Now, we’re getting to the end of the book. The land has been divided among the tribes. The tribes have their land, the old hero Caleb has his land, and even the leader Joshua has his land. Levites have their cities.
Joshua 21:43-45 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. How did we get here?
This whole thing started with Abraham.
Genesis 17:7-8 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
It has been 441 years since God made that promise.
We have seen them come from…400 years of slavery in Egypt…1 year at Mt. Sinai…40 years of wandering in the desert)
Why 400 years in slavery? Because God had a promise to keep: Genesis 15:12-13 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.
As for why some information is provided in the context of this chapter. Vs 14,16 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
Two major predictions help explain this 400-year waiting period.
First, one result of the Israelites’ leaving Egypt would be “great possessions.” God promised that their exit would mean great abundance for Israel. This was fulfilled in: Exodus 12:35-36 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
Second, the Lord wanted to wait before giving the Promised Land to Israel because “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
The Amorites worshiped other gods and participated in numerous other sins. God promised to remove them from the land where Israel would one day live. However, God had a certain time period in mind that included 400 years for Israel in Egypt.
1 Year on Mt. Sinai. Disaster-calf Exodus 32:9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.
Why didn’t He destroy them? Look what Moses says in: Exodus 32:13-14 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. God didn’t destroy them because God had a promise to keep. But not all of them made it out alive.
Exodus 32:20 And he (Moses) took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
Exodus 32:26 So he (Moses) stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.”
Exodus 32:27,28b Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 ..and that day about three thousand of the people died. Not all the people because God had a promise to keep.
Exodus 33:1-3 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
40 years of wandering in the desert. They get to the promised land and because of fear, refuse to go in.
Numbers 14:10-12 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them,..Moses intervenes: Numbers 14:20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. 40 years of wandering in the desert..
40 years later they come to the Jordan River…they invaded their first city…Jericho…and won with God’s help…which lead to them going after Ai…dealing with their set back…and then going forward in a win again…then there is victory, after victory; as the Lord Almighty leads the way for them…finally they entered the Promised Land! -And all their struggles and battles has finally paid off!
1 Corinthians 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us,..
If there is one example we learn from God‘s people, it’s that God keeps his promises! 2 Timothy 2:13 If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is. Moses-Intercessor Jesus our Intercessor-Romans 8
Well, Pastor, those were promises to the Israelites. I want God‘s promises to be a little more personal to me!” Ok. Fair enough.
Throughout scripture God has given you and I a multitude of promises:
The promise of Love, Promise of Forgiveness, Promise of Salvation, Promise of the Holy Spirit, Promise of Everlasting Life, Promise of Peace, Promise of Joy
The promise of Freedom, Promise of Growth, Promise to Bless You, Promise to Make You Holy, Guide You, Protect You, Care for You.
God makes promises when we are Anxious, Confused, Impatient, Tempted, Weak, Afraid, Suffering, and Grieving.
God promises to be with you wherever you go.
Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
MOSES, Numbers 23:19 “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
DAVID, Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
SOLOMON, 1 Kings. 8:56; “Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.”
An angel told Mary: Luke 1:37 “For no word from God will ever fail.”
Sometimes, life seems like a series of random events. But, for you and I, nothing is left to chance! Because if we love God and are called according to His purpose-Our Sovereign Lord works everything together for our good.
So how do we handle life when it doesn’t go in the direction you want it to go? How do you survive, and even thrive, in those difficult times of life? God also promised trials-tribulations
1 Samuel 15:29, He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.” God has not changed His mind about you!
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I hope we’re seeing the picture here. God is COMMITTED to us! He’s not going to stab us in the back. He’s not going to let us down. He’s not going to abandon us. He’s not too busy for us. There is NO question about it – He will be there. Because God has never broken a promise or failed His people!
“God’s faithfulness means that everything He says and does is certain. He is 100% reliable, 100% of the time. He does not fail, forget, falter, change or disappoint. He says what He means and means what He says and therefore does everything he says He will do! THIS is the faithfulness of God!
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