They say you shouldn’t make a promise unless you intend to keep it. That’s sound advice, but sometimes we face unexpected roadblocks hindering us from following through on our commitments.
Our hearts might be in the right place, but we don’t know the future. I’m not making excuses, but that’s the situation we face.
God has no such defense; He knows everything! But not to worry; the Lord keeps track of every detail of the future. And He’s more than capable of carrying out what He vows. He never fails!
The book of Joshua proclaims the faithfulness of God.
“So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. 45Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” – Joshua 21:43-45
Most of this book covers the battles the Israelites undertook to capture the Promised Land. By the time we get to chapter 21, the battles have ended.
This is great news, but the narrator wants to stress that God kept His Word. The Promised Land was the Lord’s idea; it was His pledge to His people. And now it’s their gift.
The realization of God’s plan was thorough. Verse 45 mentions “all the Lord’s good promises.” There must have been more than one!
God thought of everything: the provisions of the land, the way to punish and conquer the wicked residents, and the reassurance He’d guide and back up His people.
And in the final chapter, Joshua repeats this theme.
“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. 15But just as all the good things the LORD your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the LORD your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. 16If you violate the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the LORD’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.” – Joshua 23:14-16
Again, God didn’t forget a thing; He kept His Word. But notice that Joshua also reminds the nation about another promise–judgment. By the power of the Lord, the Israelites had driven out the idolaters from the Promised Land. But if they turned around and copied the deeds of the wicked, they’d face the same fate.
God showed Himself faithful to His people. Now it was up to them. Would they remain true to Him in the Promised Land? Would they stay loyal to Him or would their interests drift?
Around two centuries later, King Solomon dedicated the new Temple to the Lord.
“When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: 56‘Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 59And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, 60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. 61And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” – 1 Kings 8:54-61
Solomon blesses the people by reminding them that God kept His promises. He then expresses his hope that the Lord would so work on the hearts of the Israelites that they’d obey His commands. If the nation walked in righteousness, God would bless them so that the other countries would learn about Him.
God’s faithfulness has an evangelistic aim. As He keeps His Word to His people, they’re invited to declare their loyalty to Him. And living this way shows others what a God-blessed life looks like. It demonstrates the goodness and power of God.
The New Testament picks up on this note. Here’s what the apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth:
“But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us–by me and Silas and Timothy–was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in him it has always been ‘Yes.’ 20For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” – 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Paul interprets the gospel as a promise of God fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Our Savior’s sacrifice on the cross demonstrates God’s plan to bring redemption to the lost.
And how should we respond to God’s faithfulness in the gospel? We shout “Amen!” to God’s “Yes!” If we have questions about God’s plans, they’re settled. We have the “Yes!” in Christ Jesus!
And to reinforce this, God has sealed our hearts with the Holy Spirit. Joshua and Solomon had to encourage the Israelites to stay loyal to the Lord. But in the gospel, as verse 21 makes plain, God Himself secures us. Our steadfastness is His gift to us through Jesus.
So we don’t have to worry about the future. The indwelling Spirit guarantees we’ll experience the best of what’s yet to come. And we can share this good news with others. Jesus paid the price. Now He’s counting on us.
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