Word of Promise

28/01/2011


I'm sure all of you have had fun with word studies from the scriptures. Well, this week I got struck by the usage of another word that we hear a lot these days, and that is the word "promises." The following scripture from 1 Kings 8:56 caught my attention: "Blessed be YHVH, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised [Hebrew "da'bar" meaning speech, word, speaking]. There has not failed one word ["di'bar"] of all His good promise ["dabar], which He promised ["da'bar"] through His servant Moses" (emphasis added). What I found interesting, is the connection between YHVH speaking a word through Moses, or any of the prophets, and the revealing of it in the words and life of Yeshua, and the writings of the apostles. Thus, one could say that the "word" is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and when it comes to pass, it is always a revelation of YHVH's speech. "For all the promises [d.b.r] of Elohim in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of Elohim through us"… "who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of Elohim, and the promises" [word, speech] (2 Corinthians 1;20; Romans 9:4, emphasis added). Notice that Paul was addressing "Israelites." Why didn't he use "Judahites" (Jews) instead?



When writing to the foreigners, aliens, strangers, those scattered in the nations Peter uses a very interesting word: "parepidemos" (1 Peter 1:1). The meaning of this word is very important, for it reveals YHVH's faithfulness to keep His promises, or the word that He spoke to the forefathers. Hence "parepidemos {par-ep-id'-ay-mos} is one who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives." We know that Peter was sent to the Jews, who were foreigners in the nations. But this apostle also uses excerpts from scriptures that had been specifically written to the House of Joseph/Israel (compare 1 Peter 2:10 with Hosea 1:10). He declared that the believers he was writing to, both Jews and non-Jews came from the same race - "a chosen race a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9 – Exodus 19:6). As far as YHVH's word is concerned, these are the recipients of the promises (ref. Romans chapter 4; Galatians 3:18; Hebrews 6: 13, 17).



"Only YHVH had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day," Deuteronomy 10:15). Both Paul and Peter knew the identity of these believers/aliens out in the nations. This means that an Israelite, living in any country or nation other than his own, would be classified as a "foreigner." The apostles also knew that the word [d.b.r] of Elohim equaled the promises that were being fulfilled in the lives of the believers from the nations. In very simple terms - His words or promises do not fail: "Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise [Here the Hebrew word is "oh'mer"; meaning speech, word, saying] failed forevermore? (Psalm 77:8). Because YHVH is His Word [d.b.r] He cannot deny Himself (see 2 Timothy 2:13). Would He change His mind after He spoke out the promises (root "dabar")?



It is therefore very sobering to read Paul's exhortation to those who have received the promises: "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of Elohim" (2 Corinthians 7:1).