"And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD...hath given you?" (Joshua 18:3).
God brought the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt to bring them into the blessing of Canaan. But although the land was given to them for a possession, they had to go and possess it. The Israelites had to defeat the enemy that occupied the land by trusting in the power of God. They no longer had to be ruled by the enemies of God, but on the contrary they were to have power over them.
It's important that we don't lose sight of the purpose for why God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. It's wasn't simply that he might give them a fertile land for them to enjoy. He brought them out that he might given them the gift of Himself--of his presence--of seeing and savoring His glory. In Exodus we read "Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:6-7).
Notice that God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt not just to be free to do whatever they wanted, not just to inherit a good land, but in order that He might be their God and they might be His people. God going before, God dwelling in their midst and God with them was their greatest portion and blessing. The Psalmist wrote, "Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you...The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" (Psalm 16:2, 5-6). "The Psalmist speaks as one already in the promise land, enjoying the best it has to offer. And above it all, God himself is his greatest blessing; his portion, his inheritance, and everything that is good" (Mike Wilkerson).
The record of the redemption of the children of Israel from bondage to blessing is a prophetic picture of the redemptive work of Christ on behalf of all those who trust him as savior and Lord. Like the Israelites, Christians have been redeemed and have been given wonderful promises that we might live for the glory of God (2 Peter 1:1-4). But like the Israelites, Christians must possess their possessions. And the first step to doing so is to recognize that the greatest promise and blessing they have is access to God by the blood of Jesus. The author of Hebrews wrote, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). We no longer need a human priest to stand before God on our behalf. Through the blood of Jesus we can come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
Oh what blessings are promised to the children of God through Christ. But above all God Himself--His presence in our lives is the greatest portion. Jesus is not a means to blessings, he is the blessing. Know him and be blessed.
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