God is not a man that He should lie; neither is He the son of man that He should repent… (Num. 23:19). God however has several ways He speaks: He can render a statement; He can make a promise; He can enact a covenant; and He can even swear!
Our God does not change, however God being sovereign can wilfully alter His previous statement and replace it with another as He so wish. This He has done before (I Sam. 2:30). But there are certain words spoken by God that He is bound to keep: these are Divine surety or Divine certainty.
I have come to know that when God is talking and says, “Surely”; “Verily, verily”; “Indeed”; “As I live”; “Truly”; etc., this is Divine certainty. He would have committed Himself to do that which He says.
When the children of Israel provoked God and said that they were no longer going to Canaan and were even making plans to go back to Egypt, God spoke to Moses and said, surely all those that provoke Him will not enter into Canaan and so it was (Num. 14: 20-23).
On the other hand, when Jesus earthly ministry was over and needed to go back to Heaven, He envisaged the despair that will come upon His disciples and so told them, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” and so it was and is (Mt. 28:20).
In this month of May, God says our lives shall not be characterized by maybe, likely or probably. He says that He will personally guarantee our comfort, safety, provision and attainments in life.