The Scarlet Thread - Pt. 6 The Promised Land
The Scarlet Thread/Luminescent
Pt. 6 “The Promised Land”
Let’s do a quick recap of how we can see the Scarlet Thread
of the Gospel running through the stories of the Old Testament. God Rules in
Genesis 1. We sinned in Genesis 3. God provides a way in Genesis 40. Jesus
saves in the story of Exodus. But we still wander.
In last month’s article, the Israelites were just about to
enter the Promised Land. They had wandered for 40 years, representing the
Christian life lived apart from God. It’s like trying flip a light switch a
million times when your power is out. Living without the power source is
infuriating. And that’s where we enter the next stage of the Exodus story.
The Isrealites were going after the Promised Land. It’s why
they packed what they could carry, and got out of Egypt. They believed there
was something better waiting for them. But what is this Promised Land for us?
I’ll tell you right up front, it’s not Heaven.
There were giants in the land that prohibited them from entering. In
their story, there were obstacles (people) that had to be removed from the Land
of Promise, and I’m pretty there are no giants in Heaven.
The Promised Land is not heaven for us later, it is the
indwelling of Christ now. And there are giants in your life that are
prohibiting this.
Before we talk about how to get into that Promised Land,
let’s talk about the indwelling of Christ. Truthfully, if you’ve put your trust
in Him and His work on the cross, you already have Jesus indwelling you. But
there’s something incredible that happens when a Christian believes this and
trusts this.
If I told you that I had a magic glove at my house that move
around, point at things, and pick stuff up you would say, “Sure you do. But
only when your hand is in it.” You got me! But listen to this: everything that
is possible for my hand is now possible for my glove. As long as my hand is
working, the glove is working too. That’s the idea of Jesus Christ dwelling in
us! We have His very power and deity living in us!
This is the “newness” of the Gospel. The Promised Land is
meant to be enjoyed today! You have only to enter this Promised Land and enjoy
the power and presence of Jesus in your life.
But how do I get to the Promised Land? How do I enjoy the
power and presence of Jesus in my life? Because, truth be told, there’s a lot
of times when I don’t feel either of those things. Take a look at what Joshua,
the new leader of the Jews after Moses, says to the people before entering the
Promised Land.
Joshua 3:9-13 9 “And
Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the
Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living
God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the
Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of
all the earth[a] is passing over before you into the Jordan.”
How do we know that God will wipe out the giants blocking
the Promised Land? Because He’s the same God who delivered you from the slave
masters of Egypt. God, who saved you from slavery to sin, will also be with you
to defeat the remaining giants in your life.
Did you catch the symbolism with the ark and the Jordan
River? You get in to the Promise Land of Jesus’ indwelling the same way you got
out Egypt, your slavery to sin. The Red Sea split for them to get out of Egypt
and Jordan River split for them to get into the Land of Promise. This symbolic
crossing of these two bodies of water represent your faith in the Gospel.
Colossians 2:6 says
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,” You
were freed from your slavery of sin by your faith in the Good News of Jesus
Christ. And the only way you can live in that freedom is with continued faith
in the very same.
As it turns out, Joshua sent two spies into Canaan who met
with Rahab. She told them that Jericho had been
terrified of the Israelites all along and were dreading the day Israel came for
them. The victory had already been won! But they were living as if the enemy
was undefeatable. They believed the fortress was impenetrable for 40 years all
the while the enemy was shaking in their boots, hoping Israel never realized
it!
The final question that remains is; how do I stay in the
Promised Land? The story of Moses ended with him dying before entering the
Promised Land. And as soon as he dies, God appoints Joshua as the new leader.
And within 3 days of Joshua leading the people, they crossed the Jordan. But as
they were crossing it, God gave Joshua some instruction.
Joshua 4:1-3 “When all
the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Take
twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying,
‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very
place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and
lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’”
Joshua 4:21-22 “And he
said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to
come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know,
‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’”
This really is a beautiful thing. This stone altar that they
erect, built from stones gathered from the middle of the Jordan River, stood as
a reminder for generations to come. And every time they looked at this altar
they would remember and be thankful for God’s deliverance of them. Those stones
were gathered from an impossible place. They couldn’t have built that altar if
they had never crossed the Jordan River.
I think in 21st Century America we have become so
logical that we scoff at any sort of emotional or spiritual ritual or tradition.
But I think God feels very deeply about things, and I think He can appreciate
rituals or traditions that point to Him. Not every tradition or ritual is good,
and not every one of the are bad. But if it is used to remind yourself of what
He has done for you then it is a very good thing.
So build your own stone altar. I think it would be a very
good thing for you. It can remind you of the grace you experience then. I’ve
been thinking about getting a tattoo that says, “Imago Dei”. It means “The
Image of God” and it would be a reminder to me that I am invaluable because I
am God’s child. I love to see people wear Christian t-shirts, because it can be
a reminder every time someone asks about it. Wearing a cross necklace or
bracelet might be that thing for you.
The point is to remind yourself, while you’re living in the
Promised Land of Christ’s power and presence, that He is the one that brought
you there and keeps you there. What’s left for you is the work of believing
that. Leave behind your unbelief. You don’t need to wander in the wilderness.
You’re slave masters are dead. You belong in the Promised Land. Enter in. Enjoy
Christ. Trust in His power in you. Surrender to Him.
