Unshakeable Promises (Hebrews 6:17–18)

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
– Hebrews 6:17–18

That is a loaded sentence—rich words and phrases. But let me boil it down into a simple summary that leads us to pray and, I hope, deeply encourages you today, which is precisely the purpose of these verses.

Hebrews 6:17–18 reveals that God cannot lie and never fails his people.

Verse 18 says that God speaks in this way “so that we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement.” That is what I’m praying these next couple of minutes will bring—a strong encouragement to your soul.

Hebrews 6:17 says God has a purpose for your life that is unchangeable. You are free from meaninglessness in this world. Your life—and everything in it, even the hard things, even the situations that make you ask “Why is this happening?”—is not random. God has an unchangeable purpose, and Scripture tells us his purpose for his people is always good. Nothing can overturn it.

And not only is his purpose unchangeable, but his promises are unchangeable. Verse 18 says, “It is impossible for God to lie.” So when God says, “I have a good purpose for your life and every detail in it,” you really can trust him. When God promises to be with you, to help you, to strengthen you, to provide for you—he does not lie. He cannot lie. He is entirely faithful to every promise.

If God’s purposes cannot change and his promises cannot fail, then you can have strong encouragement today to “hold fast to the hope set before you.” You can cling to hope because God himself is holding you with unshakable faithfulness.

Hebrews 6:17–18 shows why God’s truthfulness strengthens our faith.

O God, we praise you for who you are. We praise you that it is impossible for you to lie. We praise you that all your promises are true and that you are faithful to every single one of them. You are our rock in a world of uncertainty, in a world filled with things that are fake and false. You alone are true and utterly trustworthy.

We praise you for your promise that you are working all things together for good—for our good and for the good of all who trust in you. So we say yes, O God. We have fled to you for refuge, and we find strong encouragement today.

God, I pray this over every person listening right now: that by the power of your Word and your Spirit, they would feel strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before them. Not necessarily to feel great about every circumstance—many are grieving, hurting, or walking through difficult days. But may they hold fast because of your character, your promises, and your good purpose for them.

Help us lead others into this same encouragement. God, help us build up other brothers and sisters in Christ today with this truth. Help us lead unbelievers toward this same hope by pointing them to faith in Jesus.

A Prayer for the Gulf Bedouin People

And we pray for the nations. We pray for the Gulf Bedouin people of the UAE—221,000 men, women, and children, most of whom have never heard the truth about Jesus. God, we pray they would be reached with the unchanging truth of your love—that you sent your Son to die for their sins so that, through faith in him, they might have everlasting life.

May it be so among the Gulf Bedouin, even as we live today in the strong encouragement that comes from your unchanging promises and purposes.

We pray this in Jesus’ name, according to Hebrews 6:17–18. Amen.