ODB: Promises Still Kept

May 9, 2014

READ: Genesis 15:5-21 

When the sun went down . . . there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. —Genesis 15:17

In the ancient Near East a treaty between a superior (a lord or king) and an inferior (his subjects) was called a suzerain treaty. The ratification ceremony required animals to be sacrificed and cut in half. The animal parts were then arranged in two rows on the ground, forming an aisle between them. As the suzerain walked between the halves, he was publicly declaring he would keep the covenant and would become like the slain animals if he failed to keep his word.

When Abram asked God how he could be sure His promises would come to pass, God used the culturally significant symbolism of the suzerain treaty to affirm His promises (Gen. 15). When the burning torch passed through the pieces of the sacrifice, Abram understood that God was declaring it was His job to keep the covenant.

God’s covenant with Abram and His assurance of its completion extends to followers of Christ. That is why Paul repeatedly refers to believers as sons of Abraham in his New Testament writings (Rom. 4:11-18; Gal. 3:29). Once we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, God becomes the keeper in our covenant of faith (see John 10:28-29).

Because God is the keeper of our salvation, with renewed confidence in Him we trust Him with our lives.

— Randy Kilgore

He will never fail us, He will not forsake;
His eternal covenant He will never break.
Onward then, and fear not, children of the day;
For His Word shall never, never pass away. —Havergal

Our salvation is secure because God does the holding.

Source: Our Daily Bread

3 replies
  1. ashleypandita
    ashleypandita says:

    The Word says,”Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thine own understanding.” In order to believe
    this,you first need to acknowledge and know who your God is.
    Your faith and hope in Him must be a righteous faith and hope so that in all and any circumstances you face,you WILL TRUST IN HIM STILL.More often than not,we tend to lean on our understanding and strength.Here is where we stumble.Be like Daniel in the lions den.

  2. Ashley
    Ashley says:

    Thank you Pacifist and Yabutarou,Yes, 右 does look like 古, so that may be possible, but if that were true, then I think they would have wrtetin 于山國, not just 于山.Korean dictionaries say that 右 can also mean “west” (서쪽). See . Also, Kim Jeong-ho’s maps tell us that he believed Usando to be east of Ulleungdo, which would mean that Ulleungdo would be west of Usando.Anyway, remember that I am just guessing. I do not know for sure.

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