Intro. A. The promised land! Just across Jordan it lay! It was indeed a land that flowed with milk and honey. 1. It was a land of rest in which many good things were given. Psalm 105:43-44; Deut. 6:10-12 B. The promised land of the Old Testament was a figure of the true. 1. There remains a rest to the people of God today. Heb. 4:9 C. In this lesson we want to examine the promised land of the Old and New Testaments that we might learn to fully appreciate their's and our's. I. THE PROMISED LAND OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. A. God's people of old were a long time in receiving their promised land. 1. The land promise was first made to Abraham. Gen. 12:1-3,7 a. Abraham did not receive the promised land but all his life was only a sojourner in it. Acts 7:4-5; Heb. 11:8-10 2. The promise was renewed in Isaac. Gen. 26:3-5 3. It was also renewed in Jacob. Gen. 28:13-15 B. The years passed and at the close of the life of Jacob their descendants had not yet inherited the land. 1. Because of the great famine in the time of Joseph, the Israelites were made to sojourn in Egypt. 2. When Joseph died, he said by faith that God would visit them and they would carry up his bones into the land that God promised. Gen. 50:24-26; Heb. 11:22 C. There arose another Pharaoh over Egypt who did not know Joseph, and the Israelites were made slaves. 1. They served under cruel bondage for many years. Then came the mighty figure, Moses. a. At the age of forty, Moses was impetuous and ready to deliver the people. b. However, at the age of eighty he was more seasoned and humbled, and God appeared to him in the burning bush and said that the time had come for the deliverance of His people. Ex. 3:7-8 2. God worked great wonders in Egypt and magnified His name greatly. 3. After the death of all the firstborn in Egypt, the Egyptians were more than willing to let the people go. a. All of this had been already revealed to Abraham when he was living. Gen. 15:13-16 4. God led the Israelites from Egypt to Mount Sinai where he gave them the law. a. Much of this first Covenant was symbolical of another spiritual one that was to follow. b. Its tabernacle and sacrifices prefigured the good things of the New Covenant. Heb. 9:11-12; 10:1 D. After leaving Mount Sinai, they came to the Southern end of Canaan and Moses sent twelve men to spy out the promised land. 1. All things were now ready for them to go in and inherit the land, but ten of the spies framed an evil report which discouraged the people and brought on a rebellion. Num. 13:30-14:3 a. All this made God very angry, and He swore in His wrath that all those above twenty years old, would not enter in the promised land. b. Their children would be the ones to enter in. Num. 14:28- 31 2. Their reaction is labeled "grasshopper philosophy" because there are several things they wilfully forgot: a. God never breaks his promise. b. The power was not in themselves. c. They, too, were part of God's plan. d. God punishes for lack of faith (1) Those evil men died of the plague before the Lord. Num. 14:36-37 3. For their lack of faith and rebellion, the Israelites were turned back and made to wander in the wilderness for forty years. E. After the deaths of all that generation, from twenty years old and upward, and after the death of Moses, it was time for them to go in and receive the land. 1. Joshua, their new Commander, was commissioned and encouraged to go in and take the land. Joshua 1:2,6 2. The conquest was simple, but effective. a. They drove through at the center and took Jericho, Ai and other cities. b. They then went Southward and conquered the people and broke down their idols. c. In the North, five kings formed an alliance to defeat Joshua, but Joshua came upon them in a surprise attack and destroyed them. (1) God aided Joshua and the Israelites in defeating them. Joshua 10:11 3. Thus, they conquered and annihilated most of the peoples of the land. a. God wanted those peoples destroyed because of their extreme wickedness. Lev. 18:24-25; Deut. 9:4 b. Only Rahab and the Gibeonites were wise enough to turn to God. Joshua 2:9; 9:24 F. God fulfilled every good thing that he said he would do to their fathers. Joshua 21:43-45 1. The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua. Judges 2:6-7 2. Thus, that's a brief account of the Bible story of the promised land. They inherited it and built a new society which was the best that men had up that time. II. THE PROMISED LAND OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. A. There is a land of rest promised to us. Heb. 4:7-11; Rev. 14:13 1. Our promised land is beautifully described in Rev. 22:1-5 2. Described by many figures, it is a place built and prepared by the living God. Heb. 11:10; 2 Cor. 5:1; John 14:2 3. It is a place of peace and happiness. Rev. 21:4 B. As were the Patriarchs, we also are sojourners here on earth. Heb. 11:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:11 1. This world is not our home; we are just passing through. 2. Everything here is fleeting and transitory. 2 Cor. 4:16-18 3. Many live as though this world will always be their home. It cannot be. Heb. 9:27 4. Many, because of their wickedness and rejection of God, have nothing more than the things of this life. 5. However, we have a promised land ahead of us. C. Some conquering must be done before we can inherit our promised land. 1. The conquest of the land was necessary. 2. We must conquer Satan in our lives. Eph. 6:12-16 a. We must put down all those base impulses characterized by the wicked people of the lands that were conquered. b. The false gods of lust, greed, irreverence and wickedness must be destroyed. c. We must live godly lives in all holiness and purity in our sojourn here. 1 Pet. 1:13-17 3. Also, there is a world to be conquered with the gospel. a. We do it with our spiritual weapons. 2 Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 6:17 b. This may seem like an impossible task, but beware of the "grasshopper philosophy." c. Through much diligence and patience we can convert many to Christ;. D. We have the same danger of failing to enter in as they did. Heb. 3:16-19; 4:11 1. Their failures serve as examples to admonish us. I Cor. 10:9-11 2. Let us not make the same mistakes as they did and fail to enter in. E. We need to be courageous as was Joshua and his soldiers. Deut. 31:7-8 1. We need to be bold, strong, courageous that we might have the endurance to enter in. 1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Tim. 1:7 2. We should fear no adversary because there is none that can defeat us. Phil. 1:28; Prov. 28:1 F. By overcoming the base impulses, by conquering the world with the gospel, and by being courageous in all the trials and difficulties of life, that promised land will be ours to inherit some day. Concl. A. Their promised land was a literal land, rich and fertile, and in many cases where houses, wells, gardens, and orchards were already built and planted. B. Our promised land is spiritual wherein great eternal bliss and happiness will be ours. 1. It is a paradise built by the living God. 2. It is the reception of those mansions on high where we will live with God forever. C. Are you camping toward that happy land? Are you walking in that way that leads to the promised land? D. If you are not a Christian, why not become one? 1. An Israelite was born into God's family by physical birth. Christians are born into God's family by spiritual birth. 2. We must be born of water and of the spirit. John 3:5 a. To be born of water means to be baptized. You must be buried in water and come forth to walk in a new life. Rom. 6:3-4 b. To be born of the Spirit means to be born of the teachings of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Pet. 1:23; James 1:18 3. Will you not be born into God's family and then start walking in the way that leads to the promised land? a. If you have strayed away, will you not return to the true path that leads to that heavenly land?
Chart: #1
Several Things They Wilfully Forgot: 1. God Never Breaks His Promises. 2. The Power Was Not In Themselves. 3. They, Too, Were Part Of God's Plan. 4. God Punishes For Lack Of Faith.
Chart #2
Who Were The Ones Who Did Not Reach The Promised Land? (Heb. 3:16-19) 1. The Rebellious 2. The Sinful 3. The Disobedient 4. The Disbelievers
Chart #3
They failed to conquer their base impulses: False gods (Golden Calf) Today: Sex, Silver, Science, Sports Tempted God (Murmuring & Complaining) Today: Many can't be happy with anything Grasshopper Philosophy (Unbelief) Today: We can conquer; We can enter our rest