Do you know the phrase “Promised Land” is nowhere in Scripture?
I understand where it comes from but that phrase itself isn’t Biblical.
Yes, I do believe the land of Israel still belongs to the Jewish people. But the promise God gave to Israel so long ago was not as much about the land as it was something else.
In Deuteronomy Moses is preparing the children of Israel to enter this special land. He’s giving them instructions and warnings. And in chapter 11 he states, “The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.”
Egypt had a constant source of water – the Nile. They didn’t need rain to survive.
Moses gives this picture that if you wanted to water your garden all you had to do was go to the Nile, dig a little path through the dirt with your foot and the water would flow from the Nile to your garden. Simple, easy, no faith or faithfulness required. If God’s not paying attention – big deal.
But the land of Israel is different.
There is no “Nile” in the land of Israel.
In this new land, it drinks rain from heaven. It needs God to open up the skies and pour out water; otherwise it would dry up and most people on that land would die.
So the eyes of God have to be constantly on this land.
His ears have to be constantly bending near to hear the needs of His people. His grace must be constantly poured out on this land in the way of rain.
Israel will need God on this new land.
You see, the promise God gives Israel is not just land, that’s an amazing gift to be sure, but the bigger promise is God will give Himself to Israel.
The Promise is God.
Do you realize the same is true for us?
Heaven, being pulled from the kingdom of darkness and being brought into the kingdom of the Son, even healing, being made whole, these are all amazing gifts. But the biggest gift, Believer, is God Himself. Your Promise, your Hope, your Joy, your peace, your love, your contentment, your everything is found only in Him.
God Himself is the gift,
God Himself is our promise.
God Himself is our reward.
I can’t think of anything greater God could give.