The Israelite’s Promised Land
In the Old Testament, God consistently spoke to His people about the land He intended for them to possess and occupy. He promised to give it to them so they could multiply into the great nation of Israel. We call it the “Promised Land.”
God first promised this land to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3). His son Isaac lived in that land for years until famine forced Abraham’s grandson Jacob (whose name God changed to Israel) and his family to move to Egypt (Genesis 46). Although the blooming nation of Israel experienced favor for years in Egypt, they eventually became enslaved for four hundred years by a wicked Pharaoh (Genesis 15:13). Over those centuries, other heathen nations inhabited the Promised Land.
God didn’t forget His people or the promise He made to them. He delivered them from Egypt with great signs and wonders. And through Moses’s leadership, He guided them back to their Promised Land—a land flowing with “milk and honey” (Numbers 13:27, Exodus 3:15-17).
However, the stubbornness of the generation of Israelites coming out of Egypt was so great that they wandered in the desert for forty years instead (Numbers 14). The same power that brought them out of Egypt was available to lead them into their land, but it was another generation that finally entered it.
Let’s look at what kept Israel out, and what got them in:
What Kept Them Out
When we read the books of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, we easily find why Israel failed to possess their Promised Land. God said He would not allow them to enter the land, but it was their own misbehavior that led to their loss (Numbers 14:20-24).
Through these Bible books, Israel had recurring characteristics—and every one of them was sinful. Complaining, disobedience, rebellion, idolatry, and fear dominated their lives. They didn’t just carry out of Egypt the land’s wealth; they also carried out the bad attitudes they had learned from the Egyptians. Though they left Egypt by faith, when their faith was tested by hardship, their faith faltered (Hebrews 11:27-29).
God showed great mercy toward them throughout their trek through the wilderness. He gave them multiple chances, despite their evil mindsets. But regardless of the incredible miracles He performed for them in Egypt and in the wilderness, they still refused to believe.
Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?” (Numbers 14:11, NKJV).
The Bible says you will know a person by the fruit their lives produce (Matthew 7:15-20). In this case, they were bearing the fruit of unbelief. Faith was not in their hearts, so they didn’t produce any lasting faith-fruit. As a result, God could not honor them with entry into the Promised Land.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).
What Brought Them In
The next generation, on the other hand, had a different heart. Led by Moses’ assistant, Joshua, they bore the fruit of strength, courage, obedience, and integrity. They apparently learned from their ancestors’ sins, for they were eager to enter the land. They believed, like Caleb, that they were “well able” to possess it.
… “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30, NKJV).
Unlike the evil generation of Israelites, this generation produced fruit from a heart of faith. The result? They received what God had promised, a land of abundance. They entered the land, shouted down Jericho’s walls, and enjoyed their inheritance. Even their enemies became “fainthearted” because of them—a trait not possible had God not been with them (Joshua 2:9).
Your Promised Land
Did you know we have a Promised Land, too? When we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, Jesus (like Moses) led us out of our “Egypt” of sin and into our “Promised Land” of salvation. That Promised Land contains all the blessings that come with the covenant God made with His chosen people, the Israelites (Deuteronomy 28). We have been “grafted in” (Romans 11:17-32) to become a part of God’s chosen people, with the right to possess everything God promised them. But for us to receive our “Promised Land,” we must have a “different spirit”—the spirit of faith.
“But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it” (Numbers 14:24, NKJV).
God allowed Joshua and Caleb to enter the Promised Land because they followed God fully. As a lifestyle, they bore the fruit of faith. They spoke and acted on that faith, regardless of the bad reports and towering giants (Numbers 13). They believed the land was already theirs before they ever set foot in it (Deuteronomy 26:9, Joshua 1:3). They also expected to experience the blessings God said the land contained.
Possessing our Promised Land may feel intimidating. Operating like Joshua and Caleb may seem so far out of reach. The giants may seem too big, and the voices around us too loud. That’s why God tells us:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9, NKJV).
Notice that this is not a suggestion from God; it is a command. To receive what He has promised and provided for us, we must be courageous enough to act on His Word. We must not give in to fear and doubt like the first generation of Israelites. We must choose to fully follow Him.
Thankfully, God doesn’t expect us to do this in our own ability. When we rely on Him completely, He provides the strength and the courage we need. Our victory invasion is not by our might or power, but by His Spirit!
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6, NKJV).
Christa Madrid 