What is more than a simple promise? - Part 1

When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."

And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath.

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us, may be greatly encouraged.
(Hebrews 6:16-18)


Notes:

1. There is no One greater for God to swear by. We go to court and swear to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

That's our promise.

And then we add, "So help me God." That's our
oath. Two elements: a promise and an oath.

2. Those are the two unchangeable (immutable) statements in which it is impossible for God to lie: His promise and His oath.

3. Why both? Why a promise and an oath? God doesn't need to give us both. His promise is all we need.

Because He wanted to make the unchanging nature of His promise clear to the heirs of His promise(everyone since Abraham, including us) and so that we may be greatly encouraged.

Two reasons: to make sure we understand clearly what God is doing and to encourage us in our walk with God.

I notice here how patiently loving and kind God is.

He anticipated how doubt would creep in and distract us. How unbelief would blind us from seeing God's work. How fear would cause us to take our eyes of God's promises.

He remembers who we are.....


Remember Abraham?


God promises him:

 Look up at the heavens and count the stars -- if indeed you can count them...so shall your offspring be.

Abram believed the LORD and he credited it to him as righteousness....

I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of. (Genesis 15:5-7)


But Abraham, who followed God from his homeland in Ur all the way to Palestine, had a moment of doubt.

He said,

O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it? (Genesis 15:8)


What other words in God's promise would convince him? What wasn't clear? What more could God do the reassure him?

I am so comforted the see that God didn't condemn Abraham for His response.

God didn't answer in anger and tell Abraham to just forget the whole thing - go back where you used to belong and I will get someone else to work with, He could have said.

Or, I will punish you for not believing Me! Just for your sin of unbelief I will not use you to further my Kingdom, to rescue my people. You are toast, Abraham, I can't count on you! Why don't you listen to Me?

No, God did not say anything like that. But what He did do was provide a way for Abraham to witness God's confirming oath.

By that oath Abraham could understand more clearly and be greatly encouraged that His faithful God was indeed going to fulfill His promises.

He had the promise - now he gets the oath!


The Oath - see part 2