Session 1: What is God’s Promise?Main Passages:

◦ Genesis 12:1-3Referenced Article:

◦ “The Living God is a Missionary God” by John Stott (pg2-8 of Chap 1)

Questions to be answered:◦ What is the difference between the command of

God and the promise of God?◦ How does the promise of God relate to the purpose

of God?◦ What is the progressive fulfillment of God’s

promise?◦ What is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise?

God’s Promise Reveals His PurposePurpose:

◦God’s Command: The command has to be fulfilled by men but we

can not complete as it is intended for we are not perfect. (Romans 3:21; Isaiah 53:6)

◦God’s Promise: The promise is fulfilled by God. God will

complete as it is promised for He is faithful and powerful. (I’ll~)

God chose to fulfill His purpose through His personal and powerful promise given to mankind (Romans 1:16)

Triple BlessingPeople (Genesis 11:31; 13:14-

15; 15:7)Land (Genesis 15:5-6; 17:5)Blessing (Genesis 12:2-3; 17:7-

8)

The Progressive fulfillment of God’s promiseIt has triple fulfillments:

◦Past: Immediate historical fulfillment◦Present: Intermediate Gospel

fulfillment◦Future: Ultimate fulfillment

Immediate Fulfillment of God’s promiseGod promised to multiply His

people◦Abram (Genesis 17:1-7)◦Isaac (Genesis 26:6)◦Jacob (Genesis 32:12)◦Hebrew slaves in Egypt (Exodus 1:7)◦People of Israel in the time king

Solomon (1 Kings 3:8)

God promised to bring His people blessing.◦Abram (Genesis 12:2) – “I will bless you and make your name great. And you will be a blessing”

◦ Isaac (Genesis 26:3) – “I will be with you and bless you”

◦ Jacob (Genesis 31:13) - “go back to land of your fathers and I will be with you”

God promised to bring His people to a promised Land.◦Abram (Genesis 12:1) -“to the land He

will show”◦ Isaac (Genesis 26:3) – “I will give all

these land to you and your offspring”◦ Jacob (Genesis 31:2) – “go back to land

of your fathers ~”◦Israelites while they were slaves in

Egypt (Exodus 3:6; Hebrews 11:8-16, 39-40)

Intermediate fulfillment of God’s promise

God promised to make all people His people without any discrimination. (people)◦By the blood of Abraham

Started by Abraham (Matthew 1:1 ~)◦First for the Jews, then for the Gentiles

(Romans 1;16)◦By the faith in Jesus Christ

By the Gospel (Ephesians 3:6) By the promise of God (Romans 9:6-8) By the faith in Christ (Romans 4:9-12)

God promised to bring His people into the Sabbath rest, God’s rest. (Land)◦Become heir of the world by faith

(Romans 4:13)◦Enter into the Sabbath (Hebrews 4:7-

11)

God promised to bless all Gentiles by save them in Christ. (Salvation)◦According to the promise to Abraham

(Galatians 3:8)◦The blessing is the salvation by the

righteousness (Galatians 3:11)◦The salvation comes by the faith in

Christ (Galatians 3:14)

Ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise

People: Great multitudes, every tribes, people, and tongues (Revelation 7:9)

Land: God’s throne (revelation 7:14-15)◦A land irrigated from the springs of living

water (Revelation 7:16-17) Blessing: He shelter them with His

presence (Revelation 20:14-21:1-4)◦Their wilderness days of hunger, thirst, or

scorching heat are over.

God is-God is God of History

◦He is the Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13)

God is God of Blessing◦He is determine to bless all the families

of the earth by save them all who believe in Christ (Genesis 12:3; John 3:16)

God is God of Mission ◦He always keep His promise in His time

(Hebrews 11:13)