to Palestine. They were in captivity 70 years. They came back out of captivity. The house of Israel went into captivity, and as far as most people know, they never came back. And you'll find the house of Israel became the loss, what they call the Lost Ten Tribes.

And God eventually resettled them, and here we are today. But God allowed the Jews to come back to Palestine. Have you ever asked yourself why? Why did God allow them to come back? And the house of Israel did not. Because from the Jews, the Messiah was going to come. And Jesus Christ did not spring out of the tribe of Levi, but out of the tribe of Judah, as the book of Hebrews says. So, He came from the tribe of Judah. And so, they had to be there. There were prophecies that talked about the Messiah, where He would be, where He would be born. And so, in order for that to happen, He had to be a descendant of David.

So, God's purpose, you find all along, is that salvation would be extended to all nations. Now, in the millennium, God will follow the same principle. Remember, when Paul went out to speak, he constantly said to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. And after a while, he said, you Jews, you'll keep rejecting the truth. Then he said, I'm going to go to the Gentiles. And you find that even with the New Testament church, it started first there in Jerusalem, and then it spread out.

So, it will, in the millennium, God will regather Israel, and they will come back to the land of Palestine. And then salvation will expand out for all nations. The same principle will apply at that time.

Notice here in chapter 3 of the book of Ephesians.

For this reason, Paul said in verse 1, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ, Jesus, for you Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which was given to me for you, how that by revelation he made known to me the mysteries, as I have briefly written already, mystery meaning hidden truths, he revealed that, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge and the mystery of the hidden truths of Christ, which in other ages were not made known to the sons of men, but as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the Gospel.

So the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, become partakers of the promise. And so, brethren, God extends that promise to all mankind. Now, what was that promise based upon? It was based upon the fact that there would be a Savior. Let's back up to Galatians chapter 3 again. Galatians chapter 3 will begin to read in verse 15.

Galatians chapter 3 in verse 15. In order for the promises of God, of eternal life, and that salvation would be extended to all nations, to Israel as well as to the Gentiles, there had to be the fulfillment of a Savior, someone who would come who was absolutely sinless. And so God gave his only begotten Son. Christ gave himself. He came to this earth, and he died for his sins. So verse 15, it says, Brethren, I speak in the manner of men, though it is only a man's covenant. Yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham, to his seed, were the promise made. So this promise was to Abraham, to his seed. And he did not say to seed as of many, but as of one to your seed, who is Christ. And this I say that the law, which was 430 years later, was a promise was made to Abraham. And after that promise was confirmed to Abraham, it was 430 years later, until what we would call the old covenant was made at Sinai. That that covenant that was made 430 years later cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed by God in Christ. That it should make the promise of no effect. The promise made to Abraham was in effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it's no more a promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise. So it was promise to Abraham. So Jesus Christ is the seed that the promise was made to, and it is through Christ. And Him is, yes, the fulfillment of all of these promises, because He did His part. Acts 13. Acts 13, verse 22. Acts 13, verse 22.

From David. God raised up for Israel a Savior, Jesus. So you'll find that God made the promise to Abraham. He was also a promise that He would come through David. And so, as I said earlier, I think it's important to go back. I don't know how many of you have some of these things that you can look up. Actually, I've got a program where I can type Scripture in, and it will give me... It'll do it in reverse. It'll give me every place that Scripture is referred to in the Old Testament. And then it'll give me every place in the New Testament where it's referred to. So I can go both ways and look it up. It's interesting when you begin to study and you begin to go back and you see that God had this plan all in mind from the very beginning. And you go back to the book of Genesis, and you find that God says, look, if you take this tree, you will die. It happened. God had a tree there of life. He cut them off from it. The prophecy concerning the serpent was fulfilled. And you go through from the very beginning, God had in mind what He was going to do. And over and over again, God reiterates the promises. And the New Testament is based upon all of those promises that were made. In Romans 1, Romans 1, and verse 1, Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God, which he promised before through the prophets and the holy scriptures. So again, God promised in the scriptures, through the prophets, about the gospel concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who was born 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.

And so Jesus Christ was that promise seed. And as chapter 4 in the book of Romans, I'll skip over that. A chapter 4 in the book of Romans shows that this promise was through faith. It was through faith. All nations will have their opportunity for salvation because of that. The promise is through faith. Let's go back to chapter 9 again of the book of Romans. Romans chapter 9. And you begin to read here in verse 1. Romans 9-1. I tell you the truth in Christ, and I'm not lying. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit that I may have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart, for I would wish that I myself were a curse from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen, according to the flesh, talking about the Jews, who are Israelites, to whom pertains the adoption, the glory, the covenant, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises, of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God, Amen. But it is not that the Word of God has taken no effect, for they are not all Israel, who are of Israel. So they're not all Israel, nor are they all children, because they are the seed of Abraham. And Isaac your seed shall be called. This is those who are the children of the flesh. They're not the children of God. I'm looking at the children of God right now. I could go outside and see all kinds of Israelites walking around. They are not the children of God. They may be the children of the flesh, but he's talking about only those who are called, like Isaac. Abraham had other children, had other sons. He had other descendants. But they were not the heirs of the promise. The promise came through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. And so the promise today is to those that God calls. So the children of the promise are counted as the seed. And this is the Word of promise. At that time I will come and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca also conceived by one man, even by her father Isaac, for the children not yet being born, not having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to the election, might stand, not of works, but of him who calls.

It was said to her, the older shall serve the younger. And that is written, Jacob, I have loved Esau, I have hated. And again, you go on, you can read this whole chapter. It talks about the fact that you have to be called today to be a part of the spiritual Israel.

So you and I today become spiritual Israelites, and it is those that God brings into his family.

Now let's go over to Ephesians chapter 1.

Now let's find another group of scriptures. We've already touched on this.

You can't read what we've already read without touching on some of these promises.

We have the promise of eternal life.

Ephesians chapter 1 verse 10.

Ephesians 1 verse 10.

That the dispensation of the fullness of time, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, in him.

In him also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the promise of him.

See, the calling has to do with God's predestination. God has determined, predestinated, that he's not going to call everyone in this age.

First 6,000 years, he's only going to call first-roots. Later on, he will call the masses of people.

So, being predestined according to the purpose of him, who works all things according to the counsel of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory.

In him also, or in him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

So, you and I, when we receive God's Spirit, we are sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee.

That Spirit that you have residing in you is the down payment or the earnest on the spiritual body that we will receive.

And so, he says, this is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory.

So, brethren, we have received that Spirit. The Holy Spirit is another promise. You might remember Christ told his disciples, you wait in Jerusalem for the promise from the Father.

And they waited. When Christ ascended, he said, now you wait here. He made that promise again until the promise of the Father comes on you.

But let's notice in Hebrews 8 and 6, Hebrews 8 and 6, talking here about the new covenant.

Verse 6, chapter 8, but now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, talking about Christ as our high priest, inasmuch as he is also the mediator of a better covenant.

So, the new covenant is a better covenant. Why? Well, because it has been established on better promises.

See, the old covenant wasn't anything wrong with the old covenant. The problem with the old covenant was the people, as he goes on to say in verse 7, For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for the second, because finding fault with them. That's where the fault was, he said. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

And, verse 10, if you'll notice here, And this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And so, here we find conversion taking place. God's law written in their hearts.

And, verse 11, So, what we see here, clearly spelled out, is the fact that God shows that this is based upon better promises.

Now, chapter 19, verse 15.

For this reason, He is the mediator of a new covenant.

By means of death, for the redemption of transgressions, under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

So, one of the promises of the new covenant is eternal life.

Is that not a better promise than just physical blessings in this human life that we experience?

To be able to live forever, to have eternal life, to be in the kingdom of God, to be a son of God.

So, we have the promise of eternal inheritance.

Chapter 11, beginning in verse 8, we find this mention several times here.

It says, So, it was a promised land. God promised to give it to Him in a foreign country.

Dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, it airs with Him of the same promise.

So, the same promise made to Abraham was passed on to them.

For He waited for the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

Now, you can read all over the book of Genesis, and I don't find anywhere where God talked to Abraham about the new heavens and new earth.

But He did, because this is what He looked forward to.

Sarah herself conceived, as we read here.

Now, going on in verse 13, these all died in faith, not having received the promises.

So, God made the promises to them, but they're dead and they're in their graves.

Having seen them afar off, we're assured of them. Why?

Because God does not lie, and God swore He would do it.

And they embraced them, and they confessed that they were strangers in pilgrims on the earth.

Those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

And then verse 16 talks about how God has prepared a city for them.

So, this is the promise from God. So, this new covenant that God is making with all people that He calls, and it's up to God as to when He calls.

He's not calling everyone today. God is the one in charge of the timetable.

First, fruits are being called now. Later, the vast majority.

In 1 John 2, verse 25, 1 John 2, verse 25, we read this.

This is the promise that He has promised us eternal life.

So, God has promised us eternal life.

That's the ultimate promise that God gives to us. Many of the other promises show what God will do for us as we head in that direction.

Rather than we look forward to the future, when all of the promises of God are yes, meaning that all of the promises of God have been fulfilled, that they have occurred.

Jesus Christ made it possible, and in Him is yes, as we read.

There's one final scripture that 2 Peter 3, verse 13.

2 Peter 3, verse 13 is the promise that we look forward to here in the future.

These are promises, and again, when you say, well, why cover promises?

Because this is what sustains us. This is what we should be thinking about. This is what we base everything that we do on.

These are the guarantees that God gives to us.

And we read here in verse 13, Nevertheless, 2 Peter 3, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth.

We look forward to Revelation 21 and 22, a time of the new heaven and new earth.

But notice the last of this, in which righteousness dwells.

In which righteousness dwells? There's coming a time in the future of harmony and oneness with God, where we will be at one with God, we'll be in harmony with God, that we will be able to dwell in eternity with God.

New heaven and new earth, new Jerusalem, this is where God will make His headquarters, this is where God is going to rule from, from that point forward.

And as I mentioned in the final sermon on the last great day, that God is going to share all things with us, that Jesus Christ is heir of all things, meaning the universe.

You and I have been promised that we will be heir of all things, join heir with Christ. We are going to inherit all of that. And yet, our headquarters, where we work from, will be that new earth, the new Jerusalem.

And so it's going to be a time for all eternity of the family of God working together. So we will dwell together in eternity, but we will dwell together in righteousness.

There will be no other way practice than the way of righteousness. So, brethren, we look forward to that time that God has promised, when there will be a new earth in which righteousness dwells.