Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Land Promise

And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God. ~Genesis 17:8

And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
~Galatians 3:29

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ~Romans 4:13

The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
~Psalm 2:7-8

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ~Matthew 5:5

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going...For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God....But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
~Hebrews 11:8,10,16

Did you all catch that? Christian will agree that God promised Abraham the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, but then disagree about what that means today. Well, in Galatians 3:29 we see that if we are Christ's (those with faith, those who have been baptized, Gal. 3:26-27) then we are Abraham's offspring and heirs of the promises that God gave to Abraham (including the land). Then in Romans 4:13 we see that what was promised was not just Canaan, but the whole world (and is received by the "righteousness of faith"). There are many other verses that confirm this, such as Psalms 2:7-8, Matthew 5:5, etc... And finally we see in Hebrews 11:8,10,16 that it is not only a redeemed earth that we will inherit, but Heaven as well. 

There is so much more to this land promise of Gen. 17:8 than a little plot of land in Palestine! The whole earth is promised to us, and indeed Heaven is promised. Christ's Kingdom is filling the earth (Dan. 2:35), and truly has, and will have, "dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!" (Ps. 72:8).

2 comments:

Unknown said...

In total agreement, brother.

"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." ~ Colossians 1:19-20

Melody said...

Amen! "For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (1 Cor. 21-23)