Promised With An Oath

Promised with an Oath

As Abraham poised the blade of his knife to descend into his son Isaac, the angel of heaven called to him, saying,

This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me. (Genesis 22:16-18)

While God had repeatedly promised Abraham that he would make a great nation from him, now he swore an oath to do so. God was so pleased with Abraham’s supreme act of faith that he did something he had never done before—he bound himself with an oath that he would keep his promise. The book of Hebrews helps us understand why God made this promise and oath to Abraham and the confidence this promise should give us:

God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:18-20)

What is “the hope that lies before us”? It is Jesus himself and the truth of his gospel. The hope we have fled to and taken hold of is sure. It centers on the promises of God, which are fleshed out for us in the ultimate blessing of Jesus Christ. This hope comes from the fact that we are in Christ, the Son who fulfilled Abraham’s covenant, and that we will be with Christ and like Christ. Jesus is the foundation and substance of our hope.

I see that everything promised by God comes through you, Jesus. You are my only hope, and I’m taking hold of you. I’m waiting patiently for you. You are the Anchor for my soul who will provide security in the storms of this world and carry me safely into the next.