Our Covenant Keeping God.

“The LORD your God has blessed everything you have done and has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the LORD your God has been with you and provided for your every need so that you lacked nothing.” – Deuteronomy 2:7 NLT

The first few chapters of the book of Deuteronomy are a recap of the events of the past 40 years. In an effort to set up the real theme of this book, Moses recounts everything that has happened in the lives of the Israelites up until this point. In chapters two and three we have a review of the early days of the conquest of the land. But at the heart of the story is God Himself. He is the hero. It is all about Him and His faithfulness to fulfill and complete what He began all those years ago in His call of Abram out of Ur. He made a covenant with Abram and He has been fulfilling it all along. He made a promise and He was keeping it. God had promised Abram a land, a seed, and a blessing. He had already given him a seed in the form of a great multitude, now He was going to give the descendants of Abram the land He had promised.

God had taken care of them all those years they had wandered in the wilderness. They had not lacked a thing, except the ability to be obedient and to not complain. But in spite of their unfaithfulness, God had remained faithful. And now He was giving them the very land He had promised to their father Abraham all those years ago. Their conquest of Canaan was going to be God-directed and God-blessed. “Beginning today I will make all people throughout the earth terrified of you. When they hear reports about you, they will tremble with dread and fear” (Deuteronomy 2:25 NLT). God was not leaving it up to chance. He was going to complete what He began and fulfill what He promised. Because He is a covenant keeping God.  The Hebrew word translated “take possession” (v. 21), is used more than 50 times in Deuteronomy.  It always refers to the Promised Land and expresses God’s great desire for His people that they possess what He had promised them. God wanted them to take possession of the promised land. He had promised it, now they must possess it. “The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it…” (Deuteronomy 3:18 NASB).

We can’t look past all that had taken place to get the people of God to this point. The call of Abraham. The betrayal of Joseph by his brothers. Joseph’s ultimate elevation to prominence in Egypt. The relocation of Jacob and his family to Egypt. The blessing of God on the descendants of Jacob and their miraculous proliferation in the land of Egypt. The subsequent abuse of the Israelites at the hands of the Egyptians. The birth and rescue of Moses. His exile and ultimate call by God. The redemption of the people of God by God. The passover. The exodus. The wilderness wanderings. And now, the conquest of the land. The common theme throughout this entire time line is the covenant-keeping ability of our God. He was responsible for it all. He is faithful. He will do what He promises to do – whether we hold up our end of the bargain or not.

Father, You are the covenant-keeping God. You are faithful and true. You do what You promise. You finish what You start. You complete what you begin. Thank You for reminding me of that fact. Because there is another promise You are going to fulfill – the return of Your Son and the restoration of all things. I can trust You to do what You said You would do. In spite of what I see happening all around me. Thanks for that word of encouragement. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org