ATTEMPTS TO
FRUSTRATE THE LAND PROMISE
Approximately four thousand years ago God made a manifold promise to Abraham that included a land, a nation, and a Seed (Gen. 12:1-3, 7;17:7-8). It was repeated to Isaac (Gen. 26:3-5) and again to Jacob (Gen. 28:13-14). See also Psalm 105:5-11; 42- 45.
These three promises, (a land, a nation and a Seed) were interrelated. In order that the Seed promise could be fulfilled, there had to be a nation through which he should come. In order for a nation to exist without being scattered to the four winds as did the descendents of Noah following the tower of Babel (Gen 11), there was a need for a land. The law of Moses was added (i.e., laid beside, placed additionally) because of transgression until the Seed should come. This law was the middle wall of partition between the Jews and Gentiles.
One of the basic and frequent attempts of Satan is to frustrate, or to make invalid or of no effect the promises of God. His attempts to frustrate or make invalid the land promise that God is an example If Satan would have succeeded it would have resulted in a nation scattered and the promise of God null and void.
The boundaries of the land promise made to Abraham can be found in Genesis 15:18 which read, “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.”
The Bible describes the land as that which flowed with milk and honey was promised to the descendents of Abraham, but specifically given to Abraham’s descendents (Ex. 3:8; Num. 14:8). Abraham did not own one foot of it (Acts 7:5). The land of promise was not given to Israel without conditions. They had to take the land from seven wicked nations that lived in the land (Deut. 6:10-19; 7:1-2).
The land promise was fulfilled (Josh. 21:43,45).
The land promise was conditional, not only for taking the land, but for occupying. Moses wrote
Deuteronomy 4:25-27
25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:
26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
KJV
Again
Deuteronomy 28:1-2
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
KJV
Deuteronomy 28:15
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
Deuteronomy 28:62-64
62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.
KJV
The charge given by David to Solomon his son demonstrates that the land promise was related to the kingdom and the Davidic dynasty.
(1 Kings 2:1-4; I Chronicles 28:6-8).
1 Kings 9:1-7
9:1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,
2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
KJV
A. Jerusalem, the Place Where the Lord God Would Put His Name.
1. Prophecies: Deut. 12: 5, 11, 21; 14:23, 24; 16:2, 4, 6.
2. Fulfillment: I Kgs 8:16-20; 8:29; I Kgs. 9:3.
3. God’s house, the church, would begin there (Isa. 2:2-3; Zech. 1:16).
B. Bethlehem- a ruler would come (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:5-6).
C. Zebulon, Naphtali, and by way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people who sat in darkness would see a great light and those in the region and shadow of death light would spring up (Isa. 9:1-2). Fulfilled in Christ’s going into Galilee and dwelling in Capernaum, which was upon the seacoast of Galilee (Matt. 4:12-16).
A. Israel’s Idolatry at Mt. Sinai almost brought about their complete destruction. Three thousand did die in one day (Ex. 32).
B. Unbelief (disobedience) caused many to die in the wilderness (Heb. 3:17-4:1).
C. At Kadesh Barnea there was murmuring, a lack of trust in God to take the land of Canaan (Num. 13:26-33).
D. Gibeonites through subtility deceived Israel and were allowed to live (Joshua 9).
E. Israel forsook God and rejected his messengers (II Chron. 36:14-16); in rehearsing these matters Ezekiel wrote: Ezek. 20:10-26).
F. Satan’s efforts to stop the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem during the days of Nehemiah:
1. Enemies first grieved, then laughed them to scorn and despised them (Neh. 2:10, 18-19).
2. Mocked the Jews (4:1-3).
3. Conspired to fight against Jerusalem (4:7)
4. Compromise in the Plain of Ono. Sent word to Nehemiah four times (Persistent).
5. Spread rumors, gossip regarding the work (Neh. 6:6-7)
6. A plot to kill Nehemiah (Neh. 6:10-14).
G. Procrastination due to materialism, and self-serving interests kept the Jews for 16 years from rebuilding the temple. Haggai and Zechariah commissioned to see that the task was completed.
7. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and temple – 586 BC
8. Cyrus issued the first decree to rebuild in 538 BC
9. Exiles returned and laid the foundation in 536 BC.
10. Opposition developed from the Samaritans and work stopped.
11. Jews turned to their own houses and let the temple go for 16 years.
1. The immutability of God’s counsel (Heb. 6:17-20; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Cor. 10:13).
2. Satan and his minions will use every means available to thwart the will of God.
3. The promise of an eternal rest for us is conditional.