The God Who Keeps Promises – The Old Testament Roots of Hope: Lesson 2

Pr Enos Mwakalindile
Aug 23
5 min read

Anchored: The Living Hope in Christ for a Broken World

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”— Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

A raised hand showing a peace sign against a blue sky, conveying a peaceful and calm mood.

Introduction: When Promises Feel Out of Reach

Have you ever counted on someone, only to feel the sting of disappointment? Our world is littered with forgotten vows, broken contracts, and friendships left behind. Some carry wounds that never seem to heal—scars from promises made in love, business, or leadership that were never kept. In a culture of half-truths and shifting allegiances, it’s easy to wonder: Is anyone truly faithful?

Yet the biblical story invites us to stake our hope not on human reliability, but on the God whose word is unbreakable. Today, let’s journey back to the ancient roots of hope—where every generation discovered that real hope is possible only because God keeps His promises.

Hope is not wishful thinking, but a response to the unshakable faithfulness of the Promise-Maker.

🔍 Hope Rooted in God’s Character and Story

From Genesis to Malachi, the backbone of hope is not the strength of human faith but the reliability of God’s word. The Hebrew word emet—faithfulness, reliability, truth—describes God’s character. When He speaks, it is done. When He promises, it stands through centuries.

Abraham heard God’s call in a world darkened by brokenness and idolatry. When God said, “Go… I will bless you… I will make you a blessing” (Genesis 12:1–3), Abraham stepped out, not because he knew the details, but because he trusted the character of the Promise-Giver. Israel’s long story—through slavery, wilderness, kingdom, exile, and return—is the record of a God who remains steadfast, even when His people fail.

Covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David were more than agreements—they were divine invitations to trust. And when Israel stumbled, God sent prophets to remind them: "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips" (Psalm 89:34). Through every high and low, hope survived not by Israel’s faith, but by God’s faithfulness.

Biblical hope is shaped by the relentless faithfulness of God through every season of history.

The Promises That Shape Our Hope

A God Who Remembers and Delivers:

“I have surely seen the affliction of my people... and I have come down to rescue them.” (Exodus 3:7-8)

The exodus from Egypt is the story of hope coming alive. God is not a distant observer but a present Deliverer. When the cries of suffering rise, God responds—not in theory, but in tangible rescue. Hope is not abstract, but embodied in God’s acts of salvation.

God’s promises show up in real history, not just in spiritual slogans.

A Covenant That Holds Through Every Storm:

“Though the mountains be shaken... yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken.” (Isaiah 54:10)

Israel’s journey was filled with wandering, rebellion, and exile. Yet even when mountains move and nations fall, God’s steadfast love—His hesed—remains. His word outlasts every storm. This is the hope sung in exile, prayed in prison, whispered by the weary.

Hope stands because God’s love is stronger than any circumstance or failure.

Prophetic Promises of Restoration:

“I will restore to you the years the locusts have eaten.” (Joel 2:25)

The prophets looked beyond judgment to the dawn of restoration. Even in ruins, God promises to revive, to renew, to return what has been lost. His promises bring hope into the most devastated hearts and places.

Summary: Even in loss, hope remains because God is the Restorer.

The Promise of a New Heart and Spirit:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

God’s promises are not just for external change but for inner transformation. Hope is not just about getting out of trouble, but becoming new people. God works from the inside out—healing, renewing, making us whole.

True hope transforms us at the deepest level, not just our situations.

The Promise of a Coming King:

“The days are coming… when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch.” (Jeremiah 23:5)

Through every dark chapter, God’s promises point ahead to the Messiah. Jesus, the Righteous Branch, fulfills every longing—bringing the hope of God’s kingdom to earth. Every promise finds its “Yes” in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20).

All hope finds fulfillment in Christ, the ultimate promise-keeper.

🔥 Life Application: Trusting God’s Promises Today

Identify Broken Promises: All of us have faced moments where promises were broken and trust was shattered. Don’t just bury that pain—bring it to God in prayer, and let honesty before Him become the soil where hope can grow.
Remember God’s Track Record: Take a moment to look back at your life—or the great stories of Scripture—and notice those times when God did what He said He would do. Let those memories be like fuel for your faith when the path gets dark.
Claim a Promise: There is a promise in God’s Word for every season of your life. Find that verse, meditate on it until it shapes your perspective, and let it become the melody your heart sings—whether in joy or in waiting.
Walk with Others: You were never meant to carry hope alone. Reach out, tell someone what God has done for you, or share a verse that’s lifting you up—sometimes your testimony is exactly what someone else needs to keep going.
Hold Fast in Waiting: Sometimes waiting feels endless and God’s timing confusing, but remember—waiting with hope is not weakness, it’s trust in the One who always comes through. Patience is the quiet strength of a heart that knows God keeps His word.

Hope matures as we remember, believe, and share God’s promises—even when waiting is long.

🛤️ Mindful Practice: Living the Promise

Start with Prayer: Each morning, pause and offer this simple prayer: “Lord, help me trust your promises more than my fears.” In those quiet moments, remind yourself that faith begins not in strength, but in surrender—laying every uncertainty before God’s unfailing Word.
Scripture Anchor: Pick one promise from Scripture that speaks to your season. Commit it to memory, and when doubts come knocking, repeat those words until your soul remembers you’re standing on solid ground.
Community Sharing: Don’t keep hope to yourself—bring it to the circle. Gather your friends or family, invite each person to share a promise they’re holding onto, or a story of God’s faithfulness. Pray together for trust that endures, because hope multiplies when we journey together.
Journal the Journey: Start a journal, writing down prayers, hopes, and every answered prayer or moment of grace. As your pages fill, you’ll see a tapestry of God’s faithfulness, reminding you that every step, even the slow ones, moves you deeper into hope.

Hope is nurtured through prayer, Scripture, and honest sharing with others.

🙏 Final Prayer & Benediction

Faithful God, Keeper of every promise, root us deep in your unchanging word. Where we doubt, strengthen us. Where we falter, lift us. Make us witnesses of your faithfulness in every season. Send us as bearers of hope, because you never fail. In the name of Jesus, Amen.