He has given us His very great and precious promises. 2 Peter 1:4
Notice that Peter not only describes the promises as being “great”, but “very great”; he tells us they are “precious” and that God has given them to us.
Think of their Source. The source of any promise is very important, but when God makes a promise, we can be absolutely sure He will honour His word. We may make a promise and have every intention of keeping it, yet we may be prevented through no fault of our own. But there are no conceivable circumstances which can prevent God from honouring His word of promise. When God makes a promise, it is based upon His sovereignty and His character.
Think of their size. God’s promises are described as “very great”. The Greek word is megistos, the superlative of megas. Since megas means ‘great’, you can picture the idea inherent in the superlative megistos, which means greatest, exceedingly great or preeminent. The KJV says He has “given unto us exceeding great and precious promises”. God, the Source “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” and is “able to make all grace abound” towards us. When we consider the content of God’s promises and the great blessing they offer, then at once we see how very great they are. He not only gives us peace but the promises of perfect peace. He not only promises His forgiveness but He will remember our sins no more. He not only gives us life but the promise of life to the full.
Think of their significance. He has given these precious promises to us. We are the recipients. The previous verse states that He has given us “everything we need for a godly life”. There is such provision in these precious promises. God has given us His promises – and in them He has given us everything we are going to need for time and eternity. John Bunyan, who spent much of his life in a prison cell, came to know well these precious promises of God and wrote:
The pathway of life is strewn so thickly with the promises of God that it is impossible to take one step without treading upon one of them.
Can you think of a biblical promise which is very special to you? Remember 2 Corinthians 1:20:
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)