Jump Start # 3362
Deuteronomy 6:10-11 “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you great and splendid cities which you did not build and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied”
Our verse must have seemed almost too real to be true for Israel. Having dwelt in tents and eaten manna from above, and traveling about as nomads with no real roots to call home, God was putting before their eyes a blessing they could not imagine. They knew God had promised a land that was described as milk and honey. But now, God was telling them, it will be ready for you to walk in. You won’t have to build homes, they will be there. And, not just simple fixer-up homes, but Heaven calls these “great and splendid.” No roads will have to be dug, there will be cities. You won’t have to plant olive trees and wait years for them to mature. They are already there. No digging cisterns, already there. It’s as if God is saying, here are the keys, just move on in. Homes full of things. God was going to take care of them in ways that they could not dream.
What great lessons we ought to see here:
First, our God is good. The hard journey that they endured, had a wonderful rest awaiting them. Won’t it be the same for us. We have fought the devil, endured suffering, had hardships and disappointments along the way, but our Heavenly home awaits us. The figurative description of jeweled foundations, gold street, pearl gates, nothing for us to do but enjoy, fellowship and be with our God.
Second, Israel had to trust God and be faithful. These blessings were conditioned. They couldn’t ignore God nor do as they pleased. God was gracious and good, but they were to be committed to God. It’s the same for us. We don’t deserve Heaven. There is nothing here that will even be close to Heaven. No one will say, “I thought Heaven be bigger than this.” No one will say, “This is nice, but I’ve been to Disney.” No. I expect will walk around with our mouths open at the wonder and beauty of Heaven. It will be better than we can even imagine.
Third, there was a job that Israel had to do. They had to drive out the nations that inhabited those cities. That was part of God’s plan. Israel would take the land and the pagan, idolatrous people who lived there would be driven out. And, you and I have a job to do. We must live for Christ. We must drive selfishness out of our hearts and be servants of God. We must tell everyone about Jesus.
It’s hard to imagine someone saying, here’s a furnished house. It’s all yours. No mortgage. No downpayment. No papers to sign. No rent to pay. It’s furnished with everything. You don’t even have to bring a fork or a blanket. All you need is in that house. And, it’s all yours.
How excited this must have been for Israel. And, for us? It’s even better. It’s not a home once lived in by pagans. It’s not earthly. It’s God’s house. He will be there. We will dwell with Him. It will be perfect.
Be faithful. Be strong. Stay committed. It’s yours.
Our God is so good.
Roger