Series: God's Promises, Our Journey
Title: "How can we be sure God will keep his promises?"
Scripture: Genesis 15:7-21 NIV
Jeremiah 34:17-20
Galatians 3:13-16
Bottom Line: Our confidence in God’s promises rests in His character, His competency, His covenant, and His Christ.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
OUTLINES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MAIN REFERENCES USED
My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.
⸻
INTRODUCTION
The Wedding Vow
Most people understand contracts, but marriage vows are closer to biblical covenant.
In a wedding, two people stand before witnesses and promise faithfulness:
“For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.”
Those vows mean:
“I am committing myself to you even if circumstances change.”
Now imagine a wedding where only one person says the vows.
Imagine the groom saying:
“Even if you fail me, I will remain faithful to you.”
That would be startling.
But that is essentially what happens in Genesis 15.
Abram prepares for a covenant ceremony. He would have expected both parties to pass between the pieces. Instead, Abram is put into a deep sleep, and God alone passes through.
God is saying:
“Abram, this promise finally rests on Me.”
That is how we can be sure God will keep His promises.
Not because we are so faithful, but because He is.
⸻
CONTEXT
Genesis 15 comes in the middle of tension.
God has already promised Abram land, offspring, and blessing. But Abram still has no son. Sarai is still barren. The land is still occupied.
So Genesis 15 is about the space between promise and fulfillment.
And in that space, God does not rebuke Abram.
He reassures him.
Last week in Genesis 15:1, God said, “I am your sovereign/shield.”
Now in verses 7–21, God shows Abram WHY He can be trusted.
⸻
Bottom Line: Our confidence in God’s promises rests in His character, His competency, His covenant, and His Christ.
SERMON
Genesis 15 has two halves:
• Verses 1–6: the promise believed
• Verses 7–21: the promise guaranteed
Last week we focused on Abram believing God.
This week we focus on God guaranteeing His promise.
3 BIG TRUTHS
1. God reminds Abram who He is and what He has done (v. 7)
“I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
Before God explains what He will do, He reminds Abram who He is and what He has already done.
That is important.
God builds Abram’s confidence in the future by reminding him of His character and His track record.
Two anchors are right there in verse 7:
• Who God is: “I am the LORD”
• What God has done: “who brought you out of Ur”
God often strengthens our faith the same way.
When we struggle to trust His promises, He points us backward before He points us forward.
He reminds us:
• I am the LORD
• I have been faithful before
• I will be faithful again
Application
When your faith is weak, start here:
• Remember who God is
• Remember what God has done
Our confidence in God’s promises grows when we look at His character and His past faithfulness.
⸻
2. God’s covenant promise depends on His faithfulness, not Abram’s performance (vv. 12–17)
This is the heart of the passage.
Abram prepares the covenant animals. In that world, both parties would normally walk between the pieces. It was a solemn way of saying:
“May this happen to me if I break this covenant.”
But Abram never walks through.
Instead:
• Abram is put into a deep sleep
• God alone passes through the pieces
The smoking firepot and blazing torch represent the presence of God.
So what is God saying?
He is saying:
“Abram, I am taking full responsibility for this covenant.”
This promise rests finally on My faithfulness, not yours.
That does not mean Abram’s faith does not matter. It does. But the covenant is not secured by Abram’s perfection. It is secured by God’s commitment.
That is why Abram’s later failures do not cancel God’s promise.
Simple way to say it
Abram receives.
God guarantees.
Illustration
It is like an inheritance.
A father prepares something for his children.
The children do not create it.
They do not negotiate it.
They receive what the father establishes.
Genesis 15 shows us that God is building a covenant family, and Abram is receiving what God creates.
Application
That is good news for us.
If God’s promises depended mainly on our consistency, we would all be in trouble.
But the covenant rests on God’s faithfulness.
⸻
3. This covenant ultimately points to Jesus (Galatians 3; Lord’s Supper)
Genesis 15 does not end with Abram. It is foundational. It points forward to Christ.
Think again about the covenant ritual.
Animals are cut apart.
The covenant maker passes between them, saying in effect:
“May I bear the curse if this covenant is broken.”
In Genesis 15, God takes that oath upon Himself.
So the big question becomes:
If people fail God again and again, who will bear the covenant curse?
The answer is Jesus.
Galatians 3:13 says:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”
Galatians 3:16 says the promises were ultimately centered in Christ.
So Genesis 15 is pointing ahead to the cross.
At the cross:
• God keeps His promise
• God bears the curse
• God secures salvation for His people
What God symbolized in Genesis 15, He fulfills in Jesus.
God said, in effect, “I will bear the cost.”
And at the cross, He did.
That is why Genesis 15 is one of the clearest foreshadowings of the gospel in the Old Testament.
⸻
CONCLUSION
So how can we be sure God will keep His promises?
Because in Genesis 15, God does three things:
• He reminds Abram who He is & what He’s done
• He guarantees the covenant Himself based on His willingness to die for our failures
• He points us forward to Jesus
So when you struggle to trust God, remember:
• Look at His character
• Look at His past faithfulness
• Look at the cross
The cross is the ultimate proof that God keeps His word.
⸻
LORD’S SUPPER TRANSITION
As we come to the Lord’s Table, we remember that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise.
At this table we look back and remember:
• Christ has died
• Christ is risen
• Christ will come again
The bread and cup remind us that God does not just make promises.
He keeps them.
Jesus said in Luke 22 that the cup is the new covenant in His blood.
So today we come not trusting in our faithfulness to God, but in God’s faithfulness to us through Christ.
Bottom Line: Our confidence in God’s promises rests in His character, His competency, His covenant, and His Christ.
CLOSING APPEAL
So what is God saying to you today?
Perhaps He is saying:
• Stop measuring My faithfulness by your circumstances
• Remember who I am
• Remember what I have done
• Trust My Son
And what will you do about it?
Will you trust Him again?
Will you rest in His faithfulness?
Will you come to the table grateful that Jesus has secured what you never could?
Amen.
Series: God’s Promises, Our Journey
Title: How Can We Be Sure God Will Keep His Promises?
Scripture: Genesis 15:7–21
Jeremiah 34:17–20
Galatians 3:13–16
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
Luke 22:14–20; 28–30
Hebrews 8:8–12
Bottom Line: Our confidence in God’s promises rests in His character, His competency, His covenant, and His Christ.
⸻
INTRODUCTION
The Wedding Vow
Most people understand contracts, but marriage vows are closer to biblical covenant.
In a wedding, two people stand before witnesses and promise faithfulness:
“For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.”
Those vows mean:
“I am committing myself to you even if circumstances change.”
Now imagine a wedding where only one person says the vows.
Imagine the groom saying:
“Even if you fail me, I will remain faithful to you.”
That would be startling.
But that is essentially what happens in Genesis 15.
Abram prepares for a covenant ceremony. He would have expected both parties to pass between the pieces. Instead, Abram is put into a deep sleep, and God alone passes through.
God is saying:
“Abram, this promise finally rests on Me.”
That is how we can be sure God will keep His promises.
Not because we are so faithful, but because He is.
⸻
CONTEXT
Genesis 15 comes in the middle of tension.
God has already promised Abram land, offspring, and blessing. But Abram still has no son. Sarai is still barren. The land is still occupied.
So Genesis 15 is about the space between promise and fulfillment.
And in that space, God does not rebuke Abram.
He reassures him.
Last week in Genesis 15:1, God said, “I am your sovereign/shield.”
Now in verses 7–21, God shows Abram WHY He can be trusted.
⸻
Bottom Line: Our confidence in God’s promises rests in His character, His competency, His covenant, and His Christ.
SERMON
Genesis 15 has two halves:
• Verses 1–6: the promise believed
• Verses 7–21: the promise guaranteed
Last week we focused on Abram believing God.
This week we focus on God guaranteeing His promise.
3 BIG TRUTHS
1. God reminds Abram who He is and what He has done (v. 7)
“I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
Before God explains what He will do, He reminds Abram who He is and what He has already done.
That is important.
God builds Abram’s confidence in the future by reminding him of His character and His track record.
Two anchors are right there in verse 7:
• Who God is: “I am the LORD”
• What God has done: “who brought you out of Ur”
God often strengthens our faith the same way.
When we struggle to trust His promises, He points us backward before He points us forward.
He reminds us:
• I am the LORD
• I have been faithful before
• I will be faithful again
Application
When your faith is weak, start here:
• Remember who God is
• Remember what God has done
Our confidence in God’s promises grows when we look at His character and His past faithfulness.
⸻
2. God’s covenant promise depends on His faithfulness, not Abram’s performance (vv. 12–17)
This is the heart of the passage.
Abram prepares the covenant animals. In that world, both parties would normally walk between the pieces. It was a solemn way of saying:
“May this happen to me if I break this covenant.”
But Abram never walks through.
Instead:
• Abram is put into a deep sleep
• God alone passes through the pieces
The smoking firepot and blazing torch represent the presence of God.
So what is God saying?
He is saying:
“Abram, I am taking full responsibility for this covenant.”
This promise rests finally on My faithfulness, not yours.
That does not mean Abram’s faith does not matter. It does. But the covenant is not secured by Abram’s perfection. It is secured by God’s commitment.
That is why Abram’s later failures do not cancel God’s promise.
Simple way to say it
Abram receives.
God guarantees.
Illustration
It is like an inheritance.
A father prepares something for his children.
The children do not create it.
They do not negotiate it.
They receive what the father establishes.
Genesis 15 shows us that God is building a covenant family, and Abram is receiving what God creates.
Application
That is good news for us.
If God’s promises depended mainly on our consistency, we would all be in trouble.
But the covenant rests on God’s faithfulness.
⸻
3. This covenant ultimately points to Jesus (Galatians 3; Lord’s Supper)
Genesis 15 does not end with Abram. It is foundational. It points forward to Christ.
Think again about the covenant ritual.
Animals are cut apart.
The covenant maker passes between them, saying in effect:
“May I bear the curse if this covenant is broken.”
In Genesis 15, God takes that oath upon Himself.
So the big question becomes:
If people fail God again and again, who will bear the covenant curse?
The answer is Jesus.
Galatians 3:13 says:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”
Galatians 3:16 says the promises were ultimately centered in Christ.
So Genesis 15 is pointing ahead to the cross.
At the cross:
• God keeps His promise
• God bears the curse
• God secures salvation for His people
What God symbolized in Genesis 15, He fulfills in Jesus.
God said, in effect, “I will bear the cost.”
And at the cross, He did.
That is why Genesis 15 is one of the clearest foreshadowings of the gospel in the Old Testament.
⸻
CONCLUSION
So how can we be sure God will keep His promises?
Because in Genesis 15, God does three things:
• He reminds Abram who He is & what He’s done
• He guarantees the covenant Himself based on His willingness to die for our failures
• He points us forward to Jesus
So when you struggle to trust God, remember:
• Look at His character
• Look at His past faithfulness
• Look at the cross
The cross is the ultimate proof that God keeps His word.
⸻
LORD’S SUPPER TRANSITION
As we come to the Lord’s Table, we remember that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise.
At this table we look back and remember:
• Christ has died
• Christ is risen
• Christ will come again
The bread and cup remind us that God does not just make promises.
He keeps them.
Jesus said in Luke 22 that the cup is the new covenant in His blood.
So today we come not trusting in our faithfulness to God, but in God’s faithfulness to us through Christ.
Bottom Line: Our confidence in God’s promises rests in His character, His competency, His covenant, and His Christ.
CLOSING APPEAL
So what is God saying to you today?
Perhaps He is saying:
• Stop measuring My faithfulness by your circumstances
• Remember who I am
• Remember what I have done
• Trust My Son
And what will you do about it?
Will you trust Him again?
Will you rest in His faithfulness?
Will you come to the table grateful that Jesus has secured what you never could?
Amen.
NOTES
Numerology
1. The Difference Between 3 and 7
3 — Divine Witness or Divine Action
Three often signals that God himself is acting, confirming, or revealing something.
It frequently appears where God’s activity or testimony is emphasized.
Examples:
• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob — the patriarchal line.
• Jonah three days in the fish (Jonah 1:17).
• Jesus raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4).
• Peter’s threefold restoration (John 21:15–17).
In simple terms:
3 = God’s action or divine testimony.
It often marks a moment when God steps into history.
7 — Completion / Covenant Fulfillment
Seven signals completion, sacred fullness, or covenant perfection.
It often appears where God brings something to its intended completion.
Examples:
• 7 days of creation (Genesis 1–2).
• Sabbath on the 7th day.
• Sevenfold covenant symbolism in several passages (e.g., Genesis 21:28–31).
• Seven seals, trumpets, bowls in Revelation.
In simple terms:
7 = God bringing something to completion or covenant fullness.
A Helpful Way to Distinguish Them
Number Core Idea Function
3 Divine action / witness God stepping in
7 Divine completion God finishing what He started
So you might say:
• 3 = God acts
• 7 = God completes
2. The Number 2 Is Very Relevant in Genesis 15 as well
The Biblical Principle
Deuteronomy 19:15
“A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Ancient covenants normally involved two parties walking between the pieces (a self-maledictory oath):
“May what happened to these animals happen to me if I break this covenant.”
What Makes Genesis 15 Unique
Normally two covenant partners would walk the path.
But in Genesis 15:
• Abram does not walk through the pieces.
• Only God passes through (symbolized by the smoking firepot and flaming torch).
It means:
God takes the entire covenant obligation upon himself.
In other words:
• God is both witness and guarantor.
• Abram receives the promise by faith (Genesis 15:6).
3. How the Numbers Work Together in Genesis 15
Interestingly, several symbolic numbers converge here.
2 — Witness / Covenant Testimony
God acts as the covenant guarantor.
3 — Divine Action
The covenant ritual itself emphasizes God’s direct intervention in Abram’s story.
5 Animals (Genesis 15:9)
• Heifer
• Goat
• Ram
• Turtledove
• Pigeon
Some see 5 here as grace, though that connection is less certain.
⸻
4. The Real Theological Point
The numbers serve the story, but the story drives the meaning.
Genesis 15 shows:
• Abram believes (15:6)
• God guarantees the promise himself (15:17–18)
Which is exactly how Paul interprets the passage in Romans 4 and Galatians 3.
You could summarize it for preaching like this:
In Genesis 15, God doesn’t just make a promise to Abram—He walks the covenant path alone, declaring that the fulfillment of His promise ultimately rests on Him.
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