Recognizing God’s Faithfulness

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“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” These words of worship that begin Psalm 105 are surely familiar—and inspirational—to you in your faith. But what, exactly, is the psalmist asking us, as people of faith, to praise God for?

Psalm 105 praises God’s unshakable faithfulness, which we see in His covenant “forever, the promise He made, for a thousand generations” (v.8). The Bible wouldn’t ask us to praise a passing agreement or a conditional arrangement. This is an everlasting covenant, confirmed through “the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac,” and “He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree” (vv.9-10)—the three patriarchs who became the living witnesses of His covenantal love for Israel. Each generation since them has received the assurance that God’s Word does not fade, His plan does not falter, and His purposes cannot fail.

For all of us as people of faith, Jews and Christians alike, this psalm is more than a historical reflection; it is a reminder for us today that God’s covenant with His people remains at the very heart of His redemptive plan. The God who was faithful to Abraham is the same God who is faithful today. His promise to Israel has not expired, and it has not been replaced. It stands today, the very foundation upon which our faith in Him is built. When Christians affirm God’s covenant with His people, Israel, they not only honor Israel’s unique calling—they align themselves with this calling, taking part in God’s ongoing plan.

As we reflect on the covenants made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we are invited to see God’s hand weaving a continuous thread through history—a thread that still binds Israel to His promises and calls us to take part in His promises, too. Let’s begin with Abraham, the father of our faith, whose covenant with God shaped not just the destiny of Israel, but is an ongoing and eternal covenant with each of us, His chosen people, as part of His redemptive plan for the whole world.

One Man Called by God

Before God’s covenant with Abraham, He had made a promise to Noah, and to the world that arose after the great flood. But the generations that followed Noah turned away from God yet again, ultimately trying to build the Tower of Babel. So in response, God changed His tactics. Instead of dealing with people and nations, He called one man—a man through whom God would raise up His chosen people, Israel. And that man was Abraham. 

It was through Abraham that God made a unique promise, a divine covenant, for all time. This eternal covenant was made for people of all nations, and all people of faith. It called them to take the children of Israel into their hearts through God’s promise of: “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse” (12:3). This sacred covenant is one of the cornerstones of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and one of the original branches of the Jewish roots of Christianity.

God initiated this covenant with Abraham, establishing a partnership in which Abraham would bring God’s truth to the world. Abraham’s loving-kindness toward other people—his attribute of chesed—made him the perfect person for this mission. Only a person who cared deeply for all people would be suitable as God’s messenger.

Maybe the greatest display of Abraham’s kindness toward others is found right after his covenant of circumcision. Abraham wasn’t lying in bed recovering; he was sitting at the entrance of his tent, actively looking for people to whom he could show kindness. When he spotted three men, he didn’t call out to them or even walk toward them; he ran to them and invited them into his tent. There, Abraham prepared a lavish feast, personally serving the meal even though his servants could have done it for him. For most people, this kind of hospitality would have been reserved for a very important guest or beloved family member. But for Abraham, everyone—even a trio of desert wanderers—was important.

Abraham’s kindness became the standard for hospitality that was widely practiced throughout the Hebrew Bible and continued in the Christian Bible. We read of Laban’s kindness toward Eliezer (Genesis 24:29- 31) and Jacob (Genesis 29:13) when they came to him as strangers. Rahab was greatly rewarded for the kindness and hospitality she showed to the spies Joshua sent to scout out Jericho (Joshua 6:25). The Christian Bible lists Rahab as part of Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:5), and she is commended for her actions in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25. Hospitality and sharing meals with others was a hallmark of the early church, and hospitality was a hallmark of the faithful (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9; and 3 John 1:8).

Abraham shows us that God’s covenant was not only about God blessing humanity, but rather our part in being active, ongoing partners in carrying out God’s blessings—and being blessed by Him in return. As the father of our faith, Abraham still models for each of us what it means to share God’s truth, God’s love, and God’s light with the nations. Yet God’s covenant did not end with Abraham. His son Isaac carried the covenant forward, ensuring that God’s promises would endure through the generations.

A Son Sustains the Covenant

It can be easy to overlook Isaac’s story and his part in God’s covenant with Israel. Isaac’s father Abraham was the first monotheist, who refused to conform and who fought against the entire world for the sake of truth. And Isaac’s son Jacob faced a life of challenges. But Isaac’s life was relatively devoid of such drama. And for 180 years, Isaac lived not only a more tranquil life than his father and his son, but also a longer one.

But first and foremost, Isaac was the son of Abraham. Everything Isaac did throughout his life was dictated by this identity. Isaac understood that his role was to continue and consolidate the work of his father. As we said, Abraham was the trailblazing messenger. But there was no way for Abraham to ensure that his message would continue after his death. Only Isaac, the critical link between the first patriarch and the third, could fulfill that mission.

It might not have always been easy for Isaac, always living in the shadow of his father. But as the Bible tells us, Isaac knew his role in God’s covenantal plan. While Abraham was the initiator of the mission, Isaac was to be the sustainer, ensuring that God’s message through Abraham took root and would continue to blossom.

Isaac teaches us that faithfulness isn’t always about bold beginnings or dramatic struggles. It’s also about steadfastly sustaining what God has entrusted to us. By carrying forward Abraham’s covenant and keeping it alive, Isaac prepared the way for the next stage in God’s redemptive plan—the plan we are still part of today. That plan would take root in his son Jacob, who would witness the covenant become a lasting identity for God’s people, Israel.

The Children of Israel

While Isaac’s son is an equal patriarchal member of the covenant we still share, Jacob also stands alone. When Jacob had his famous dream about angels ascending and descending a ladder spanning heaven and earth, God told him, “I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying” (Genesis 28:13). That land was the Holy Land.

And God’s people are named after him. Jacob was given a new name after he struggled with a stranger, identified in the Bible as “a man” (Genesis 32:24). After the struggle, Scripture tells us that the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel” (Genesis 32:28). The Jewish people are not known as the children of Abraham, nor the children of Isaac. God’s people are the children of Israel.

As he lived out this covenant in his life, Jacob was tested many times. But he always remained committed to seeking God’s truth and living God’s truth as righteously as he could—an example for each of us today.

Through Jacob, the covenant became both a personal promise and a collective identity. What began with Abraham’s faith and Isaac’s steadfastness was now rooted in a people called Israel—God’s chosen people, and nation set apart for His plan. Just as Jacob persevered through his life’s many trials while still clinging to God’s truth, the people of Israel have endured through the centuries, bearing witness to God’s faithfulness to His covenant. This same covenant calls us, as people of faith, today—to trust in His promises and to take our place in His redemptive plan.

Our Place in His Covenant

From Abraham’s faith to Isaac’s steadfastness to Jacob’s perseverance, we see God’s covenant unfold through His Word—culminating in Psalm 105’s call to rejoice in this covenant. This psalm of praise is a reminder that God’s promises are not fleeting or conditional, but everlasting.

That covenant did not end during Bible times. It was carried forward through the descendants of the patriarchs—the children of Israel—and it continues to this day through each of us as people of faith and living witnesses to our God’s faithfulness.

For Christians, this covenant isn’t some distant history lesson or pat Sunday School story. It’s a vital part of our shared story of redemption. The same God who bound Himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God who keeps His promises now. When Christians support Israel, they are not only blessing God’s chosen people, they are declaring their belief in God’s Word. To stand with Israel is to declare that God is faithful, His covenant endures, and His plan for redemption is still unfolding before our eyes. As we rejoice in this enduring covenant, may we all find our place in God’s plan—sharing His blessings, proclaiming His faithfulness, and looking with hope to the restoration He has promised.

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The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is the leading non-profit building bridges between Christians and Jews, blessing Israel and the Jewish people around the world with humanitarian care and lifesaving aid.