Title: The Lord's Promise
Contents
A few years after coming here from Canada, my family and I went to an IMAX movie theater. However, it doesn't have a more flattering taste than the IMAX movie I saw at the 63 Building in Seoul, Korea. Why? I've been thinking about it myself. As you know, here in Canada is a huge land. As I often encounter such wide and magnificent scenes in real life, I think the grandeur of IMAX movies is naturally less.
In particular, the sky here in Canada feels wider than the sky in Korea. The reason is that the air here in Canada is much cleaner than in Korea. You can also see more of the sky with a field of view that is wide enough to see the horizon. And here in Calgary, compared to Vancouver or Toronto, it's less humid, and it's located at the foot of a mountain 1000 meters above sea level, so you can see more of the sky. As a result, we often see beautiful sights unfolding in the wide sky.
Having lived here for a long time, I have developed a habit of looking at the sky often. However, there are times when I suddenly feel good when I look up at the sky. It was when I saw nothing but a rainbow. When I see a rainbow like a painting in the wide sky, I often feel an overwhelming emotion in my heart. What's more, it's even better to see the double rainbow appear so big and clear.
Maybe everyone will feel good when they see a rainbow. Have you ever seen a rainbow and suddenly felt sad and just wanted to cry? He is someone who needs to undergo a mental evaluation. Children and the elderly, men and women, everyone, unless you're mentally ill, feels good to see a rainbow. "Hey- It's a rainbow! and return to the world of the child's heart.
However, people who believe in our God feel good when they see a rainbow, not just because the color and shape of the rainbow are beautiful. Because the rainbow contains God's promises. In other words, the rainbow is the symbol of God's promise that he will never again judge the world with water. Shall we recall the promise of God contained in the rainbow once more?
"I will make a covenant with you, and I will never again destroy every living thing by a flood. There will be no more flood to sink the earth. God said, I will make a covenant between me and you and all living creatures with you for ever and ever. This is the proof of this: I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and this is the proof of my covenant with the world. When I cover the earth with a cloud and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I will break my covenant between me and you and all living creatures. Remember, never again will the waters become a flood that destroys all living beings” (Genesis 9:11-15).
Some people say this while listening to this sermon. "God has broken his promise. If you look at it today, don't many people die due to floods all over the world? Moreover, a few years ago, didn't a tsunami in Indonesia wiped out hundreds of thousands of people? So, the world was destroyed by floods. The God who promised with a rainbow that he would not judge is the one who broke the promise himself."
How can we answer these words, folks? You can answer like this. "Of course, if you look at history, there have been many localized floods. So many people died. But God did not break the promise. Because Noah's Flood was a global flood, and God promised to destroy all living things. It is a promise that there will never be another global flood that kills, but local floods are still allowed today."
Some people say that Noah's Flood was a local flood, but there are those who do not believe that Noah's Flood in the Bible was a global flood. But look at the rainbow promised by God. The rainbow is God's promise that "I will never again cause a worldwide flood to destroy all people and animals." In other words, the rainbow also proves that Noah's Flood was a global flood.
God showed the rainbow to Noah, his family, and the beasts who survived the worldwide flood. The rainbow means promise. Think about it. Noah's family and beasts who survived the terrible worldwide flood said, "Isn't this going to be destroyed by another flood?" fear will arise. God did not want Noah's family and the animals to live in this fear. In other words, he showed them the rainbow as a promise to shake off their fears.
In other words, God's specific promise contained in the rainbow is "Do not be afraid." In the Bible, God speaks to us countless times. "Don't be afraid." Nevertheless, human beings have countless worries and fears. Moreover, uncertainty in foreign lands brings more worries and fears to us. Each time, we must hold onto the word of God's promise and shake off our worries and fears.
However, as humans live a busy life, sometimes they do not remember God's promises. Therefore, God is reminding us of that promise by placing rainbows in the natural world. Dear brothers and sisters, God promises us today. “Fear not. I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Gentlemen, we refer to the Bible as the Old Testament and the New Testament. That is, the old promise and the new promise. God made promises in the past, and He is the God of promises today. And he is a faithful person who has kept that promise and keeps it. Are you worried about breaking God's promises to you? Is there anyone who is openly worried, saying, "You can't pay a missed check after God promised..."? I pray that you will once again hold on to the word of God's promise and shake off such worries and concerns.
This is Hebrews 10:23. “And he who promised is faithful, let us hold fast our hope, not shaken, for the promise of the Lord is not slow, as some consider slowness, but is patient with you, so that no one perishes, but that all repent.” (2 Peter 3:9) “All the promises of God are yes in Christ, so that through him we say Amen to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Ladies and gentlemen, we humans make promises and sometimes fail to keep those promises. Because human ability is not capable of keeping that promise. But God is not an incompetent God who cannot keep his promises. God made a promise to Abraham, the father of faith. “Abraham, leave your country and your relatives and your father’s house and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you. And whoever curses you, I will curse, and all peoples of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3).
It was because of God's bright and heartbreaking promise that Abraham was able to leave his hometown at the age of 75 and emigrate to an unknown world. Without this promise of God, Abraham would never have emigrated to a foreign land in his old age. God's promise to him was hope. His promise was a great courage for Abraham.
But holding on to God's promise and emigrating, he met a famine there. He was also ashamed of having his wife taken away. And Lot, his nephew, also suffered tribulation as a prisoner of war. There was also a family problem caused by the quarrel between the mother and the second wife. Moreover, the son God promised to give to Abraham, who had no descendants, was not fulfilled at all, even when Abraham was 99 years old after 24 years passed.
What the hell is this? Has God forgotten his promise? Or is it because God can't keep his promise, so he sneaks out? Or did Abraham hear God's promise wrong from the beginning? Why is God's promise not being fulfilled? 24 years have passed, and Abraham is 99 years old, so why is God's promise not fulfilled?
At this point, an ordinary person might have said, "Hey, it's God's promise and I don't need it. I don't believe in God anymore." However, "Abraham believed in hope, in hopelessness, the God whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls things that do not exist as though they were. When he was a hundred years old, he believed even though he knew that his body was dead and that Sarah's womb was dead. He did not grow weak, nor did he have faith, so he did not doubt the promises of God, but was steadfast in his faith, giving glory to God and being convinced that he was able to accomplish what he had promised.” (Romans 4:17-) 21, Hebrews 6:15)
Also, the Bible says, "Sarah, Abraham's wife, also grew old and gave birth, but through faith she gained strength, knowing that the One who promised was faithful" (Hebrews 11:11). In other words, in order to obtain the promises of God, we must endure trials and persevere. Regarding this, the Bible says: "Blessed is the one who endures temptation. After being approved in this way, he will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12) to receive the promise after doing the will of will” (Hebrews).
10:36)
Gentlemen, God's promises are not slow as some think they are slow. In due time, God will surely fulfill his promises. So never let your faith weaken, backtrack, or give up. Rather, like Abraham, firmly believe in the promise and be patient with it, and receive the promise. When the time is right, God's promises will surely come true.
Everyone, I want to ask you. What promise has God made to you? Are there people who say that God has not made any promises to me? Please read the Bible, the Book of Promise, once again. And I hope you believe in the many promises contained in it. In particular, I want you to believe without any doubt in the eternal life and heaven that He promised to give when we believe in Jesus Christ. Also, I pray that you will receive the Holy Spirit and blessings of the promise that you will give when you believe in Jesus Christ.
Especially in Matthew 6:33, there is this promise of the Lord. "Seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." I pray that you will enjoy the blessings and happiness you receive in addition to all these things as you believe in Jesus in this foreign land and seek His kingdom and His righteousness first.