God is Faithful
It is hard to relate to somebody you can’t trust or count on when needed. But you can count on God, because it is His nature to be faithful and reliable. The Psalmist says, “I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself” (Psalm 89: 2). His faithful provision for His chosen people is best seen in His plan for redemption as portrayed in His promises and covenants.
The Old Testament is a record of God’s faithfulness in redeeming His people, from the call of Abraham to the establishment of the Israelites in the promised land. The Exodus from Egypt demonstrated God’s faithfulness (Ex. 15:1-17), and it caused those who were delivered to believe in Yahweh and His servant Moses (Ex. 14:31). The deliverance from Egypt and the Passover service were kept in remembrance of God’s faithfulness for generations.
From the time God made a covenant with Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3, His unlikely promises were slowly but progressively fulfilled even when it looked to be humanly impossible and in spite of overwhelming odds. The Messianic line begins with Sarah who gave birth to Isaac when she no longer humanly could, and then God provides a scapegoat to take the place of Isaac when he was ordered to be sacrificed. God promised that the seed of the woman would continue through the house of David and the Messiah would sit on the throne of David. “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before Me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies” (Ps. 89:34-37).
The first two chapters of Luke’s gospel gives a vivid picture of people who were waiting for God to fulfill His promises made under the old covenant (Lu. 2:25,38). Simon saw the fulfillment in the birth of Jesus and rejoiced in God’s faithfulness. “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people” (Lu. 2:29,30).
From the days of Abraham, many probably thought that God was unfaithful and lost their faith in Him when His word was not fulfilled the next day or even in their life time. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness” (2 Pet. 3:8,9). Never think that God is not faithful because He doesn’t immediately answer your prayers. He always has eternity in view and some of His promises are not fulfilled in one’s lifetime. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). We get a taste of heaven now, but the banquet is still in the future.
Dr. Neil
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