and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey." ' (Exodus 3.8)
God called Moses to go back to Egypt, from where he had fled,
and deliver the oppressed Israelites. He would guide them back to the land from
whence they had gone out four centuries prior – the land God had promised to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Of course, after 400 years, the land of promise would have greatly
changed. On a positive note, it was a land flowing with milk and honey. This
was clearly exhibited later on when some of their spies went in there and “cut
down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them
on a pole.” (Numbers 13.23)
Sounds like the kind of place any of us would want to live,
doesn’t it?
However, before we get overly excited about the prospect of
living in a land flowing with milk and honey, let’s not forget something.
In the same verse, God tells Moses that this place where he
would lead Israel was also the land of the six “ites” – the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites.
These six people groups would turn out to be formidable foes.
God would tell Israel to drive them out, but it seems they never did so 100%. They
would turn out to be a huge thorn in Israel’s side and provide plenty practice
for their young men to do battle. They would also be a negative influence on
Israel with their immorality and idolatry.
The Christian life is a lot like this.
I wouldn’t trade my life in Christ for anything and I sure
wouldn’t want to go back to Egypt (the place where I was apart from the love of
Jesus). The walk with Jesus is truly a land flowing with milk and honey. There
are abundant blessings every day.
But our life in Jesus is not without its conflicts. We have
to deal with the world (1John 2.15-16,) the flesh (Galatians 5.17) and the
devil (Ephesians 6.11) continually. There are battles to be won and ground to
be taken in this walk with God.
The Promised Land in the Old Testament is not really a
picture of heaven, for in heaven there will be no evil lurking around, trying
to take away our blessings.
The Land of Promise is more clearly a picture of the abundant
Christian life (see John 15). Let us remember that walking with God is fulfilling and joyous
but also full of challenges. However, God has equipped us to take on any foe to
the faith which might come against us. As you walk with him today, the Lord
will help, equip and empower you to overcome any evil that you might encounter.
The battle is worth the reward.
…and this
is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith.
1 John 5.4
even our faith.
1 John 5.4
