God Keeps His Promises
FAMILY WORSHIP | DECEMBER 5-11, 2021
READ
Read all or parts of Isaiah chapter 9
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
The Lord’s Anger Against Israel
8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it—
Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—
who say with pride
and arrogance of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
have devoured Israel with open mouth.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
13 But the people have not returned to him who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed in a single day;
15 the elders and dignitaries are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
16 Those who guide this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,
nor will he pity the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and wicked,
every mouth speaks folly.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire;
it consumes briers and thorns,
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,
so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath of the Lord Almighty
the land will be scorched
and the people will be fuel for the fire;
they will not spare one another.
20 On the right they will devour,
but still be hungry;
on the left they will eat,
but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring[b]:
21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;
together they will turn against Judah.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
Reflect
In 1969, the Baltimore Colts were highly favored to win Super Bowl III over the New York Jets. Even though his team was the underdog, Jets quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed that his team would win the Super Bowl. It was a bold promise to make, but the Jets did in fact defeat the Colts by a score of 16-7. Joe Namath became famously known as Broadway Joe—the quarterback who made a guarantee and then delivered.
As we read the Bible, we see that God is a promise maker. Even in the garden where Adam and Eve chose to sin and ruined their relationship with their Creator, God guaranteed that a Rescuer would come to battle the serpent and ultimately defeat sin.
Throughout the Old Testament, God continued to remind His people about the promise of a Savior. The prophet Isaiah spoke about a Messiah to be born of a virgin and a king coming from the family of David. Isaiah spoke of how the Messiah would suffer, but also how his suffering would bring peace. For those waiting on a Messiah, Isaiah was giving hope that God would soon deliver on His promise.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus was born of a virgin, born into the family of David, and suffered on the cross to bring peace between God and all who believe. Jesus was the fulfillment of all Isaiah’s prophecies, and He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a rescuer. Not only is God a promise maker, but He is also a promise keeper. When God makes a guarantee, we can always trust that He will deliver.
God keeps His promises. He remembered His promise to send a Rescuer and sent His Son, Jesus, into the world as a baby. Jesus grew up and provided salvation for sinners by dying on the cross and rising from the dead.
PRAY
“God, You are faithful in everything. We can trust You because You always do what You say You will do. We praise You for sending Jesus as Savior and as the fulfillment of Your greatest promise.”
The key passage below is focused on at church. Consider talking about what this passage means and memorizing it as well.
SING
Finish your family worship experience by playing the Key Passage song to worship and as a further way to memorize Scripture.
