Nehemiah 9:24
“So their sons entered and took possession of the land. And You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And You handed them over to them, with their kings and the peoples of the land, To do with them as they desired.”
The glorious story of God fulfilling His promise to give the land to Abraham’s descendants. Their fathers feared the giants in the land, so God let them wander in the wilderness for 40 years.
God was sympathetic to them. Here’s what Exodus 13:17 says, ‘When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”’
This was distrust. God had provided for them and protected them. If God was guiding them, they should have known that He would continue to protect them. Today’s verse speaks about their sons. They enter and take possession of the land.
I Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” We are to learn the lessons God taught the Israelites.
When we come to Christ it’s like God delivering them from Egypt. Our old lives had our flesh in bondage to sin. God forgives and frees us from it. Entering the Promised Land is living the victorious christian life.
The Israelites would continue to drive out the inhabitants of the land. So we continue to take possession of our lives that may have been out of control. Maybe it was our temper, addictions, jealousy and so on.
Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.” So we are to grow closer to Christ and stronger in Him.
Thank You, Lord for the example of the Israelites. Thank You that You saved us and delivered us from the bondage of sin. Then You go further with us and bring us into the Promised Land, the victorious christian life. Thank You, Lord.