Yahweh's Promises... For Whom?

There are two primary concerns for the average, modern Christian reader of today’s text. The majority of us that have grown up within common evangelical beliefs, have been told "doctrinal facts" that would remove us from this text being applicable to us today.

1. First and foremost, this specific promise is stated to the house of Israel. We know this from verse one where Yahweh clearly states “O, Israel” and then He speaks verse two. On the other side of today’s verse, we read “For I am Yahweh your Elohim, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (verse 3)

2. The second issue is that this promise is assuming that we will be within major trials. The flowing waters of a river and the intense heat of fire shall not harm us. As the Bible always does, It even gives us specific examples of this exact promise. The Exodus (of course) is one of safety and deliverance WITHIN the waters and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah WITHIN the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).

So, we must be careful to casually state this verse as “for us” if we do not fit the biblical criteria for the promise. Are we willingly remaining IN the waters? Are we readily walking INTO the fires of life? And, most of all, do we even know who we are, in Messiah? Are we truly grafted into the house of Israel or not? One is either in covenant and thereby bound to covenantal conditions, or he is not. Father’s promises are not for those who are not His.

As I’ve been saying a lot as of late – we cannot rightly claim the promises for Israel (such as today’s verse) and then deny the covenantal requirements for Israel that parallel them. This is unbalanced, unfair and simply unbiblical. To pick and choose what to adhere to is simply not covenant behavior.

Also, modern teachings that completely oppose this text must be addressed. Generally, if one is in a trial, it is labeled "the devil" and is not for your good. Avoidance of situations that are hard, for our testing is what is taught. Despite Yeshua being our example of a suffering servant, we have been instructed that one in Messiah is "more than a conqueror" and should not have times of river and fire.

Finally, let us be ones who are truly willing to read Father’s Word and place ourselves within It. It is not merely some “encouraging quotes to live by” book to make us feel hopeful towards life. Within It, we will discover Who we are and thereby, what we are to be doing and most importantly, Yahweh’s covenantal promises to those who love Him. (John 14:15) For this commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away. (Deut. 30:11) For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)