Good Morning.
So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:5-7)
With his nephew Lot joining him, Abram embarked upon a life as a pilgrim and a sojourner. He continued in this lifestyle and endured multiple trials that he might fulfill God’s call to be a blessing to the nations. These journeys are not just recorded as history but are also intended to serve as patterns for the future. More specifically, his journeys and trials also portend what is to occur to his descendants. The rabbinical belief is that, “Everything that happened to the Patriarchs is a portent for the children.”
Interestingly one of the first stops on his journey was a place known as Shechem. This is the place where Israel would enter the land centuries later under Joshua and is the territory given to Joseph’s sons. In fact, this is the area where Joseph is buried. Between the time that Abraham entered Canaan and the time that Joseph’s bones were laid to rest in this place, a lot had happened. Still, the fact that Jospeh’s bones were buried there was an is an indication that the promise made to Abraham would be fulfilled — “To your descendants I will give this land.”
It is important for us to understand that, as the seed of Abraham, this is a promise to us as well. Paul wrote:
“And if you are Messiah’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29)
I find it very interesting that the promise made to Abraham came while he was in Shechem — the place considered as Joseph’s territory. Looking at Joseph’s life as a pattern, Joseph exemplifies those who are the seed of Abraham, but look like those of the nations. He represents those who live outside of the land but are destined to be reunited with those in the land. Remember, what happens to the Patriarchs is a portent the children.
In other words, if we are heirs according to the promise, then we are heirs to the land because the land was an integral component of the covenant. You can’t remove the land of the covenant from the covenant. While it is likely that most of you reading this were born somewhere other than Israel, if you are in the covenant, one day you will reside in that land. One day our King, the Messiah, will rule and reign from Jerusalem and we will join Him there. Until then, like Abraham, we will sojourn as pilgrims and endure trials that we might fulfill the call to be a source of blessing for the nations of the earth. May we all remain faithful until His return.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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