God’s Promise

Have you ever promised someone something?

Maybe you promised to buy someone a gift.

Maybe you promised someone that you would treat them and take them out for lunch or dinner.

…or maybe someone made this type of promise to you?

How long have you waited or has someone else waited on you to keep your promise?

Imagine someone making a promise and taking one month, two months, or maybe an entire year to keep their promise.

Imagine a situation where it takes 1,800 years for a promise be fulfilled?

This image shows 1,000 seashell shapes…imagine that for 1,000 years you take one seashell away from the picture.

At the end of 1,000 years, in year 999 you finally take away the final seashell…and the promise is fulfilled?

This very thing happened in the Bible. God gave the King David, King of Israel, a promise in 2 Samuel 7.

2º Samuel 7:12–13 NIV

12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

God promised David that he would one day have a son, one of his direct descendants.

This person would be extremely special because he would one day become king…and his kingdom would be forever.

How many years does a forever kingdom last?

10 years?

100 years?

1000 years?

1,000,000 years + 1?

His kingdom will last for infinity!

God fulfilled this promise 1,000 years later after he spoke to David.

The people of God waited for 1,000 years - expecting that one day God would give them an eternal king with a forever kingdom!

The reason why it’s important for us to understand this…is that the apostle Paul reminds us about this truth - God’s promise to king David.

Hechos de los Apóstoles 13:22–23 NIV

22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ 23 “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God was fulfilling the promise that he made to king David.

After 1,000 years, God’s promise was becoming a reality.

God had sent his eternal king, the savior of the world.

God had sent a forever king that would live in the hearts of his people and save them from eternal death.

Why is it important for us to think about God’s promises?

God has given us many other promises in the Bible.

Jesus has promised to be with us until the end.

Jesus has promised us joy and salvation.

Jesus has promised us eternal life.

Jesus has promised that one day he will come again.

However, as we consider God’s promises regarding the future, or the end of history - there are many people that become very impatient.

By nature we tend to be very impatient.

It is hard for us to wait for someone to keep their promise.

However, God’s promises in the Bible are true, we can trust them, we can wait upon God to keep his promises.

Let’s pray that we may wait upon God - to fulfill all he has promised in his word not only in this life but even beyond death.

Let’s pray: Father, we thank you for keeping your promises in sending your son Jesus Christ to be born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. The fact that Jesus was born tells us that you are faithful to your promises. Thank you for all the other promises in your word that you have made to your people. You promise to be with us, you promise to guide our lives, you promise to lead us so that we may prosper and live lives that are a blessing to others. Give us faith to believe, to trust in each of your promises. Give us strength to wait upon you - expecting that Jesus will one day come again just as he promised.