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The Unchangeable Promise
Sermonette by Craig SablichGod's promise to Abraham stands as an unchangeable covenant, sealed by God Himself without dependence on human action. In Galatians 3:15-16, Paul emphasizes that once a covenant is confirmed, no one can annul or add to it, pointing to the promise made to Abraham and his Seed, who is Christ. This promise, first given in Genesis 12:3, declares that through Abraham, all families of the earth shall be blessed. In Genesis 15:18, God alone passes between the sacrificial pieces, ensuring the covenant's fulfillment rests solely on Him, guaranteeing the land to Abraham's descendants from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates. This covenant is everlasting, as stated in Genesis 17:7, promising an eternal relationship with God and His people. Repeated and expanded in Genesis 26:3-4, 28:13-14, and 35:11-12, the promise grows to include more descendants and nations, always maintaining its spiritual depth. Galatians 3:17 clarifies that even the law, given 430 years later, cannot annul this prior covenant confirmed by God in Christ. The promise remains the foundation, unalterable by any subsequent addition. Ultimately, as Paul states in Galatians 3:29, if we belong to Christ, we are Abraham's seed and heirs according to this promise. Romans 8:16-17 affirms we are joint heirs with Christ, sharing in the eternal inheritance. This unchangeable promise, rooted in God's faithfulness rather than human performance, assures us of eternal life, a hope that endures beyond the fading world, as Revelation 21:7 promises that those who overcome shall inherit all things with God as their Father.
Abraham's Sacrifice (Part Five): Promises Confirmed
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughSome critical scholars, unable to distinguish between conditional and unconditional promises, mistakenly jump to the conclusion that God cannot be trusted.
Searching for Israel (Part Three): The Old Covenant
Article by Charles WhitakerThe covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai provides important clues to the whereabouts of the descendants of Israel in modern times.
Leadership and Covenants (Part Eighteen)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God based the promises He gave to His friend Abraham on the patriarch's proclivity to believe Him even when he had only partial (and disturbing) information.
Searching for Israel (Part Five): Solomon and the Divided Kingdom
Article by Charles WhitakerGod divided Solomon's kingdom between Israel and Judah, but promised that a king of Judaic lineage will always rule Israel—another key to finding Israel.
Leadership and Covenants (Part Seventeen)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Because the world is under the sway of the wicked one, if mankind were left to its own choices, the world would revert to the condition before the Flood.
The Covenant of Circumcision
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughCircumcision was the sign God gave Abraham indicating that his descendants would ascend to greatness, acquiring physical and spiritual blessings.