God’s Promises Throughout The Bible

What They Are And To Whom They Were Given

Introduction

Confusion about God’s promises usually comes from blending Israel’s prophetic program with the mystery concerning the Body of Christ. The King James Bible speaks of promises that belong to all mankind, promises that belong only to Israel according to the covenants and kingdom, and promises that belong to the Body of Christ according to the revelation given to Paul. When these are kept in their proper places the whole Bible harmonizes and the gospel of Christ’s blood and resurrection shines with clarity.

Promises Before Israel Was Formed

1. The first gospel promise is the word that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. See Genesis 3 verse 15. This is a universal promise that God would send the victorious Christ into the world.

2. After the flood God promised never again to destroy all flesh with a flood and He gave the bow in the cloud as a token. See Genesis 9 verses 8 through 17. This promise is to Noah, to his seed after him, and to every living creature. It stabilizes the earth for God’s further dealings in history.

Promises To Abraham Isaac And Jacob

God called Abram and made unconditional promises that form the backbone of Israel’s prophetic hope. He promised a great nation, a land, a seed, and worldwide blessing through that seed. See Genesis 12 verses 1 through 3, Genesis 13 verses 14 through 17, Genesis 15 verses 18 through 21. He confirmed the promises to Isaac and to Jacob. See Genesis 17 verse 19 and Genesis 28 verses 13 through 15. These promises belong to Israel as a nation. Gentiles are blessed through Israel in prophecy, but the land and the kingdom are Israel’s inheritance. Abraham also looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. See Hebrews 11 verse 10. That prepared city is later identified as the New Jerusalem for Israel’s future.

Promises Under Moses And The Law

At Sinai God gave Israel a covenant with conditional blessings in the land for obedience and curses for disobedience. See Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. These promises are not for the Body of Christ. They governed Israel’s life in the land and explained her history under the prophets. The Body of Christ is not under the law but under grace. See Romans 6 verse 14.

The Davidic Promise Of A King And Throne

God promised David that his seed would sit upon his throne and that his house and kingdom would be established for ever. See Second Samuel 7 verses 12 through 16 and Psalm 89 verses 3 through 4 and verses 28 through 37. This promise belongs to Israel and is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, when He returns to reign over Israel and the nations.

The Promise Of A New Covenant For Israel

Through Jeremiah and Ezekiel God promised a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. He promised to write His law in their hearts, to forgive their sins, to give them His Spirit, and to dwell in their midst. See Jeremiah 31 verses 31 through 34 and Ezekiel 36 verses 24 through 28 and Ezekiel 37 verses 26 through 28. This promise is not made to the Body of Christ. It is national and earthly for Israel in her kingdom. Revelation 21 shows the result when the tabernacle of God is with men and He dwells with them in the holy city.

Promises Of Israel’s Restoration And Kingdom On Earth

The prophets promise the restoration of Israel to her land, the exaltation of Zion, and the blessing of the nations through Israel’s risen King. See Isaiah 2 verses 2 through 4, Isaiah 60 entire, Micah 4 verses 1 through 4, Zechariah 8 verses 20 through 23. These are earthly promises in the world to come and they identify the people to whom they belong. The promises include a purified remnant, a righteous rule, and worldwide peace under the Lord.

The Promise Of A Time Of Trouble And Deliverance

The prophets also promise a unique time of trouble for Israel and a sure deliverance of the remnant. Daniel calls it a time of trouble such as never was. Jeremiah calls it the time of Jacob’s trouble and says he shall be saved out of it. The Lord names it great tribulation. See Daniel 12 verse 1, Jeremiah 30 verse 7, Matthew 24 verse 21. These promises concern Israel and the nations on earth. They are not addressed to the Body of Christ, which is not appointed to wrath. See First Thessalonians 5 verse 9.

The Promise Of The New Jerusalem

John is shown the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The gates bear the names of the twelve tribes of Israel and the foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. See Revelation 21 verses 2 and 9 through 14. This city fulfills Israel’s promises of God dwelling with them. It is not the stated inheritance of the Body of Christ, whose hope is in heavenly places.

The Lord’s Promises In His Earthly Ministry

During His earthly ministry the Lord confirmed the promises made unto the fathers of Israel. See Romans 15 verse 8. He promised the twelve apostles that they would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and He appointed unto them a kingdom. See Matthew 19 verse 28 and Luke 22 verses 29 through 30. He promised that the meek shall inherit the earth. See Matthew 5 verse 5. He promised signs and wonders to them that believe in that program. See Mark 16 verses 17 through 18. He promised a prepared place in the Father’s house for the apostles of Israel. See John 14 verses 2 through 3. These promises belong to Israel’s kingdom program and are not to be lifted and applied to the Body for doctrine today.

Promises To The Body Of Christ Revealed Through Paul

When God revealed the mystery to Paul He made known a body of promises for a new creature with a heavenly calling. These promises are not covenant promises and they are not earthly kingdom promises. They are grace promises in Christ.

1. Promise of justification and peace with God by faith in the blood of Christ. See Romans 3 verses 24 through 26 and Romans 5 verse 1.

2. Promise of complete forgiveness and redemption now. See Ephesians 1 verse 7 and Colossians 2 verse 13.

3. Promise of the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Ghost the moment we believe the gospel. See Ephesians 1 verses 13 through 14 and Ephesians 4 verse 30.

4. Promise of all spiritual blessings in heavenly places and a seated position in Christ above. See Ephesians 1 verse 3 and Ephesians 2 verse 6.

5. Promise of membership in one body where there is neither Jew nor Gentile. See First Corinthians 12 verse 13 and Ephesians 2 verses 15 through 16.

6. Promise of eternal life as God’s free gift. See Titus 1 verse 2 and Romans 6 verse 23.

7. Promise that we are not appointed to the coming wrath. See First Thessalonians 5 verse 9.

8. Promise of the catching up and our change at the Lord’s coming for the Body. See First Thessalonians 4 verses 13 through 18 and First Corinthians 15 verses 51 through 52.

9. Promise that nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. See Romans 8 verses 31 through 39.

10. Promise of an inheritance in the heavenly places as part of the fulness of Christ. See Ephesians 1 verses 10 through 23 and Colossians 1 verse 12.

All of these are to the Body of Christ. They operate now in this dispensation of grace and they define our hope and walk.

Universal Promises Concerning Salvation Judgment And Resurrection

God promises salvation to all who believe the gospel of Christ. The message that saves today is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. See First Corinthians 15 verses 3 through 4. The sinner is justified by faith in the blood of Christ without works. See Romans 3 verses 24 through 28 and Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 9. God also promises a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained. See Acts 17 verse 31. Scripture promises resurrection for the just and the unjust in their proper times. See John 5 verses 28 through 29 and Revelation 20 verses 4 through 6 and Revelation 20 verses 11 through 15. These are universal realities, yet each class is ordered according to the program to which it belongs.

Frequently Misapplied Promises

Many well known promises are misused when taken from Israel’s program and placed on the Body of Christ. Second Chronicles 7 verse 14 is a national healing promise to Israel under the law, not a formula for Gentile nations today. Jeremiah 29 verse 11 is a letter to the captives of Judah and not a generic life verse. Matthew 6 verse 33 and the surrounding promises concern kingdom provision while Israel seeks first the kingdom on earth. John 14 through 16 contains prayer promises to the apostles in their kingdom ministry and is not a blank check for the Body. Mark 16 signs followed them that believed in that program and are not the operating rules for this dispensation. Keeping these in place protects the liberty and assurance given to the Body in Paul’s epistles.

Where This Leaves The Believer Today

Today God dispenses grace to all and forms the one Body by the gospel revealed to Paul. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by trusting His shed blood and resurrection and God will save you at once. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. The blood of Christ is the ground of our forgiveness and peace with God. The saved are sealed by the Spirit, seated in heavenly places, and look for the blessed hope of being caught up to be with the Lord. None of this places us under Israel’s covenants and none of it removes Israel’s future. Israel will yet receive all that God promised to the fathers, and the nations will be blessed through her in the world to come, while the Body of Christ fulfills its vocation in heavenly places.

Summary

God’s promises are sure and they never fail. Some are to all creation such as the promise after the flood. Many are to Israel and concern the land, the throne, the new covenant, the kingdom, and the New Jerusalem. Distinct promises belong to the Body of Christ in the present dispensation and these are seated in heavenly places and grounded in the blood of Christ. Right division honors every word and allows every promise to rest with the people to whom God gave it.