What are the greatest promises God made before Christ?
God did not wait until Bethlehem to start promising. In Eden He promised an offspring who would crush the serpent; to Abraham He swore a seed and a blessing for every family on earth; through Moses He promised a prophet like Moses; to David He swore an eternal throne; and through the prophets He promised a new covenant, a new heart, His own Spirit, and a servant who would carry sin away. Every one of those promises finds its yes in Christ, which is why the New Testament keeps reporting that the old promises were kept in Him.
This question arose from studying Is the whole Bible about Jesus? and Why did God call Abraham?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The first promise was made in a garden, to a guilty couple
Before there were covenants, kings, or prophets, there was a sentence spoken to a serpent: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” Judgment had just fallen, and inside it God announced a future deliverer. Every promise that follows is an unfolding of this one, and the bruise on the heel tells you from the start how much the victory will cost.
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
He swore to Abraham a seed and a blessing for every family on earth
God told Abraham that “all of the families of the earth will be blessed in you,” and then, after the test on Moriah, He sealed it with an oath: “I have sworn by myself... All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your seed.” Paul notices that the promise speaks of a singular seed, “which is Christ,” and Hebrews explains why God swore by Himself: there was no one greater, so the oath rests on God's own unchanging character. That is the promise the whole Bible is tracking.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
and said, “I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your seed, because you have obeyed my voice.”And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn’t say, “To seeds”, as of many, but as of one, “To your seed”, which is Christ.Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
He promised a prophet like Moses and an eternal throne for David's son
Moses told Israel that God would raise up “a prophet from your midst, of your brothers, like me,” and that they must listen to Him, a promise Peter later applies directly to Jesus. To David, God swore something even larger: “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” The prophets saw the shape of it, a child born with the government on His shoulders and a kingdom with no end “on the throne of David,” and a ruler coming out of tiny Bethlehem “whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.”
Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from your midst, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”’”And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
He promised a new covenant, a new heart, His Spirit, and a suffering servant
The deepest promises are internal. Through Jeremiah God said, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it,” and added the sentence no sacrifice could accomplish: “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.” Through Ezekiel He said, “I will also give you a new heart... I will put my Spirit within you.” Joel promised that this Spirit would be poured out on all flesh, not just on prophets and kings. And Isaiah drew the portrait no one could have guessed: a servant “pierced for our transgressions,” on whom “Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all,” who would “justify many” and “bear their iniquities.”
Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them.A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
“It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Every promise finds its yes in Christ, and the oath makes it sure
Paul states the rule plainly: “however many are the promises of God, in him is the ‘Yes.’” Christ came, Romans says, “that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,” and those promises do not expire, because “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Hebrews says God's oath gives us “strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.” And the door is open to everyone: “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.” The old promises are not merely history you admire; they are an inheritance you receive by faith.
For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Explore further
What is the gospel?→The Gospel trail“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”How is the new covenant different from the old one?→Jesus Christ trail“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your seed, because you have obeyed my voice.”And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”’”And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Worth visiting