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Day 4: God’s Promise Repeated

God promised that Abram’s descendants would become a great nation and possess the land of Canaan forever. Because Abram believed God, God changed his name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah. As promised, Sarah did bear a son, even though they were very old. God told them to name him Isaac. Isaac married Rebekah, who was from his father’s relatives in Haran.

After Isaac’s parents died, God confirmed His covenant with Isaac: “For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” (Genesis 26:3-4).

Isaac, in turn, had twin sons—Esau and Jacob. God chose Jacob as the one through whom His promises would come. As you can imagine, this caused enmity between the brothers. Once, when running away from Esau, Jacob had a dream of a ladder reaching to heaven. God spoke to him, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring” (Genesis 28:13-14). Jacob vowed that the Lord would be his God.

Jacob eventually had two wives and twelve sons. Years later, God changed his name too. “‘Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.’ So he named him Israel. And God said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you’” (Genesis 35:10-12).

Why do you suppose God repeated His promises? Most certainly, God wanted no doubts, but He also wanted to specify to which descendants the promises applied. Ishmael and Esau both grew into great nations, but they weren’t the ones God specifically promised to bless. Neither were His chosen people.

Isaac and Jacob are good examples of the certainty of God’s promises. If God said He will do something, you can be sure that He will do it—in His time.

Reflection

God is faithful over His promises and doesn’t mind repeating them in the least. In fact, God wants us to remember His promises to us. Choose one promise God has given you, and write it down. Display it somewhere in your house so you are reminded of it daily. (This can be as simple as a note on your fridge or on the lock screen of your phone.

Journal about one promise God made you which has come to pass. Every promise has its own story.

It’s easy to doubt God’s promises, especially when they take a long time and things seem to go wrong. There are a few things about doubt that we should know though. For one, God is not shaken by it. He already knows we doubt. As we come to Him in our questionings and trouble, He is faithful, not only to work things out, but to build our character in the waiting. Abraham made lots of mistakes. So do we. But Abraham believed God, as did Isaac and Jacob (Israel). In the face of every circumstance, we have the same opportunity to believe in Him. Yesterday, we made a list of things we were believing God for. Let’s look at that again, only this time, as you look at each one, outline your doubts to the Lord, and as you finish each one, take the time to listen to God. He will answer—through His Word or in another way. Record His encouragements and exhortations next to each thing on your list.