Blessings for the People of God in the Promised Land
Let us meditate on the words of prophecy in Eze.36:16-38 and Jer.32:37-44 concerning the wonderful blessings of God for the Church. What was lost under the Old Covenant is being restored under the New Covenant. What was wounded under the Old Covenant due to divine judgment is being healed under the New Covenant. The people of God held in captivity under the Old Covenant are being released under the New Covenant. The people of God scattered all over the world during the Babylonian reign are gathered together in the Body of Christ under the New Covenant. What was destroyed during the Babylonian rule under the Old Covenant is being rebuilt under the New Covenant. Children of Israel Vs Children of Judah
The prophetic books refer to two groups of the people of God under the Old Covenant. They are the children of Israel and the children of Judah. In the 49th chapter of Genesis, we find that the descendants of Jacob, consisting of 12 tribes are blessed by Jacob through prophecies. The blessings conferred on Judah are outstanding in that we find that he is the one “whom thy brethren shall praise; thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee….The scepter shall not depart from Judah…” (Vs.8, 10). In I Sam.11:8, we find that the children of Israel numbering three hundred thousand outnumber the men of Judah numbering thirty thousand. Christ, the Messiah, came out of the tribe of Judah. Under the old Covenant, both the children of Israel and the men of Judah were in captivity during the Babylonian rule.
Similarly, under the New Covenant, we find two similar categories of the people of God. A large number of people call themselves as believers and a small number of people as ministers. The truth of the gospel is that under the New Covenant, all the children of God redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ are indeed ministers of God because the Levitical priesthood came to an end with the rending in twain of veil of the Temple.
The moment Christ died on the Cross, the physical nation of Israel and the gentile nations merged together by breaking down the middle wall of separation (Eph.2:14-18). The physical Jerusalem which had the tabernacle of God under the Old Covenant ceased to exist as the tabernacle of God under the New Covenant. Instead, the Church, the body of Christ became the tabernacle of God. Those who accept Jesus Christ, whether Jews or non-Jews, become the children of God, the children of the promise under the New Covenant. The moment the Holy Ghost was sent to the world on the day of Pentecost, the spiritual Israel, the Church was born. The line of demarcation between the children of Israel and the children of Judah that had existed under the Old Covenant was done away with when the Church was born on the day of Pentecost. The captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel under the Old Covenant were caused to return on the day the Church was born in Christ Jesus and the desolations caused during the Babylonian rule are rebuilt as at the first (Jer.33:7). The two different categories of the people of God became one in the body of Christ.
Gathering of the people of God
“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land” (Eze.36:24)
The above prophecy was literally fulfilled for the people of Israel under the Old Covenant when the nation of Israel was born on 14-5-1948. But for the Church, the spiritual Israel, this prophecy began to be fulfilled as early as the day of the birth of the Church. It is being fulfilled even today. The children of God scattered all over the world during the Babylonian rule under the Old Covenant are now being gathered together in the Body of Christ. Today we find the children of God living in different nations with barriers of race, nationality, language, culture, etc. They live amongst those who have not accepted Christ as their personal Savior. There is a promised land for them under the New Covenant. Christ has brought them into this Promised Land. But the devil has blinded our eyes so that they may not behold and appropriate the wonderful blessings that are in store for the people of God. We can inherit these blessings through fellowship with one another. Christ has brought you into this glorious land. But you do not believe that you have entered this glorious land. The people under the Old Covenant could not enter in because of “unbelief” (Heb.3:19).
The early apostles continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers so that fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed by the apostles in the Name of Jesus (Acts 2:42). If we have to perform many wonders and signs, we have to continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. Paul and Barnabas prospered in their ministry because James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship (Gal.2:9). The church of Macedonia entreated Paul and his team to receive the gift, and take upon themselves the fellowship of the ministering to the saints (II Cor.8:4). We should not “forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is…”(Heb.10: 25). Fellowship means pooling and sharing material things in common, bearing one another’s burden and praying for one another. A group of people should come together for ministering amongst themselves with the sole aim of glorifying Christ through their lives, and with the vision of revival in the churches and of evangelism in the entire world through their common ministry. They have to pool and share their resources in common for the ministry.
Even during the Old Testament period, David sang the beautiful song in Psalm 133:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments:
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for every more”
Aaron is typical of the body of Christ. As the members of the body of Christ dwell together in unity, a precious anointing of the Holy Spirit comes on them, in an overwhelming manner. It is also as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descend upon the mountains of Zion. Upon the mountains of Zion, we can experience a mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit if we dwell together in unity. The Lord commands His blessing there on the whole body of Christ – more than the blessing to be poured on individuals. We get an abundance of life on the mountains of Zion.
Gospel of the Promised Land
The gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard. For we who have believed do enter that rest (Heb.4:1-3). There is a rest for the people of God in this wonderful land. The gospel of Christ does not merely mean acceptance of Jesus Christ, receiving the Holy Ghost baptism, and receiving certain physical blessings and healings. It is much more than that. We have to enter the Promised Land by faith. In this land, the works of the devil stand destroyed through the Blood of Jesus Christ. The powers of Satan cannot touch or overcome you. We find a strong arm of God being ministered to us through the five kinds of New Testament ministers i.e. apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors. We are not in the kingdom of Satan or the Antichrist but are in the Kingdom of Christ. We have all the resources of this world at our command because we are of the Kingdom of Christ. We need not go with begging bowls seeking funds for our ministries.
The strangers and aliens shall serve us here. Strangers would feed our flocks i.e. the flocks of the great Shepherd (Isaiah 61:3). The financial institutions of this world that do not know Christ and His body would give the finances needed for us. The sons of the foreigner are our plowmen and our vinedressers. They would give us the very resources of this world, which are owned by those who do not know Christ, for rebuilding the ruins. Those who do not know us would supply the manpower needed by us. You have to simply command the doors of these financial institutions to be opened in Jesus’ Name for financial assistance. You have to simply command the resources to be made available to you in Jesus’ Name for building your church buildings or prayer halls. We should now claim the above word of prophecy and appropriate it for ourselves.
It reminds us of the great deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh and his army. While delivering them, the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exo.12: 35-36). The children of God received articles of silver, articles of gold and clothing. Dear Minister of God, the institutions of this world or the government of your nation will serve you. Because Jesus has given you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, whatever you will loose in earth will be loosed in heaven and whatever you bind in earth will be bound in heaven (Matt.16: 19).
Sanctification through the Holy Spirit
God has sprinkled clean water upon us by sending us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit sanctifies us through the Blood of Jesus Christ and through the Word. Christ in us cleanses us of all our filthiness and idols (Eze.36:25)
As the children of God in the Promised Land, we have received “a new heart” and “a new spirit” (Eze.36:26). Our old man stands crucified with Christ Jesus and our new man has a new spirit. God has taken away the stony heart and given us a heart of flesh in its place. There are many children of God in our midst who have still the stony heart though they claim to have accepted Christ. Let them go to Calvary daily to look unto the Crucified Christ so that their stony heart turns into a heart of flesh. In the Promised Land, we always behold the two-fold vision of Christ i.e. Crucified Christ and Glorified Christ. As we look at the Crucified Christ, our stony heart is broken to smith screens. As we look at the Glorified Christ, our stony heart is transformed into a heart of flesh through the power of resurrection. Our inner man thus puts on a new spirit.
Health and healing and abundance of peace and truth
In this land, God restores us health and healing which were lost under the Old Covenant and God reveals us the abundance of peace and truth (Jer.33:6). We receive both health and healing. When the dreaded diseases stalk the children of the world, we get insulated from these diseases through the Blood of Jesus Christ in the Promised Land. In our old age, we get divine health. In India, I came to know of a Muslim man who cures all the kinds of diseases through the powers of darkness. I was told that he simply touches the affected parts of the human body and removes the kidney and gall-bladder stones without any surgery. He heals the heart diseases by his touch without cardiac surgery. He reportedly displays in his hands the internal organs taken from the bodies touched by him. People are flocking to him in large numbers. He reportedly owns a helicopter to go all over the country and to visit abroad also. God is sending a great delusion in these last days so that even the elect may also be deceived. Let us pray that the ministers of the gospel may be endowed with the power of God in such a manner that the powers of the Devil are destroyed. Let us pray that supernatural miracles take place through the hands of the ministers of the gospel. I believe that we, standing in the Promised Land, can perform greater works of God in the Name of Jesus Christ than the Devil and his Antichrist. We can restore health and healing to the people to whom we minister.
God reveals to us the abundance of peace and truth. Standing in the Promised Land, we can command peace to flow in Jesus’ Name wherever there is strife or violence and can preach the truth to the world that is deceived by the Devil.
Holy Spirit indwelling us
God puts His spirit within us and causes us to walk in His statutes, and we keep His judgments and do them (Eze.36:7). Many of the children of God find it difficult to obey God’s commandments because they do not realize that after they had accepted Christ as their Savior, the Holy Spirit begun to indwell them. It is not by your will-power but by the indwelling Holy Spirit that you have to observe God’s statutes. The Holy Spirit is our Companion and Partner. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to overcome sin and to obey God. He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Christ in you is the hope of glory. Though the Old Testament saints like Moses, David, Isaiah, etc. wrote the wonderful Old Testament books, yet they did not have the Holy Spirit indwelling them.
We now dwell in the land that God gave to our fathers. We are now His people and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has become our God (Eze.36:28 & Jer.30:22).
Multiplication of our seeds
In this land, God now delivers us from all our uncleanness and calls for the grain and multiplies it. He does not bring famine upon us (Eze.36:30 and 34:27). Whatever we sow, we reap it in multiplication. We do not suffer famine, physical and spiritual. Whatever you give to God through the work of your hands, God multiplies it and blesses you. In my ministry, I have experienced this. Whenever I ministered to some poor saints, God multiplied what I gave and returned it to me.
Repentance of sins and iniquities
In this glorious land, if we commit iniquities and abominations, we should remember our evil ways and our deeds that were not good. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and unrighteousness and we loathe ourselves in our own sight. God cleanses us from all our iniquities (Eze.36:31 and Jer.33:8).
In this land, God cleanses us of our iniquities through the Blood of His Son and enables us to live in the cities and the ruins are being rebuilt (Eze.36:33). Cities mean spiritually prosperous places. The ruins caused in the physical Jerusalem under the Old Covenant due to divine judgment are being rebuilt in the spiritual Jerusalem.
Habitation of shepherds and flocks
The desolate land of the Old Covenant is now being tilled by the New Testament ministers. The land where we dwell now has become like the Garden of Eden and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now being fortified and inhabited. The cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that were desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, are now being restored in the Church. The habitation of dragons stands destroyed here (Jer.33: 10-11-12, Eze.36:34-35, Joel 2:3).
In the Promised Land, the dragons’ habitation is transformed into a land of grass with reeds and rushes (Is.35:7). So long as you dwell in the world, you are prone to the attack of the devil. However, once you are transformed to be the citizens of Zion (the Promised Land), the Devil’s power on you stands destroyed. Here, you will fight the devil with the Sword in an offensive war, whereas in the world you have to be in the defensive war against the devil. In Zion, we will not find the habitation of the devil and his evil spirits because the devil stands stripped of his power through the blood of Jesus Christ. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus, with the sin having no dominion over us (Rom.8:37). We have dual citizenship i.e. one in the world and another in the Promised Land.
In this place, we have now a habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. The flocks of the Great Shepherd lie down in green pastures. The Lord leads them beside the still waters. When the children of the world do not find peace and green pastures, we find abundance of peace and green pastures in the Promised Land where we find the Lord as “my Shepherd”. Here, we have a personal Shepherd and we shall not want (Psalm 23:1-3).
God set up one Shepherd over His people the moment Christ died on the Cross and rose from the dead (Eze.34:23). Through the Cross of the Lord Jesus, God made both the Jews and the Gentiles one by breaking down the middle wall of separation (Eph.2:14-18). There is now one Shepherd over His people, irrespective of whether they are the Jews or the Gentiles. Seeing Christ through his prophetic eyes, King David said in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd”. All the children of God redeemed by the Blood of Jesus have one Shepherd only, though they belong to different denominational churches, nationalities or races.
If you know the truth that Jesus is your Shepherd, you “shall not want” because He Himself feeds you. God supplies all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil.4:19). In the past, you had sought human help for supplying all your need. Confess through your mouth today that Christ Jesus is your Shepherd and that you shall not want.
As the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church, is being restored to glory, all the nations around this spiritual Jerusalem shall know that “I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it.” The ruined cities are now being filled with the flocks of men. When the Heaven-sent revival takes place, thousands of people would be born into the Kingdom of Christ (Eze.36:36-38).
- Job Anbalagan