Title: Let's Believe in God's Promise
Content 1. Words that begin
Most of the church members want God's promises and other words to come true when and in the way they want. Then, if you do your best to obey the Word and it doesn't come true right away, you may lose the courage to obey the Word or be skeptical about the Word itself. This serious problem arises because we do not recognize that the Word of God must be done in God's time and His way. This problem is also seen in Moses, who was chosen as an instrument by God to save Israel from Egyptian oppression. After several attempts, Moses, who failed to overcome God's force and went to Pharaoh in Egypt, said, "Because I came to Pharaoh and spoke in the name of the Lord, he mistreats this people more, and you do not save your people! Sinai,” he complained.
2. God Reaffirms His Promise to Moses
Moses was not worthy of a gentle and kind answer from God. However, our infinitely merciful Heavenly Father reaffirmed His promise to forgive the sins of Moses and his people and to deliver as He had decided. When the Egyptian king, who heard God's first command to liberate Israel through Moses, abused the Israelites to the extreme, and Moses fell into extreme difficulties and embarrassment, God reaffirmed his promise even more strongly. “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh will drive them out of the land by adding a strong hand.”
Although we have obeyed the word of promise, there are times when the situation only gets worse instead of being realized immediately as we think. However, I hope that you believe in God's promises and persist in following them. There is a saying in the Western proverb that ‘man’s ultimate is God’s opportunity’. Dear all! When we are on parole, believe that it is the time for God to work in earnest, and wait for God's power.
3. God's Promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
God assured Moses, who was disappointed and complained that his obedience to the word of promise was of no avail, that His promise was not only immutable, but that He would surely fulfill it in due time. The name ‘Jehovah’, which God calls himself, is a name used especially in the covenant relationship with the people, indicating that He is a God who always keeps the covenant and provides salvation. God's promise to Moses was to give the land of Canaan to the forefathers of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the Almighty God, El Shaddai, but without revealing the name of Jehovah, to them and their descendants. that it did. Therefore, now we hear the moans of Israel, who are slaves in Egypt, and remember your covenant. In other words, it means that you will fulfill your promise in detail.
Everyone, please believe and rely on the Lord God, who has promised us salvation and abundant blessings, as El Shaddai, the Almighty God.
However, while groaning over money, there are many church members who turn away from Almighty God and believe in and follow the rich. Instead of praying and believing that Almighty God will heal you through medicine, a doctor, or a miracle, while groaning from a dying disease, there are church members who forget the omnipotence of God and cling to human means and methods. With life problems that are difficult to solve, there are many church members who put aside Almighty God and follow only experts and powerful people. However, there is no real solution other than the Almighty God, who transcends death and gives eternal life. In Isaiah 2:22, it says, “Do not lean on the man; his breath is in his nostrils. Where is it worthy to be numbered?”
No matter how good a married couple is, ultimately they must believe and follow the Almighty God, who will surely fulfill the promise of salvation, and not trust and follow their spouse too much. There is a funny story that satirizes the couple these days.
In a family living in an apartment building, when his wife died, the husband muffled his voice and wept very bitterly. When the day finally came to go to the burial ground, my husband sobbed and warned the workers to be careful as the stairs were narrow. However, he went down too carefully and ended up dropping the coffin. At that moment, the coffin lid opened with a rattling sound, and the wife came to life. Then my husband, who wept and watched, said, "That's why I told you to be careful!" and shouted.
There was a husband who believed in his wife, saying, “Only my wife is different from other women.” I was living a good life, but my husband fell ill. The white pill became invalid and he finally died. The children are paying attention to the will, but the wife is really saying, “What if I leave you?” Weeping mournfully while repeating the sound. Finally, the husband's eyes, who had lost focus, were closed and his head fell to the side. At that moment, my wife said, “No! Honey! Let’s go together, we go together.” and cried. But the husband, who he thought was dead, took his wife's hand and said, "Okay, let's go together." Then the wife jumped and waved her hand, saying, “I can’t go! Why am I going?” and shouted.
Gentlemen, it is good to love your wife or husband too much, but it is not good to trust too much. A spouse is also a life in which the breath is in the nose. Please believe that the only person we will ultimately trust and follow is the Almighty God, who hears our groans and remembers the covenant of salvation and blessing.
4. God's promise to give the Exodus and the land of Canaan
The God of promise, Almighty God, commanded Moses, who was shaken by the rejection of the people of Israel, to go back and deliver his promise. In other words, with an outstretched arm and a great plague, you will save them from the oppression and toil of Egypt, and make them your people, and you will be their God. Not only that, but the land of Canaan, which he swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, would be given as an inheritance. What we need to note here is that the name ‘Jehovah’ is used over and over again, meaning that God must keep His promises to provide salvation.
No, God sent His only begotten Son to take the sins of the world and die on the cross as promised, and save us who believe in Him from sin, death and destruction. Also, please believe that He has promised us eternal heaven.
5. The people who do not listen to Moses and the repeated command of God
Hearing God's command, Moses went and delivered the word of God's promise to the Israelites, but they did not listen to Moses because of their broken heart and the harshness of history.
Pharaoh was furious because Moses said it was a command from God and told Pharaoh of Egypt to liberate the Israelites, so he mistreated the Israelites and made the brick-bake work more harsh than before to set a good example. It was impossible for the people who knew all these facts to follow the promises of salvation and blessings from Moses and God who came to him again. However, since he was a slave in the midst of humiliation and oppression, did he not believe and obey Moses, who preached God and his promises?
Moses also expressed his will to give up his mission, saying that he was a man with a dull mouth because the people did not listen to him. However, people's refusal to listen is no reason to disobey God's command. Knowing all the negative circumstances, God repeatedly commanded Moses to go and tell the Israelites and Pharaoh of Egypt.
6. Conclusion
All of you who are living with many problems, you must remember that God works to make it happen at any cost, works to make it happen at any cost, and works to make you live no matter what. In the end, He is the One who allows us to enjoy eternal life beyond death. That God is Jehovah God, who promises us salvation and abundant blessings, and will surely fulfill it in due time. No matter how bad things get, I earnestly pray that you will gain eternal heaven by believing in God's unchanging promises and persistently following them.
(Poongseong Methodist Church. Book: Complete New Testament Commentary Series/ Interpretation of difficult scriptures/ Prayer of Prosperity/ Salvation before the birth of Jesus/ Sermonbook 17. 426-3051)