Understanding The Promised Land (God's Design For Community Life)
- John Nolan
- May 29
- 19 min read
Updated: Jun 5
A significant portion of the Old Testament recounts the history of the Jewish people. Their Patriarchal roots were established in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through God's covenant with them. God set the Jewish nation of Israel apart for Himself and chose them to become a light to the whole world. This was to be accomplished initially through their placement in the promised land and, in the fullness of time, the prophesied appearance of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God's design for community life in this world is discovered through understanding the promised land.
Understanding The Promised Land (God's Design For Community Life)
Principal Scripture
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope
(Jeremiah 29:11)
The Promised Land gave the descendants of Abraham a wonderful future in this world and the eternal hope of finding a personal relationship with God. Having our loving God watching over you as a people is a comforting thought, especially in the more trying times of life.
Understanding The Promised Land- The Land Of Canaan: A Holy Land
(Exodus 3:7-8) And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
In the promised land, the nation of Israel would finally find peace after 400 years of slavery in Egypt; no longer would they have to live under the lash of their Egyptian masters. Now, whatever bricks they made could be put toward building their own homes, in their own land. Their descendants would be blessed with a glorious future through walking in obedience to the living God, Who shared the land with them and would continue to watch over and protect them.
(Psalm 24:1)
The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein
The Land belongs to God
(Leviticus 25:23)
‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me
(Genesis 17:8)
Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
The promised land was a crucial part of God's plan to fulfill His covenant promise to Abraham, His friend. He brought Abraham from Haran, a significant city in Mesopotamia (South-Eastern Turkey) known as a chief place for the worship of the moon-god Sin. Abraham firmly told his servant that he should never take his son, Isaac, back to Haran, and the influence of idolatry.
(Genesis 24:6-8)
But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”
Understanding The Promised Land- A Holy People Unto God
(Deuteronomy 28:9)
“The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways."
Being a people separated (holy) unto God was both a wonderful honor and a formidable responsibility. The blessings of the Holy Land were abundant, and the mercy of God was generous; however, if the nation turned away from Him, then the impending judgment would be unavoidable and severe.
(Luke 12:48b)
For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
(Romans 11:22) Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
God is not to be trifled with or treated the way we treat people, as He is not on the same level as us. He is our Creator, and as such, has complete authority over us as His creation. Our relationship with God must be respectful of Who and What He is, thankful for all His kindness toward us, and overflowing with the loving obedience of little children toward our Father in Heaven.
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Born of Righteousness Through Faith
(James 2:23)
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
(Romans 4:12)
and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised
Righteousness (or right standing) before God is not credited by our works, but by our faith in God's mercy and through choosing to trust in Him. Abraham was chosen by God to be the Patriarch of Israel because he believed that God would do what He had promised. The descendants of Abraham were called to follow his example and to live lives of faith and righteousness within the promised land, which they shared with God.
The descendants of Abraham were called to follow his example and to live lives of faith and righteousness within the promised land, which they shared with God.
(Genesis 15:12-16)
Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Rescued From Wickedness
God cast out the nations before Israel because of their wickedness!
The Amorites dwelt in the land of Canaan, but they were a wicked people, and God's patience with them was running out. However, we see from the scriptures that God is very patient and gives everyone time to turn from their wicked ways and back toward Him. God knew that they would continue to get worse and worse, and that ultimately He must judge them for their actions.
(Acts 17:26-27)
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
God chose to take the Promised Land from a wicked nation that sacrificed their children through fire to their false gods and give it to the descendants of the Patriarchs, the nation of Israel. This was accomplished initially through Moses rescuing and leading the Jewish nation out of slavery in Egypt, and then through Joshua, Moses' successor, who would conquer the promised land militarily.
(Deuteronomy 9:4)
“Do not think in your heart, after the Lord your God has cast them out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land’; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out from before you
(Deuteronomy 12:31)
You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods
(Deuteronomy 18:9-14)
“When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations, the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you
God set very stringent laws for the Jewish people to follow, to protect them from the idolatry and wickedness of the nations that surrounded them. By following these laws, they were assured of blessings and peace in the land; however, if they disobeyed, it would lead to defeat and ultimately their exile from the land.
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Of Strategic Importance
God selected the land of Israel for many reasons, but one was its strategic position as a crossroads between Europe, Africa, and Asia. This would become increasingly significant when the Roman Empire ruled the then-known world, and one language (Greek) was spoken extensively throughout the realm. This situation would enable the gospel to be preached to every nation and tribe.
(Mark 16:15-16)
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Of Kindness
Nationwide Inclusion: The experience of God's goodness and provision was for all within the land, not just those who would become wealthy. His laws were given to show His people, Israel, how to be caring and compassionate, especially toward those who found themselves in need.
(Deuteronomy 26:12-13)
“When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.
God has always been concerned for the lives of those who find themselves defenseless and vulnerable to abuse. He commanded that His people should help by giving generously not only to the priesthood, but also to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widows. This aspect of the promised land was made abundantly clear in a story told by our Lord.
(Luke 10:30-37) Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance, a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Born Of Fairness
The Conquered Land was allocated by casting lots
In the Bible, the "Promised Land" was allocated by lots, meaning that the land was divided into portions. Each of the twelve tribes of Israel received their designated area through a random selection process; essentially, each tribe drew a lot (or portion) to determine where they would settle within the conquered land. This process is described in part in the following scriptures.
Ancestral Lands were designated to individual tribes
(Joshua 18:4-6) Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.
(Joshua 14:2)
Their inheritance was by lot, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.
The other 2 1/2 tribes had already received their land on the other side of the Jordan River, before Israel entered the Promised Land (Found in Numbers 32)
Ancestral Homes were then allocated or built within the borders of each tribe's Ancestral Lands.
These lands were a permanent gift to the families of each tribe, a gift that would last throughout the generations, so that all tribal descendants would experience the goodness and generosity of God.
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Of Global Influence (Superpower)
(Deuteronomy 28:1)
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth
(Isaiah 49:5-6)
“And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
The coming and acceptance of the promised Messiah, and the condition of obedience to God's laws, were central to the nation of Israel's elevation and establishment over the nations of the world. We therefore see only a partial fulfillment of this promise at this time.
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Of Military Superiority
(Deuteronomy 28:7, )
“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
(Deuteronomy 28:10)
Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you
Israel's Iron Dome defense system has been effective in protecting the nation from many attacks from its enemies, and its technological superiority ensured an overwhelming retaliation against those responsible.
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Continually Requiring God's Blessing
The blessings of obedience or the repercussions of disobedience
(Deuteronomy 28:12)
The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow
Or
(Deuteronomy 28:24)
The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed
Rainfall in the Promised Land comes from the Mediterranean Sea
The land of Israel is entirely subject to the prevailing winds for its yearly rainfall. If the wind comes from the east, it comes from the desert regions of Iraq and Iran, and they receive no rain, have no water for crops or herds, and suffer severely from drought. However, if the prevailing winds are from the west, they come from over the Mediterranean Sea and bring abundant rain.
God often used drought to chastise His people, Israel, when the nation strayed from the path He had commanded.
(1 Kings 8:35-36)
“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance
(Amos 4:7)
“I also withheld rain from you when there were still three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain, the part withered
(1 Kings 17:1)
And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
The drought continued for 3 years as a judgment during the godless rule of Ahab and Jezebel. Then God sent Elijah the Prophet to win Israel back to Himself, through a mighty victory against the Baal worshippers on Mount Carmel.
(1 Kings 18:21, 39)
And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word...
Then fire fell from heaven at Elijah's word
Now, when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
The prophet of God, through a mighty demonstration of God's power, proved to all the people that there is only one God, and He is the Lord! After the victory, Elijah prayed for the drought to end.
(1 Kings 18:41-44)
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”
So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
*Historical Fact
After many years of drought in the early to mid-20th Century, the prevailing weather system
finally changed the very year that Israel became a nation in 1948, and the land that had been previously drought-stricken began to bloom again with an abundance of rain.
(Job 37:6)
For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
Likewise, to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
(Jeremiah 10:13)
When He utters His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
“And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”
The Promised Land's constant reliance upon God for rain encouraged a sober pursuit of obedience to God and His ways.
Understanding The Promised Land- A Land Of Prosperity
The blessing of the Lord is rich and abundant, that He might teach His people the benefits of obedience and faithfulness to Him.
(Deuteronomy 28:3-8)
“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
“Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of
your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
“Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
“The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
(Deuteronomy 28:11-13)
And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them
The seasons of blessing in life are wonderful to experience, and we should always be thankful for them. However, we should be careful not to fall into the error of trusting in that abundance, rather than trusting in God.
(Deuteronomy 31:20) When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant
Understanding The Promised Land- The Lord's Release
(Deuteronomy 15:1-2)
“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release.
The principle of generosity and the fear of God were maintained throughout the years and re-established regularly within the nation of Israel. Every seven years, all debts were forgiven as the commandment of the Lord. Here, God began to teach another principle of life, the principle of forgiveness.
Understanding The Promised Land- The Year of Jubilee
A year of jubilee is a year of remission of sins and debts, as well as a time of celebration and national renewal.
In the Bible
The jubilee year occurs every 50 years, after seven weeks of seven years
It's a time to re-establish relationships with God, each other, and creation
It's a time to forgive debts, return land, and allow the fields to rest
It's a time to free slaves and prisoners, and return people to their communities
It's a time to recover identity, especially for the poor
The Trumpet of Jubilee is blown to commence the Jubilee year
This celebration had a tremendous effect on individuals and communities. It was a national reset back to the ancestral boundaries, with houses and lands returned to the families they were originally allocated to within each tribe.
No matter what had happened to your family over the preceding years, you always knew that the Jubilee year was coming.
(Leviticus 25:8-10)
‘And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement, you shall make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.
Understanding The Promised Land- Benefits of the Year of Jubilee
Benefits To Communities
Families that had to move away or sell their lands for whatever reason, returned on the Year of Jubilee as the owners. Many people who hadn't seen each other for years renewed their friendships, and the community as a whole was strengthened through the process.
Benefits To Individuals
Sometimes, throughout extreme hardships, people were forced to sell themselves and/or their families as slaves to wealthy people. Again, this enslavement was only in force until the year of Jubilee, when all slaves had to be released. The Year of Jubilee was celebrated especially among the poor of the land, as a time of regaining liberty.
Benefits To The Promised Land Itself
Agricultural land was also released from farming and left to lie fallow for the entire year of Jubilee. This was an extra time of Sabbath rest for the land, including the rest required one year out of every seven years. Respecting God's gift of the promised land was achieved through sustainable agricultural practices, which are now widely practiced.
Understanding About Fallowing
Fallowing allows the soil to rest and recover from the stresses of cropping. It helps replenish nutrients, build organic matter, and improve soil structure. In dry regions, fallows can help conserve soil moisture by allowing water to percolate down and be stored. Removing crop plants from the land helps disrupt both pest and disease life cycles.
Acquiring Land In Israel
When a person purchased land in Israel, it would today more accurately be described as a lease, and the price of the land was estimated on the years remaining until the next year of Jubilee.
*For example, if you purchased a house in year 49 of the Jubilee calendar, you could only live in it for 1 year before it was returned to its traditional owners.
Understanding The Promised Land- Unity Through Worship and Pilgrimage
The tribes were scattered widely throughout the promised land, but were commanded to come together before the Lord in Jerusalem three times a year for feasts celebrating both Jewish history and the coming Messiah.
The Three Jewish Pilgrimages
1) Pesach, Passover
2) Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) or Pentecost
3) Sukkot (Feast of Booths) or Tabernacles
These are the three occasions when Jews traditionally made pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Members of every tribe travelled to Jerusalem for the feast and to worship the Lord their God together as the people of Israel.
(Luke 2:39-42) So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast
Understanding The Promised Land- Applying Within The Church
(1 Corinthians 15:46)
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
The Old Testament was the natural revelation of God's will for His people; however, once Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, came and changed the world forever, we as God's people are now called to follow God's Word, the Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit within the church.
Q. What can we learn from God's design in the Promised Land, and how much are we already applying within our own lives, our families, and our church communities?
Some New Testament Scriptures for Further Study and Discussion
(Matthew 5:1-10), (Acts 2:44-47), (Acts 4:32), (Acts 11:27-30), (Galatians 6:10), (John 14:2), (Matthew 6:25-34), (Matthew 18:10-14), (Matthew 6:33), (Matthew 16:24)
Q. How could the level of unity experienced within the early church be achieved today?
(Matthew 22:36-40)
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
The intimacy of our relationship with God is the basis and enabler of our relationship with our neighbors. Loving God enables us to love our neighbor, and in that way, we experience the Kingdom of God, our own promised land.
God Bless
John Nolan
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