“Promises and pie crusts are made to be broken.”
—Jonathan Swift, 18th Century Author
You may know Swift from his book, Gulliver’s Travels about the man who ended up in a land full of little people. And while Swift may be the one who said the quote about promises and pie crusts, he certainly isn’t the only person who believes it.
We can rest easy knowing that NONE of God’s promises are ever broken, though! Over and over, we read about the fulfillment of God’s covenants, His promises, with His people. One of the most important is His covenant with Abraham.
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1–3
God’s covenant with Abraham is where the nation of Israel began. Through Abraham, his son Isaac, and grandson Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel, God’s chosen people, will be born. But it isn’t just this one nation whose hope was found in God’s promise. God ends His covenant with Abraham by saying, “In you ALL the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Later in Genesis, God explains what He means.
“And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” Genesis 22:18
Someone in the line of Abraham will be a blessing to all the nations. The hope of the whole world could be found in his descendant. Who could that be?
If we follow the line of Abraham in Matthew 1, we can find our answer, and the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham, in Jesus!
[1] The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
[2] Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, [3] and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, [4] and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, [5] and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, [6] and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, [7] and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, [8] and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, [9] and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, [10] and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, [11] and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
[12] And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, [13] and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, [14] and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, [15] and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, [16] and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. Matthew 1:1–16
We know that Jesus is the Christ because He fulfills so many of God’s promises and prophecies, like this one. The Messiah, the blessing and hope of the world, had to be Abraham’s offspring, and He was. The Apostle Paul said, “To them (Israel) belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 9:5)
Not only is Jesus a man and an Israelite, but He is also God over all! Let us rejoice in His coming 2000 years ago to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham.
Family Activities
Here is a fun song to watch and sing with your children by Andrew Peterson:
Even though it is not Thanksgiving anymore, I encourage you to enjoy some pie for dessert and discuss how while sometimes our promises are broken, God’s promises are never broken! I am sure you can find some on sale at the grocery store or you could make a pie as a family! 🙂
