Living in light of the promised land.

In 1952, young Florence Chadwick stepped into the waters of the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island, determined to swim to the shore of mainland California. She’d already been the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways. The weather was foggy and chilly; she could hardly see the boats accompanying her. Still, she swam for fifteen hours. When she begged to be taken out of the water along the way, her mother, in a boat alongside, told her she was close and that she could make it. Finally, physically and emotionally exhausted, she stopped swimming and was pulled out.

What will keep us going through the Christian life? Motivation?

Motivation to keep fighting sin rather than settling

Motivation to keep sacrificing comfort for the Kingdom

Motivation to give our money to gospel work?

Motivation to speak out for Jesus when it might bring mockery

Motivation to stand up for biblical values in world that might hate us?

Motivation when Country is at war and homes have been destroyed?

What will keep us going when the fog descends on our Christian lives? Uncertainty or darkness, or feeling of being overwhelmed, or the offer of an easy way out.

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If we are to keep running the race that is the Christian life - one of things need to know that it will be worth it in the end.

Live as heirs of God’s promises

Reading Joshua 13:1-14:1

What word is Repeated? (first mentioned v6)

Context: Series in Joshua - In promised land, and victory. At rest on all sides. List of Kings that have been defeated - there is no one like our God. None can stand against him. More this is about God’s promises. Nothing can stop God keeping his promises. Experienced as his people live in trust and obedience, led by their courageous leader Joshua who God appointed. This is heart of next 6 chapters - division of the land, is historical record of huge significance - because it marks promises made to Abraham being temporarily fulfilled. People had peace, and now they had land. Lots of it. Rich land.

Live in light of God’s faithfulness

Some bits of bible we find utterly gripping. Joshua stories of war and marching and trumpets and walls tumbling, and victory and hailstones and sun standing still. But other bits tempted to skip over. 13-19 records of places we can’t pronounce.

But writer is so keen that we don’t miss this section he makes it 6 times longer than all the other bits! Not just so we know that what is happeneing here is real history, but also that we know the God who intersects history.

Old box - throw it out. But to me it is precious for it is something that belonged to my grandad. Inheritance, marker of my relationship to him.

And that is what land is to the Israelites.

Exodus 3:17 NIV

And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

This is the inheritance that was promised to them by Yahweh. And it is glorious. And there is not one bit of it that they did not recieve and there is not one bit of it that the writer misses recording.

Notice the extent of the land that God gives Israelites.

There is no part of Canaan that Israel do not conquer or occupy. A land that was under the occupation of God’s enemies, and subject to them, has now been reclaimed by God according to promises he made to Moses and fulfilled through Joshua.

But something more significant in these verses.

Something profound. Physical events are historial but also represent Spiritual reality to be fulfilled.

What was the land of Canaan before the Joshua arrived? It was a Spiritually barren waste land occupied by a people living in rebellion against God who lives poured our wickeness. But through Joshua God brought this land to a restored status. No longer land of wickeness and judgement, but land of promise and life

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Is not the land of Canaan before Joshua came, in all it’s wickedness and rebellion, not exactly like the state of the our hearts before Jesus came?

We were a spirtually barren land, under occupation of Satan, and therefore a people of rebellion against our maker, full of wickeness, whose sin was overflowing.

But our mighty warrior Jesus came and conquered every enemy, Satan has been vanquished and Spiritual forces have been nailed to the cross, through faith every corner, every member of God’s church is occupied by Holy Spirit.

Land can now floursh, occupied by God’s people, living under God’s blessing, for God’s Glory. So now the church, redeemed by Jesus blood, can now floruish and thrives as its members enjoy every Spiritual blessing in Christ.

Heard this week idea that God owns us twice over. Creator and purchased us.

But glorious news of the gospel that even though he owns us twice over, in Christ he gives us all things. We are heirs to Christ’s inheritance. I wonder do we take the time to dwell in this reality. That not only has God resced us from sin and death, but also given us all things through Christ Jesus.

Just imagine people taking in the scenery. Now war is over.

Walking on plains of Jordan in the long reeds remembering sight of waters parting

Sitting by the stones at Gilgal and reflecting on God’s promises

Walking by the ruins of Jericho and rememebring glorious day of victory

Standing on hillside at Gibeon remembering when God stopped sun in the sky

Or taking a swim in the waters of merom, the place where Joshua defeated great Northern army aware of peace and rest.

Soaking in scenery reflecting on God’s goodness.

Poland this week. Stood on balcony taking in the view. Just stood there breathing clean air, enjoying quiet of mountains, away from smog of the city.

Enjoying the scenery of God’s goodness to us in the gospel. Do we dwell in the vastness of his grace and mercy and character and promises, as we open His word, and we spend time in prayer in the Spirit, in such a way that we let it capture every corner of our lives, reclaiming it from Satan’s grip and renewing it for the Glory of God?

Do we relish the chance to be with God’s people on a Sunday recognise this is a picture of God keeping his promises, and picture of eternity.

Now and not yet of Christian life. We rejoice in God’s grace and power and yet still experience the brokeness. Not all smiles and sunshine.

True for Israel too. You might have spotted slight discomfort in v13.

Joshua 13:13 NIV

But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maakah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.

Joshua 17:12–13 NIV

Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

God’s people occupy the land, yet there are pockets of rebellion. Some suggest this is indication of failure to obey completely by peopel of God. Not given reason. But identifies a potential danger.

Warning here for us. We mighty have with great faith fought mighty battles, but are there small sins that we allow to lie dorment, or consider to be under control, but are reluctant to deal with.

Yet details give us a sobering reality - that while we experience the promises of God in part, we also experience the reality of living in sinful flesh and in sinful world.

War is won but battle still to be done.

What is our attitute to be? How to we avoid becoming discouraged or distracted?

Live for God’s promises fully realised.

Florence chadwick - picked up by boat, only to realise that shore was less than 1/2 mile away

“All I could see was the fog.…I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.”

How often we are so downcast, so discouraged, so distracted, or even give up, because we can’t see past the fog right in front of our faces.

Thick fog, can cast a vast darkness to the weay soul.

What are we to do on those days. Not take shelder or stop swimming. Hold to promises of God, and look to our inheritance.

For Israelites how did they keep going throigh each battle? By remembering power of God in what has gone before them, and trusting in his promise for what lies ahead.

Here they were in promised land, and yet it was a symbol of something greater. Their location was just a physical sign of their true inheritance.

Joshua 13:14 NIV

But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.

Joshua 13:33 NIV

But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Levites were tribe of priests of God people. Interssors on peoples behalf. Maybe it seems harsh that they don’t get any land! But not only did they have specific role - to bring God’s word to bear, and to represent people before God, - which we will think about in few weeks time, here we see that they had something more special than all material blessing.

They enjoyed special blessing of intimate relationship with the Lord. They got to eat with God.

And I think this is where prposperity gospel gets it so wrong. Thing God’s greatest desire is for you to be rich and happy and healty now. Ambition is far too small. What is the true joy of being a Christian - not enjoy the gifts but the giver.

Why is the Levites inheritance better than the rest - becausre they get to enjoy meeting with God on behalf of people. It would be like if Crossway church got given rooms in the Buckingham palace, but I got to go and spend time with the queen.

What is the joy, the glory the crown of the Christian life? It’s having an intimate relationship the King of Kings. There is no greater joy. Thats what we experience in Spirit, and what we will experience physically one day. When we shall see him face to face.

Jesus says

John 14:1–4 NIV

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

What is incredible thing about this passage? Certainty isnt there. Jesus is preparing a place for us. And what a place - many rooms - for a vast multitute brothers and sisters. and what a room - more translation mansions. Huge. And we won’t have to make up our bed because Jesus is preparing it for us. But best part isn’t any of that - best part is that Jesus is going to be there - and we will be with him forever, where - in his Fathers house. He will be our God and we his peopel forever.

Revelation 21:1–4 NIV

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

That is promised land.

We are to invest all our energy in heaven’s shore.

I wonder if great danger for us is that we are too short sighted. We trying so hard to find safety now that we’ve lost sight of where our true safety lies. Trying to so hard to find comfort now that we lose sight of where true comfort lies. Trying so hard to find treasure now that we have lost sight of who our true treasure is.

We are living as slaves to created world, instead of heirs to creator of the world. .

Will we live as heirs to God’s promises. Finding our belong and our treasure in our unity with Jesus and our identity as sons and daugthers of God. Dwelling in his grace, and living with eternity always in sight.

Knowing that this world is not our home, but that one day we will be with him. and our longing will be over.

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