"The God Who Never Fails"
Joshua 21:43-45
Joshua 21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Introduction: We live in a world that is broken, broken by sin and as we look about us it seems that everything is failing; all of our institutions are failing, our economic system is failing, and as a result there is a great deal of dysfunction, distrust, despair, and disillusionment. The things that we have counted on for generations seem to be crumbling before our eyes. Is there anything left that we can count on? Our text this morning is about the faithfulness of God. God proved over and over again that whatever He told the children of Israel would become a reality in their lives. Joshua is reminding them of that so that they would have courage and confidence in God for now and for the future. We can have that same courage and confidence in our own lives as we trust in God too! Let's look at the four things that God promised that came to pass. First, God promised them and then:
I. GOD GAVE THEN A POSSESSION
1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
2 Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
a. Abraham's revelation
Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Genesis 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
b. Abraham's rebellion
Even when we are not faithful, God is! Abraham did not keep covenant with God but God kept covenant with Abraham!
Genesis 12:9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
c. Abraham's realization
Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Second, God promised them and then:
II. GOD GAVE THEM PROVISION
a. The mandated provision
Exodus 6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
God said that he would take care of them and He did! When they left Egypt they did not leave empty handed for God gave them 400 years of back pay!!
Exodus 3:21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
b. The miraculous provision
ILL - Moses and the people were in the desert, but what was he going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 2.5 million people requires a lot of food.
According to the Quartermaster General of the Army, it is calculated that Moses would have needed 1500 tons of food each day to feed the Israelites. To bring that much food each day, two freight trains, each a mile long, would be required.
Besides that, you must remember, they were out in the desert, so they would have to have firewood to use in cooking the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day. And just think, they were forty years in transit.
And oh yes! They would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink, cook and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day...and a freight train with tank cars, 3 miles long, just to bring water!
And then another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. Now, if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to get through. (Besides all of the people there were large droves of livestock.) So, there had to be a space in the Red Sea three miles wide so that they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.
But then, there is another problem. Each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required; a total area of 750 square miles. Think of it...this space just for nightly camping!
Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think not! You see, Moses believed in God, and God took care of these things for him.
Now, do you still think God has any problem taking care of all your needs?
Third, God promised them and then:
III. GOD GAVE THEM PROTECTION
"...there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand..."
How did God keep this promise of protection? Let's look at just one example. The Egyptians followed the Israelites with every intention of attacking them and marching all the survivors back into bondage. The Egyptians overtook the Israelites and the people panicked and criticized Moses:
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.
14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
a. It is comprehensive
The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them to a position behind them between them and the Egyptians. Notice the text declares that God would protect them from all their enemies.
b. It is constant
One of the most blessed texts in Bible is found in:
Psalms 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Finally, God promised them and then:
IV. GOD GAVE THEM PEACE
"...And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers..."
a. His presence
The Lord himself is the source of our peace!
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
b. His promise
"...according to all that he sware..."
Our peace rests in His promise.
"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours." David Livingstone
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Conclusion:
FAITHFUL FOR A PROMISE
A promise from God is a statement we can depend on with absolute confidence. Here are 12 promises for the Christian to claim.
God's presence -- "I will never leave thee" (Heb. 13:5)
God's protection -- "I am thy shield" (Gen. 15:1)
God's power -- "I will strengthen thee" (Isa. 41:10)
God's provision -- "I will help thee" (Isa. 41:10)
God's leading -- "And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them" (John 10:4)
God's purposes -- "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil" (Jer. 20:11)
God's rest -- "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28)
God's cleansing -- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9)
God's goodness -- "No good thing will He withhold from them that work uprightly" (Psalm 84:11)
God's faithfulness -- "The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name's sake" (1 Sam. 12:22)
God's guidance -- "The meek will He guide" (Psalm 25:9)
God's wise plan -- "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28)
SOURCE: Our Daily Bread, January 1, 1985.
THE COVENANT OF FAITHFULNESS
In modern times we define a host of relations by contracts.
These are usually for goods or services and for hard cash. The contract, formal or informal, helps to specify failure in these relationships.
The Lord did not establish a contract with Israel or with the church. He created a covenant. There is a difference. Contracts are broken when one of the parties fails to keep his promise. If, let us say, a patient fails to keep an appointment with a doctor, the doctor is not obligated to call the house and inquire, "Where were you? Why didn't you show up for your appointment?" He simply goes on to his next patient and has his appointment secretary take note of the patient who failed to keep the appointment. The patient may find it harder the next time to see the doctor. He broke an informal contract.
According to the Bible, however, the Lord asks: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:15) The Bible indicates the covenant is more like the ties of a parent to her child than it is a doctor's appointment.
If a child fails to show up for dinner, the parent's obligation, unlike the doctor's, isn't canceled. The parent finds out where the child is and makes sure he's cared for. One member's failure does not destroy the relationship.
A covenant puts no conditions on faithfulness. It is the unconditional commitment to love and serve.
SOURCE: Bruce Shelley
LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
Hudson Taylor founder of China Inland Mission) used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew Words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means 'Hitherto hath the Lord helped us' and the second, 'The Lord will see to it or provide.' One looked back while the other looked forward. One reminded him of God's faithfulness and the other of God's assurances.
