The Three Places

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.