The Promised Land 

The Promised Land was the geographic location that God promised Abraham He would give to his descendants. It was an area in ancient Canaan on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Numbers 34:1-12 gives more details about the location. Prior to going to Egypt and then eventually becoming slaves there, the Jews had been nomads, wandering sheepherders. 

Having the land as a permanent possession was a real blessing to the Israelites. Here they could build solid homes and have inheritances to leave to their children. However, this blessing came with responsibilities. God told them in order to keep the land they needed to trust and follow Him, being faithful and worshipping nothing else. He would not bless those who turned to idolatry.

God kept all His promises, but through the years, Israel did not. When they fell away from God and into idol worship, God sent prophets to point out their failures and lead them back to God. If that didn't work, they often succumb to conquering armies. But the greatest promise was fulfilled when Jesus Christ went to the cross to offer us salvation and a relationship with God that sin had severed. We have the greatest promise of all to offer us an eternal, glorious home.

Our society today is more like the wayward Israelites than we'd like to admit. We turn from our Maker who offers us marvelous promises for the asking. We worship idols (ourselves, wealth, power, success, or a myriad of other things) other than the only One who deserves any worship at all. We allow Satan to lead us astray with his lies and deceit. But God gives us every opportunity to change and choose Him above all else. He wants us to come home to Him and our true Promised Land.

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