Bible Scriptures on God's Promises

I was extremely uncomfortable. I was defending my master’s thesis at the University of Michigan. Two men with PhDs peppered me with questions related to fishery biology. I had not prepared for the kind of examination they were conducting.

Then one of my professors asked me pointedly, “You didn’t think we were going to ask you questions only about your thesis, did you?”

I responded in a very irritated tone of voice, “Of course, I did. When I previously asked you specifically if the questions would be about my thesis or the coursework in general, you very specifically said they would only be about my thesis. Of course, I did.”

I reminded him about his promise. That changed my situation. Further questions pertained only to my thesis.

Christianity rests on the sturdy foundation of God’s promises. Biblical faith doesn’t just passively agree with the Bible’s description of God. It acts based on His character and what He has promised.

For example, Christians believe they are God’s children with eternal life, and their sins are forgiven. Their confident expectation springs from trusting God’s promise that it is so for all who receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord (John 1:12).

My graduate school advisor, who didn’t keep his promise, probably didn’t enjoy being reminded to ask questions only about my thesis. By contrast, God loves it when we remind Him about His promises, even though He always keeps them. Why?

He enjoys it because it demonstrates that we are taking His promises seriously. We are navigating life by their light. That makes Him very happy.

We will consider an interesting aspect of Bible Scriptures on God's promises. Various biblical characters reminded God of what He had promised, and He never reprimanded them.

With the prospect of retaliation from his brother Esau, whom he had wronged twenty years earlier, anxious Jacob boldly reminded God that He had told him to return to his land and relatives and promised to treat him kindly (Genesis 32:9) and multiply his descendants until they were too many to count (Genesis 32:12).

When God was angry because of Israel’s sin of worshiping a golden calf, Moses reminded Him that He had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to make their descendants numerous as the stars and give them land to possess forever (Exodus 32:13).

King David reminded God and asked for confirmation of His promise that his house would continue before Him forever as a dynasty of kings (2 Samuel 7:25-28, 1 Chronicles 17:23-27). He also reminded God that He had promised to put an end to his enemies and asked for their evil plans to be turned against them (Psalm 54:5).

King Solomon reminded God of His promise that if David’s descendants faithfully followed God, they would always sit on Israel’s throne (1 Kings 8:25, 2 Chronicles 6:16-17).

Nehemiah reminded God of His agreement with Abraham to give him and his descendants a homeland. He reminded how God worked throughout Israel’s history to fulfill His promises, even though they were unworthy and disobedient (Nehemiah 9:8-28).

Asaph reminded God of His covenant promises because darkness and violence filled the land, and everything seemed out of God’s control. We know how Asaph felt (Psalm 74:20)!

Ethan, the Ezrathite, reminded God of the unfailing love He had promised to David when circumstances suggested He didn’t care (Psalm 89:49).

An unnamed psalmist reminded God that it was time to arise, have mercy, and pity Jerusalem and help her as He had promised (Psalm 102:13).

The anonymous author of Psalm 119 frequently reminded God of His promises. He asked for reassurance of God’s promise (37, 39), His unfailing love, and promised salvation (41). He requested that God remember His promise to him because it was his only hope (49), for His promised mercy (58), for comforting, unfailing love, and restoration of his life as He promised (76, 82, 107). He asked for the Lord to sustain him, protect his life, rescue him, and give him a discerning mind as He promised (116, 123, 154, 169, 170).

Isaiah wrote that watchmen would pray continually and give the Lord no rest until He fulfills His promise and makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7).

Jeremiah asked God to bring the promised day when his enemies would suffer as he had suffered (Lamentations 1:21).

Daniel reminded God that He always fulfills His covenant and keeps His promises of unfailing love to those who love and obey Him (Daniel 9:4).

Micah reminded God to show His faithfulness and unfailing love as He had promised Abraham and Jacob (Micah 7:20).

You make God very happy when you navigate life by the light of His promises. He loves it when you remind Him of them! See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians. #freediscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources 

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