1. When the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, what promise did He make them? "And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak unto the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:3-6)
2. Of what promise was this a continuation? "For you are a holy people unto the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, has the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)
3. Into what land were they to be brought? "And I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17:8)
4. Who led them into this land? "Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spoke unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 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. There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shall you divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give them. ... Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare victuals; for within three days you shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God gives you to possess it." (Joshua 1:1-6,11)
5. To whom did the Lord say He had sworn to give the land which Joshua was to divide among the people? "Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shall you divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give them." (Joshua 1:6)
6. Cite the passages in which the promise was made to the fathers.
• Genesis 12:1-3
• Genesis 13:14-17
• Genesis 15:1-16
• Genesis 17:1-8
• Genesis 22:15-18
• Genesis 26:1-5
• Genesis 28:10-15
7. Since the promise was made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in person, could the possession of the land by their descendants be a fulfillment of that promise? It evidently could not.
8. In making the promise to Abraham, what had the Lord said his seed should possess? "That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." (Genesis 22:17)
9. Was this fulfilled when Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan? "Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out." (Joshua 17:12-13)
10. What is Paul's testimony on this point? "For if Jesus [margin, that is, Joshua] had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day." (Hebrews 4:8)
11. Where do we find that "other day" mentioned? "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:22-24)
12. What day was it of which David spoke? "For He said, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)
13. Since another day was spoken of, what does Paul concede? "There remains therefore a rest to the people of God." (Hebrews 4:9)
14. Who is it that leads the people into the true rest? "Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29)
15. And who are they who are Christ's? "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29)
16. Then through whom is the promise to Abraham and his seed fulfilled?--Signs of the Times, June 11, 1885--Lesson for the Pacific Coast - July 11--Exodus 19:3-6
E.J. Waggoner