Did you know the specific phrase “Promised Land” is not in Scripture. Now, your translation may use that phrase “promised land” but actually it’s not in the Hebrew. What the Bible consistently says over and over is the phrase “the land the Lord your God promised you.” So I can appreciate where the name comes from. However, it’s missing the point.

Deut 11:10-12 states “For the land, into which you are entering to possess it is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you used to sow your seed and water it with your foot like a vegetable garden. But the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.”

In other words – you (Israel) are use to Egypt which was fed from the Nile river. A huge river flowing through the heart of the country. All you had to do was dig a little stream from the Nile to your patch of land and you would have water continually, no matter what happened.

But this land, the land that I’m sending you to is different bc you have to depend on Me (God) for water. It doesn’t have a huge river flowing through it. I send the rain to bless you and care for you. You will need to depend on and trust Me for your needs.

You see, the “promise” is not the land. Yes, God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people I firmly believe that! But the promise that Scripture continues to talk about over and over is not the land, but that God Himself will take care of His people on the land. That God Himself will watch over and protect His people. That YHWH Himself will be their God and they His people.

In other words – God Himself is the promise!

May God in His mercy teach us this important lesson. There is nothing greater than God. There is nothing else we need than God. There is nothing else to desire besides God. May YHWH be our promise and may He always fulfill His promises.