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Joshua 1:8 What Does It Mean That God Promises Prosperity and Success? By Kevin E. Jesmer

What Does It Mean That God Promises Prosperity and Success?

Joshua 1:8                                                                                                                             Kevin E. Jesmer 2-27-17

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (NIV)

Along with God’s charge to the Israelites to get ready, comes the first promise, prosperity and success. Look at verse 8, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”  God really wanted his people to be prosperous and successful in taking possession of the Promised Land. What would success mean? The people would be successful in battle. They would possess the cities and the fields and the livestock. They would live in the land flowing with milk and honey. They would grow as a nation. They would pass on faith and the word of God to the next generation.

Most importantly success would mean that God’ people would be a Kingdom of priests a holy nation. It would mean that the Name of the Lord, Jehovah, would be glorified among the nations. It would mean that the way of God would be advertised to those living in darkness and in the shadow of death. It meant that God’s plan for world salvation would continue to unfold and bear fruit. Those who had the right relationship with God would have eternal life. This is such and wonderful plan. It is vast. It is huge. It is plan that is vital for the Gospel to shine forth to the ends of the earth. It is a plan that leads to Jesus Christ and the populating of the everlasting Kingdom of God. God was hoping to bring his people spiritual prosperity and success as his redemptive plan. This would be brought about by God. But they could live in God’s blessing through their faith and obedience.

This is not proclaiming a wealth and health Gospel. We need to think about what success is. From a Christian’s point of view, it is not about having money and power. It is not about knowing the right people and getting a foot up in this world. Success and prosperity is all about being successful in God’s eyes. It is all about God’s heart to prosper his people. It is a spiritual success. He wants to reward obedience and faith.

Success in God’s plan comes along with a large amount of suffering and sacrifice. The 2 ½ tribes returned home after seven years of war. And even after that there was a whole lot of struggles. Not exactly the health and wealth message propagated by some preachers today.

What is the connection between the peoples’ obedience and God’s plan to bring them into the Promised Land? This passage make us think that this vast, wonderful plan was dependent on Joshua’s and the nation of Israel’s obedience. Obedience is connected, but not dependent on God fulfilling his plan. If that is the case, then the plan of God would always be on the verge of failure, for people are always failing. But that is not so. God never fails and he is certain to accomplish his will. We know that the plan of God is unfolding on a rock-solid foundation, the foundation of God himself.

And so, what is the relationship between the prosperity and success of Israel and their obedience? It is all about God’s grace and his attaining prosperity and success for himself and his Gospel cause.  God’s plan would surely come to fruition. It is all in God’s hand (and not ours). But the experience of God’s people would be blessed though their obedience to God’s word. God called his people “get ready” and participate in his world salvation plan. He wants to work through them and alongside them. Following God’s word, they would grow and mature in their faith. They would taste God’s victory. They would enjoy his prosperity and success. They would rejoice in the prosperity and success that God would give. It is all about God’s grace to his people.




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