Promises, Promises

By Beverly Hill McKinney

When our son was quite small, he wanted us to take him camping. We lived in eastern Oregon where camping was common during the summer. Since we were pastoring a small church at the time our time was limited. We promised him that when summer came, we would take him camping. As summer approached, we became so busy with church activities that our promise was forgotten. Another summer passed and another with no camping trip. Many years later my son said to me, “You know, Mom, we never did take that camping trip did we?” I felt so ashamed that we had totally forgotten our promise we made to him those many years ago. He, however, had never forgotten.

How often do we make promises and fail to keep them? But when God made promises in His Word, He made it in the form of a covenant. The word Covenant is defined as “a legally binding promise,” in the Life Application Study Bible and in the Erdman Bible Dictionary covenant is defined as “an agreement between two persons outlining rights and responsibilities.”

Throughout the Bible, God made covenants with His people. From Genesis through Revelation God gave covenants. In Genesis we see God making a covenant to mankind that He will break Satan’s hold on them through sending His Son. He made a covenant with Noah to not destroy the earth again with water and as a sign, placed a rainbow in the sky for all mankind to remind them of His promise.

God made a covenant with Abraham that He would make him the father of the chosen nation of Israel.  Although Abraham initially failed to believe, God kept His promise and gave Abraham and Sarah the promised son whose descendants would be more numerous than the stars.  As we continue through the Bible, we see over and over how God made covenants with His people if they would only follow Him. 

In the New Testament we have the fulfillment of God’s covenant given in Genesis by sending His son, Jesus who gave Himself to fulfill all the requirements of that covenant. Old Testament covenants required a blood sacrifice to seal the covenant. When Christ died on the cross and rose again, He fulfilled the blood sacrifice once and for all for mankind.

We make promises that are easily broken but God’s promises/covenants to man are sure if we believe on His Son and serve Him. Eternal life is ours as we accept God’s promises.  

Beverly Hill McKinney writes from Rogue River, Oregon.  bmckinnehill@yahoo.com