Hello and welcome to Enbolden, living a bold Christian life. I'm Chris Shatter, an ordinary Christian living with and learning about an extraordinary God. Hello friends, today's Hold the Line Promise is hosted by my daughter Madison Doolie. Enjoy.
The scripture reading for today comes from Isaiah 5410. In a surge of anger, I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness, I will have compassion on you, says the Lord your Redeemer. To me, this is like the days of Noah when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to review you again, though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you.
I recently stumbled upon these verses while doing a study of Genesis. As you read above, verse 9 discusses the days of Noah and recounts the covenant God made with Noah after the flood waters receded. Noah then built an altar in remembrance of all from which God had delivered him. In witnessing Noah's obedience, God established a covenant of peace with Noah, promising him that never again would he wipe out all of mankind in anger.
This comes from Genesis 8 verses 20 through 22. When God called Noah to build the ark and spared his family from the worldwide destruction, God extended Noah a lifeline of love. Because he had compassion on Noah and truly loved mankind, God created a way out of death by giving Noah clear guidance for surviving the flood. God showed Noah that while yes sin had entered the world and man was disobedient, that he still loved his creation.
We often get caught up on God's wrath by sending the flood in the first place. Mass destruction and death seems a bit harsh, but if God was so harsh, then why did he save Noah? He could have wiped out all of mankind on earth and started over, but his steadfast love for Noah and his offspring prevailed. God showed Noah that no matter how bad things get on earth, his lifeline of love would always be there for those who trust in him in complete obedience.
That lifeline shown to Noah is Jesus. When the Lord states in Isaiah 5410 that his steadfast love shall not depart from you, he is talking about his son Jesus. You see from Noah until now, we as believers all still hold on to the same lifeline that Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David held on to. The covenant God established with all those men was the covenant of his son.
The promise that one day there would be complete restoration of all sinners who call in his name and that those holding on to that lifeline of his steadfast love would all be brought into the glories of heaven. Though 2020 has seemed like a worldwide disaster, think again. There will be a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord because of the power of God they see all around them. God's steadfast love for us believers never expires.
We have the eternal hope of God's love forever into eternity. First John 4 10 says, this is love not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Until then we hold fast to his lifeline of love. We hold fast to the God that established his covenant with ordinary people like Noah, Abraham, and you and me.
Through his son Jesus Christ, he once again established his eternal love with us until the day we see him again. God's love is abundant to those who trust him. He cares for us and loves for us as his children. Are you resting in that truth today?
Have you accepted your side of the covenant with God? Isaiah 43, says, since you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you, I will give an exchange for you, nations, and exchange for your life.