Joshua, chapter 2, comments

 Joshua 2:1 ¶ And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. 4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. 

The mythologies of other ancient nations are often the stories of kings and great warriors but the narrative that our Creator gives us of His ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself is the story of common men and women and even prostitutes; people God makes great and useful to Himself.  

Rahab is an ancestor of Christ. Rachab is from the Greek manuscripts. It is the same name. 

Matthew 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 

Verse 15 will tell us that her house was on the wall. Although I cannot prove this, common sense would dictate that a house on the wall was important as its contribution to the defense of an ancient city.  

What we do know is that according to some sources under the walls was where the prostitute would ply her trade as John Gill quotes an earlier source, a Roman poet named Martial.  

Roofs were flat and used for storage and other activities. A battlement would be a low wall at the edge of a roof, on medieval castles containing openings to shoot from at various intervals.  

 

Joshua 2:6  But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof…8  And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 

 

Judges 16:27  Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. 

 

2Samuel 11:2  And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 

 

Nehemiah 8:16  So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 

 

Here is one website’s explanation of the usage of flat roofs in Egypt from whence the Israelites came. 

Egyptians developed sun-dried mud bricks that could resist the flooding from the Nile and rain for much longer than undried mud bricks. These new dried bricks also proved useful for constructing flat roofs, which virtually all Egyptian homes had. In order to bear the weight of people, the roof was supported by palm trunks. The roof wasn’t just a convenient covering for the home. Instead, it was often used as a secondary living area and the primary sleeping area. These early homes couldn’t ventilate heat easily and would even retain uncomfortable amounts of heat during the night. Rooftops were cooler, especially at night or when equipped with reed canopies for shade, so people naturally preferred to spend time on them. Rooms in the home were used for storage, cooking or other activities. 

 

Flax is a food and fiber crop that is often made into linen or clothing. Egyptian mummies were embalmed in linen and Egyptian priests only wore linen as it symbolized purity. Flax fibers are two to three times as strong as cotton fibers. There are a lot of possible sermons out of this.  

 

Joshua 2:8 ¶ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. 15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. 17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. 19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. 20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. 21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. 22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not. 

Joshua 2:23 ¶ So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them: 24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us. 

Verse 18 is of special note in this narrative in that there is a scarlet thread in type that runs through history, a thread of mercy and deliverance, and that thread is Christ and His blood. Other than that the narrative speaks for itself.  

Joshua 1:10-18 comments: Reubenites and Gadites charge

 Joshua 1:10 ¶Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.

 

Here is a word we don’t use today; victuals. Victuals, pronounced ‘vidls’, are food and provisions.

Joshus 1:12 ¶And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; 15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God  giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

Joshua 1:16 ¶And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was  with Moses. 18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

 

At the end of this passage, again, the Israelites are encouraged to stay strong. See that the Israelites promise to follow Joshua as they did Moses. I’m not sure if that is comforting or not considering they way they disobeyed in the wilderness.

 

Please review the previous passages on the command Joshua gives to the Reubenites and the Gadites regarding Moses’ command.

Deuteronomy 3:12 ¶  And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites. 13  And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. 14  Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, unto this day. 15  And I gave Gilead unto Machir. 16  And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 17  The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward. 18  And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. 19  But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; 20  Until the LORD have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.

 

Numbers 32:1 ¶  Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;  2  The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying, 3  Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4  Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle: 5  Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. 6  And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 7  And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? 8  Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. 9  For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. 10  And the LORD’S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, 11  Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12  Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. 13  And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. 14  And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. 15  For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

 

Numbers 32:16 ¶  And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: 17  But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18  We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. 19  For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward. 20  And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, 21  And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, 22  And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. 23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. 24  Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth. 25  And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. 26  Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: 27  But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.

Galatians, chapter 3, comments

 Galatians 3:1 ¶ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

This is a very important question for us all. If we are saved by Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit and we did not save ourselves but our salvation was predicated upon our belief and the faith we received why do we then regard our justification as not being the result of Christ’s rising from the dead but our slavish adherence to a set of rules that we are not required to follow? Baptism is not proof we are saved.

We begin in the Spirit. How can we think that we can be made perfect in the flesh? We will see in Galatians 5 what the fruit or the proof of our having the Holy Spirit indwelling us is. It is not something you can fake easily or for a long time.

Galatians 3:6 ¶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Notice what Jesus called the works of God.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Here lies the essence of the blessing for the world that the messiah would come through Abraham and that salvation would be preached to the whole world. Please refer to my comments on this promise in Genesis for further development. I think that here the statement is sufficient for understanding.

For verse 6 see Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4:21-22.

For verse 8 see Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 26:4 as examples of cross-references.

See how the scripture is given an ability to see and to preach in verse 8.

Romans 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Notice that in Romans 9:17 the Scripture is elevated to the status of God Himself. See the reference in Exodus. We know from Exodus 9:13-21 that it was God who said this through Moses. We know that Pharaoh refused to honestly hear God’s commands to let God’s people go free. God saith and the Scripture saith in this case are the same thing. Think of this in Hebrews.

 

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God [lowercase w] is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

Notice that gospel, good news or glad tidings, includes many different statements and declarations. Here the reference is made to the promise given to Abraham for the world that will be blessed through his faithfulness.

Galatians 3:10 ¶ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We are not justified by the Law. Notice the allusion in verse 11 to Habbakuk 2:4.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

 

Galatians 3:15 ¶ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Just as in Genesis where God made an agreement with Himself for Abram while Abram was asleep and unable to perform any part in the ritual, Paul here declares that God’s covenant was made with Himself, in His physical form, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, the Holy Spirit has shown us two sides to the covenant God made with Abram but God the Father and the Son of God acting out both parts.

See Genesis 15:17-21 and Genesis 17:7.

We’ve discussed the four hundred and some odd years of Israel’s persecution under Egypt previously in Genesis and elsewhere.

Galatians 3:19 ¶ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

What was the purpose of the Law besides revealing God’s standard of righteousness? It was to show man how sinful his very nature is until the coming of Christ. Again, God has mediated between Himself and Himself to deliver mankind from the justice he and she deserves. This is accomplished if one believes on Christ.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

We typically don’t think of a mediator as working between someone and himself but someone and another person but God is one. Imagine a king who sends his own son with all of his authority vested in the son to negotiate an amnesty with a rebellious tribe, offering up his own person to pay the price for their treachery, negotiating with himself without their participation other than to accept the offer of amnesty. See the previous verses mentioned in Genesis for God performing the ritual of a covenant without Abram being able to even wake up to participate.

Galatians 3:23 ¶ But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

We are not under the Law. We are not justified by the Law. The Law given to Moses, particularly the moral law, is still God’s standard of righteousness but we can only attain it through Jesus Christ. We have too many religious leaders trying to put us back under the Law and too many Christians denying that, at least, the moral law is God’s standard for all of His people. We should venerate the Ten Commandments and uplift them and any Law that Jesus and Paul underscore and repeat but we should not use them as a justification for self-righteousness or think we are somehow good because we attempt to honor those standards of God.

Galatians 3:26 ¶ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Paul made a philosophical statement when arguing with the philosophers in Athens in Acts 17 that we are all God’s offspring in that He created us but this statement here in verse 26 is fundamentally different, theologically different. We become the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Note a previous statement made to the religious elite of Judea by Christ.

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

We can only claim to be the child of God by our faith in Christ. Without Christ we are considered children of another god, little g, Satan, the Devil himself.

Human beings are only “all God’s children” from the perspective of issue as in He made man and permits him to procreate. But that is where the connection ends if you reject Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Verse 28 is a great leveler that has disturbed a lot of men of European descent in that they think in history they are all that and a bag of chips because they conquered the world.

We are all one, with no difference between us in the Lord, if we are in Christ Jesus. God makes no distinctions of value based on ethnicity, social class, or gender in Christ. For the men in the congregation who want to feel smugly superior to others of a different sex, racial group, or social status this is quite the slap in the face. I love it for that among other things.

Joshua 1:1-9 comments: stay strong

 Joshua 1:1 ¶ Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

 

Notice the further explanation of the land grant given to the people of Israel in verse 4. Repeating my comments on Genesis 15:17-21 here;

 

“Genesis 15:17 ¶  And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19  The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20  And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21  And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

The geography of the grant of land given by God to the Hebrews is very interesting and has an impact today on international events. God, in the symbols of a smoking furnace and a burning lamp (see Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; and Hebrews 12:29 among many other passages) passed between the pieces of animals establishing the covenant with Himself to grant this land to Abram’s descendants so it was not dependent upon any action of Abram other than believing and receiving. This is not unlike salvation from an eternity of agony in a place described as a lake of fire. God provides this to anyone who receives His visible image, Christ, as Himself, believing the gospel.

From the river of Egypt, bordering the southern extreme of Canaan (see Numbers 34:5; Joshua 15:4; 47; 1Kings 8:65; 2Kings 24:7; & 2Chronicles 7:8), to the Euphrates river north of Canaan, the land boundary of the territory promised to Israel, to be realized in the millennial reign of Christ, is pretty extensive if you look at a map. It is the seat of Christ’s rule from Jerusalem in the millennium, during which He will reign for a thousand years because, for one reason, Paul said;

Galatians 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

We know Christ will physically rule on earth for a thousand years as John said.

Revelation 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. …6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

During His reign the Jewish people will occupy the earth and the promise of this land grant will be fully realized.

Zechariah 8:20  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21  And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22  Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

In a prophecy of a time after Christ God said He will bring the remnant of Israel home. See this great prophecy in Isaiah, chapter 11.

Isaiah 11:1 ¶  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.10 ¶  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. [see Romans 15:12; Revelation 22:16] 11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12  And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

The nation of Israel, created by human political action and struggle, will always face adversity, even near extinction under the persecution of the Beast of Revelation, until Christ returns. But, when He returns to rule the promise will be realized.

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

See Exodus 23:31  And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river:

And Numbers 34:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2  Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) 3  Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: 4  And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: 5  And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. 6  And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border. 7  And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor: 8  From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: 9  And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border. 10  And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: 11  And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: 12  And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

Also, see; Deuteronomy 11:24  Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

 

Verse 8 is an incredibly powerful memory verse. Although we are not promised the kind of temporal success necessarily the Israelites were this verse applies to every aspect of our lives. Keeping God’s word in our heads and in our hearts is vital.

 

 Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Verse 9 is a good one to keep in mind when facing life’s difficulties along with;

 

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.