And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)(Num. 34:1-2).
And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him (Gen. 12:7). And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites (Ex.3:8). For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off (23:23). By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land (23:30). Chapter 34 of the Book of Numbers opens by defining the borders of the land God promised to His children as their inheritance. North, south, east, and west—the lines of demarcation were clearly drawn. This was the land from which God had promised to expel all worldly influences, the land by which He would protect and provide for His people, meeting their every need with bountiful grace and unwavering love. Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee: and upon earth He shewed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire. And because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His mighty power out of Egypt; To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day (Deut. 4:36-38).
To the Israelites, these boundaries represented home. For the first time since Abram (Abraham) gathered his household and left his father’s house in response to God’s command (Gen. 12:1-4), His descendants would have a home of their own. They would have provisions, safety, security, and permanency. For as long as they lived in obedience to the Lord, they would also live in fellowship with Him, and the outside world would not be permitted to breach the perimeter that God established.
For those of us who have joined with the body of Christ, the concept of home has taken on a deeper meaning. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom. 8:14). The Holy Spirit has taken up permanent residence within us, and the impermeable boundaries God has set round about our hearts enable us to live in safe and protected fellowship with Him at all times and in all places, regardless of worldly circumstances. This home is permanent; it transcends life and death.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked (II Cor. 5:1-3).
Thought for Today: As long as we have God, we are never truly lost; His path is always before us. Ask, and He will light the way.
Christ Revealed: By the cities of refuge (Num. 35:6). Christ is our Refuge from the judgment of God and the curse of the Law. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus (Heb. 6:18-20).
Word Studies: 34:3 Salt Sea = Dead Sea; 34:5 fetch a compass = take a turn toward; 34:5 goings out = end; 34:6 Great Sea = Mediterranean Sea; 34:8 goings forth = boundary; 34:11 Chin’nereth = Galilee; 35:2 suburbs = open land.
Pray For Staff:Gilbert Palafox • Government Officials; Rep. Ben Cline (VA) • Country: Spain (47,737,941) Southwestern Europe • Major Languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan • Limited Religious Freedom • 94% Roman Catholicism; 6% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Examine yourself. Has prosperity dulled your willingness to sacrifice (Hag. 1:4)?
Optional Reading:Luke 15