God’s Faithfulness Fulfilled

Introduction (5 min)

There are times in life when trust is difficult. It's hard to know who is faithful. But there are a lot of things I don’t know much about, and I just have to trust the experts whether I like it or not — doctors, accountants, architects, meteorologists.… These experts often make promises, but faithfulness isn’t about making promises, it’s about keeping them.

In Pisa, Italy, in the 12th century, the experts’ promised to build an ornate tower reaching straight into the sky. This sounded good — like the kind of plan you could trust. It was a beautiful promise, but the famous Leaning Tower still stands today as a reminder that hopes and promises are only as strong as the foundation they rest on.

The soft Tuscan soil didn’t offer a firm foundation. The promise of a straight tower was left unfulfilled. But what about us? Are we building our lives on a firm foundation on promises we can trust?

Series Recap

Last week we began our three-week series on Joshua with the people of Israel asking a similar question. They were poised to enter the Promised Land — once again called to trust in the promises of God.

They had been wandering in the desert for forty years and had finally arrived at their destination… again.

The first time, forty years earlier, they sent in 12 spies, and only 2 wanted to follow God’s promises. The other 10 were too afraid.

Israel followed the ten doubting spies — building their choice on the foundation of fear rather than on God’s promises.

In Joshua 1, we saw Joshua call God’s people once again to trust in God’s faithful promises. They were to enter Canaan trusting that He would lead them, guide them, and give them the land He had promised.

And that’s exactly what they did. The first half of the book of Joshua is all about Israel following God into the Promised Land.

But in chapter 13, the story shifts: Joshua is now old, the battles are over, and the focus turns from promise to fulfillment and inheritance. In chapters 13–21, we see every tribe receive the land God had promised.

It’s time for them to rest and enjoy the inheritance God had in store — because faithfulness isn’t just about making promises; it’s about keeping them.

This morning, we’re going to read the conclusion to this section in Joshua 21:43–45. I invite you to open your Bibles there now.

We’ll see how and why God kept His promises to Israel — and that our firm foundation, Jesus Christ, has an even greater promise in store for you.

Joshua 21:43–45 HCSB

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies were able to stand against them, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them. 45 None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.

Prayer

Heavenly father, thank you for your great and unending faithfulness. As we come to you this morning with open hearts and open minds we pray that we grow to know you more deeply and trust you more fully. -Amen

1. How God Was Faithful to Israel (v. 43–44)

***Transition: The Leaning Tower reminds us of what happens when a foundation can’t hold. But Joshua 21 shows us a very different picture — what it looks like when our foundation is perfectly faithful. Let’s begin by seeing how God kept His promises to Israel.

He gave them the land He had sworn to give — God places his people where they should be.

The land he had sworn to their fathers

Show map of the land

He gave them rest — God provides for His people’s needs.

Highlight the Sabbath

He defeated their enemies — God protects His people from harm.

Highlight God’s power and care

Answer : God keeps his promises by doing exactly what he said he would do.

2. Why God Was Faithful to Israel (v. 45)

Focus: Theology — God’s promises are trustworthy and enduring.

Verse 43 & 44 remind us of the historical fact of HOW God faithfully kept his promise to Israel. In verse 45 this historical fact builds to explain WHY God was faithful to Israel. What God did reveals a truth about who God is.

Look at verse 45:

Joshua 21:45 HCSB

45 None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.

As the people of Israel settled in to the Promised Land to enjoy their inheritance, rest, and protection they were reminded that God is truly and totally faithful. None of hiss promises failed, everything was fulfilled.

Was God faithful to Israel because they good and deserved it?

No.

Israel hadn’t been completely faithful. In the journey through the wilderness they had moments of faith but lots of doubts, complaining, and even rebellion and idolatry.

In the book of Joshua as they entered the land they had moments of faith- like marching around Jericho and watching the walls come tumbling down. But they also had moments of selfishness, sin, and shameful behavior.

Many of the promises Israel made to God had failed. Not everything they promised to God was fulfilled.

If there is one thing we should have learned by this point in the story of Scripture it is that human faithfulness is a shaky foundation. We lack both the character of being truly faithful and the power to actually fulfill all our promises.

God was not faithful to Israel because of their character, but because of his own character. This is a fundamental theological truth of who God is: “God is faithful.” His actions flow from His character. He chooses to keep his promises.

But that’s not all. God is also all powerful, so unlike Israel, unlike us, He is fully capable of fulfilling everything He promises.

He alone is the firm foundation.

He alone is perfectly faithful.

He alone keeps all of his promises.

Because that is who God is!

3. What Christ Has in Store for You(Eph. 1:11–14)

Transition: If God kept his promises for Israel, what about his promises for you? What does Christ have in store for those who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus?

Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 1:11-14.

Ephesians 1:11–14 HCSB

11 We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory. 13 When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 14 He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

Just as God promised Israel an inheritance, and kept that promise, he also promises us an inheritance in Jesus.

This was predestined, or planned by God, from the beginning of time.

Salvation

As we read through the story of the Old Testament we've seen over and over how God planed to redeem and rescue his sinful people through Jesus Christ. It’s not because we are faithful. But because he is faithful.

And so Paul reminds us of how God has kept that promise already. That’s what he’s talking about when he says the gospel, or good news of your salvation. Paul will go on in the next chapter to explain how we were dead in our sins, slaves to the world, the devil, and our own fleshly desires.

But God kept his promise of salvation and made us alive in the Messiah.

Our salvation through Jesus is God’s faithfulness fulfilled.

Future Hope

But that’s not the end of the story or of God’s promises. We have salvation from our sin and a future inheritance. Another promise made by our Faithful Promise-keeping God.

That same God who gave Israel an inheritance of rest offers eternal rest to all who believe. We have rest from the dangers of this fallen world. We have rest from the dark spiritual forces around us. We have rest from our own frail and sinful bodies. We can experience that rest now and are promised eternal rest and life in Jesus.

That’s a big promise. Now sometimes in business when you make a promise you put something up as a guarantee. For example, when we bought our house we had to pay a down payment so the seller would trust we would keep our promise to buy the house.

God’s promise of our inheritance comes with a guarantee, a down payment as well. It’s not money, it’s Holy Spirit.

God has made the promise

Jesus has already paid the price

And the Holy Spirit serves as the deposit

Conclusion

Friends, there is no more sure a foundation than this. We’ve seen how God kept his promises to Israel, we’ve seen God’s character revealed, and we’ve heard of his promises towards us.

This is not soft ground that will lead to leaning towers or crumbling lives. It is the sold rock upon which we can wholly place our trust knowing that God is faithful.

Invitation