Remember God’s Promises

When the Israelites were preparing their children to enter the land that the LORD had given them, they started with God’s promises.

Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, "Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith. Then the LORD told him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession." (Genesis 15:5-7 NLT)

Abram was promised descendants so numerous that they could hardly be counted.

The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to Me and obeyed all My requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions." (Genesis 26:2-5 NLT)

Abram’s son, Isaac, was promised descendants “as numerous as the stars in the sky,” just like his father.

Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him, saying, "Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel." So God renamed him Israel. Then God said, "I am El-Shaddai--'God Almighty.' Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you." (Genesis 35:9-12 NLT)

When Isaac’s son, Jacob, was given the name “Israel,” God’s promises to his father and grandfather were repeated again.  He would be come a great nation – even a nation of nations.  These promises were fulfilled by the time they were set free from their oppressors in Egypt.  When the children were hearing stories about their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they could look around the camp and see millions of people all around them – just like the stars in the sky.

How about you?  Can you look around and see God’s faithfulness in your life?  Where have you seen God’s promises come true?