PROMISE (prOrn'Is), (Hebrew, some form of aw-mar', to say, or daw-bar, to speak; Gr. oh, announcement).
I. An engagement to bestow some benefit (2 Pet. ii :19) ; so God's promise is his declaration of his readiness to bestow his favors on men (1 Kings viii :56).
2. The good thing promised ; so the Holy Ghost, in his saving and miraculous operations, is the promise of the Father (Acts i :4). Eternal life in heaven is called the promises; it is the thing promised in many of them (Heb. vi :12). The promise to the Jews and their seed, and everyone called by the gospel, is God's offer and engagement to be their God, and to make them his people (Acts ii :39).
(1) How Made. The promises of God are either absolute, i.e. their fulfillment depends on no condition to be performed by us; and, to manifest the exceeding riches of God's grace, these are gener ally directed to men, as sinful, guilty, polluted, hard-hearted, poor, ungodly, etc. (I Tim. i :15 ; Is.
i :18 ; xliii :25 and lv :6, 7; Zech. xiii :1, 8, 9; Ezek. xxxvi :25-29; Is. XlVi :12, 1,3; Ps. lxxii :12-14 ; Jer. xxx :22 and xxxi :33) ; and some of them, as the promises of Christ's incarnation and death, have properly no condition at all ; or conditional when the fulfillment depends on some act or quality in us.
(2) To What They Pertain. Some promises relate to outward things ; as health, strength, food, raiment, peace, comfort, success to men and to their seed (Prov. iii :7, 8; Ps. ciii :5 and xxxvii: 3; Job xi :18, 19; Prov. :24 ; Ps. CXXViii :2, 3; Dem. x :18 ; Job v :24 ; Ps. xci :to and cxxi :8; Dent. xxviii :4, 5, 12; Ps. i :3 ; ciii :17 ; cii :28 ; 16 and xxxiv :12, 13; Is. lvii :1 ; Prov. x :7, 22; Ps. xxiii :5, 6; Job xxii :24-26 ; Deut. viii :to; Joel ii :26; Gen. xii :2; Dent. xxvi ). Some prom
ises relate to God's preventing, moderating, and shortening afflictions, supporting them under, and delivering them from afflictions, and bringing good out of them (Ps. cxxi :7 ; Job v:19; Is. xxvi :8; Jcr. xlvi :28; Ps. xxv :3 ; Mark xiii :19, 2o; Gen. xv ; Ezek. xi :16; Ps. xxxvii :24 ; 1 Cor. xii :9; Is. xliii :2; Ps. xli :3 ; Dent. vii :Is; Exod. xxiii: 25; Matt. xix :29 ; x :39 ; and V:II, 12; 1 Pet. iv : 19; Ps.xii :5 and lxviii :5 ; Jcr. xxxiii :3 ; Is. 9; Ps. xcvii :it ; Zech. xiii :9). But the principal promises relate to spiritual good things; as, union to Christ (Hos. ii :19, 20; Is. liV :5) ; of the Spirit (Ezek. xxxvii :27 ; Prov. :25) ; justification ( Is. i :18 ; xlii :25 ; xliv :22) and (Ay :24. 25 ) ; adoption (Jer. :19 ; 2 Cor. vi :18) ; sanctification, change of heart, and life (Ezek. xi :19, 20) and 26, 27) ; spiritual knowledge (Prov. ii :3-6 ; Jas. i :5) ; faith (John vi :37 ; Eph. ii:8) ; repentance (Rom. xi :26; Ezek. xvi :62, 63) and (xx :43) ; love to God (2 Thess. iii :5; Dent. xxx :6) ; filial fear of God (Hos. iii :5; Jcr. xxxii :39, 40) : new obedience (Dent. xxx :8) ; hope (2 Thess. ii :16 ; Rom. xv :4) ; peace and joy ( Is. lvii :18, 19) and (xxvi :3 ; Ps. lxiv :to) and ( xcvii :11, 12) ; and unfailing perseverance in a state of grace (Jer. xxxii :39, 40; John iv :I ; xvi :19) and (x :27, 28) ; a happy death (Rev. xiv :13) ; and eternal happi ness (Is. xxxv:Io; 2 Tim. iv :8). Some promises are permanent, fulfilling in every age ; and others are periodical, fulfilled in certain particular pe riods: and thus are prophecies, as they foretell what is future; but promises, as they secure the bestowal of good.