From the previous posting, we went over God's promises with Abraham. Actually, they were not to be accomplished in Abraham's time, but to be fulfilled in the future by his descendants. So, today let us examine how God's covenants with Abraham came true in reality.
In summary, God promised Abraham that he would give him the land which at that time was occupied by the Canaanites. And that his descendants would be strangers in a country not
their own and come back in the fourth generation with great possessions. (Ref. Ge12:6~7, Ge15:13~16)
Time had passed and the appointed time came, which means that the Abraham's descendants, Jacob's family had been in Egypt for 400 years.
Let us look at Ex2:23~25.
During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.(Ex2:23~25)
These verses indicate us that God never fail to remember his promise with his chosen people. How truthful He is! And also He had always been zealous to accomplish his will in every way .(Is37:32)
At this time, Moses was the one appointed as God's instrument. Born of one of the descendants of Levi, Moses was adopted as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, but had to flee
to Midian for killing the Egyptian. After 40 years there, he was chosen by God to be sent back to the Israelites in Egypt to save them.(Ex3:13~14)
Only after the 10 plagues were done on Egypt, Pharaoh reluctantly let them go.
In the third month after leaving Egypt, God called to them on the Desert of Sinai and made the covenant with them according to Ex19:5~6.
Ex19:5~6 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be
my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a
kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the
Israelites.
Being the one chosen by God, Moses was faithful to fulfill God's will going through 40-years life of wilderness with the Israelites.
And finally, the Israelites were about to enter the land of Canaan. On Mount Nebo, which overlooks the land Canaan, however, Moses came to die because of his sin that he did not uphold God's holiness in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh.(Ex32:50~52)
Afterward, through Joshua, who used to be one of the explorers of Canaan, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and came into the land of Canaan.(Jos 4) With the help of God, he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.
It shows that God definitely fulfilled what he had promised to Abraham 500 years ago.
Looking through the Bible history, we strongly perceive that God is so determined to fulfill His promise that all the circumstances including people are to be utilized in realizing his will.
And one more thing to take note of is that when his old promise is fulfilled and the new era begins, he makes another covenant with the people belonging to that era.
Along those lines, let us take a look at the commandments Joshua left to the Israelites before his death as followings:
1. Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.(Jos23:6)
2. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you, do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. If you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you and instead they will become snares and traps for you.(Jos23:7, 12~13)
These were the commandments from God delivered by Joshua. And as it always had been, the difference of the outcome of those who keep and of those who do not would be huge.
Through the series of 'The Classification of the Biblical Era', we are examining how God has been setting up the Covenants with his chosen people and how it has been fulfilled and what was the difference of the outcome of the obedient and the disobedient.
Hope you the readers to glimpse God's true way of working through this series.
On the next posting will be how the Israelites acted in the land of Canaan and what way God presented to them.
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