FULFILLING PROMISES

As the people of Israel approached the lands promised to their ancestors, Moses reminded them of those promises, covenants, and oaths sworn by God.

It was not an accident that the people found themselves on the borders of Canaan; it was the fulfillment of God’s promises that had been passed down and renewed from generation to generation. As Joshua assumed leadership after Moses’ death, God made a specific point of reminding him again of these promises and that, together with God’s presence with His people, they were the foundation for faith and courage.

But God’s promises were not an excuse for passivity.

They were not an express lane into the Promised Land.

God made it clear that His promises were to be paired with human agency, that there was work to be done, and that claiming the land that He “swore to their ancestors to give them” would require strength and courage. Indeed, taking God’s promises seriously meant stepping into danger, facing uncertainties, and playing their part in actually creating the promised reality—always in partnership with God. This dynamic of faithful living was echoed to the early Christian believers: “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:11, 12).

As we accept the promises of God, the covenants that He made with our spiritual ancestors, we also accept a role in making them a reality and moving them toward fulfillment. And this work will require strength and courage.