Daily Devotions
God's Promises to Abraham Fulfilled in Jesus
Reading for March 14th: Joshua 12-15
These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan...
Joshua 14:1
God made three major promises to Abraham. He promised him a great NATION. God promised his descendants would be as the sand of the seashore and the stars of the heavens (Gen 22:17).
God promised Abraham that his family would possess the LAND where he lived as a stranger (Gen 12:7).
Finally, God promised Abraham that his SEED or descendant after him would bless all nations (Gen 22:18).
When were these promises fulfilled? God fulfilled the NATION promise when Abraham's family grew rapidly in Egypt and then entered a covenant with them at Sinai (Ex 1:7; 19:3-6). He fulfilled the LAND promise when Joshua led the people on the conquest of Canaan and then divided up the land (Josh 21:43-45). And then God fulfilled the SEED promise in his Son Jesus Christ (Acts 3:25-26).
All this being said, there is a sense in which all the promises made to Abraham either were fulfilled or will be fulfilled in Jesus. The NATION promised to Abraham is not just the physical nation that came from him but all of those who are Abraham's spiritual descendants (Gal 3:7-9, 29).
And just as Joshua brought the people in to take the LAND, our Joshua (Jesus) is bringing us into the promised rest in the LAND God has prepared for his people (Heb 4:1, 9-10).
Father God, thank you for being faithful to your promises and for making us into a people for your own possession. Bring us safely into the land of rest you promised to our father Abraham!
