Everlasting Promised Land

 DEVOTION

JOSHUA

EVERLASTING PROMISED LAND

 

Josh 19:10-16

10 The third lot came up for Zebulun, clan by clan: The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid. 11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam. 12 It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages. 16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, clan by clan.

NIV

We know that this portion of land was in the northern part of the land of promise, which later became known as the kingdom of Israel, while the southern part was known as the kingdom of Judah. Although the tribe of Zebulun was the fourth in the number of fighting men out of twelve, its territory was not the fourth largest, but about the eighth largest. All ten tribes to the north would become the nation of Israel. This brings us to our place in the land of promise, although it is a new and eternal land of promise. The state of Irael had been taken from them as they began to follow other gods, leaving the LORD, and thus he had them taken away by other nations. It was not until nineteen-hundred and forty-eight that they were able to become a nation of Israel having some of the original promised land. It has always been theirs, and it is an everlasting promised land for Israel, as long as the current earth is here.  However, they are no longer divided by tribal territories. What does this have to do with us today? All we can remember is that the scripture says that all Israel will be saved, yet as we recall from being there, the majority of the Israelis are secular, still not accepting Jesus as the Messiah. They have a strong sense of national pride but are not serving God. We know that Paul made it clear who the true Jew is, and it is not one who has the outward sign of circumcision, but the true Jew is the one whose heart has been circumcised by the Lord. Therefore, we believe that if we allow God to circumcise our heart, that is, cut away the covering, exposing the most sensitive part of our heart to him, we are the true Jews, and all who undergo this circumcision of the heart will be saved. We are the true tribe of Israel, the real Israel, the chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation belonging to God. Zebulun’s territory was outlined with a border, but the promised land we will be given has no borders, no boundaries, for we will have access to the whole of creation. We will not be confined to an area based on the number of fighting men, but the whole of creation by the blood of Jesus. Let us live fully confident of our place in the kingdom of God, our inheritance in the new city of Jerusalem, which we cannot even imagine the enormity or immenseness and majestic qualities of the city of God, our everlasting promised land.