And the LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
Genesis 26:2-5
A Promise Delayed
Because of Abraham’s faith that was made manifest in his obedience to God’s instructions and laws, God made promises to both Abraham and Isaac, promises that neither of them ever saw fulfilled in their own lifetimes.
God said that he would give them the land that we now call Israel, yet they were both wanderers in a land occupied by foreigners all their days.
God said that he would multiply their descendants as the stars of heaven The promise was first given to Abraham, and only his son Isaac inherited it. LIkewise, of Isaac’s two sons, the inheritance passed by Esau in favor of Jacob. After three generations, Abraham’s descendants numbered the vast total of one.
Even so, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob kept their faith in God’s name. They trusted him that those promises would be fulfilled when the time was right, and God’s timing can’t be rushed. He sees more and farther and deeper than we ever will. His understanding of the movement of time and men’s hearts is perfect.
God Hasn’t Changed or Forgotten Anything
God has made promises to all of us who have pledged our allegiance to Yeshua and joined ourselves to Israel, and sometimes it seems as if they will never come to fruition. It’s easy to get discouraged and distracted when the light at the end of the tunnel never gets any brighter.
Fortunately, God’s light is always around us. It’s in the long history of his faithfulness to his word, the beauty and wonder of his creation, and the wisdom of his Torah.
Remember also that the light of his promises can never be dimmed by us. No matter how un-Christ-like we might feel or actually be at times, God will never break his word. Judgment will come, balance will be restored, and the bill for our ultimate salvation is already paid in full. Not because of anything we have ever done or could do, but because Abraham was faithful to obey God’s voice, to keep his charge, his commandments, statutes, and laws, and–more importantly–because God has said it.
In the words of Balaam who tried and failed to curse us…
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.
Numbers 23:19-21
Everything that Yeshua (aka Jesus) & the Apostles taught
Come with me as I draw out the connections that are so often missed |
Like everyone else I have my moments when I get discouraged, but I know that God never changes, His word never returns void & He keeps His word. We all have remember is that God is not restricted to space & time as we are, as He is perfect so is His timing, we have to trust & keep faith. If we focus on sharing the Gospel & staying occupied everything will work out just as God intends. 365 times Scripture tells us not to fear, once for every day!
Right on.