The Good Land

Joshua 24:20-21,23-24‬ - "If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good." And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD!" "Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!” 

I had written this particular blog awhile ago but never got around to posting. After yesterday's blog, I thought it appropriate to post now. Perhaps the timing is better!

The foreign gods we are to put away are the things of the world. As Christians we are considered foreigners in this world because when we have received Christ we have a heavenly kingdom to think about. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful [worldly] desires, which wage war against your soul. (‭1Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭11) 

Like I said last time, Adam and Eve were ushered out of the good land. Jesus ushers us back in through His forgiveness of our sins, those sins the two in the garden did not at first have. None of us are good. None of us are free from sin...until we receive Jesus Christ.

Then when God has given us the good land, after receiving Christ, we should want to cling to it because of His goodness. We must be obedient to listen, obey and serve Him. Just as God gave Israel the Promised Land, God gives us our heavenly kingdom. Israel had to follow Him, though. Did they always do it willingly? No...those who struggled most were the older people who had known the life of captivity in Egypt. That complaining is what held them back, caused them to wander forty years in the desert. Plus, they did not make it to the Promised Land. They'd forgotten about all the signs and wonders of God that released them. It was a form of rejection of God. Only the next generation, who had not known captivity, but were steadfast in following God, who daily saw Him at work, entered this Promised Land.  

As God has shown, His judgment fell upon those elder Israelites. (Numbers 14) This will happen to those who do not think God is to be revered today, who choose not to follow Him. The kingdom of heaven is reserved for true followers.

Our lives, once given to God, are fueled by our obedience and His goodness. We must remember this. It is He who urged us into relationship with Him. It is He who gave His only Son to die for our sins. It is He we should be eternally grateful to. Joshua reminded Israel of the goodness He displayed:

“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed." (Joshua‬ ‭23‬:‭14)  God is the same today as yesterday. 

Joshua also reminded Israel, like God has reminds us, if we are not willing and obedient:

"[If you transgress] the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed down to them, then the 
anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.” (‭Joshua‬ ‭23‬:‭16‬)

Only One God Saves

Jeremiah 11:12 - Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

I read an article about a change that is taking place in America. About how we have turned our back on God. I also happened to be reading in Jeremiah which touches on a similar issue. I love when God does this.

God was telling Jeremiah he must remind the people of the covenant He had with them. Listen to a few of His words from Jeremiah 11:
"...and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant..."
"‘Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God,’ that I may establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them ‘a land flowing with milk and honey...'"

God reminded Jeremiah how He brought them out of bondage in Egypt (which is a type of the world). If God has done good to this nation because we once were a strong Christian nation, why would we want to give that up? Oh...because, like the article states, we would rather do things our own way.

"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’”
They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers."

These are not my words. These are not my commands. These are words for all of us. But we have the choice to listen or do as these people did. History repeats itself. We were given instructions and examples so that we can know the truth.

I don't know why but I thought of the prophet Elijah, a prophet of God. There were hundreds of other so-called prophets...of Baal...that the people chose to listen to. Remember what he told the people: And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. (‭1Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬)

So to prove a point, he had these prophets build an altar, take a bull and call on their gods to burn it up without their setting it on fire. So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. (‭1Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭26-27,29‬)

So it was Elijah's turn. He repaired the same altar, dug a trench around it, added wood, and had water poured over the animal sacrifice and the wood. He had this done three times, till the trench was even full of water. Elijah called out: "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel..." He called out that He would hear and the people would again turn back to Him. Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. (‭1Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭38‬)

Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!” (‭1Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭39‬)

In today's day of calamity, the same is true. People will rely on their gods to get them out of trouble and it will not happen. Stuff can't buy gods, nor should it be our god. It cannot earn God's approval either. Trusting in the one true God, however, even at the point of death, will bring everlasting life. We can have something much greater than (gods of) silver, gold or treasure. We can have Jesus Christ who will supply all our needs. And the greatest need is a spiritual one with anything He desires to give us after that following. But first we need to know we need to rely on Him. First and foremost.

Which god/God? I am reminded that one day every knee shall bow and tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord...to the glory of God. Just as there was one God for Israel, there is one God for us today. Our gods are meaningless and do not save. There is only one God who saves. It's up to us to make the choice. He wants us to make the right choice.

Jeremiah 11:11 - Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them [who have turned their back on a Him and served other gods] which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them."