Bible Verses About God's Promises

“God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?”

Unlike a person, God does not lie or change his mind about what he has promised. The statement comes from an unlikely source, a prophet hired to curse Israel.

“Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.”

As Israel settles in the land, the writer sums up that every good thing God had pledged had come to pass. It is a look back that measures a promise by its result.

““Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.”

Solomon blesses the people at the temple dedication by noting that not one of God's good promises through Moses had failed. Praise here is built on a track record.

“For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.”

God compares his word to rain and snow that water the earth and do not return empty. What he speaks goes out and accomplishes what he sent it to do.

“Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you. ””

God calls Abram and pledges land, a great family and blessing for every nation through him. This is the seed of the whole biblical story.

“When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.” And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument. So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.”

Because nothing greater existed to swear by, God swore by himself, giving two unchangeable things to anchor our hope. The passage offers strong encouragement to those who run to him for refuge.

“For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.”

Paul says that however many promises God has made, they all receive their yes in Christ. Jesus is the place where the promises are confirmed.

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”

Those who belong to Christ are counted as Abraham's family and heirs of the promise, whatever their background. The promise reaches far beyond one nation.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

Peter calls God's promises great and precious and says they let believers share in his divine character. They are meant to shape who we become, not only what we receive.

“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Moses tells Israel to be strong because the Lord goes with them and will not leave or forsake them. It is a promise of presence given just before a hard transition.

“But now, this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

God speaks to his people by name and promises to be with them through water and fire. He does not say the trials will not come, only that they will not be faced alone.

“For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.””

Written to exiles in Babylon, this promise of a future and a return came with a seventy-year wait. It is a reminder that God's promises often arrive on a longer timetable than we hope.

“and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

Jesus closes the Gospel by pledging to be with his followers every day until the end of the age. The last word is presence, not a rule.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul lists the threats that might seem strong enough to separate us from God and declares that none of them can. The promise is that his love holds.

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Paul is confident that the one who began a good work in believers will carry it on to completion. Growth depends finally on God's faithfulness and not on our consistency.