Today’s meditation is based on Joshua 21:43, “So the LORD gave all of the land to Israel that he had promised to give their ancestors, and they took possession and settled there in it.” (ERV)
The Lord gave the people of Israel the land that he had promised to their ancestors, and they duly took possession of it, and settled there. This promise which God gave to the Israelites that they would inherit the Promised Land was fulfilled in God’s perfect time.
There are numerous promises of God which may strengthen us, but at the same time there may be fears that loom large over us. Let me assure you that the Lord is able to fulfill all of the promises that He has made to us. Circumstances may change, but the word of God reminds us that the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. We are also reminded that heaven and earth may pass away, but the word of God endures forever.
We will study about the three places that are prominent in the journey that the Israelites undertook and by so doing we will certainly learn some important lessons.
Egypt -The place of bondage
In Exodus 1:13-14 we read, “So the Egyptians made them work even harder. They made life hard for the Israelites. They forced the Israelites to work hard at making bricks and mortar and to work hard in the fields. The Egyptians showed no mercy in all the hard work they made the Israelites do!” (ERV)
The people of Israel who had received the promise from the Lord were enslaved in the land of Egypt. As the Israelites struggled under the burden of slavery, they knew that there was no way of escape or relief for them. It was at this point that they lifted up their eyes, and cried out to the Lord. The Lord heard their cries and their groans as well.
Even today we see that many people may live in an independent country, but are slaves to sin, pleasure, to drugs, money and some are even enslaved to people. We say they are in slavery because they are driven by these things, and these addictions dictate the way they live. Recently there has been a lot of news about the addiction to online games. If one is enslaved by a habit, they will try to free themselves, but their efforts will prove futile. However, if we call out to the Lord like the Israelites did, the Lord will be ready to deliver us from everything that enslaves us.
The plan that God had for the Israelites was for them to sacrifice a spotless lamb, and to smear the blood over the door posts. Whoever believed and did so by faith, were delivered from the bondage in Egypt, and God crushed the authority that Pharaoh exercised over them. This may sound strange to us, but this was a foreshadow to signify about Jesus Christ who came down to the earth in the form of man, and took on Himself the sins of all mankind by laying down His life on the cross. The bible declares that without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sins. Jesus paid for the sins of all mankind on the cross, and only after his death and resurrection, we have an atonement for all of our sins.
No matter how severe the bondage you are in or how intense your entanglements are, ask the Lord, call upon Him, and you will certainly see a major transformation in your life. When the people of Israel obeyed God, and did as He commanded they were freed from the cruel bondage. This may sound impossible with men, but is sure is possible with God.
If you observe some people, they are in bondage to their friends or some wrong relationships. They have surrendered their will to these men, and do exactly as they bid them to. We need to be freed form such relationships too, and no man or thing should enslave us. It is only in the presence of God that there is absolute safety.
The wilderness – The place of Learning
When the people of Israel came out of their bondage they assumed that they would immediately step into the Promised Land that God has prepared for them. However, this was not so, for before they could enter that Promised Land, the Lord led them through the wilderness. This may seem strange to us as to why God had to take them around through the wilderness before they could inherit the land He had promised for them.
It is God’s desire that His children should learn to trust Him through all circumstances, and situations that come their way. The Lord therefore led the people of Israel through the wilderness, and tested them so they could learn to trust Him.
We read in Deuteronomy 29:5-6, “I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet. You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.” (ESV)
The Lord wanted to let the Israelites know that He is the Lord their God, and hence He led them through the wilderness. It was God’s plan to teach them the lesson of faith through this wilderness journey. God led them in such a miraculous way that their clothes did not wear out, and the sandals on their feet did not wear out. In spite of all of God’s protective love and care over them, the people of Israel kept on murmuring, complaining and finding fault.
Through all the problems, challenges and hardships that we face it is the Lord’s desire that we look to Him instead. Whenever we encounter any problem we often think of people whom we can run to who can help us. Instead, let us learn this lesson of faith, and learn to trust in the Lord through all of life’s difficulties. These days we hear of several uncertainties and impending dangers, and the thought in our mind may be if we will have to go through challenges that will be unsurmountable. Instead of worrying, the Lord reminds us to observe the birds of the air. The Lord who is mindful of them, cares much for us, and when we put our trust in Him situations will change. If there is any kind of confusion or fear in your heart, I pray the Lord will calm all those fears, and give peace and courage to your disturbed soul. Decide to hold on to the Lord firmly, and He will fulfill all of the promises that He has given to you, because God is faithful to keep all of His promises.
Canaan – The place of promise
The third place that the people of Israel entered was the Promised Land, where the Lord changed all of their circumstances so they could live in peace. At Canaan, all of their hardships ceased, so that the people could enjoy the rest and peace that God had granted to them.
As children of God we must examine ourselves to see where we are. Are we still in Egypt living in bondage to sin, or are we still wandering in the desert filled with confusion and murmuring? The Lord promises those who can trust Him fully that He will give us the rest when we come to the point of totally trusting in the Lord. This place of rest is that place where we know for certain that God is in control, and He will take care of everything.
This is what we read in Joshua 21:43, “So the LORD gave all of the land to Israel that he had promised to give their ancestors, and they took possession and settled there in it.” (ERV)
In order to understand this further let me share two incidents that the Israelites encountered on their journey to the Promised Land.
The enormous challenges
When the Israelites came out of Egypt the first challenge they encountered was the Red Sea ahead of them, and the armies of Pharaoh behind them in pursuit of them.
We read in Exodus 14:10-11, When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? (ESV)
As soon as the Israelites were challenged with trouble, they instantly forgot all the wonderful miracles God had performed for them in Egypt. The Israelites murmured, but the Lord parted the Red Sea, and made a way for the multitude of Israelites to pass through to safety. Also the Lord destroyed the armies of Pharaoh that pursued them in that same sea. All of their problems ended at once, and when they came to the place of safety they rejoiced, worshipped and sang praises to the Lord.
This is so much like most of us, who in the face of any kind of trouble forget all the good things God has done in our lives. No wonder the Psalmist said in Psalm 103:1-2, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,” (ESV) The Lord has helped us overcome so many hurdles in our lives in the past, and He will continue to remain faithful to us. God has us safe in His hands, and He will lead us on. Situations may change, but God’s promise will never fail, for the word of God reminds us that God will never go back on His word. Let us be bold, and not lose heart, for the Lord will change your fears and confusions, to replace them with courage.
The Lord expects us to praise Him in the midst of our problems. Everyone can praise the Lord when they have overcome a problem, but it takes special grace to keep praising the Lord while we are still in the middle of all the hardships. We can praise God and speak courageously, knowing that the Lord is with us, He has helped us in the past to override so many hardships, there is no need to fear for God for the Lord will bring us out victorious.
The next challenge
For forty long years the people of Israel wandered through the wilderness, and they learned all about who God was, and all about His character. This journey with God in the wilderness was an amazing one. They could not comprehend God’s presence in Egypt, but now the Lord was leading them every step, and going along with them. As the Israelites completed their journey in the wilderness, and were about to enter the Promised Land, there was an even greater barrier ahead of them. The River Jordan was ahead of them, and was in full spate.
We read in Joshua 3:14-16, “So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho.”(ESV)
The waters of Jordan were not like the Red Sea. They were tumultuous and overflowing the banks. However, by this time the people of Israel knew who God was, and they did not murmur or worry when they saw the raging River Jordan, but were filled with faith. The priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the brink of the water. It was to signify that they had put God ahead of their problem knowing that God could handle the overwhelming situation ahead of them.
God did a mighty miracle when the waters that came down stood, and rose up in a heap far away, and waters flowing from all sides were completely cut off, making a way for the Israelites to cross over to the other side to Jericho. In spite of the huge hurdle that was ahead of them, they were calm and trusted in God, and the Lord made a way for them to pass on to safety.
Abraham’s experience
We read about Abram who served the gods of his fathers in the land that he lived in. When the God who created heaven and earth called Abram, He gave him a promise that he would make his name great, would bless him greatly, and give him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and the sand on the sea shore. Abram was childless when this promise was made to him. However, Abraham had to move out of his country, leave his relatives and everything he had behind, to follow after God in order to inherit the land that God had promised for him. Abram took his wife Sarai, and undertook this journey.
Years rolled on, and when this promise of God was not being fulfilled, Abram and Sarai began to worry and doubt. Sarai decided to give her slave Hagar as wife to Abram, and Abram had a son through Hagar. Abram and Sarai assumed that God would bless them through the son that Hagar bore for Abram. If you observe Abram’s life, it was peaceful until Hagar’s son Ishmael was born, and after his birth there was untold confusion. The reason was that Abram and Sarai tried to accomplish God’s promises their own way.
We must realize that God is able to fulfill His promises, and up until that time we should wait patiently. Oftentimes we think that we can help God, and try to work things out, but we end up bringing confusion and chaos on ourselves. God is Almighty, and He is able to fulfill the promises He makes. All we have to do is to believe, and wait patiently for the fulfillment of the same.
If you look at the life of Abram, he too was in the place of bondage, and then he moved to the place of learning. Finally the promise of God was fulfilled for Abraham and Sarah. When Abraham was hundred years old, and his wife Sarah was ninety, both of whom had passed the years of child bearing, God gave them their son Isaac. It was only then that they realized that God has indeed fulfilled the promise He had made to Abraham many years ago. This was the place of promise. No wonder then that when God asked Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice, there was no hesitation or confusion or fear in the mind of Abraham. Abraham had come to the place of total trust in God, and knew that God was able to fulfill His promises that He had made to him. At God’s word Abraham took his son Isaac to offer him up as a sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham told his servants to wait at a certain place, and he assured them that he and son would offer a sacrifice to the Lord and be back. Observe the faith and trust that Abraham had in God.
We as children of God can be in either one of these three places. It could be the first place of bondage, or the second place of wandering, or the third place of complete rest, where we can be restful knowing that God is in total control. Only when we come to the third place, God’s promises will be fulfilled in our lives.
Let me conclude with the words of Jesus as found in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (ESV)
Lay all of your confusions, fears and worries in the hands of the Lord Jesus, and know that He will certainly give you rest.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
