Overview:
Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, Micah 5:2
God keeps His promises. It is reassuring to all of us that whenever we read of a promise in the Scriptures, we can be certain of this: He will keep His word! One of the reasons we know this is that some of those promises were made and kept during the time when Scripture was being written. Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2 are classic examples of this truth. After seven hundred years, the promises of these two passages were fulfilled at the nativity scene in Bethlehem.
Jesus’ birth occurred at the precise time He planned, in the exact location His prophet had predicted, and it involved people He had sovereignly selected.
Christmas teaches us, if nothing else, to wait . . . to trust . . . to know for sure that, while others may not make good on their promises, God will never forget His promises.
Message Summary:
In “God Keeps His Promises,” Pastor Chuck Swindoll explores the unshakable reliability of God’s Word. By examining specific Messianic prophecies written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, Swindoll demonstrates that God’s promises are not mere intentions but guaranteed realities. This message focuses on the Nativity as the ultimate evidence that God works through precise timing, specific locations, and sovereignly selected individuals to fulfill His decrees. For the believer, this serves as a profound reminder to wait and trust, knowing that while human promises may fail, God’s promises never expire.
Message Key Facts:
- The Reliability of Scripture: Every promise found in the Bible is backed by the character of a God who cannot lie and whose power is sufficient to bring His Word to pass.
- Prophetic Precision: Isaiah and Micah predicted the nature and location of the Messiah’s birth over 700 years before the events took place.
- God’s Perfect Timing: The birth of Jesus occurred at the “fullness of time”—the exact moment God had planned from eternity past.
- Sovereign Selection: From the virgin birth to the humble town of Bethlehem, God orchestrated every detail to align with His prophetic declarations.
- The Lesson of the Nativity: The Christmas story is fundamentally a lesson in waiting; it proves that God’s silence is not the same as God’s forgetfulness.
Message References:
1. The Prophecy of the Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14)
Swindoll highlights the miraculous nature of God’s plan.
- The Sign Given: God provided a specific sign—a virgin conceiving—to demonstrate that the Messiah’s arrival would be a divine intervention, not a human achievement.
- Immanuel: The promise that God would be “with us” remains the core comfort for every believer today.
2. The Government of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6–7)
The Messiah was promised not just as a baby in a manger, but as a King on a throne.
- The Four-Fold Name: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace—each title describes the sufficient character of the promised Savior.
- The Eternal Kingdom: God promised a government that would increase without end, established on justice and righteousness.
3. The Significance of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
God often uses the “small” and “insignificant” to accomplish His greatest works.
- The Precise Location: Micah identified Bethlehem Ephrathah—a tiny village—as the birthplace of the One who would be Ruler in Israel.
- From Everlasting: The prophecy reminds us that while the Messiah was born in time, His origins are from “days of eternity.”
4. The Fulfillment at the Manger
Swindoll connects the ancient prophecies to the historical reality of the Nativity.
- The God of Detail: Because God kept His word regarding the birth of Christ, we can trust Him with the promises regarding His return and our eternal security.
Primary Scripture References
- Isaiah 7:14: The prophecy of the virgin birth and the name Immanuel.
- Isaiah 9:6–7: The description of the Messiah’s character and His coming kingdom.
- Micah 5:2: The specific prediction of Bethlehem as the Messiah’s birthplace.
- Galatians 4:4: The New Testament confirmation that Christ came in the “fullness of time.”
Practical Application
To live in the reality that God keeps His promises, you are encouraged to:
- Wait with Confidence: If you are in a season of waiting, use the 700-year gap between the prophecy and the Nativity as a reminder that God’s timing is perfect.
- Study the Promises: Familiarize yourself with the specific promises of God in Scripture so that your faith is built on His Word rather than your feelings.
- Trust the Details: Believe that God is working in the “small” details of your life (your “Bethlehem”) just as He worked in the details of the first Christmas.
- Anchor Your Hope: When others fail you, redirect your hope to the One who has a 100% success rate in keeping His Word.
