February 9th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

The Promised Land Within

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Opening Prayer

Lord, You are rich in mercy and lavish in Your care. Your great name be praised.

Read Exodus 23:20-33

[20] “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. [21] Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. [22] If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. [23] My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. [24] Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. [25] Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, [26] and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span. [27] “I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. [28] I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. [29] But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. [30] Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. [31] “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River. I will hand over to you the people who live in the land and you will drive them out before you. [32] Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. [33] Do not let them live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“How much better it is to offer to God the most acceptable gift—an uncorrupted faith, an unyielding strength of mind, and an evident devotion” (Cyprian, died AD 258).

Think Further

This is the final part of the “Book of the Covenant” (chs. 21-23) and follows the structure of ancient covenants by giving promises as well as warnings. God will go with his people and help them possess the Promised Land by sending his angel (best translated “messenger”). The identity of this messenger (20-23) is unclear. Is he a human leader like Joshua, an angel, or God himself? The fact that God has put his Name (or character) in him, that what he says is identical to what God says (22), that he has the power to forgive (21), and that the people were to listen to him carefully (21,22), suggests that the messenger is very close to God and may even be God himself. We see this in Jesus who was sent by God, and was God himself; his name is “Immanuel—which means, God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Whatever is the right interpretation of these verses, we see God’s promise that he will be with his people on their journey from slavery to freedom (Deut. 31:6).

The Promised Land had to be rid of all its idols and idol worshipers. Some may have problems with the divine instructions to wipe out the Canaanites (23). The point is that God will not tolerate idols, for idols destroy us by distorting true worship (33). We need to apply these principles today through repentance, renunciation, and self-denial. Writer and missionary Stanley Jones once said that there are three worlds to be conquered—that which is to come, that which is around us, and that which is within us. Our inner lives may become a spiritual landscape polluted with idols that must be removed if Christ is to be allowed to reign within (1 John 5:21). Then we will have all the blessings (cf vs. 25,26).

Apply

How much of your inner spiritual landscape has been brought under Christ’s rule? If any has not, pray about that now.

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus, sometimes I make idols of good things: family, work, recreation. Help me to order my priorities to always put You first.

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