To Capture the Promise

An important part of the covenant promises to Abraham was the promise of the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1, 7). On several occasions after the original call of Abraham, God continued to assure him of the promise of the land. The mysterious covenant ceremony in which the Lord passed between pieces of the dismembered sacrifice concluded with a strong affirmation that the land was to be given by the Lord to Abraham’s descendants (Gen. 15:18).

Though the land was promised to the nation as a gift, it did not come into the possession of the people without their involvement. Israel had to drive out the inhabitants. Also, when the land was given there was to be no sinful participation in the false religious practices of those people; their “engraved stones” and “molded images” were to be destroyed and their high places demolished. Still, the land was God’s gracious benevolence to His people. We are thus reminded, in all our striving, that we have only what we receive from the hand of the Lord.

Taken from The Devotional Daily Bible