Getting our Inheritance

“On the plains of Moab by the Jordan River across (opposite) Jericho, the LORD spoke to Moses. He said “Speak to the Israelites and tell them “When you cross the Jordan River and go into Canaan, force out all the people who live there… Take over the land and settle there because I have given this land to you to own…”( Numbers chapter 33 vs 50 – 53 NCV)
Beginning with Abraham several generations behind, God promised “the land”… Isaac heard, waited, Jacob heard, waited, Joseph even said they should take his bones since he will definitely not live to see or inherit the land but they all believed without a doubt. Multiple generations and several years later, Moses will have this onerous responsibility of leading the people of Israel to the Promised Land.
Obviously some promises that God has made to us will come to us generations after and that is why our actions today will affect not one or two or three generations after. It is not only our sins and our evil deeds that God will visit generation after generation to the fourth and fifth generations. The blessings of God are also dispersed in the same token. But this is not the main focus of this write up today.
So here is a generation that has heard over and over that God will give them the land of Canaan for an inheritance. They endured hunger, thirst, panic, watched their loved ones die in the wilderness all in the journey to the Promised Land.
In numbers 33, the bible recounts the stop overs which were about 40 different camps and locations. They camp and move and finally they arrive at the plains of Moab and can see the promised land and instead of walking in, they now have to ‘force people out’ and fight for what has been promised to by Almighty God for donkey years. Surely that is not fair by any standard.
The ways of God re not our ways and as I look at my life and the life of many I know who are walk in the promise and grace of God, I see that God demands not only that we believe Him and His word but also to be ready to ‘act’ and ‘fight’. No wonder Paul in writing to us through the letter to the Ephesians says that “Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of evil in the heavenly world…And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing”
There are several instances in my life that I know that God has spoken, confirmed his blessings personally and yet it would be “struggle” before it will come to pass and I use ‘struggle’ because that was what it felt like at the time but in retrospect, it was just wars that needed to be fought and some of the time as I got to the plains of my Moab just in the face of the promised land, I had to ‘force out’ all the people who live there before I can take over the blessings God had predestined to me.
Sometimes, we doubt the ferocity of God’s word when we are surrounded by the Amorites and the kings and kingdoms of Edom of this life and we turn the other way, there are not one but five kings of Midian and you cannot but ask “Did I really hear from God?”
Remember at such challenging times and situation that God has already given the challenges a knock. He has already caused the ‘people’ to be afraid and has weakened their army so that when you step into action, take the step towards the city gate, victory is assured just like the Israelites. Who would have believed that singing and shouts of praise will bring down the walls of Jericho? C’mon! That was God in action. Can you imagine if they have stayed back in the plains of Moab because of fear? And we know what Moab stands for, not only would they have cut themselves short of their inheritance but they would have been destroyed.