Joshua's Divine Call

Joshua’s Divine Call

(ESV)

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead.

Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.

4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.

5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.

7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

THE NEW LEADER

From to , the Bible focuses attention on the ministry of Moses, God’s chosen servant to lead the nation of Israel.

But Moses died; and though he would not be forgotten (he’s named over fifty times in the Book of Joshua), a new “servant of the Lord” () would take his place.

“God buries His workers, but His work goes on.”

God spent many years preparing Joshua for his calling.

1. Joshua the slave.

Joshua was born into slavery in Egypt.

He was given the name Hoshea (), which means “salvation.” Moses later changed it to Joshua (), “Jehovah is salvation,” which is the Hebrew form of “Jesus” (; see and ).

📷When his parents (Nun and Mrs. Nun) gave the baby the name “salvation,” they were bearing witness to their faith in God’s promise of redemption for His people 6;6).

Joshua belonged to the tribe of Ephraim and was the firstborn son of Nun (). This meant that his life was in danger the night of Passover, but he had faith in the Lord and was protected by the blood of the lamb ().

While in Egypt, Joshua saw all the signs and wonders that God performed (); and he knew that Jehovah was a God of power who would care for His people.

The Lord had humiliated the gods of Egypt and demonstrated that He alone was the true God (; ).

Joshua saw the Lord open the Red Sea and then close the waters and drown the pursuing Egyptian army ().

Joshua was a man of faith who knew the Lord and trusted Him to do wonders for His people.

2. Joshua the soldier.

The first official recorded act of Joshua in Scripture is his defeat of the Amalekites when they attacked Israel about two months after Israel’s exodus from Egypt ().

(NLT)

8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. 9 Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek.

Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. 12 Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.

Moses was a prophet and legislator, but Joshua was a general with exceptional military skills.

Joshua was also a man of great courage, who wasn’t afraid to confront the enemy and trust the Lord for victory.

Where did Joshua learn to use a sword and to command an army?

We know Joshua was especially gifted by the Lord.

Had Joshua in some way been involved with the Egyptian army and received his early training in its ranks? This is possible, though the Scriptures are silent in this area.

We know Moses refused a high position in Pharaoh’s palace but received his education there (; ).

Joshua may have received some military training in Egypt. Like the Egyptian ROTC or something.

According to , the writer suggests that God had chosen Joshua for a special work in the future.

(ESV)

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Unknown to Joshua, the battle with Amalek was a testing time when God was examining his faith and courage. (Two key character traits of Joshua we will expound on later).

Joshua’s conflict with Amalek was the preparation for many battles he would fight in the Promised Land.

3. Joshua the servant.

In , Joshua is called Moses’ servant (“minister”), which indicates that Joshua was now an official assistant to the leader of Israel.

He accompanied Moses to the mount and went with him when he judged the people for making the golden calf (32:17).

It wasn’t enough that Joshua be a good warrior; he also had to know the God of Israel and the holy laws God gave His people to obey.

We will discover that the secret of Joshua’s victories was not his skill with the sword but his submission to the Word of God () and to the God of the Word (5:13–15).

During Israel’s wilderness journey, Moses had a special tent set up outside the camp where he could meet with God (). It was Joshua’s responsibility to stay at the tent and guard it.

Not only was Joshua a warrior, but he was also a worshiper and knew how to live in the presence of God.

Joshua was jealous not only for the glory of God but also for the honor and authority of Moses.

This is a good characteristic for a servant to have, and it showed up when God sent His Spirit upon the seventy elders Moses had chosen to assist him in his work ().

When the Spirit came upon Eldad and Medad in the camp, two men who had not assembled with the other elders at the tabernacle, Joshua protested and asked Moses to stop them from prophesying. Moses responded by saying, “I wish that all of God’s people were prophets”.

(For a New Testament parallel, see .)

49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”

4. Joshua the spy.

When Israel arrived at Kadesh Barnea, on the border of the Promised Land, God commanded Moses to appoint twelve men to spy out the land of Canaan—Joshua was among them (). After forty days of investigating the land, the spies returned to Moses and reported that the land was indeed a good one.

But ten of the spies discouraged the people by saying that Israel wasn’t strong enough to overcome the enemy, while two of the spies—Caleb and Joshua—encouraged the people to trust God and move into the land.

Sadly, the people listened to the faithless ten spies. It was this act of unbelief and rebellion that delayed the conquest of the land for forty years.

This crisis revealed some fine leadership qualities in Joshua.

He was not blind to the realities of the situation, but he didn’t allow the problems and difficulties to rob him of his faith in God.

The ten spies looked at God through the difficulties, while Joshua and Caleb looked at the difficulties through what they knew about God.

Their God was big enough for the battles that lay ahead!

Knowing he was right, Joshua wasn’t afraid to stand up against the majority. He, Moses, and Caleb stood alone and risked their lives in so doing; but God stood with them.

It would take that kind of courage for Joshua to lead Israel into their land so they could defeat their enemies and claim their inheritance.

Think of the years of blessing in the Promised Land that Joshua forfeited because the people had no faith in God!

But Joshua patiently stayed with Moses and did his job, knowing that one day he and Caleb would get their promised inheritance ().

Leaders must know not only how to win victories but also how to accept defeats.

Day after day, for forty years, they saw the older generation die off, but each day brought them closer to Canaan.

5. Joshua the successor.

Throughout that wilderness journey, God was preparing Joshua for his ministry as successor to Moses.

When Israel defeated Og, king of Bashan, Moses used that victory to encourage Joshua not to be afraid of his enemies (; ).

When Moses was preparing to die, he asked God to give the people a leader; and God appointed Joshua (27:12–23; ).

In his final message to Israel, Moses told the people that God would use Joshua to defeat their enemies and help them claim their promised inheritance; and he also encouraged Joshua to trust God and not be afraid (31:1–8).

Moses laid hands on Joshua and God imparted to Joshua the spiritual power he needed for his task (34:9).

Like Moses, Joshua was human and made his share of mistakes; but he was still God’s chosen and anointed leader, and the people knew this.

This is why they said to Joshua, “Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you” ().

God’s people in the church today need to acknowledge God’s leaders and give them the respect that they deserve as the servants of God ().

The secret of Joshua’s success was his faith in the Word of God (), its commandments and its promises.

God’s Word to Joshua was “Be strong!” (vv. 6–7, 9, 18; and see , ); and this is still Gods Word to His people today.

Think about this for a moment: It took over 40 years for Joshua's leadership style to match the need of the moment.

Moses led diplomatically. He sat and judged the people patiently as they grumbled through long years in the desert.

By the time the Israelites reached Canaan, fierce enemies awaited them, and they needed a much more confrontational leader, a military man skilled in war.

Enter Joshua. Look at some of the differences between Moses and Joshua and see how timing can dictate an appropriate leadership style:

· Moses - Led through 40 years of desert travel.

· Joshua - Led through 30 years of conquering Canaan.

· Moses - Was a political, diplomatic leader

· Joshua - Was a military, in-your-face leader.

· Moses - Patiently listened to complaints.

· Joshua - Confronted laziness and fear of the enemy.

· Moses - Led people as a peacemaking shepherd.

· Joshua - Led people as a tough commander.

· Moses - Provided water from a rock when the people got thirsty.

· Joshua - Told the people to dig their own wells when they got thirsty.

Chapter 2-Rahab; An Unusual Woman of Faith

God uses individuals of all temperaments and backgrounds to accomplish His purposes-even a harlot.

God strategically positioned Rahab, whom the Bible calls a "harlot" (), in a home built into the wall of Jericho.

· When two Hebrew spies came to her for assistance, she displayed a clear understanding of spiritual issues.

· She described how the dread of Israel had overwhelmed her people.

· She acknowledged that the land belonged to the Israelites and therefore willingly risked her life to hide the spies.

· Rahab leveraged her hospitality on behalf of her parents, siblings, and their extended families, begging the spies to spare the lives of all who belonged to her. They agreed, with some conditions.

· Rahab was a woman of her word. Although she could have tipped off the king to the whereabouts of the hiding Israelites, she sent Israel's enemies on a wild goose chase.

Why? Because she really believed that God was about to hand Jericho, her city over to the Hebrews. Even a harlot can exhibit saving faith ().

Wise leaders like Joshua remember that God sees the human heart.

While many of us would never trust a woman with a personal history like that of Rahab, God chose her.

Because Rahab chose to faithfully serve God, her family lived and was adopted into Hebrew society—and she became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Himself ().

The story of Rahab proves that God can and will use anybody He chooses.

Although the Israelite spies needed someone to help them scope out the best approach to conquering the city, Rahab seemed like the least logical choice for the role:

1. She occupied no position and held no an official title in the city.

2. The Israelites looked upon women as lower-class citizens.

3. As a prostitute, she held an even lower social rank than the average woman.

But God chose Rahab. She helped the spies by her quick wisdom, with gutsy style, and with a clever plan.

By doing so she saved not only her own life but aided in accomplishing the purposes of God in Jericho. The name "Rahab" even occupies an honored place in the Hall of Faith ().

In chapter 3, we see the preparation for, and crossing of the Jordan River.

A Lesson in Communication

(12 stones)

(ESV)

4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you.

When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

Effective leaders like Joshua, look for ways to use the successes of today to empower their people for the challenges of tomorrow.

Joshua did exactly that.

Although God had worked a miracle to allow the people to cross the Jordan on dry ground, Joshua knew that only those who saw the crossing would remember it-and he wanted to leave a legacy for the next generation, born long after this miracle occurred.

Joshua wanted to find a way to communicate God's greatness to the children of Israel not yet born.

To accomplish his goal, Joshua devised a plan called "Stones of Remembrance.” He directed that twelve stones be taken from the middle of the dry riverbed one for each of the Twelve Tribes who crossed the river-and be piled in a monument on shore.

Then, whenever Israel's children or grandchildren asked, "What do those stones mean?" the people would have an opportunity to share God's vision and recount God's victories:

Good leaders always provide a way to enable their people to grab-hold of the vision.

Effective leaders find a way to communicate future vision and past victories.

A Leader's Obedience Sets the Pace

Look at every phase of Joshua's life, and you see a man who gave himself wholeheartedly to completing whatever task was assigned to him.

The first time Joshua appears in Scripture, we see him immediately obeying the instruction of Moses (, ).

After that, Joshua took on the role of Moses' assistant.

Joshua again displayed his obedience when he agreed to spy out the Promised Land.

Upon his return from the spy mission, he and Caleb, were the only two (out of twelve spies) who were ready to obey God and enter Canaan.

Forty years later when Moses handed the reins of power to his protégé, Joshua again obeyed the call ().

In the end, the people of Israel followed Joshua's example and did what God asked of them and as a result inherited the land God had promised.

Scripture says that "Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua” (). When the people followed Joshua's lifelong example of obedience, they prospered.

By the time of his death, Joshua was known simply as "the servant of the Lord" (, ). That is high praise!

While today we consider Joshua an exceptional leader, nowhere does Scripture describe him as a man of extraordinary might, intellect, or talent.

What made him extraordinary was his obedience.

Joshua’s Victory

One the most memorable of Joshua's many victories came in the destruction of Jericho. But what a crazy story it is!

Try to picture how absurd God's military strategy must have seemed to real men of war.

March around Jericho 13 times in one week (one time a day for six days, then 7 times on the seventh day), blow some trumpets—and that's it?

No weapons? No talking?No fighting? No plan of attack?

I have no doubt; the residents of Jericho were puzzled at the weeklong activities of the Hebrew army circling their walls.

However, Joshua was committed to doing whatever it took to gain victory, and if God said shout, then the general would discard his swords and spears and wholeheartedly go with the absurd.

Here is a short list of ten things to really admire about Joshua:

1. He made obedience his priority.

2. He never waited to see what the crowd wanted to do.

3. He made decisions from an eternal perspective, not a temporary one.

4. He acted decisively.

5. He deeply appreciated the past without worshiping it.

6. He valued results more than image and reputation.

7 He knew that to influence others, he had to stand up and be counted.

8. He never wavered from his understanding of what was right.

9. He trusted his God more than his gift.

10. He made glorifying God his ultimate objective.

Good Leaders Don't Allow Compromise to Dilute the Cause

A little city with a short name caused huge problems for the Israelites.

Spies sent out to check out the village of Ai considered it an easy target; its defeat would not even require the whole army, they said.

How wrong they were! The soldiers dispatched against Ai quickly retreated after suffering heavy losses.

What happened?

Joshua (through some investigation) soon discovered that sin in his camp had caused the defeat.

One of his soldiers, Achan, had kept for himself some of the spoils of war, despite God's prohibition against doing so.

After a short time of confusion, Joshua dealt decisively with Achan, executing him at the command of God.

Due to his courage and convictions, the next time Israel launched an attack on Ai, the tiny city with the short name presented little problem.

Also in chapter 8 we see Joshua Balances Faith and Planning

When does human planning get in the way of trusting God for results?

Or conversely, when does faith become presumption, expecting God to do for us what we must grab hold of ourselves?

All Christian’s especially christian leaders must learn the proper balance between divine faith and human preparation.

Joshua demonstrates a beautiful balance as he prepares a second attack on the city of Ai. He begins by asking the Lord whether his army should attack, and if so, when.

God ordered the attack and instructed Joshua to set an ambush but gave no further details.

Joshua planned the details of the second attack, each step under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

He divided his troops into two divisions and told one to stage an attack on the city. The other group was to wait in ambush until the men of Ai came out. As the men of Ai chased their attackers, the ambush could close in and allow the Israelites to set the city afire. The plan worked perfectly.

When the men of Ai saw the smoke rising above their homes, they lost heart and quickly fell in battle to Israel.

Do you see the balance of divine guidance and human strategy?

Joshua placed his faith in God for the results, but, did not hesitate to make wise plans and execute them.

Negotiation and Compromise

When Israel negotiated with the Gibeonites and ignored God's order to destroy the city they allowed compromise to jeopardize their mission.

While negotiation is not wrong, leaders can never negotiate their;

· convictions,

· direct orders,

· or core values.

When we start negotiating these, we compromise our mission.

Joshua's Integrity with the Gibeonites

Joshua had made a mistake and compromised his leadership when he made a treaty with the Gibeonites, but once he made a covenant with them, he knew it was his duty to defend them.

Integrity means that you keep your promise " and keep your promises even when it hurts” (see ).

(NLT) A psalm of David.

1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? 2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. 3 Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. 4 Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. 5 Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.

Why is this so important?

1. People do what people see. If Joshua failed in his integrity, it would haunt him later.

2. People follow if they trust. If Joshua failed in his integrity, very few would trust him later.

3.People return what they've received. Joshua was more likely to receive loyalty from the Gibeonites if he demonstrated loyalty to them when it was costly to do so.

Joshua builds Momentum

Not only did Joshua lack momentum at the beginning of his leadership campaign, he actually faced several barriers to it. He had zero momentum in the beginning.

Think about Joshua’s situation:

1. Israel had just lost Moses, its founding leader.

2. Joshua had to follow this hero and admired leader.

3. The Israelites had not realized their dream in 40 years.

4. In front of Israel stood a flooding river and countless walled cities.

So, what can a leader without momentum do? The answer: Learn from Joshua.

· Emphasize that moving forward simply reflects obedience to God

· Speak of past conquests under God's direction.

· Get the people to quickly put some "wins" under their belt.

· Underscore your own faith in what God has promised.

· Model courage for everyone.

· Erect memorials to recall God's pattern of faithfulness. (Nine memorials in the book of Joshua).

By chapter ten, Joshua is enjoying Big Momentum.

Israel won victory after victory-and each one made the next one easier to visualize and embrace.

COMPETENCE: Joshua Got the Job Done

through 16

COMPETENCE RARELY happens overnight. Even the great Joshua had to be prepared over many years to handle the enormous task given him.

By the time he died, competence could have been his middle name. Think about this:

· God used Joshua over two generations.

· God trusted Joshua to lead the military campaigns from the wilderness into Canaan.

· God called Joshua to spy out the Promised Land.

· God allowed Joshua to accompany Moses up Mount Sinai.

· God replaced Moses with Joshua when it came time to lead the people into Canaan.

Think about the time and effort God invested in this young leader to make him competent:

1. He was a warrior ().

Joshua was born to be a warrior. His first opportunity at leadership came as a military leader.

God was preparing him for a much larger role, but it all began

here.

2. He was a spokesman ().

Joshua received a prophetic word from the Lord concerning his lifetime ministry, illustrating how God works in each of us. First, we receive a personal word from the Lord; then we become bearers of His word to others.

3. He was a servant ().

Joshua was first known as "the servant of Moses." No one called him a servant of Yahweh until the time of the conquest.

He proved his willingness to serve before asking anyone to serve him.

All of us must undergo the same process.

4. He was a faithful coworker ().

Moses took Joshua with him to meet with God on Mount Sinai, but when ordered to stop, Joshua halted halfway up. He experienced no glory, no cloud. no voice, and no presence, yet he remained faithful to the big picture.

5. He was an apprentice of Moses and God ().

For 40 years, Joshua served as an understudy. His competence grew from Moses' tutoring and his own observations. He would not leave Moses' tent because he wanted to get everything he

could from his mentor.

6. He was a zealot ().

One day when God's presence came down upon the camp and two men began to prophesy, Joshua became upset. He

Told them to stop, but Moses said to him, "I wish all God's people were prophets."

Joshua's passion later became an asset as it combined with experience.

7. He was a transformed leader ().

Moses gave the name Joshua to the young man formerly called Hoshea. With that name change came a transformation in identity and character. Joshua became a man ready to delegate, organize, and lead the nation of Israel.

Confidence and Decisiveness: Joshua Distributes the Land

Joshua chapters 17 - 19

The time came when Joshua finally felt ready to divide the land God had promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier.

His leadership faced a crucial test when he saw that he needed to exhort the hesitant people to occupy their land.

"How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?" he scolded the faltering tribes ().

Joshua's courage left an unmistakable mark on the hearts of his countrymen and reminded them that they were to fulfill the expectations of God.

Notice how Joshua led the people in his later years, when decisiveness became especially crucial:

1. Evaluation (13:1–14:5). Joshua developed a clear picture of the land remaining to be conquered.

2. Imitation (14:6-15). Joshua blessed Caleb and pointed to him as a model of attitude and determination.

3. Communication (15:1—17:18). Joshua clearly articulated the boundaries of each tribe's land and what they needed to do.

4. Exhortation (18:1-4). Joshua challenged the tribes of Israel to take the land God had promised them.

5. Investigation (18:4-10). Joshua appointed teams to survey the scope of the remaining land and report back to him.

6. Determination (18:11—19:51). Once he received the commissioned report, Joshua determined who should get what land.

Joshua Says Goodbye with Convictions

Joshua's farewell speech urged Israel to stay passionately committed to God. Joshua reminded the people of God's faithfulness, and warned them against disobedience. and concluded, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (). Everyone followed Joshua's convictions during his lifetime, for he made them both attractive and magnetic.

Joshua: Picture of a Faithful Leader

Joshua provides an excellent example of a leader whose faithfulness prompted God to raise him up over the three periods of his life.

· 40 years in Egypt;

· 40 years in the wilderness;

· 30 years in Canaan

God gradually moved this trustworthy man into leadership.

Notice the signs of Joshua’s faithfulness:

· Obedience (; );

● Servanthood (; );

● Loyalty (; );

● Courage (, , ; );

● Promotion ();

● Responsibility (, );

● Power ();

● Credibility ().

Joshua's faithfulness challenges us even today to lead as he did:

1. Live ahead of your contemporaries. Joshua spied out the same land at the same time as the other ten spies, but only he and Caleb returned with a positive report. He lived ahead of his time.

2. Live above your circumstances. Joshua faced several challenges: He followed Moses; he had to conquer mighty Jericho; he had to cross the Jordan with more than one million people. But he did it

3. Live deeper than your calamities. When Israel began to make progress in taking the Promised Land, some disobeyed God and brought defeat on the nation. Joshua overcame it all.

4. Live beyond your capabilities. Joshua's dream, his determination, and his ability to develop his leadership skills enabled him to soar beyond his own personal gifts.

The leading person in the Book of Joshua is not Joshua but the Lord Jehovah, the God of Joshua and of Israel.

In all that Joshua did by faith, he desired to glorify the Lord. When the Jews crossed the Jordan River, Joshua reminded them that the living God was among them and would overcome their enemies ().

Through Israel’s obedience, Joshua wanted all the people of the earth to know the Lord and fear Him (4:23–24).

In his “farewell addresses” to the leaders (chap. 23) and to the nation (chap. 24), Joshua gave God all the glory for what Israel had accomplished under his leadership.

At least fourteen times in this book, God is called “the Lord God of Israel” (7:13, 19–20; 8:30; 9:18–19; 10:40, 42; 13:14, 33; 14:14; 22:24; 24:2, 23).

Everything that Israel did brought either glory or disgrace to the name of their God.

When Israel obeyed by faith, God kept His promises and worked on their behalf; and God was glorified. But when they disobeyed in unbelief, God abandoned them to their own ways and they were humiliated in defeat.

The same spiritual principle applies to the church today.

As you look at your life and the life of the church where you fellowship, do you see yourself and your fellow believers wandering in the wilderness or conquering in the Promised Land?

In the wilderness, the Jews were a complaining people; but in Canaan, they were a conquering people.

In the wilderness, Israel kept looking back, yearning for what they had in Egypt; but in the Promised Land, they looked forward to conquering the enemy and claiming their rest and their riches.

The wilderness march was an experience of delay, defeat, and death; but their experience in Canaan was one of life, power, and victory.

If you were to look at a “spiritual map” of your Christian life, where are you living?

In the wilderness or in the Promised Land?