Prophecies and Promises

Posted On October 11, 2020

“Call to me and I will answer you
and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3 NIV

This week I want to explore God’s prohecies and promises. Does He really tell us about the future? If so, how and for what purpose? Let’s start with some definitions. I looked up “prophecy” and “promise” in three different Bible dictionaries. Here are their definitions of prophecy:

• “PROPHECY (noun), PROPHESY (verb). Speak for God. Tell God’s truth (Mark 7:6; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 1 Cor. 13:2). Prophets spoke God’s Word to a present generation but with truths that often revealed the future (see Rev. 1:17-19).” (The Student Bible Dictionary)
• “PROPHECY, PROPHETS Reception and declaration of a word from the Lord through a direct prompting of the Holy Spirit and the human instrument thereof.” (Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
• “PROPHECY – an inspired revelation about future events.” (The New Student Bible)

So prophecy is the Word of God revealed to humans through the Holy Spirit. It often discloses the future. In the Old Testament, since only a chosen few received the power of the Holy Spirit, God spoke through prophets.

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.”

Deuteronomy 18:18 NIV

The role of the prophets was to deliver God’s Word to His people and, often, to get them to turn back to God when they had strayed. Many prophecies in the Old Testament describe what will happen if the Israelites return to God . . . and what will happen if they don’t.

“‘Come now, let us reason together,’
    says the Lord.
‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
    you will eat the good things of the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
    you will be devoured by the sword.’
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 1:18-20 NIV

In many cases the Israelites were given a choice: obey God and be blessed, or don’t and face hardships. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary discusses differences between prophecy and promises: “While much of the promise doctrine is also prophetic in that it relates to the future, there are some notable differences between promise and prophecy. . . . Promises relate to what is good, desirable, and that which blesses and enriches. Prophecy, however, also may contain notes of judgment, destruction, and calamity when people and nations fail to repent. . . . The promise of God is unconditional while most prophecies are conditional and have a suppressed ‘unless’ or ‘if’ you repent attached to their predictions of judgment. . . . prophecies are usually directed to more specific events and particular individuals.”

“Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins have been your downfall!
Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    ‘Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.'”

Hosea 14:1-2 NIV

Many of the Old Testament “gloom and doom” prophecies also include an invitation to repent and receive God’s blessings. This idea of having control over your own destiny is explored in the movie Minority Report. The story takes place in the near future. A specialized police unit known as PreCrime relies on the visions of psychics, called “precogs,” to arrest individuals before they actually commit the foreseen crimes. In this clip, John Anderton, the Chief of PreCrime makes an alarming discovery during a routine session viewing a future crime.

Anderton sees himself commit a future murder of someone he doesn’t even know. For the rest of the movie he tries to prove his innocence. The theme of the movie is that becoming aware of something regrettable in your future allows you to change it. This is the same point the Old Testament prophets make — knowing what will happen if they do not follow God gives the Israelites the opportunity to change their ways.

“So, people of Israel, I will judge you.
Because I will do that to you, Israel,
prepare to meet your God!”

Amos 4:12 NIRV

My study Bible includes the following note, titled “Before It’s Too Late,” about the verse above: “This is the most famous verse in Amos, thanks to graffiti artists who write ‘Prepare to meet thy God!’ in unlikely places. Amos has just reviewed a series of natural disasters — famine, drought, blight, plagues, war — any of which should have been enough to turn the nation to God. But Israel did not respond, and now Amos is holding out one last chance for repentance.”

Why was God so tough on them? In many ways Israel wasn’t doing anything worse than the nations around them were doing. Why did God judge them so harshly? Why did He keep sending them messages to repent and change their ways? Here is the answer in the words of Moses:

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”

Deuteronomy 7:6 NIV

The Israelites were chosen by God. Period. He chose to bless them in order to bless all the nations of the earth. They were to be an example for other nations to follow, not the other way around. As God’s “treasured possession” the Israelites were held to a higher standard. They received His blessings, and they were expected to obey His commands. As followers of Christ, we are all now part of God’s chosen people, and as such, we too, are held to a higher standard. Why? Because we have been blessed by Him and He wants to bless others through us. He wants us to reflect His light in the world:

” . . . for you have been chosen by God himself — you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own — all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it. Dear brothers, you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven, I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls. Be careful how you behave among your unsaved neighbors; for then, even if they are suspicious of you and talk against you, they will end up praising God for your good works when Christ returns.”

1 Peter 2:9-12 TLB

Thinking about all of this, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Spider-Man’s catch phrase (yes, I am a nerd, but it fits): With great power comes great responsibility.

Jesus Himself said something very similar:

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Luke 12:48 NIV

As God’s chosen people, we have been blessed by Him, but we have also been given a job to do. We have each been given unique talents and abilities that God calls us to use to help Him in His work to bring others to Him. God has a path in mind for each one of us, and He prepares us for the tasks ahead. Sometimes we don’t understand what He’s doing, and often it’s not easy, but this is our calling. The good news is that He doesn’t expect us to do this on our own. Through His gift of the Holy Spirit, now given not to just a chosen few but to all believers, He promises to be with us and help us.

“Be patient. God is using today’s difficulties to strengthen you for tomorrow. He is equipping you. The God who makes things grow will help you bear fruit.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

God promises to be with us and help us. The Bible is filled with many more promises from God. Is a promise from God different from a “regular” promise? Here are the definitions of promise in my Bible dictionaries:

• “PROMISE. Agreement, pledge, contract (Acts 1:4). Obedient and faithful people receive the fulfillment of God’s promises (Rom. 4:13-14).” (The Student Bible Dictionary)
• “PROMISE God’s announcement of His plan of salvation and blessing to His people, one of the unifying themes integrating the message and the deeds of the OT [Old Testament] and NT [New Testament].” (Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
• “PROMISE (see also COVENANT) . . . COVENANT – an agreement between two parties; a solemn promise or vow, especially between God and people” (The New Student Bible)

A promise from God is a binding contract between Him and us. It cannot be broken. If God makes a promise, He will keep it. Period.

“God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Numbers 23:19 NIV

In The Weekly Faith Project, we are reminded that God “never lies (Titus 1:2), He never does wrong (Deuteronomy 32:3-4), and He never fails to keep a promise (Numbers 23:19). And you can put your full faith in Him because neither He nor His Word ever changes (Hebrews 13:8, Matthew 24:35). . . . So when God says He will forgive and save, help and guide, love and protect . . . faith takes God at His word.” God can and will do everything He has promised, even if we don’t understand how, even if we don’t know when, even if it seems completely impossible. God always keeps His promises.

“God is able to do whatever he promises.”

Romans 4:21 NLT

Charles Stanley reminds us that as believers we will sometimes face difficulties and doubts. It’s just part of being a Christian. Sometimes our faith will be tested. It’s the only way we can grow. But these storms of uncertainty are hard, and it’s during such times that we must hold on tight to God’s promises. Dr. Stanley reassures us: “God’s Word is absolutely true. You may not understand how God is going to bring about what He’s promised you, but He is keeping every promise that He has ever made. He will never deceive you or disappoint you, and He will never change His mind about what He’s told you.” Not only that, but “God’s promises are essential to your spiritual welfare.” God’s promises have a purpose:

“As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV

We may not understand what God’s purpose is when He makes a promise to us, but He has a plan. James W. Goll, in The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God, remind us: “God chooses each one of us to fulfill a distinct purpose and destiny in Him. . . . We struggle at times and we get frustrated, tempted to throw in the towel, but we continue. . . . Learning from the lessons of believers who have gone before us, we realize that all progress in the Christian life comes by faith.” The key is to listen for God’s voice and obey what He says. That’s easier said than done. It takes effort and discipline. We must make time every day to read and study God’s Word and to commune with Him in prayer. We must learn how to distinguish the voice of the Holy Spirit living in us from our own thoughts and desires. Then, once we’ve figured all that out, we have to make the decision to obey what God is telling us, whether we understand it or not. It’s not an easy road, but it’s the only one worth following!

“God doesn’t want you to pray just to hear yourself talk. He wants you to bring Him your requests and ‘wait expectantly’ [see Psalm 5:3]. He wants you to believe that He is who He says He is — that He is powerful enough to do the impossible.”

The Weekly Prayer Project

As James Goll tells us, “We hear the voice of God. The enemy tries to snatch the word away. We hang on to it. Somewhere in there, we begin to realize that maybe God’s goal is something more than giving us another word. Have you ever felt like the Word got a hold of you? He is the Living Word. . . . Often, when we receive an exciting revelation from God, He uses the revelation itself to test us and purify us so that our character will be able to convey the word to others.” If God gives us a promise, He’s got a purpose for it, and often that purpose involves helping someone else. But God wants us to be prepared. So it may be awhile before we see His promise fulfilled, and we may face trials along the way to strengthen our character. He works everything out in His own time, and His timing is always perfect. During these times of waiting, we can trust that God is working . . . and He is preparing us for what lies ahead. It’s important to stay connected to God, even if we don’t “feel” His presence. Sometimes He pulls back so that we will reach out. When we are facing hard times, or feel like God has forgotten about us, we can find comfort in the fact that God always keeps His promises.

“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.”

Joshua 23:14 NIV

The book of Isaiah contains many prophecies and warnings for Israel, but it also contains many promises. My study Bible includes this insight: “Isaiah 40-66 had immense practical value for the people who first heard it. The Jews, facing a series of great crises, needed the prophet’s message of hope: forgiveness was on the way; the Jews, though scattered, would one day be gathered ‘one by one.’ Further, Isaiah teaches that no matter how difficult the circumstances, God can use them for our benefit. Again and again in the Israelites’ history, good times led to decadence. In contrast, times of suffering tested and refined the true people of God. Ultimately, suffering would lead to the salvation of all the world.” We may not always understand we face hard times and suffering, but God can use any circumstances for good. And no matter how many difficulties we face, we can rest secure in God’s ultimate promise of salvation.

“Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
‘In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'”

Isaiah 40:1-5 NIV

Please forgive me for one more nerd moment: In The Mandalorian, a character named Kuiil ends any discussion which has been settled in his mind with the statement, “I have spoken.” I couldn’t help but think of his habitual pronouncement as I read the passage above, so I have included a brief clip from the show. Enjoy! . . .

I have never met a prophet, but I have read the Scriptures. God’s Word is always true. The matter is settled. There will again be peace. He has spoken.

“In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.”

John 14:2 NIV

The Lord has spoken through His prophecies and His promises. The Bible is full of both, and sometimes He speaks to us directly through His Spirit. So does God really tell us about the future? Yes, sometimes He does.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”

John 16:13 NLT

Why does He do this? God gives us His prophecies and promises to encourage us to reach out to Him and get to know Him. He also wants to prepare us for what lies ahead and, if necessary, to give us a chance to change our ways. He wants to share His blessings with us and He invites us to help Him bless others. Throughout our faith journey, He promises to guide us, strengthen us, and protect us. He promises to forgive us and love us. And He promises to save us.

“I learned years ago to kneel on the promises. That means I pray such promises back into the Father’s hearing. It brings such words to life to pray them into being!”

James W. Goll, The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God

This week’s Scripture passages focus on God’s prophecies and promises. There is a printer-friendly pdf version below the image. I pray that we all learn how to hear and obey God more and more each day so that His promises may be fulfilled through us!

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.'”

John 11:25 NIV

References:

• Brand, Chad, et. al., editors. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Holman Reference, 2003.
• Dockrey, Karen, et al. The Student Bible Dictionary. Barbour, 2000.
• Goll, James W. The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God. Regal from Gospel Light, 2008.
• Hiltibidal, Scarlet. The Weekly Prayer Project: A Challenge to Journal, Pray, Reflect, and Connect with God. Zondervan, 2017.
• “I will Help You I have Spoken -The Mandalorian – Kuiil -” YouTube, uploaded by Lord Lancelot, 2 February 2021, https://youtu.be/xV3nXscJyBc?si=DIKQ-5aTHIqnbkT_.
• Lucado, Max. Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. J. Countryman, 2000.
• “Minority Report (1/9) Movie CLIP – Anderton Sees Himself Kill (2002) HD.” YouTube, uploaded by Movieclips, 11 October 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l_IUAcvfv8.
• The New Student Bible, New International Version. Zondervan Publishing House, 1992.
• “Spider-Man – With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility Uncle Ben.” YouTube, uploaded by alzjx, 15 December 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IrgoodmkOA.
• Stanley, Charles F. 30 Life Principles Study Guide: A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
• The Weekly Faith Project: A Challenge to Journal, Reflect, and Cultivate a Genuine Faith. Zondervan, 2019.

Images:

• Doorway featured image by Sean Wareing from Pixabay
• Glass Ball image by moritz320 from Pixabay
• Heart Lock image by jakob-wiesinger from Pixabay
• Portal image by press 👍 and ⭐ from Pixabay