GOD does nothing without a promise. His Word teaches us that He does nothing without first revealing His secrets to His servants. There are human promises, between people, and there are GOD’s promises. A promise is a kind of covenant. It is like an agreement or a commitment. And the Promise has positive effects. It is like a Prophecy that the faithful person is sure to see fulfilled. For the Apostle Paul, the Promise is also “Salvation,” the “Promise of Life.” 

What does Psalm 119:123-125 reveal to us?

¹²³ My eyes fail from watching for your salvation and for [the fulfillment of] your righteous promise. ¹²⁴ Deal with your servant in accordance with your grace, and teach me your laws. ¹²⁵ I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I can know your instruction.

Here, King David made GOD’s Promise the object of his search. He sought GOD’s Promise because this Promise is a Covenant. It is a commitment between two parties. Like those who want to sign an agreement or those who want to get married. In the latter case, it provides a certain guarantee for the household and certain privileges. For example, if a man or woman works somewhere and the husband is assigned elsewhere, because of their marriage, the absence of that man will not affect their covenant. Marriage also allows the woman to take her husband’s name.

Likewise, dear Brother, dear Sister, without a Covenant with JESUS CHRIST, you cannot bear His Name. If you bear the Name of JESUS CHRIST without a Covenant, without being married to Him, it has no meaning, no value…

Thus, a Promise or Covenant is a guarantee of security. In the past, during times of war in certain parts of the world, people of different races made covenants to commit themselves not to wage war against each other. These covenants had to be kept, and those who broke them had to suffer the consequences.

There are also marital covenants: for example, in certain ethnic groups, if you cheat on your husband after entering into this covenant, your husband must eat a chicken, otherwise one of you will die. Even if these types of covenants are not the ones our ELOHIM asks us to enter into, the fact remains that they exist.

As far as the people of Israel are concerned, the Bible tells us that Jacob made an agreement with Laban to obtain the right to take his daughter as his wife (Genesis 29:15-20).

An agreement cannot be broken. But among humans, some back out, and at that point, you have to go to court to resolve the disagreement. But for GOD, there is no backing out.

Let us now read 2 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 1: “From: Sha’ul [Paul], an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua [JESUS CHRIST] by God’s will, which holds forth a promise of life through being united with Messiah Yeshua”. What did Paul proclaim? GOD’s Promise, which says, “Believe in the Lord JESUS, and you will have eternal Life”! The Promise that comes with believing in JESUS CHRIST is eternal Life. But this Promise comes with conditions. 

Let us continue with Genesis 47:29-31 :

²⁹ The time came when Isra’el was approaching death; so he called for his son Yosef [Joseph] and said to him, “If you truly love me, please put your hand under my thigh and pledge that, out of consideration for me, you will not bury me in Egypt. ³⁰ Rather, when I sleep with my fathers, you are to carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.” He replied, “I will do as you have said.” ³¹ He said, “Swear it to me,” and he swore to him. Then Isra’el bowed down at the head of his bed.

When Israel (Jacob) wanted to ask his son Joseph to make him a promise, he said to him, “If I have found favor/grace in your eyes.” This means that we do not make promises to just anyone. For there to be Grace, there must be Love. If you do not love GOD, you cannot make Him a promise.

Why did Israel ask Joseph to put his hand under his thigh? Because the thigh is one of the best parts of our flesh. It also symbolizes the Greatness and Power of GOD. Israel believed in the Resurrection of the dead. He did not want to be buried among idolaters, sinners, among the enemies of GOD. He knew that GOD had promised them the land of Israel and therefore did not want to be buried in Egypt but in their promised land, Israel. Joseph made the promise to Israel, and after that, Israel died…

Those who walk with GOD do not act recklessly. Before his death, Israel performed great deeds. First, he blessed all his children. Second, he made a covenant with his children. And before his death, he made his son Joseph promise to fulfill his will. Immediately after his son made his promise, Jacob died.

It is unfortunate to see that today, some people make promises saying, for example, “When I am no longer here, you will take my daughter, etc.” But four years later, you are still alive and your promise cannot be fulfilled. Why? Because you do not have the Spirit of GOD in you. But Israel had the Spirit of GOD. He knew that death was coming. Instead of crying out or getting agitated, instead of negotiating, he decided to act before he died.

On our side, when we act, when we make promises, we push GOD away. But Israel/Jacob was a wise man. His words to Joseph meant, “Swear to me in the Name of the Lord GOD Almighty…” Once the promise was made, what was the benefit for Joseph? Blessings for him and his children.

Let us read Genesis 50:7-13:

⁷ So Yosef went up to bury his father. With him went all Pharaoh’s servants, the leaders of his household and the leaders of the land of Egypt, ⁸ along with the entire household of Yosef, his brothers and his father’s household; only their little ones, their flocks and their cattle did they leave in the land of Goshen. ⁹ Moreover, there went up with him both chariots and horsemen — it was a very large caravan. ¹⁰ When they arrived at the threshing-floor in Atad, beyond the Yarden, they raised a loud and bitter lamentation, mourning for his father seven days. ¹¹ When the local inhabitants, the Kena‘ani, saw the mourning on the floor of Atad they said, “How bitterly the Egyptians are mourning!” This is why the place was given the name Avel-Mitzrayim [mourning of Egypt], there beyond the Yarden. ¹² His sons did to him as he had ordered them to do — ¹³ they carried him into the land of Kena‘an and buried him in the cave in the field of Makhpelah, which Avraham had bought, along with the field, as a burial-place belonging to him, from ‘Efron the Hitti, by Mamre.

Today, when we make a promise to others, we exclude GOD! For example, a man who promises his wife not to take another woman, not to separate from her, but without witnesses; if this man does not associate GOD with this promise, there is no guarantee. At the slightest problem, he will change his position and nothing will happen to him.

But Jacob understood this risk. That is why he called upon GOD in the promise. He himself had been the victim of a false promise when he bought his brother Esau’s birthright. Esau did not keep his promise but instead intended to kill him. If Jacob had not taken GOD as his Witness, Esau would have killed him. If you do not involve GOD in your promises, they will not come to fruition.

Let us read Genesis 25:29-34 :

²⁹ One day when Ya‘akov [Jacob] had cooked some stew, ‘Esav [Esau] came in from the open country, exhausted, ³⁰ and said to Ya‘akov, “Please! Let me gulp down some of that red stuff — that red stuff! I’m exhausted!” (This is why he was called Edom [red].) ³¹ Ya‘akov answered, “First sell me your rights as the firstborn.” ³² “Look, I’m about to die!” said ‘Esav. “What use to me are my rights as the firstborn?” ³³ Ya‘akov said, “First, swear to me!” So he swore to him, thus selling his birthright to Ya‘akov. ³⁴ Then Ya‘akov gave him bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, got up and went on his way. Thus ‘Esav showed how little he valued his birthright.

As a Christian, you may be going through difficult times today, but you must know that you have within you a special favor that is eternal blessing. Even if you cannot see this blessing today, even if you can only see the trials you are going through. You do not see what is hidden within you, but Jacob saw the blessing hidden in the birthright. Esau saw death, but Jacob saw life. Jacob asked Esau to swear before giving him food.

Esau despised the eternal blessing attached to his birthright… And today we say: “the GOD of Abraham, the GOD of Isaac, the GOD of Jacob, the GOD of Israel…” The god of food erased Esau’s name…

Jacob only gave Esau the soup after hearing Esau swear to make the promise. But you, my sister, a man comes up to you and says, “You are beautiful! If I don’t mate with you, I will die”… Since you are not Jacob, you cannot see far ahead. Jacob demanded that Esau swear before serving him food. “Pay before you eat!” But Christians today agree to feed their customers who promise to come back and pay later. But if the person runs away, everything is ruined… Many have wasted their lives, their future, their destiny, the grace of GOD in their lives, because of pastries, because of cakes, because of sandwiches that were promised to them! These people have serious problems!

Isaac loved Esau, his eldest son, because he ate game thanks to this son. We see this in Genesis 25:28: “Yitz’chak [Isaac] favored ‘Esav, because he had a taste for game; Rivkah [Rebekah] favored Ya‘akov.” Isaac did not call Jacob, but rather his eldest son Esau!

Let us continue our story with Genesis 27:1-41 :

¹ In the course of time, after Yitz’chak had grown old and his eyes dim, so that he couldn’t see, he called ‘Esav his older son and said to him, “My son?” and he answered, “Here I am.” ² “Look, I’m old now, I don’t know when I will die. ³ Therefore, please take your hunting gear — your quiver of arrows and your bow; go out in the country, and get me some game. ⁴ Make it tasty, the way I like it; and bring it to me to eat. Then I will bless you [as firstborn], before I die.” ⁵ Rivkah was listening when Yitz’chak spoke to his son ‘Esav. So when ‘Esav went out to the country to hunt for game and bring it back, ⁶ she said to her son Ya‘akov, “Listen! I heard your father telling ‘Esav your brother, ⁷ ‘Bring me game, and make it tasty, so I can eat it. Then I will give you my blessing in the presence of Adonai, before my death.’ ⁸ Now pay attention to me, my son; and do what I tell you. ⁹ Go to the flock, and bring me back two choice young goats. I will make it tasty for your father, the way he likes it; ¹⁰ and you will bring it to your father to eat; so that he will give his blessing to you before his death.” ¹¹ Ya‘akov answered Rivkah his mother, “Look, ‘Esav is hairy, but I have smooth skin. ¹² Suppose my father touches me — he’ll know I’m trying to trick him, and I’ll bring a curse on myself, not a blessing!” ¹³ But his mother said, “Let your curse be on me. Just listen to me, and go get me the young goats!” ¹⁴ So he went, got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared them in the tasty way his father loved. ¹⁵ Next, Rivkah took ‘Esav her older son’s best clothes,  which she had with her in the house, and put them on Ya‘akov her younger son; ¹⁶ and she put the skins of the goats on his hands and on the smooth parts of his neck. ¹⁷ Then she gave the tasty food and the bread she had prepared to her son Ya‘akov. ¹⁸ He went to his father and said, “My father?” He replied, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” ¹⁹ Ya‘akov said to his father, “I am ‘Esav your firstborn. I’ve done what you asked me to do. Get up now, sit down, eat the game, and then give me your blessing.” ²⁰ Yitz’chak said to his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Adonai your God made it happen that way.” ²¹ Yitz’chak said to Ya‘akov, “Come here, close to me, so I can touch you, my son, and know whether you are in fact my son ‘Esav or not.” ²² Ya‘akov approached Yitz’chak his father, who touched him and said, “The voice is Ya‘akov’s voice, but the hands are ‘Esav’s hands.” ²³ However, he didn’t detect him; because his hands were hairy like his brother ‘Esav’s hands; so he gave him his blessing. ²⁴ He asked, “Are you really my son ‘Esav?” And he replied, “I am.” ²⁵ He said, “Bring it here to me, and I will eat my son’s game, so that I can give you my blessing.” So he brought it up to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine, and he drank. ²⁶ Then his father Yitz’chak said to him, “Come close now, and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷ He approached and kissed him. Yitz’chak smelled his clothes and blessed Ya‘akov with these words: “See, my son smells like a field which Adonai has blessed. (vi) ²⁸ So may God give you dew from heaven, the richness of the earth, and grain and wine in abundance. ²⁹ May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be lord over your kinsmen, let your mother’s descendants bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” ³⁰ But as soon as Yitz’chak had finished giving his blessing to Ya‘akov, when Ya‘akov had barely left his father’s presence, ‘Esav his brother came in from his hunting. ³¹ He too had prepared a tasty meal and brought it to his father, and now he said to his father, “Let my father get up and eat from his son’s game, so that you may give me your blessing.” ³² Yitz’chak his father said to him, “Who are you?” and he answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, ‘Esav.” ³³ Yitz’chak began trembling uncontrollably and said, “Then who was it that took game and brought it to me? I ate it all just before you came, and I gave my blessing to him. That’s the truth, and the blessing must stand.” ³⁴ When ‘Esav heard his father’s words he burst into loud, bitter sobbing. “Father, bless me too,” he begged. ³⁵ He replied, “Your brother came deceitfully and took away your blessing.” ³⁶ ‘Esav said, “His name, Ya‘akov [he supplants], really suits him — because he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and here, now he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?” ³⁷ Yitz’chak answered ‘Esav, “Look, I have made him your lord, I have given him all his kinsmen as servants, and I have given him grain and wine to sustain him. What else is there that I can do for you, my son?” ³⁸ ‘Esav said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Father, bless me too!” ‘Esav wept aloud, ³⁹ and Yitz’chak his father answered him: “Here! Your home will be of the richness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. ⁴⁰ You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you break loose, you will shake his yoke off your neck.” ⁴¹ ‘Esav hated his brother because of the blessing his father had given him. ‘Esav said to himself, “The time for mourning my father will soon come, and then I will kill my brother Ya‘akov.”

My brothers and sisters, did you follow that passage?

Today, when you tell someone, a woman for example, that if a man comes to her to be her husband, she must first seek the face of GOD regarding this marriage and that she and the man must marry before living together, it becomes a problem. Some will tell the woman not to follow this advice. But when you take a wild pigeon, if you don’t clip its wings, sooner or later it will fly away…

And how many times have we seen people get married and then say, “I regret this marriage. I’m going to ask for a divorce”? But if there was no marriage, does the man who wants to end the relationship need to go to court to ask for a divorce? No! My sister, he will throw you away like a banana peel!

You don’t see far ahead, but look at Jacob/Israel, your Father in faith: he didn’t fight as much as Esau. Everything was done for him. It was his mother who overheard the conversation between Isaac and Esau and told him about it. It was his mother who sent him to his father after preparing the dish. It was also his mother who took the skins of the goats to cover certain parts of Israel’s body. And it was still she who went into Esau’s room to take his clothes and dress Israel. What did Jacob do? And it was his mother who poured the food into the dish and sent Jacob to his father Isaac to eat it. Jacob brought the dish to his father. And when Isaac heard Jacob’s voice, he said, “It is Jacob’s voice.” But because of the Promise linked to the birthright before GOD, because of GOD’s Covenant whereby the birthright is linked to GOD’s Blessing, Israel blessed Jacob. You cannot separate these two elements, the Birthright and the Blessing that comes with it.

We, as Christians, must remember that JESUS CHRIST has already paid everything on the Cross in our place. He died for us and gave us the Holy Spirit. He purified us and took upon Himself the Curse that was meant for us.

JESUS CHRIST took the Church to be His Bride. This means that the Church, in the Eyes of CHRIST, is like a Woman. A Woman who prepares food for her Husband, a Woman who serves her Husband, etc.

All this is to say that our GOD is the GOD of Covenants, the GOD of Promise. And that is our Guarantee. Yesterday, you heard what the man of GOD said, referring to the Book of Matthew. He said that JESUS CHRIST told us not to make promises. Why did He say that? Because He knows that people are false! But He, JESUS CHRIST, made us a promise that He kept and that led Him to the Cross.

Hebrews 7:21 declares : but Yeshua became a cohen [priest] by the oath which God swore when he said to him, “Adonai has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a cohen forever’”.

When we present the Word of GOD as it is, many call us “evil”! The Levites mentioned in the Bible are today called the Servants of GOD. The Levites of that time became Levites without an oath! Do we understand each other? GOD called them, and they served Him. But JESUS CHRIST became a Priest with an Oath! Through a Commitment or a Covenant. If there had been no Oath, He could have turned His back. But because there was this Oath, He did not back down.

Today, if a couple is married and the man is caught with another woman outside, the police can arrest the adulterous man and take him to prison. Why? Because of the commitment made at the time of marriage. When there is a Covenant through marriage before GOD, if the man wants to turn away from it, GOD will strike him!

Some people prefer the commitment made through the dowry, but this commitment can be broken. On the other hand, if the commitment is made at the town hall, the law is enforced…

Unfortunately, today, many people enter into relationships without commitment, without a covenant. These types of relationships should rather be seen as a “pastime”…

Do you realize that JESUS CHRIST redeemed you with His Blood? It is the Blood of a new Covenant! Do not engage in sexual relationships without a promise, without a covenant, without marriage! There will be no guarantee without this marriage! Know that if you engage in unions outside of marriage, if you die in this state, you will go to Hell! Because you are in the category of “fornicators.” Fornication is having sexual relations outside of marriage.

As long as GOD is not a witness to your commitment, it has no validity in His Eyes… That is why Jacob, as a wise man, insisted that his son Joseph swear before the Lord. Similarly, Abraham made his servant swear, with his hand under his thigh and by the Lord, not to take a wife for his son Isaac from among the Canaanites, but rather from his own country and his own people (Genesis 24:1-4). Jacob and Abraham insisted that GOD be Witness to these commitments.

Let us read Joel 4(3):2 :

I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Y’hoshafat [Adonai judges]. I will enter into judgment there for my people, my heritage Isra’el, whom they scattered among the nations; then they divided my land.

This passage teaches us that GOD will judge all those who have attacked Israel in this way… 

Let us continue with Deuteronomy 10:12-14 :

 ¹² “So now, Isra’el, all that Adonai your God asks from you is to fear Adonai your God, follow all his ways, love him and serve Adonai your God with all your heart and all your being; ¹³ to obey, for your own good, the mitzvot and regulations of Adonai which I am giving you today. ¹⁴ See, the sky, the heaven beyond the sky, the earth and everything on it all belong to Adonai your God.

It is true that Satan is there, but it is the Sovereign GOD who rules over everything! If you serve GOD, if you keep His Word, you will be happy! And He will be your GOD, your Father! For the Earth belongs to Him and everything in it.

And what does Deuteronomy 11:13-17 tell us?

¹³ “So if you listen carefully to my mitzvot which I am giving you today, to love Adonai your God and serve him with all your heart and all your being; ¹⁴ then, [says Adonai,] ‘I will give your land its rain at the right seasons, including the early fall rains and the late spring rains; so that you can gather in your wheat, new wine and olive oil; ¹⁵ and I will give your fields grass for your livestock; with the result that you will eat and be satisfied.’ ¹⁶ But be careful not to let yourselves be seduced, so that you turn aside, serving other gods and worshipping them. ¹⁷ If you do, the anger of Adonai will blaze up against you. He will shut up the sky, so that there will be no rain. The ground will not yield its produce, and you will quickly pass away from the good land Adonai is giving you.

How should you serve GOD? With all your heart… And GOD will grant you His Grace. You will live a long life. GOD will remove sickness from your life and protect you.

Israel is the land of GOD, the people of GOD. We have just read this in the Book of Joel. It is GOD who said it! And GOD will judge the nations that seek to scatter Israel! 

Genesis 12:3 declares about Israel : “I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed”.

Likewise, you who are a child of GOD, those who curse you will also be cursed by GOD, and those who bless you will be blessed by GOD… Even if you don’t open your mouth! Those whom GOD has blessed can never be cursed by anyone!

If you are a child of GOD, as Israel is the people of GOD, know that you are valuable in His eyes. Because of His Word, because of His Grace. Even if you are going through difficult times today, you must know that it will pass! Why? Because GOD has plans for your life! If you look at and dwell on your difficulties today, you will become like Esau!

The Word of GOD is very beneficial. It is important that you trust GOD. Talk to Him and He will do something special for you. If you have not kept your promise, ask GOD: “Lord, it is ignorance, but grant me Your Grace, open my eyes so that I may know Your Word.” You will see what the Lord will do…

To my brothers who have done nothing for their wives, we will accompany you in prayer so that you may marry and stand firm before the Lord.

And for the entire Body of CHRIST, the Church, you and I in CHRIST, it is a matter of being and remaining the Bride of the MESSIAH, YAHSHUA…

Receive this Word in the Name of YAHSHUA.

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