Promise Made, Promise Kept

The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

He made significant and lasting contributions to nearly every aspect of human knowledge, from logic to biology to ethics and aesthetics.

He was so influential during his life that in Arabic philosophy, he was known simply as “The First Teacher”;

In 342 Aristotle was summoned to Macedonia by King Philip II to tutor his son, the future Alexander the Great

Aristotle’s contributions to politics, philosophy and thought have influenced both intellectuals, theologians, and the common layperson

Because of his intellect and insight, he was known to give short profound statements that would cause people to think

Some of his more famous quotes:

He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.

Life is only meaningful when we are striving for a goal .

The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

Our problem is not that we aim too high and miss, but that we aim too low and hit.

A promise made is a promise kept.

It’s that last quote that got me to thinking about our passage this week.

I began our time in Exodus with taking us back to Genesis where God has a conversation with Abram and He makes a covenant with him.

Promises that God made Abram:

Give him a son and make a great nation

Other nations would be blessed through him

His descendants would experience affliction

Judgment of his enemies

He would release them from their bondage

Our passage today is the fulfillment of that last promise that God made to Abram

Exodus 12:33-42

If you don’t remember anything else through our time in Exodus, I hope you remember this:

We are saved for a purpose but we must trust God

God has brought us this far and is working in our lives – some ways are known and some are not

Regardless, Exodus is a picture and a reminder of God’s sovereignty-He is in control

Every week I have reminded you of the theme and wrapped in that theme is an action that is implied – obedience

We can talk at length about what God has done, is doing and will do

It’s that last part that we struggle with

Trusting Him

Not that He hasn’t been faithful – Not that He isn’t good – Not that He hasn’t provided

We just think He needs us to intervene in His work

We trust Him with one area of our life but not in others

Trust doesn’t (shouldn’t) work that way

ILL: Skydiving – I can say I trust the parachute to open, if I trust the one who packed it, if I trust the one who sewed it together, if I trust the weaver who made the material…

At some point, trust in one point must be trust in all points

Our trust in God must be complete – IF we can trust Him in one area, we can trust Him in all

Since He is a God that keeps HIs promises then it requires something of us

The way that we express our trust in Him completely is through obedience

Consider Moses: burning bush, call to be God’s spokesman, tried excuses, reluctant obedience but obedience none the less

And through the last few weeks as we’ve looked at what God’s done through the plagues we see the obedience of Moses and Aaron but also the Israelites

Most notably through the marking of their doorposts with the blood of the lamb

Because of there obedience, we see God open the door for them to leave Egypt without obstruction

What I want us to see through this passage are some truths about His promises and our own obedience that is illustrated through the Israelites’ Exodus

What’s true for them is true for us

God’s Promises Call for Our Obedience

ILL: Tony Evans – “Delayed obedience is still disobedience.”

Exodus 2 gives us a glimpse of what God wants to do through His people

Exodus 2:23-25 - 23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Because God knew, He puts them through a series of circumstances that requires their obedience to His commands

Most notably we see the Israelite obedience with the marking of their doorposts

There were other instructions given as well

We tend to overlook what God told them in vs. 19

19 For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land.

So for the previous 7 days no one ate bread with leaven in it

This was symbolic for purity and holiness

By adding leaven (yeast) you were mixing the grain of the flour with an additive – it ferments and changes the property of flour

By not adding the yeast you were eating, pure, untainted grain

Also they were instructed not to add the leaven because when it was time to leave they needed to go

No grocery or fast food where they’re going so they had to be able to take what they needed in a moments notice

No one knew when they were leaving – there wasn’t an itinerary or printed schedule

When Pharaoh finally released them, it needed to be immediate

Vs. 33-34

Imagine the immediate consequence of delayed obedience

If they had the lamb and slaughtered it but waited to put the blood on the doorpost

If they had prepared the flour for bread but added the leaven to it – having to wait for it to rise – you spoiled or ruined the flour

If they had waited to observe the feast they were commanded to in 12:14-19 they would be removed from the people of Israel, which meant continued slavery

We don’t think about the consequence of delayed obedience

I know with my Children I don’t want delayed obedience I want immediate

Why would we think that God would expect less from us than immediate obedience

It happens all the time when: Conviction to speak to someone, start a bible study/ministry, make a stand, repent

The most damaging result of delayed obedience

Matthew 24:36-42 -36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

We can all believe the lie that there’s time to be obedient – there’s time to repent

There is no substitute for immediate obedience

Promise made – God would release them from captivity - Promise Kept

God’s Promise of Provision Comes Through Obedience

One of the main benefits from obedience to God is the blessings that God gives

This shouldn’t be the motive for our obedience but rather our obedience should be out of the overflow of our heart

Don’t fall for the name it and claim it nonsense

There is something to be said though for God’s provision

ILL: Akila Testimony – God providing through the pandemic

We could all tell of the times that God has provided for us in our time of need or how He has blessed us in spite of our disobedience

The principle we see in this passage is that by the Israelites obeying God, he provided for them not only in the moment but also for in the future

God’s instructions to Moses in Exodus 3:20-22

20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

In Exodus 11, Moses instructs them to go to the Egyptians and to ask for their gold & silver – they don’t take it by force, it’s willfully given

They comply

Vs. 35-36

We see that the Israelites found favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and they turned over their valuables

The word “plundered” is a word they has a negative connotation for us but the word translated is a military term for “victory”

Here God has provided for them during their time in captivity (430 years) and now He is giving them victory through their release

The consolation prize: gold & silver

He’s releasing them from slavery and the Egyptians are financing it

Proverb 16:7 (NASB) - When a person’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, He causes even his enemies to make peace with him.

Our obedience is not the means by which God blesses us or provides for us

God provides even when we’ve been disobedient

Through obedience we’re able to recognize God’s provision and be rewarded by enjoying the fruits of our obedience

BTW: The Israelites would later use that reward in obedience (Ark of the Covenant-Ex.25) and disobedience (golden calf -Ex.32)

Promise made – God would provide during their captivity and exodus - Promise kept

God is Faithful to Keep His Promises

I am not a perfect husband/father – There are promises that I have made that are kept completely and some that lack in their fulfillment

There’s nothing like the disappointment in the eyes of a spouse or child whenever a promise isn’t fulfilled completely like we expect

One thing we will never have to experience is the disappointment of promise broken by God

Because God is Sovereign – we understand that to mean all knowing, all powerful and in control

It also means that we can trust Him at His Word

If God has declared it, we can take it to the bank

When you think back to the promise made to Abram, he had no clue just how great that promise was

Neither did he know the timing, hence his actions with Sarah and Tamar

Regardless God’s promise that was made was kept

Though we know it to be true but often forget, God’s timing is not our timing

Though it is at the right time, when He’s ready

The difference: perspective

When I tell my child “In a minute” they’re counting down 60 seconds then they demand action

What I’m really saying is “when I get to it”

When we go to God with a need/request, we expect Him to respond immediately

Maybe you’ve been praying for something for years

Maybe you’ve been praying and asking for something and not getting it, all the while others appear to get their prayers answered left & right

What’s wrong – “Whatever you ask in His name, He’ll give to you” (John 14:13)

Does God like them better? Am I being punished? Is He mad?

Is God not keeping His promise?

Your wishes and God’s promises may not be the same thing

God doesn’t keep His promises in the way that you think He should

Why? He knows better than you and because He’s Sovereign

Vs. 40-42

A night of watching by the Lord

The meaning behind that phrase is that throughout all that they have been through, all that their ancestors had been through, God was with them the whole time

The implied meaning by the words used is a word picture – The Lord’s watching was like how a father watches over his children

He guides, He directs, He monitors, He provides, He protects, He instructs

He is always watching because He is our Father, and He truly knows best

Promise made – Take your pick - Promise kept

No matter what the promise made is, God is faithful to keep it

Conclusion

There’s a reason He’s sovereign and we’re not

There’s a reason He’s always watching over us

He’s always at work even when we’re not aware

Here comes the hard part: can you wait and watch for him?

If we knew when God would show up and what he was going to do, the watching would be easy.

Watching is hard because we don’t know what God will do.

Look back at your own life.

Look back at this account in Exodus.

God was there.

For 400 years, it felt like he wasn’t, but then he showed up.

You never know what God’s going to do but we can be assured that He’s not asleep at the wheel

He knows your heart, desires, needs, circumstances and He is always watching and working

We are saved for a purpose but we must trust Him!