Promises
It is Impossible to Separate Us From Christ - Romans 8:38 – 8:39 (commentary)
The verses in the closing part of this chapter contain some of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms. These could cause us to fear that we have been abandoned by Christ. However, Paul explains that it is imposs …
Israel’s Rejection of Christ - Romans 9:1 – 9:13 (commentary)
Today we begin looking at one of the most difficult parts of the Bible, the ninth chapter of Romans. No matter how much we might struggle to understand specific details of this chapter, the key theme is that God is faithful to keep His promises. Paul gives us three facts to remem …
Israel at Mt Sinai - Exodus 19:1 – 19:13 (commentary)
Three months after the Exodus from Egypt the children of Israel entered the Desert of Sinai and camped near Mount Sinai (v. 1). We do not know the exact location of Mount Sinai but it is thought to be Jebel Musa in the Southern part of what is known today as the Sinai Penin …
A Promise And a Warning - Exodus 23:20 – 23:33 (commentary)
In this passage God makes promises about directing His people into the promised land where the laws just given will be practiced. It contains promises of cursing for those who disobey and blessings for those who obey (vv. 20-22). When the people arrive in Canaan God promises to d …
God Delivers Caleb’s Promised Land - Joshua 14:1 – 14:15 (commentary)
The actual dividing of Canaan, “the promised land” gets underway. This was the long-awaited hour. This was the goal which Israel had so long been pressing for. The land was to be divided now, according to Moses’ instructions, even though there remained yet “very much land to be ...
God is Still on His Throne And His Grace is Abounding - Lamentations 5:19 – 5:22 (commentary)
Jeremiah turns from asking God to remember their condition to calling on Him to restore both the land of Israel and the blessings of the covenant. He affirms that the Lord God is eternal (v. 19). Man and his interests may pass away, but the throne of God endures forever. The peop …
He will keep His Promises - Psalms 132:1 – 132:18 (commentary)
This psalm begins with David’s desire to build the temple. When he became king he built a beautiful palace, but it troubled him that the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God’s presence among his people, remained in a tent. The opening verses tell of David’s intention to build a ...
He Will Keep His Promises - Psalms 132:10 – 132:18 (commentary)
This psalm confirms that God’s promises will be fulfilled no mater what the circumstances are. God had made specific promises to King David about his dynasty, promises regarding the sanctuary and mount Zion which would be blessed with food for the poor, salvation for the priests …
God’s Promises Are Secure - Psalms 89:1 – 89:18 (commentary)
This psalm was written to describe the glorious reign of David. This reveals God’s promise to make David the mightiest king on earth and to keep his descendants on the throne forever (II Samuel 7:8- 16). Even though Jerusalem was destroyed, and kings no longer reign there, this pa …
The Certainty of God’s Promises - Hebrews 6:16 – 6:20 (commentary)
We are living in a day when it is hard to trust people. Promises are often made with very little intention of their being kept. It seems that lying has become the norm in much of society. In fact, even in the Church people promise to do things and then never show up. The question …
Sparing The Church - II Corinthians 1:15 – 1:24 (commentary)
Misunderstandings are often very difficult to untangle, because one misunderstanding often leads to another. This is what had happened to Paul as he was forced to make a change of plans (vv. 15-22). In Paul’s initial itinerary, he had intended to go immediately from Ephesus to Corinth and ...
Mary Visits Elizabeth - Luke 1:39 – 1:56 (commentary)
Almost immediately after receiving Gabriel’s message, Mary`prepared to visit her cousin Elisabeth who lived some sixty or more miles south of Nazareth in the Judean hill country (vv. 39-41). As she rushed off to visit her relative, she must have wondered if the events of the la …
God Will Restore Israel - Ezekiel 11:14 – 11:25 (commentary)
God promised the exiles in Babylon that He would continue to be with them even though they were not in Jerusalem (vv. 14-15). This was a major concern to the Jews because they believed that God was present primarily in the temple. However God assured them that He would co …
Israel Promised Deliverance From Babylon - Isaiah 43:14 – 43:28 (commentary)
In these verses God tells his people once again that He is going to deliver them from Babylon. In his sovereignty He will overthrow Babylon and the Chaldeans who have oppressed His people (vv. 14- 15). He reminds them that He is the same God who made a path through the Red S …
The Lord Alone Can Save - Isaiah 45:14 – 45:25 (commentary)
This passage is God’s promise that when Egypt and the Soybeans (Arabs who came from Seba in Southern Arabia) shall fall down and acknowledge that Jehovah is the only God (v. 14). Though at times it may seem as if the Lord is hiding, He really is the Savior of Israel ( v. …
Rescuing The Nation - Isaiah 60:1 – 60:14 (commentary)
What the prophet Isaiah speaks about when he writes in this chapter is much different (v. 1). What God’s Word talks about here is a different kind of light, and a different kind of darkness. The glory of the Lord is contrasted with the darkness of the hour that will precede …
The Lord Promises to Punish Israel - Hosea 10:1 – 10:15 (commentary)
Israel prospered under King Jeroboam’s leadership by gaining military and economic strength. However, the more prosperous the nation became the more they used their income for building more altars for idol worship (v.1). It is often the same today. More wealth means more worship of ...
The Time of the End - Daniel 12:1 – 12:4 (commentary)
This passage reveals Four promises about Israel’s future (vv. 1-3). 1. There will be a time of trouble (v. 1). This is the same time of trouble described already in detail in Daniel 11:36-45. It will be a time of great trouble and tribulation, especially for the Jewish ...
An Opportunity to Make a Fresh Start - Jeremiah 31:31 – 31:40 (commentary)
In addition to a new beginning God promised to make a New Covenant with His people (vv. 31-37). Here is the promise of a “New Covenant.” This is the only mention of a “New Covenant” in the OT (v. 31). There are some differences between the old and new cove …
Blessings of Obedience - Deuteronomy 7:1 – 7:26 (commentary)
Moses warned Israel not to tolerate Canaanites in the land because their very presence would tempt them to fall into idolatry. Instead, He told them to destroy their enemies (vv. 1-2). He also told them not to inter-marry with the Canaanites (vv. 3-4) and to tear down their altars (v. 5). Israel ...
Promised Blessing After Israel’s Repentance - Deuteronomy 30:1 – 30:14 (commentary)
The actual Palestinian covenant is given that lays down the conditions under which Israel is to enter the promised land. You will notice there are no “ifs” in this covenant. It is an unconditional promise of future blessing. The little word “all” is used several times. God will send all His ...
Solomon Brings a Dedication Message For The Temple - II Chronicles 6:1 – 6:11 (commentary)
In this passage Solomon looks back (vv. 1-11). It seems that God’s appearance in “thick darkness” (v. 1) reminded Solomon that God had made His presence known to Moses (5:13-14) in a much more modest tabernacle. Now, however, the Lord ... would dwell in a more permanent and ...
Making Promises to The Lord - Leviticus 27:1 – 27:34 (commentary)
The Lord told Moses to say to Israel (vv. 1-2): If you ever want to free someone, you may do so by paying different amounts (vv. 3-7). If you have promised to give someone to me and can’t afford to pay the full amount you will be taken to a priest who will decide how much you ca …
The Descendants of David - I Chronicles 3:1 – 3:24 (commentary)
We find three divisions in this chapter: 1. The sons of David (vv. 1-9). A. Those born in Hebron. (vv. 1-5) B. Those born in Jerusalem. (vv. 6-8) C. He also had a daughter Tamar (v. 9) ...
Solomon’s Achievements - I Kings 9:1 – 9:28 (commentary)
Chapter nine begins the second half of Solomon’s forty year reign. The nation of Israel had reached a high point. A magnificent center of worship had been completed and national prestige had never been higher. However, now that everything was completed, the drive that had motiva …