God’s Promises For The Promised Land – Part 2
God’s promises for the Promised Land are central to the covenant relationship that God wanted for His chosen people. God’s promises for the Promised Land are not only for people in the Old Testament. They are relevant for people in the New Testament, as well as for us today.
God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants are not just about land. They are about God blessing God’s chosen people to become a great nation. And to be God’s special chosen people and have a covenant relationship with Him. And ultimately the greatest part of God’s promises is how God would send the Messiah, the Savior of the world, through the nation of Israel.
God first made the promise to Abraham, assuring him that his descendants would inherit a land “flowing with milk and honey”. This land, later known as Canaan, symbolized God’s faithfulness, provision, and covenant with His people. Despite periods of wandering, exile, and conquest, the promise of the land remained a sign of hope and divine blessing. Reflecting God’s enduring commitment to His people and their future.
God’s Promises For The Promised Land
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
When Joseph is 56 years old Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons Manessah (means to forget) and Ephraim (means fruitful, or doubly fruitful). Not only did Jacob bless his 2 grandsons, but he adopted them as his own. This was so that Manessah and Ephraim could be the heads of the final 2 of 12 of the tribes of Israel.
Hebrews 11:21 – “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.”
Genesis 48:1-5 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a nation of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you. “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh
God’s Promises For The Promised Land
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48:13-20 “
And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm —may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.” 17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said, “In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
Ephraim and Manasseh would be the heads of 2 of the tribes in Israel. They made up the region known as Samaria (a rectangular shaped “belt” across the middle of Israel).
Ephraim would become the most significant tribe in the northern kingdom of Israel. In this part of Samaria would be the city of Samaria – which later became the capitol city of all of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Jacob not only blessed Joseph’s sons. He prophetically proclaimed that Ephraim would become the most influential and significant tribe in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Hebrews 11:21 – “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.”
Jacob blessing Ephraim and Manasseh was by faith. Because he displayed faith and confidence that God would fulfill His promises – that Abraham’s descendants would be His holy people. And Israel would become a great nation. And give them the Promised Land. Plus the greatest promise was that the Messiah, the Savior Jesus would come out of Israel and bless all other nations with salvation.
After blessing Joseph’s sons Jacob died, approx. 230 years after God’s call and promise to Abraham in Genesis 12. At Jacob’s request his sons bury him in Hebron (in the Promises Land), where Abraham and Isaac are buried (Genesis 49:29 – 50:13)
God’s Promises For The Promised Land
Joseph’s Faith in God
Hebrews 11:22 – “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.”
Joseph died at the age of 110. By faith he asks for his bones to be buried in the Promised Land, where his great grandfather, grandfather, and father were buried.
Genesis 50:24-26 “Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
275 years after God promised Abraham the Promised Land Joseph died. It was still 155 years before the exodus of Israel from Egypt. But Joseph saw the exodus and the Promised Land through eyes of faith.
Joseph knew all about God’s Promises to Abraham. That his descendants would be God’s chosen people. And that they would become a great nation, and that God would give them the Promised Land. And best of all, that the Messiah, the Savior Jesus would come out of Israel to bless all nations.
Joseph knew God well enough and personally to know that God always does what He says and promises. It is one thing to read the Scriptures and know about God. It is far better to walk closely with God, and get to know Him by experience through the ups and down of life.
God’s Promises For The Promised Land
The Exodus From Egypt
175 years after Joseph died the exodus of Israel from Egypt took place. Led by Moses, God’s chosen servant to rescue and deliver His people from slavery in Egypt.
Moses and God’s people experienced great miracles by God (plagues in Egypt, parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, the cloud leading them by day and the pillar of fire by night…). Despite personally seeing and experiencing great miracles of God, many of the Israelites remained hard hearted and rebellious. Their hearts were far from God. Many still preferred to turn to the many false gods of Egypt, rather than surrender and give their hearts and lives to the True and Living God.
Just before it was time for God to give the Promised Land to Abraham’s descendants, He instructed Moses to send 12 spies into the Promised Land. Each was the leader of the 12 tribes of the new nation of Israel, including Caleb and Joshua.
*Numbers 13:1-2 – “The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.
God’s Promises For The Promised Land
The Faithlessness & Rebellion of 10 Spies And The People
The 12 spies spent 40 days on their mission into the Promised Land. After their spy mission 10 spies gave a bad report to the people. They said the land was very good and fertile, but the people living in the land were giants and could not be defeated. This caused many of the people to be greatly afraid.
Numbers 13:30 “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
Numbers 14:6-10 “Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
So Joshua and Caleb convinced the people to go in and fight and take the Promised Land ?
Numbers 14:10 – But the whole assembly talked about stoning them.
Only 2 of the 10 spies, Caleb and Joshua, looked at the challenge through eyes of faith. The others’ hearts were still far from God. Instead of knowing God personally and well enough to be filled with faith and confidence in God, their hearts were hard and stubborn. From following Egypt’s false gods and idols. You can read about this in Ezekiel & other places in the Bible.
Despite seeing God do signs & miracles (plagues) in Egypt, plus parting the Red Sea, and manna from heaven, plus the cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by Night, their lack of love for God & lack of faith in God cost them the chance to enter the Promised Land. And it cost them the chance to receive all of God’s great blessings for them.
We will continue to look into God’s promises for the Promised Land in Parts 3 and 4. And the lessons we can learn from studying this. And also how it applies to us today.
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