ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND LIFESTYLE
TEXT: Deut. 11:1-32
INTRODUCTION
The journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan is of great significance to the Christian because it speaks of
the Christian’s earthly journey as well.

Egypt represents the Christian’s position before receiving Christ. The slavery in Egypt therefore represents the
hopelessness of bondage to sin.

The crossing of the Red Sea represents the act of receiving Christ.

The crossing of the Red Sea is a great miracle of God, however you may view it. If the parting of the Red Sea is a
great miracle, the salvation of one soul is even greater because, against all the armies of hell, he has crossed over
from the clutches of darkness to heavenly light.
Illustrations The Red Sea was actually the Reed Sea.” An unbelieving Bible teacher suggests that the parting of the Red
Sea was not a great miracle after all. In spite of the Bible record that the Israelite walked across on dry ground, he said that
area used by the Israelites was actually a huge swamp called the Reed Sea, and not the Red Sea. He said that the water
was only ankle-deep. While teaching this theory, one of his students exclaimed, “Praise the Lord!” The teacher was
surprised there seemed nothing to praise God for since the people were merely walking across on ankle-deep water. So, he
asked the student: “What is there to praise the Lord?” The student answered: “God used ankle-deep water to drown the
entire Egyptian army! Hallelujah!” Either way, it is a great miracle.

The wandering in the wilderness represents that which a great deal of the Church is experiencing today. We just
cannot seem to get our directions straight. We want to get into the Promised Land but we always stop short,
representing the many times we will fall short of God’s perfect will. We are supposed to have abundant life but we
always do not seem to have enough. We are supposed to have victory but we often have defeats at the hands of our
enemies. We are running hard and struggling and striving to get ahead but never seem to go anywhere in our Christian
life. We seem to be merely “doing laps around Mount Sinai.”

The crossing of the Jordan represents the important event and/or decision in our lives when we really take hold of what
God wants for our lives. We begin to live the way God wants us to live. We begin to sense the joy of being in God’s
will. We begin to live in the “land flowing with milk and honey.”
Land “flowing with milk and honey” - what is the significance? For the Israelites, “milk and honey” represents
a complete change in their diets as slaves in Egypt. It is a new diet that represents the abundance and goodness
of God’s blessings in Canaan, the Land of Promise. Let us consider some of these significance and their
applications to the Christian today.
LAND DIFFERENT FROM EGYPT (v.10)
succeed in America, they must quickly adopt the American lifestyle and forget the past - that is why the American immigrant
population forget the past.
LAND OF MOUNTAINS & VALLEYS (v.11)
It is a complete diet representing a full range of experiences.
Highs and lows in life will be experienced. The essence of a good diet is variety. Growth cannot be experienced
if we avoid challenges and take the easy way out.
Egypt was a flat desert land. It was not a beautiful land, with no landscape. On top of that, they were slaves in
Egypt. They wake up at the same time everyday, do the same things and go to bed at the same time, everyday.
Some of our lives/jobs may be like that. We do not have meaning in life. We merely exist day after day. This is
not God’s will. God’s will is for us to have an exciting life. There will be mountains and valleys.
New adventures with God everyday.
For the Christian living in the Promised Land, everyday must be an adventure with God. We must look forward
to experiencing God and doing something with God everyday.
Lam 3:22,23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every
morning; great is your faithfulness.
If you keep talking of the yesteryears, you are not in the Promised Land yet. There are 4,000 promises in the
Bible. There should be a new one for you to claim every day. God’s power to do new things is inexhaustible.
LAND OF GOD’S PROTECTION (v.12)
It is a tasty diet representing God’s goodness.
God will never lead us to where His grace will not be. His grace will always be sufficient.
Dependence divine provision
Egypt is watered with waters from the River Nile by man-made efforts - irrigation. But, the Promised Land is
watered by God. In the Promised Land we have God to depend on and not our own human efforts.
Trust & Humility.
These become important attributes in the Promised Land. The world looks at these as weaknesses but God
values trust and humility.
Prov 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
2Chron 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from
their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
CONCLUSION
It is a new diet representing a new lifestyle.
But, why is it that most Christians are not experiencing this “land flowing with milk and honey”?
The Christian life is a “new creation.”

New values

New language

New possibilities
Not just turning over a new leaf. If you just turn over a new leaf, you will still have the rotten side at the bottom.
But, God said: “old things have passed away.”
Illustration. The funeral of Sadhu Sundar Singh. The great Indian Christian, Sadhu Sundar Singh became a Christian and
his family was so angry that they gave him a funeral. They had everything except a body. As far as they are concerned,
Sadhu Sundar Singh is dead. The person’s who is alive is a new person. It is similar for a Christian. When we become a
Christian, our old self is dead; and a new person has been made alive.
Therefore, let go of the past.
Lk 9:62 No one who put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
We must keep looking forward if we are ploughing. We need to keep the plow line straight. Illustration. Immigrants must
learn to let go of the past. Immigrants to USA are taught to learn English and live like an American quickly. If they are to
WE NEED TO CROSS OUR JORDANS.
The people of Israel could have entered the Promised Land through a different route (from the South, so that
they need not cross the river) or at a different time (so that they need not cross the floodwaters). But God wanted
them to experience the crossing. This was a new generation. Many of them were not even born when Israel
crossed the Red Sea. Most of them could hardly remember the Red Sea crossing. It was 40 years (a whole
generation) ago.
We cannot have a vicarious Christian faith i.e. we cannot live out someone else’s experience.
The wilderness can become comfortable because of its familiarity. The floodwaters and the fortified cities of
the Promised Land may be too challenging for our liking. But, if we want to live the Promised Land life today,
we cannot have that attitude. We must follow the will of God and walk through the flood.