He Keeps His Promises
He Keeps His Promises
Question: What promises has God made you?
Polemic against the ANE gods…God of gods
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."
- Hebrews 10:23
"And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars."
- Genesis 1:16
Abraham repents to the god who makes a promise.
Genesis 11:31
"Terah took Abram his son...and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans..."
Ur was one of the greatest cities in Mesopotamia.
- the Great Ziggurat of Ur
gods surrounding Abraham
Nanna (Sin)
Moon god
Shamash
Sun god
Ishtar (Inanna)
Fertility
Sex
War
Every one of these gods promised blessing.
None of them could keep their promises.
God's Call
Genesis 12:1–3
"Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.
And I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you
and make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you...
and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"
ABRAM MOVES OUT..NO QUID PRO QUO….
If you clean up yoru life…you’ll be blessed….invited people to church…
But that’s. not why he does it…abrham fails why away..
Abraham denies the power of the God who keeps His promises…
"When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels." - Genesis 12:14–16
"But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife." - Genesis 12:17
What does god do…He keeps his promise, he is faithful…
Abraham tests the God who keeps His Promises…
- Abraham Gives Lot the Better Land
"Then Abram said to Lot, 'Let there be no strife between you and me... If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.'"
- Genesis 13:8–9 (ESV)
"Lift up your eyes and look... for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." - Genesis 13:14–17
Abraham worships the God who keeps His promises…
"When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men... three hundred eighteen of them..."
"And he divided his forces against them by night..." -- Genesis 14:14
"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)"
"...And Abram gave him a tenth of everything." -Genesis 14:20
"But Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich."'" --Genesis 14:22–23
Abraham Believes the God who keeps his Promises…
Abraham finally gets honest with God
"This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir."
Then God takes Abraham outside. - Genesis 15:4–5
"Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them... So shall your offspring be." - Genesis 15:5
"And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." - Genesis 15:6
"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God." - Romans 4:2–5 (ESV)
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." - Romans 4:3
"...just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'... Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham." - Galatians 3:6–9
- God Tells Abraham the Future
"Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there..." - Genesis 15:13–14
Abraham betrays the God who Keeps His promises…
- Sarah Offers Hagar
"Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram... 'Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.'" - Genesis 16:1–2 (ESV)
- More Than Adultery—A Return to Pagan Thinking
Historical studies (including the Jewish Publication Society and Ancient Near Eastern legal texts such as the Nuzi tablets) demonstrate that using a servant to produce an heir was a recognized custom in the ancient world.
- Ishtar (Inanna) • Baal - Both claimed authority over fertility.
The LORD gives children. - Psalm 127:3
Even harder the first few years after salvation, you will betray god…you wil have a mourning you did not once have
- Sin begets sin….
The moment Hagar conceives...
Everything begins to fall apart.
"...when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress." - Genesis 16:4
You’re gonna fix all your parents mistakes..you don’t know nothing old lady…its my time now…
She sends her our with NO DEFENSES…
God Keeps His Promise Anyway
- God makes promises to Hagar
"The angel of the LORD found her..." - Genesis 16:7
"So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, 'You are a God of seeing,' for she said, 'Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.'" - Genesis 16:13 (ESV)
This is another polemic. Of power, of the heart, the one who knows me…
Before you were born, he knit you in your mothers womb…
- God makes promises to Ishamel
Genesis 16:10
"I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude."
Another polemic, he should kill him
The Ancient Conflict
"He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him..." - Genesis 16:12
Isaiah. The wars of the world will keep the eyes of the world on YHWH
Another Polemic
- God Renames Abram and Sarai
"No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham..." - Genesis 17:5
"As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name." - Genesis 17:15
In Hebrew thought, names signify identity and calling.
God Himself gives them a new covenant identity.
This is God's work.
Not Abraham's.
- God Breathes New Life Into the Promise
This is where your Hebrew illustration fits.
The covenant name of God (YHWH) is associated with the breath of God.
God breathes life into Adam (Genesis 2:7).
God places His covenant upon Abraham and Sarah.
God is the One who gives life where life cannot exist.
Sarah's womb has been barren…..until the Spirit…JUST LIKE MARY
-WENT THROUGH DIVORCE….CAME BACK TO GOD
-No heights no depth no length no bredth no width no angel no demon..nothing….why?
- God Gives The Sign of The Covenant To Come
Why this sign…it’s a mark of god’s promise…it’s a mark that mankind belongs to god…it’s the mark that god controls the destiny of mankind and will bring his son through this sign..
"Every male among you shall be circumcised..." - Genesis 17:10–11
The covenant sign comes after Abraham is declared righteous.
- Isaac—The Son of Promise
God rejects Abraham's proposal.
"Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"
"No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son..." -- Genesis 17:18–19
Conclusion
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." - Hebrews 10:23