The Promise of God

The Promise of God

• Scripture: Deuteronomy 9:1–5
1 Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” 3 But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
4 After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Back in 2012, Barack Obama was elected again as a president of the U.S. After his was elected again, people were interested in how he could make it. His secret of the reelection could be found in the speech he had given.Surprising fact is that even until now - which is three years after the election - people are actually reciting his speech. What does that mean? The fact that people recite the speech from president Obama shows that it was a speech which had shown a positive perspective on the dream, hope, and other things.

The U.S. at that time was having very hard time economically. However, before the election, president Obama didn’t say in his speech to the people, “no,” “impossible,” or “we can’t.” What Obama said was, “Yes, we can do it, ”we will make it,“ and ”We are dreaming of a better future. It will come true."
Although the economical status was bad, Obama said to the people of the U.S., “People! What is important is not whether we are living better or not compare to 4 years ago, but to think wider and see the future. People! If you are going with me, than I promise you the better, brighter, and shining future 4 years later. I promise you. We shall make a bright and shining future 4 years later.”

People of the U.S. chose Obama, who suggested dream and hope. It was a speech that was promising the future, that even though it is hard and difficult now, in 4 years, the difficulties will be overcome, and the bright and shining future will begin.  On the other hand, let’s look at the speech of McCain, who was the rival of Obama. His speech blamed the Administration of Bush, who ruled the U.S. before, carelessly. “We failed because his economical policy was poor. That’s why we are having such a hard time now.” “Spending so much money at the Iraq War made this hard time now.” The speech was mainly about blaming and judging.

The people of the U.S. gave their vote to Obama, who wanted to build a positive and promising future, not to McCain. That was, although it was hard at that time, to look through the reality and go toward the future. That was, although the future is blurry, it is promised.

It is said that a person’s life is on the power of the tongue. The Bible says that we are going to be judged on whatever bad we say. The Numbers 14:28 says, “So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say.” Therefore, as a Christian, it is very important to think about what we shall say living this World.

From where does our speech begin? To train a horse, you should use a bit. To train a cow, you should use a ring on its nose. To control a big ship, you should use its handle to steer the ship toward your destination. Then, what about a person’s mouth?

Let’s look at Deuteronomy 9:5 from today’s scripture.
5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Now the people of Israel entered Canaan, the promised land, conquering Jericho, crossing the river of Jordan, passing the wilderness. Here God says that the reason that the Israelites are entering is "to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It is that the reason of the Israelites entering the land of Canaan after their 40-year-long journey at the wilderness is because of the faithful God accomplishing the promise. At the beginning of today’s scripture, the reason of the Israelite entering Canaan is recorded. It says, “It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land, but because of the faithfulness of God.”

We can see here two characteristics of God from today’s scripture. That is, God’s faithfulness and righteousness. God is faithful one who keeps what he has promised.The Book of Jonah introduces Jonah as a faithful prophet listening to the voice of God. Jonah 1:1–2 says, “1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.””　Although Jonah was a faithful prophet who listen to the voice of God, Jonah disobeyed God.

When God said to Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh, Jonah acted in opposite. That was because Jonah still had manly part in him. That was, Nineveh took all the rights of Israel, ruling Israel as their colony.
If Jonah preach the destruction of Nineveh, and if Nineveh repent,　then Nineveh wouldn’t be destroyed, continuing the rule of Nineveh over Israel. That was why Jonah didn’t want to preach the destruction over Nineveh. Of course, the pain of Israel from the colonization would continue, also.

Because of that logical reason, although Jonah was a faithful prophet who listened to the voice of God, he disobeyed God. Church! Does the will of God change because a man disobeys it?
If I realize something as God’s will, but doesn’t do it, then will God’s will remain unaccomplished? If God’s will remain unaccomplished because of a man’s disobey, then it would not be God’s will.

Even though Jonah disobeyed, because God is good, Jonah was used by God to save the people on the ship. Even though John didn’t listen to God, since God’s faithfulness, sincerity, and goodness couldn’t be changed, God accomplished His will of saving people through disobeying Jonah.
God keeps what He once promised. Therefore, God is faithful. God, who didn’t want to destroy Nineveh, used disobeying Jonah to save the Gentiles on the ship heading to Tarshish, where people worshiped idols.
That’s what today’s Scripture is about. Let’s look at verst 5 again.

5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Amen.

 I believe that we know that it is by the word of faith based on the faithfulness of God which makes positive, complete, and faithful words. We are not to believe in other people. Many people stop attending church after getting hurt by other people.

Why do they stop attending church? That is because they didn’t set the correct concept of faith. Please speak after me. “People are to be served and loved, not to be believed.” Praise the Lord!
People are the image of God who are to be served. They are not to be believed in. The reason people fall down due to others is because they believed in people. The more and more believe in people, the greater and greater the disappointment would be. The greater the expect is, the greater the disappointment is.

If it is your story, set a right concept about belief. “Yeah! That’s right! People are not to be believed but to be loved and served!” The reason that Israelites could reach the land of Canaan was the promise of the faithful God, which was to Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac.

The reason we now become God’s people and saved is only because of God’s promise. praise the Lord!
Think about how you are today. “What kind of person am I~! It’s hard, and hopeless! What am I~!” However church! Think about the faithfulness of God. And look again your life one by one with faith.

How happy time are we living in? We have lots of things, living rich. But we worry, get down, become hopeless, and compare to others… Open your eyes. And see the faithfulness of God.
God promised us. What did He promise? Look at Genesis 27:27–29

27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,
“Ah, the smell of my son
28 May God give you heaven’s dew
29 May nations serve you

Be lord over your brothers,
May those who curse you be cursed
Amen.

Numbers 23:20. I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it."
Isaiah 43:1–2.
1 But now, this is what the Lord says—
 he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: 
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
 I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 
2 When you pass through the waters,
 I will be with you; 
and when you pass through the rivers,
 they will not sweep over you

. 
When you walk through the fire,
 you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 
Amen.

1. The World Like a Strong Fortress
1 Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”
Amen.

Church! When Israelites were entering the land of Canaan, it was not a green pasture that was before they eyes. God was faithful God who promised Israelites to enter the land of Canaan. However, we can see here that the reality was tuff.

Look at verse 1. “Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you.” Although God promised Israelites to give the land of Canaan, it was not just that. The land of Canaan, the promised land, was the land of nations greater and stronger than Israelites. It was not the weaker nations that they could win easily. It says that it was a stronger nation. Later in verse 1 the nations in Canaan is explained in more detail. “with large cities that have walls up to the sky.”

It is such a situation to say, ‘what in the world.’ The NIV translation describes the nations of Canaan as this:
1 Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.
Amen.

 It says about the nations of Canaan, “nations greater and stronger.” Greater means more great; stronger means more strong.In other words, there was no other nations stronger and greater than the nations in Canaan. It says their walls reached up to the sky. How tall and great those walls must be!

It is saying that it was really really really tall. And verse 2 says this. “the people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”" Amen.
It says now that the Anakites are living in the nations of Canaan. The Bible tells that Israelites already knew who Anakites were. They knew how brave the Anakites were. They knew how tall the Anakites were. They knew that legendary records of the Anakites. The Anakites were the soldiers that was impossible to win, that each member kills hundred and thousand, that their brave makes the flying bird fall down.

Church! The World we are living now is like that. Look at the World before us. It is such a competitive society. To enter a college, you should start preparing at the elementary school. It is the “hell of the college entrance.” That’s not it. Getting a job is also very hard.After you get a job? You should look at the situation all the time, get in the promotion competition. That’s not it yet. Everyday is like a battle field. The hopeless future is before us.
Don’t you know who the Annakites were? They were giants who were 3 meters tall. How can you fight them? That is impossible. The Bible says that the Israelites knew it.
But, see.

 Look at the verse 1 again.
1 Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you,
Amen.

Praise the Lord! God said that the Israelites knew the reality. But what did God say? Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you. Amen.
To dispossess nations greater and stronger than you… Church! God said that the Israelites knew that the Annakites were stronger than them. However, God is saying that He is giving that Canaan to the Israelites. Is He going to just give the land?

No. God is also introducing how He is going to give the land of Canaan in detail.
Let’s read verse 3 together.
3 But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
Amen.

Yes, the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. Amen, Praise the Lord! Amen.
It is that God is going before Israel, like a devouring fire. And then He will destroy the nations, making them nothing before Israel. Praise the Lord!

Church! When the Israelites met the Yellow Sea on their way of escaping from Egypt, they faced a touch-and-go crisis. In front of them was the Yellow Sea with tall waves. At the back, there were Egyptian Armies.
God protected them in that hopeless situation so that even a hair of them would’t get harmed. A great pillar of fire came down from heaven and blocked the Egyptian armies that were pursuing the Israelites. The Egyptian armies couldn’t go any farther because of the pillar of fire. That fire was the might of God. That fire was the power of God. That power was from heaven to show that God is a living God. That was the fire of the Holy Spirit that was given to the 120 believer at the upper room of John. Praise the Lord!

Beloved church! How can we say something positive in faith? It is by the faith of trusting God. When we believe in the faithfulness of God, we can praise Him. When we are sure of God, we can expose His glory to others.
Although we get weak sometimes, God does not abandon us but renew us, complete us, and consume us with the fire of the Holy Spirit, so that we can live on this World by faith with the heavenly hope as the holy people of God.

The blazing fire of God will keep our life. The fire of God’s power rules the life of the believer. The fire in that upper room in the Pentecost will guide our lives. I bless you in the name of Jesus so that your lives would be full of these grace.

Look at the verse 5. God “swore” to keep that promise of the faithful God. He swore,　swore, and swore.
Church! It is not just a promise in a legal term. This swear was a promise in His own life. It was a promise that even the only beloved Son died for on the cross. It was that kind of promise to protect us forever.
Church! Do not be afraid. There is a promise from God. It is the promise that He will protect us with the blazing fire and will be with us. I pray in Jesus name that you find this faithful promise of God.