Canaan Land
I have been privileged to be able to continue teaching the Sunday School class at church on Sunday mornings. We are currently in a series called From Bethlehem to Moab in which we have been considering the probable route that Elimelech and his family traveled on when they fled the famine. Though we cannot be certain that this is the actual route, nonetheless we can learn lessons from the places that are on that route; lessons applicable to us today.
We have progressed through many different cities and have at last come to the Jordan River. As Elimelech and his family cross the Jordan, it is important for us to note what they are leaving. The Jordan River was the border of the Promised Land. Though Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Mannaseh received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, yet it was on the west side of the Jordan where Israel was to received her inheritance.
So what does Canaan represent? Though many hymns, poems, allegories and commentaries refer to Jordan as a type of death and Canaan as a type of heaven, as we have studied, we have found that this is but a poor analogy. For instance, consider that in Canaan we find day and night, the light of the sun and the light of the moon. We find sorrow, pain, death, violence, battles, enemies and sin. We find deception and greed. We find men doing what was right in their own eyes.
As we read the description of heaven and the new Jerusalem in the book of Revelation, we find that there is no night there. We find the Lord wiping every tear away. We see that death is banished. We find no one that does wickedness within her gates. We find no enemy, no battles, no more war. So is Canaan really a type of heaven? In loose analogy yes, but I believe that Canaan more accurately represents the life of the Christian here on the earth. I believe it represents the life that Christ desires and wills for us to live.
During our first lesson on Jordan and Canaan, we looked at it in type, as we have mentioned above. The second lesson is found in Hebrews 3 & 4 where the author, at the direction of the Holy Spirit, describes the land of Canaan as "God's Rest". Last week we looked at how that not only was Canaan a place of rest for God's people, but it was also known as the "Promised Land". We examined some of God's promises both for the children of Israel as they entered Canaan, and also the promises that God has made to us, His people, for our daily Christian lives.
I believe tomorrow we will either be looking at the characteristics of Canaan (ie: a good land, fruitful, flowing with milk and honey, fertile, etc) and/or the fact that Canaan was to be possessed by the children of Israel. It wasn't simply appropriated, it had to be possessed.
Well, that's the latest on the Bible study side of things. Have a great weekend.
We have progressed through many different cities and have at last come to the Jordan River. As Elimelech and his family cross the Jordan, it is important for us to note what they are leaving. The Jordan River was the border of the Promised Land. Though Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Mannaseh received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, yet it was on the west side of the Jordan where Israel was to received her inheritance.
So what does Canaan represent? Though many hymns, poems, allegories and commentaries refer to Jordan as a type of death and Canaan as a type of heaven, as we have studied, we have found that this is but a poor analogy. For instance, consider that in Canaan we find day and night, the light of the sun and the light of the moon. We find sorrow, pain, death, violence, battles, enemies and sin. We find deception and greed. We find men doing what was right in their own eyes.
As we read the description of heaven and the new Jerusalem in the book of Revelation, we find that there is no night there. We find the Lord wiping every tear away. We see that death is banished. We find no one that does wickedness within her gates. We find no enemy, no battles, no more war. So is Canaan really a type of heaven? In loose analogy yes, but I believe that Canaan more accurately represents the life of the Christian here on the earth. I believe it represents the life that Christ desires and wills for us to live.
During our first lesson on Jordan and Canaan, we looked at it in type, as we have mentioned above. The second lesson is found in Hebrews 3 & 4 where the author, at the direction of the Holy Spirit, describes the land of Canaan as "God's Rest". Last week we looked at how that not only was Canaan a place of rest for God's people, but it was also known as the "Promised Land". We examined some of God's promises both for the children of Israel as they entered Canaan, and also the promises that God has made to us, His people, for our daily Christian lives.
I believe tomorrow we will either be looking at the characteristics of Canaan (ie: a good land, fruitful, flowing with milk and honey, fertile, etc) and/or the fact that Canaan was to be possessed by the children of Israel. It wasn't simply appropriated, it had to be possessed.
Well, that's the latest on the Bible study side of things. Have a great weekend.
posted by Derek Linder at 2:19 PM
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