January 29, 2020: SOAP #3709:  Exodus 23-24; Psalm 14; Acts 5

Scripture:  Exodus (NIV) 23:28 I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. 29 But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

Observation:  The Heavenly Father would keep His promise to Israel about the land.  He had made clear promises to their fathers about the land.  He had delivered them from Egypt that he might give them this Promised Land.

But in His wisdom, God knew it was too much land for their present size.  God was thinking of their future.  He gave them a land that would fit their future.  It would take time for them to grow to inhabit the whole land.  If the whole land was cleared of its present inhabitants, the land would become desolate and taken over by wild animals.

The Promised Land was too big for the 70 people that moved to Egypt.  In Egypt, they had multiplied into a great nation of 2,400,000+; but the land was still too big for them to fill.

Application:   God always has our future in mind when giving us our present blessings.  He is not just considering what we need now, but what will be needed in the future.  God uses present challenges to prepare us for future challenges.  Present struggles are preparing heavenly rewards.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, forgive me for complaining about the difficulties, struggles, and challenges I face here.  Not only do you help me through each one, but you use them to prepare me for my future eternal life with you in heaven.  Wow!!! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!