Our human experience teaches us how fragile promises can be. Especially with children, a single broken promise can give rise to doubt that will linger long after an apology is offered. Because of this, we often mistakenly project our uncertainty onto God, assuming that His promises are likely to falter in the same way ours do.
Scripture, however, consistently presents a very different picture. From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals Himself as faithful, unwavering, and utterly dependable. One of the clearest demonstrations of this faithfulness appears in the book of Exodus, where God fulfills a promise made centuries earlier and proves that His word never fails.
God’s promise to Abraham was both specific and far-reaching. He declared, “I will make you into a great nation… and all the families on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2–3, NLT). Later, God formalized this promise through a covenant, assuring Abraham that his descendants would inherit a land of their own (Genesis 15:18, NLT). Yet the fulfillment of this covenant did not come quickly. Abraham’s descendants would spend generations in Egypt, eventually falling into brutal slavery. From a human perspective, it may have appeared that God had forgotten His word.
Exodus tells the story of God’s decisive intervention at precisely the right time. Scripture says, “God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Exodus 2:24, NLT). It is important to note that this “remembering” does not mean that God had “forgotten” his promise but instead signals God’s commitment to act. Even after four hundred years, God’s promise remained fully intact. Paul later affirms this truth when he writes, “God always keeps his promises” (Romans 15:8, NLT).
The Israelites’ suffering in Egypt only heightens the significance of God’s faithfulness. They endured harsh labor and dehumanizing oppression. Pharaoh’s fear of their growing numbers led to a genocidal decree: “Throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River” (Exodus 1:22, NLT). Despite this intense darkness, God’s promise could not be extinguished. He declared to Moses, “I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them, and I am aware of their suffering” (Exodus 3:7, NLT). God was not distant or indifferent; He was attentive and compassionate.
God’s deliverance of Israel stands as a dramatic confirmation of His faithfulness. Through mighty acts of judgment, He freed His people from slavery, declaring, “I will free you from your oppression and will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment” (Exodus 6:6, NLT). He also reaffirmed His covenant purpose: “I will bring you into the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Exodus 6:8, NLT). Every step of the exodus demonstrated that God does exactly what He says He will do.
The faithfulness revealed in Exodus is not an isolated event; it reflects God’s unchanging character. Scripture states plainly, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind” (Numbers 23:19, NLT). Joshua echoes this truth after Israel settles in the promised land: “Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled” (Joshua 21:45, NLT).
The New Testament shows that the same faithful God continues to work through Jesus Christ. Paul writes, “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’” (2 Corinthians 1:20, NLT). The deliverance from Egypt becomes part of a picture of a greater salvation: freedom from sin and spiritual darkness. Jesus proclaimed, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:36, NLT). Paul expands on this promise, saying God sends believers “to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light… and receive forgiveness for their sins” (Acts 26:18, NLT).
Ultimately, God’s faithfulness encourages us to trust, especially when fulfillment feels delayed. Hebrews reminds believers, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise” (Hebrews 10:23, NLT). The exodus, and many other examples in scripture, assures us that time, hardship, and human failure cannot undermine God’s word. He may work patiently and purposefully, but He never forgets. From Abraham to Moses to Christ, Scripture consistently proclaims a singular truth: God is faithful, and every promise He has made will surely be fulfilled.
“Standing on the promises of Christ my Lord” is a great hymn to sing right now!
Blessings on you and yours, Jim Black
P.S. if you’d like to read previous ruminations of mine they can be found at https://blog.salvationarmyconcordca.org