God's Unchangeable Promises

“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” (Isa 54:10 AV)

It is easier for creation to pass away than it is for the LORD to renege on His covenants.  Some have asserted there are over 3,000 promises in the entire Bible.  Another source claims there are 750 promises in the New Testament but that accounts for 250 separate promises as some are repeated.  The word ‘promise(s)’ occurs 111 times and the word ‘covenant(s)’ 280 times.  God is a God of His word.  When He says he will do something, He will do it. As the LORD has stated the truth earlier in this same book of Isaiah, “…yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.” (Isa 46:11 AV)

There are times when these promises come into doubt.  Not that the LORD would ever cancel them. But our fears, doubts, or even habitual sin brings us to the place where we begin to doubt God would require Himself to honor His word.  One of the scariest times of my childhood was a time when my parents has a serious row.  I remember where I was when the news from my mom came.  She asked us all to pray for my father because he has left the house in a fit of frustration and rage.  We didn’t blame him.  Raising eleven children, working three jobs, and still struggling to put food on the table would drive any man to his limits.  I saw the fear on my mother’s face that divorce might be a possibility.  We all took it personally.  We looked at our own behavior as the cause for my father’s frustration.  If I had only been more obedient.  If I had only been more grateful.  I remember looking out the window of the playroom where our temporary room was set up as we remodeled my bedroom and thought my dad was never coming back.  He did.  It didn’t last but a few days.  My dear father needed some ‘me’ time.  Mom and Dad were married only once and with the passing of my mother a year ago, they had been married for sixty-one years.

This is a bit like God’s promises to us.  There may be a hiccup here and there.  But the vow remains strong.  There may be a time when we are separated because if our sin, but the vow He has made has never been cancelled.  There may be times our fears and doubts get the better of us, but the word of the LORD stands forever.  There may be times when the adversary taunts us as he did in the Song of Solomon, speaking lies of abandonment.  But our God is always there.  He will not suffer us to be lost.  He will not abandon our care.  He has promised and He will do it!