The Problem With Liars? They Always Try to Rewrite History

The Essence of God’s Promise

Let’s dive into the history of God’s promise in the Bible and unravel the Truth about the promise of God to Abraham. When God kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden, He didn’t just leave them high and dry. No, He gave Adam the promise with instructions to hand it down as a blessing until God finally fulfilled it in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This explains how the promise was passed down through generations.

The essence of this promise? That God would create “The Man” Jesus Christ in His Own image and likeness—the image and likeness of the Living Word of God that He is—and then create other members of “The Man” Jesus Christ in that same image and likeness. That’s what Moses is talking about in Genesis 1:26–30 when he says this:

[Then [God] said], “[Let Us make] [an Adam] [in Our Image], [in accordance with Our Likeness], [so that they may exercise authority] [over {the} Fish of] [The Sea] [and over {the} Flyer] [of The Sea of Waters] [and over {the} Beast] [and over all] [The Earth] [and over all] [The Crawling Things] [that crawl] [on] [The Earth].” [And [God] will create] [The Adam] [in His Image]. [In the Image] [of God] [He will create] [Him]; [Male] [and Female] [He will create] [them]. [Then [God] will bless] [them]; [and [God] will say] [to them], “[Bear fruit] [and become many], [and fill] [The Earth] [and subjugate her], [and exercise authority] [over The Fish of] [The Sea] [and over The Flyer] [of The Sea of Waters] [and over every] [living {soul}] [that crawls] [on] [The Earth].” [Then [God] will say]: “[Guess what!] [I have given] [you] [all] [{the} Vegetation] [that] {is} [on] [{the} Surface of] [all] [The Earth] [sowing] [Seed], [and] [all] [The Trees] [on] [which] {is} [{the} Fruit of] [a Tree] [sowing] [Seed]. [It will become] [Foodstuff] [for you], [and for every] [Animal of] [The Earth] [and for every] [Flyer] [of The Sea of Waters] [and for everything] [that crawls] [on] [The Earth] [in] [which] {is} [a [living] Soul]. [All] [verdant] [Vegetation] {is} [for Foodstuff].” [And it will be] [so].
(Genesis 1:26–30) —my interim translation

The Blessing of Abraham and the Heir of the Promise

The promise didn’t just sit around gathering dust. It was passed down from generation to generation until Noah became the heir of the promise, which is why his was the only family God saw fit to save from the Flood. As it’s written in Hebrews 11:7:

“By belief in God’s promise, Noah—who was reverent after being given divine communication about the things that were not yet seen—constructed a box for {the} salvation of his house; via which {box} he condemned the world and became an heir of the declaration of not guilty {that is} by belief in God’s promise.”
(Hebrews 11:7) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

After Noah, the promise made its way down to Abraham. God told him:

“[As for Me], [guess what!] [My Legal Agreement] {is} [with You],
[So You will become] [{the} Father] [of a Multitude] [of Nations].
[So [Your Name] will [not] be called] [Abram] [any longer];
[But [Your Name] will be] [Abraham],
[Because] [I will make You] [{the} Father] [of a Multitude] [of Nations].
[So I will make [You] bear fruit] [tremendously],
[And I will make You] [into Nations],
[And Kings] [will come out] [of You].
[Then I will confirm] [My Legal Agreement] [between Me] [and You] [and] [Your Seed] [after You] [throughout their Generations] [as an [eternally burning] Legal Agreement], [to be] [God] [to You] [and to Your Seed] [after You]. [Then I will give] [You]—[and Your Seed] [after You]—[The Land] [of Your Places of Sojourning]—[all] [The Land] [of Canaan]—[as [eternally burning] Inheritable Property], [and I will be] [their] [God].”
(Genesis 17:4–8) —my interim translation

This established God’s covenant with Abraham and became known as the blessing of Abraham.

Why Did God’s Promise Pass From Isaac to Jacob and Not Esau?

That’s where the story gets interesting:

• Abraham handed down the promise to Isaac, who was supposed to hand it down to Esau as the firstborn.
• But Jacob, the crafty usurper, stole the blessing.

This brings us to the story of Jacob and Esau, and raises the question: Why did God choose Jacob over Esau? God was perfectly fine with that because Jacob believed the promise and Esau didn’t. That’s why Esau despised his birthright, which was the birthright of the firstborn in the Bible.

As it’s written in Hebrews 12:16–17:

(c) not any sexually promiscuous or irreverent individual like Esau, who gave up his own birthright in exchange for one meal.

(i) For you are aware that even afterwards—when {he} wanted to inherit the blessing—he was completely rejected; for he did not find {any} place for an apology, even though {he} sought it with tears.

(Hebrews 12:16–17) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

The Significance of Jacob’s Blessing

Pay attention, because this is where the liars start trying to rewrite history. Jacob, instead of handing down the promise to just one heir like his father and grandfather had done, decided to bless all his sons. This event, known as Jacob’s blessing, even included adopting two of his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, making them his firstborn and second born in place of Reuben and Simeon.

At this point, you might be scratching your head, thinking, “How in the world can the promise be fulfilled if it’s divided among so many?” Well, that’s where God’s ways of doing the impossible come into play. You see, Jesus Christ had to become the Heir of the promise Who would inherit the promise and be in sole possession of the promise when God finally fulfilled it.

And that’s exactly what happened. As Jesus said in that parable about the landowner and the vine-growers:

“For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of the {living} God will be taken away from you and given to a nation who produces its fruits.”
(Matthew 21:43) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

Let me say something else for the benefit—or detriment—of the pious pulpit parrots who will vehemently disagree with what I have already told you: “You might think you understand what I’m talking about, but I can guarantee you don’t have a clue. You’re probably still clinging to your goofy god of unconditional grace, aren’t you?"

Well, let me lay it out for you in terms that even dullards should be able to understand:

• The promise is exactly the same as what was promised.
• It is the Living Word of God.

And if you start meddling with the Truth, you’re going to find yourself coming up short at the End.

As it’s written in Hebrews 6:4–6:

(a) For {it is} impossible for those who:

(i) have been provided light one time,
(ii) have both tasted the bequest of the One Who is in Heaven, and
(iii) have become partners with a Holy Spirit, and
(iv) have tasted:

(a) an exceptionally good statement made by God and then
(b) {the} supernatural powers of {the} age that is going to come, and

(v) have fallen aside, to restore {them} again to an apology—those who are crucifying the Son of the {living} God again for themselves and disgracing {Him} publicly!

(Hebrews 6:4–6) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

You see, if you tamper with the promise you received when you believed the Gospel, you absolutely cannot expect to inherit what was promised when the time comes for the fulfillment of the last part of the promise at the End of the Age. Why? Because the promise is what was promised. If you give up God’s promise just because you find it more comfortable to believe a lie, you will get exactly what you have chosen to believe.

Now, I know there are still a few of you—those whom God has rather facetiously chosen to call “The Many”—who will understand the things I have been called to explain. For your benefit, the author of the Book of Hebrews explicitly describes how you should treat the promise you have received:

(4) But we desire that every one of you present the same concern for others as evidence with regard to the absolute certainty of the hope up to the time of the consummation, so that you are

(a) not sluggish, but
(b) imitators of those who are going to inherit the things that were promised via

(i) belief in God’s promise and
(ii) patience.

(Hebrews 6:11–12) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

You see, God swore an oath to Abraham, saying, “While blessing, I will certainly bless you, and while increasing, I will increase you!” (Heb. 6:14) And God doesn’t lie. The promise of God to Abraham is the foundation of our faith. So, if you are one of those who have taken refuge to lay hold of the hope laid out before us, hold on to that promise no matter what.

How Was the Promise Passed Down from One Generation to the Next?

Now, let’s talk about how the promise is passed down. It’s not a family heirloom, but it is an inheritance. When Abraham became the heir of the promise, God confirmed it:

[Then [His Majesty] said] [to] [Abram]:

“[Go], [by Yourself],
[Away from Your Land],
[And away from Your Kinfolk],
[And away from {the} House] [of Your Father],
[To] [The Land] [that] [I will show You].
[Then I will make You] [into a [huge {number of}] Gentiles],
[And I will bless You];
[Then I will make [Your Name] great],
[And He will be] [blessed].
[So I will bless] [those who bless You],
[But [I will irrevocably curse] the one who considers You despicable].
[And [all] [{the} Families of] [The Ground] will be blessed] [in You].”
(Genesis 12:1–3) —my interim translation

And when it came time for Isaac’s turn to inherit the promise, God appeared to him and said:

“[You must [not] go down] [to Egypt]. [Reside] [in {the} Land] [that] [I tell you]. [Reside temporarily] [in [This] Land]; [and I will be] [with You] [and bless You] [when] [I give] [all] [These] [Lands] [to You] [and to Your Seed] [and confirm] [The] [Sworn Oath] [that] [I swore] [to Abraham], [Your Father].”
(Genesis 26:2b–3) —my interim translation

But here’s where the history of the promise gets really interesting. When Jacob stole the blessing from Esau, he didn’t just get a pat on the head. No, he got a divine visitation. God appeared to him in a dream and said:

“[I am] [His Majesty], [God of] [Abraham], [Your Father], [and God of] [Isaac]. {As for} [The Earth] [on] [which] [you have lain down], [I will give it] [to You] [and to Your Seed]. [Then [Your Seed] will be] [like {the} Dust] [of The Earth]; [and You will spread out] [toward {the} Sea], [toward Qedem], [toward Zaphon], [and toward the Negev]. [All] [{the} Families of] [The Ground] [will be blessed] [in You] [and in Your Seed].”
(Genesis 28:13b–14) —my interim translation

Now, you might be thinking, “Well, that’s all fine and dandy for those patriarchs, but what about me?” If so, consider this:

• The promise didn’t stop with Jacob.
• No, it continued right on down the line until it reached its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

The Promise of Abraham Is Fulfilled in the Bible

You see, all those generations of Israelites, all those centuries of history, were just leading up to one thing—the coming of the true Heir of the promise, Jesus Christ.

When Jacob blessed his sons, he wasn’t just giving them a nice sendoff. He was dividing up the promise among them. The blessing of Jacob set the stage for the future of Israel. And that’s where things tend to get a bit more difficult to understand. Because how can you have one Heir of the promise when it’s been divided up among twelve (or fourteen, if you count Ephraim and Manasseh) different people?

That’s where God’s mysterious ways come into play. Even though the promise was divided, it was still one promise. And that promise was destined to be reunited in one Person—Jesus Christ.

That’s what Paul is talking about in Galatians when he says:

(b) Yet the promises were spoken to

(i) Abraham and
(ii) his Seed. (He does not say, “and to seeds,” as to many, but as to one, “and to your Seed”—that is, the Anointed One.)

(Galatians 3:16) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

You Can Become an Heir of the Promise

Here’s the kicker—if you believe in Christ, you become an heir of that promise too. As Paul says:

So, if you {are} part of the Anointed One, then you are Abraham’s seed—heirs in accordance with a promise.
(Galatians 3:29) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

In this way, we are participating in the blessing of Abraham.

But don’t think that gives you license to take the promise lightly. No, if anything, it should make you even more careful about how you handle it. Because if you trample on that promise, if you despise it like Esau despised his birthright, you’re in for a world of hurt. That’s why the author of Hebrews warns us:

while overseeing {so that there is}:

(a) not anyone coming up short of the favor of the {living} God
(b) not any root of bitterness who causes {bitterness} to germinate above {ground}, {because} he would cause trouble and many would be defiled by it;
(c) not any sexually promiscuous or irreverent individual like Esau, who gave up his own birthright in exchange for one meal.

(Hebrews 12:15–16) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

The Importance of Holding Fast to God’s Promise

So what’s the takeaway from all this? It’s simple, really. The promise of God is a precious thing. It’s not something to be taken lightly or tossed aside. It’s something to be:

• cherished,
• believed,
• and held onto with everything you’ve got.

Because in the end, the promise is our only hope. It’s the anchor for our souls, as the author of Hebrews puts it (Heb. 6:18–20). It’s what gives us the courage to keep going when everything seems dark and hopeless.

So don’t be like those liars who try to rewrite history. Don’t be like the Pretenders who think they can twist God’s Word to suit their own purposes. Be like Abraham, like Isaac, like Jacob—believe the promise and hold onto it, because that promise is the key to everything. It’s the key to understanding God’s plan for history, and it’s the key to understanding your own place in that plan.

So what are you going to do with the promise? Are you going to cherish it, believe it, and live by it? Or are you going to despise it like Esau and end up weeping bitter tears when it’s too late?

The choice is yours. But remember, God doesn’t make promises lightly. And He always keeps His Word. So you’d better make sure you’re on the right side of that promise when the End comes.

Those who ignore this warning and keep on believing the lies they’ve been told will get exactly what they deserve. After all, they’re not called “children of darkness” for no good reason.

But for “The Many” who understand, hold fast to the promise. As it’s written:

So that—by two unchangeable things in which {it is} impossible for the {living} God to lie—we who have taken refuge to hold onto the hope that is lying before {us} would have a mighty encouragement, which {hope} we have as an anchor of our soul both certain and confirmed, and one that comes into the inner {side} of the curtain, where Jesus went in as a scout for our sake, after becoming a High Priest “in the age to come in accordance with the order of Melchizedek.”
(Hebrews 6:18–20) —Harper’s Standardized Study Bible

So there you have it. The problem with liars? They always try to rewrite history. But the Truth is right there in the Scriptures, provided you have eyes to see and ears to hear. Don’t be like the pious pulpit parrots who use the Scriptures as a dropping-off point for yet another ponderously pretentious Sunday sermon. Understand the Truth, believe the promise, and hold fast to it until the End.

And remember:

• if you tamper with the Truth,
• if you give it up so that you can believe a lie,
• you’re crucifying the Son of the Living God in yourself.

So don’t be a Pretender. That is, don’t be like Esau. Be one of “The Many” who understand and believe the promise. Because in the End, that’s all that really matters.

Key Takeaway and Conclusion

The key takeaway from this summary is: The promise started with Adam, got handed down through Noah and Abraham, almost got derailed by Esau, and finally found its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

But don’t think for a second that lets you off the hook. If you’ve inherited that same promise, you’d better treat it with more respect than Esau did his birthright. Because if you believe the lies the pulpit parrots are squawking, you’ll find yourself on the wrong side of God’s plan when the End comes.

Now, this summary’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re one of “The Many” who can handle the Truth, there’s a full ebook (PDF) waiting for you. It digs deep into the Scriptures, revealing more of the hidden meanings the pious Pretenders miss. And for those of you who want to keep seeking, our website has a treasure trove of free materials on our Online Library. The Truth’s is available, if you have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.