The Divine Promises of God

Psa. 103:6-13  

⁶ The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. ⁹ He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. ¹⁰ He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; ¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. ¹³ As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

There are two characteristics that stand out about God’s Divine Promises.  First:

 All of God’s Divine Promises are made to man and for man. 

This shows the magnitude of God’s love for us and explains why we were made in God’s image. (as we read in Gen. 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”)

David acknowledged this in Psa. 8:4-6 when he wrote: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”

We also see the magnitude of God’s love for man from what is stated of the angels.  Although man was made “lower” than angels, we find that angels function in accordance with God’s Divine Promises to/for man; as the Hebrew writer states, they are, “...all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” – Heb. 1:14

This has been their role throughout man’s existence.  Again, David acknowledged:

Psa. 34:7 - The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Psa. 103:20-21 - Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!  Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!

Angels act toward man and for man, depending upon what is best for man,

but ALWAYS, according to God’s will for man.

We read of the angels’ involvement toward the disobedient nation of Israel:

He fed them: Psalm 78:25 - Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

He punished them: Psalm 78:49 – He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Angels will be involved in the judgment, administering justice:

Matt. 13:41 – The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Notice that while Jesus also came to do the will of God for man, the angels ministered in this way for HIM, while HE was in the flesh.  We see this from Psa. 91:9-12 - "Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone."

{You remember this was the passage that Satan used out of context in temptation #2}

Accordingly, we read of Christ, that He was “guarded” by the angels (Heb. 10:5-7) "Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book’."

This points us to the second characteristic of God’s Eternal Promises:

All the promises from God are in accordance with God’s eternal purpose. 

From this, we see that other specific roles were utilized so that these promises might be enjoyed: these are the apostles and the prophets.

God purposed eternal life for man prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth. We find in

Titus 1:2 – In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began  and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

The apostles and the prophets specifically labored for others so that these promises could be received by those for whom God purposed them. 

Notice that Paul was called to be an apostle in accordance with these eternal promises of God.  Later, he would write to Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:10 –

“Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory...”

The prophets were used in accordance with this great eternal purpose, so that these eternal promises might be received by those for whom God purposed them.  We read in Amos 3:7 – “…surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

We learn that salvation in Christ was their message: 1 Peter 1:10-12 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,  inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.  It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Accordingly we read that these two groups’ message/preaching is significant for those who are to receive these eternal promises.

Eph. 2:20 - And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];

Eph. 3:5 - Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

2 Peter 3:2 - That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Further, we find of the relationship of God’s eternal promises and of God’s eternal purpose in Matt. 25:34: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’.”

This kingdom was not prepared for EVERY man, but for those “blessed by the Father”; for those “on his right”.  It was promised for THESE ONLY.  These unique people were the recipients of God’s eternal promises.

The angels, the prophets, the apostles all were commanded to act on behalf of these “blessed by the Father”.  Who are these unique people?

They are known in the Bible as God’s ELECT.  Notice:

Titus 1:1 – Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Luke 18:7 – And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Col. 3:12 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

1 Pet. 1:2 – Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

It is these that Peter addressed in his epistle with these words:

2 Peter 1:3-11 – ³ “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ role was first and foremost in providing these great promises to us and for us.  

Do we want them? Our acceptance is dependent upon receiving them ON HIS TERMS! 

These terms were preached by the apostles, and refer to the new birth (John 3:3, 5). 

They are found in the book of Acts.