February 18, 2016

"I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:3-5

God called His people OUT of Egypt through His Prophet Moses and by the power of His hand! He called them INTO the wilderness in order to bring them THROUGH it! And then God called His people OUT of the wilderness so He could bring them INTO Canaan to dwell and find rest!

Bringing His people into Canaan was the reason God brought them out of Egypt! It had been his plan and purpose for them for five centuries since He first called Abraham out of Haran and promised to make of him a great nation.

In fact, when God called Abraham He told him that there would be a 400 year period of captivity for His people but then He would bring them back to possess Canaan. (Genesis 15)

God always keeps His promises!

The bondage in Egypt and the weary wandering in the wilderness was allowed only to cause them to long for Canaan!

Aren’t you glad to be out of Egypt?

Do you long for Canaan?

Is the wilderness causing you to be weary?

What is it that makes Canaan so alluring?

It was a land where they could enjoy freedom!

It was a land where they could enjoy fruitfulness!

But most of all it was a land where they could enjoy God! And you see that portrayed in these several verses above.

They could enjoy His possessions! What could be better than taking possession of what He had provided for them and promised to them (“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west) and to be possessed by Him at the same time?!?!

Also, they would get to enjoy His presence! (“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”)

Thirdly, they would get to experience His power! (No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.)

Those are the blessings of Canaan! None of them are available in Egypt or in the Wilderness but ALL are available in Canaan!

And they are available to all of God’s children including you!

Will you claim them? 

Will you come into Canaan?