Are The Most High’s Promises Conditional?
A lot of people talk about the promises found in the Bible like they are automatic blessings for anyone. However, as you can tell when you take a closer look at the scriptures, there is much more to it than that. The Most High gave His promises to Israel, and to receive the benefits of that covenant, Israel had to follow the commandments of The Most High.
That is why it is so important to know that the Bible is not universal (as many claim today). The Most High has dealings with the Nation of Israel. All of the laws, statutes, promises, warnings, and blessings that The Most High gave to His people were covenant based. And all covenants are always conditional.
Israel Was Expected to Obey the Laws
When the Most High led Israel out of Egypt, He did not just give them promises of blessings without expecting anything in return. He let them know that in order to receive the blessings of The Most High, they had to obey the laws that He gave them.
Deuteronomy 28 is one of the most obvious examples of this. The Most High said to Israel; "If you listen to my voice, and keep my commands, I will bless you. You will be blessed in your cities. Your fields will be blessed. Your families will be blessed. And your land will be blessed." But on the other hand; "But if you refuse to listen to me, and disobey My Commands, I will bring you an evil curse."
So here again we find that the promises were never separate from responsibility. Israel could not continue to rebel against The Most High and expect covenant favor. The Most High is faithful, but He also expects faithfulness from His people. The Most High's promises are true, but they are not unconditional.
God's Blessings Were Always Tied To Righteousness
As we go throughout the scripture, we find the same patterns repeated over and over. When Israel walked obediently before The Most High, they prospered. When they went astray, and began to worship idols, and rebelled against The Most High, then judgment followed. We see this clearly in the times of the Judges, in the Kings of Israel, and in the warnings of the Prophets.
The problem was never that The Most High failed to fulfill His promises. The problem was always that Israel repeatedly broke covenant. Today, many people want the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they do not want the discipline, holiness, and obedience that is required to remain in covenant with The Most High. And the Bible does not allow for that division.
In order to be a member of The Most High, and to enjoy the promises of The Most High, yet reject His Commandments, is contrary to the Word of God. The covenant relationship between The Most High and Israel required loyalty, reverence, and submission to the Law of The Most High.
Later, Faith In Christ Was Also An Essential Condition
With the coming of Christ, the standard did not get easier. If anything, the requirement to submit to The Most High became even more defined. Israel was not only required to follow the Commandments of The Most High, but they were also required to believe in Christ, the promised Messiah. Rejecting Christ, therefore rejected the One whom The Most High sent.
That is why faith in Christ is so important. The Israelite that wanted to have life, blessings, and covenant inheritance had to both obey the Commandments of The Most High and to accept the Messiah. Faith in Christ was not to replace obedience, but to accompany it. Christ did not come to abolish the righteous standards of The Most High, but to fulfill prophecy and to call the Nation of Israel back into covenant truth.
Revelation 22:14 clearly states: "Blessed are those that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the City." Here again, the connection is made between blessing and obedience. The scripture does not indicate that salvation and rewards are separate from keeping the Commandments of The Most High.
The Promises Were for Israel
The message of the scripture is consistently the same. The Most High has dealings with Israel. The promises of The Most High are for His covenant people. The promises of The Most High are tied to obedience and, later, faith in Christ. That everyone receives the promises of the Bible regardless of covenant, conduct, or beliefs is not what the scripture says.
The promises are certain, but they are not careless. They are Holy Promises of The Most High to His chosen Nation. Israel was called to keep the Commandments of The Most High, to trust in His word, and to believe in Christ if they wanted to be blessed by the God of Israel.
To understand this is to understand the Bible more accurately. The blessings of The Most High are not random. The blessings of The Most High are covenant promises to Israel. These promises of The Most High come with covenant conditions.
Judith Asher, Author of *The True Hebrews* book series'