“When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you.
Having come out of Egypt the nation of Israel had only completed one-half of God’s plan for them. Not only were they to come out of slavery, they were to enter into freedom. They were to leave Egypt and no longer be slaves and enter into the promise land and be free to serve God. If they obey the commands of God they would have the above covenant applied to them. In the next chapter they agreed to this covenant:
Exodus 24:3 (ESV)
Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”
However, we all know, reading the rest of the Old Testament, that they did not obey the Words that the Lord had spoken. God was willing to do all the work and break down all the nations that were before them. But it was based upon their obedience. The same is true for us in our walk with God in Christ through the Spirit. He set us free by justification (taking us out of our Egypt) and is bringing us into by sanctification (our walk with the Spirit). Justification is believing in Christ’s work and sanctification following in faithful obedience. We can’t enjoy the freedoms of Christ if we do not walk in the Spirit with Christ. Notice how Jesus, Himself, defined having faith in Him;
John 6:64-66 (ESV)
But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
His statement was that belief is demonstrated by walking with Him.
The writer John goes on to say in another book:
Revelation 14:12 (ESV)
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
Faith is believing in God and is demonstrated by walking with God. The nation of Israel failed in their obedient walk with God which demonstrated their lack of Faith in God. By doing so they lost the promises of the covenant. Let us not do the same.
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