Rick Williams had knee surgery Friday, went well, and he's recuperating from that. Hi, Rick.

All came to pass. The last words of verse 45, Joshua was speaking of all of these promises God made, beginning with the promises he made to Abraham. And if he made that promise to Abraham, he made it just as much to me individually, if I'm a child of Abraham. And he made it just as much to you individually, if you're a child of Abraham. Joshua says with regard to the promise of God, all came to pass. How many times is that in the Bible? Hundreds. This is true of every single event that has ever taken place under the sun. God purposed it and it all came to pass. God is sovereign because God is God. A God who's not sovereign is not God at all. Everything he purposes, comes to pass. God is God. Where's your God, David? Our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever he had pleased. Don't you love these words? All came to pass.

In verse 43, And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers. And they possessed it and dwelt therein. Now beginning in chapter 13, Joshua gives all the 12 tribes the boundaries of the land that each of the 12 tribes were promised. And this promise was first made to Abraham. in Genesis chapter 12.

Now, Abraham, as far as those that are born of women, none are more significant than this man, Abraham. He was called the friend of God. I want to be his friend, don't you? He's called the father of the faithful. Believers are called children of Abraham. That's the significance of this man. When Paul described saving faith, who does he use to illustrate it? Abraham. Read Romans chapter four. If you want to understand something about faith, read Romans chapter four. When James is going to describe the works of faith, Who does he use in James chapter two? Abraham.

God appeared to Abraham. Would you turn with me to Genesis chapter 12? This is when these promises begin. Abraham was a heathen idolater. In Heir of the Chaldees, he didn't know God and the Lord appeared to him. Now, if you're one of his children, he appeared to you just like you did to Abraham. That's a humbling thought, isn't it? If you know him, it's because he appeared to you and made himself known to you.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country and from thy father's kindred and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee and I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

And notice first, there was a place he had to leave in order to get to that place God promised him, his father's house. Now in this thing of faith, you and I are to leave our father's house. our father, Adam, and our connection with him. Remember, the flesh profiteth nothing. Adam's not gonna do you any good. Being in his house is not gonna do me any good. I'm to leave in Adam and get to in Christ. And only God can enable me to do that. but I want to disassociate myself with anything that comes from Adam or me.

Philippians chapter three, verse three, we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.

Now to get to this place, There was a place he had to leave. And that's what repentance from dead works is. You see that everything until he saved you and he did something for you was nothing more than a dead work. There was no goodness in it. It was nothing but sin.

In order to get to the place where the Lord was giving him, he had to leave his father's house. He was to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's land to a new dwelling place. Now, Christ is the dwelling place. This is not just about a new land. It's given to illustrate that. It's not Abraham going out to a Different place to live, it's more than that. This new dwelling place that the believer has is Christ himself. We leave our Father Adam's house, our association with salvation by works, and we dwell in Christ. What a place to dwell. I mean, how often do you hear people pray, Lord, let us be found in Christ? That's the only place I want to be in Christ. I don't want God to judge me for my prayers, for my motives, for my preaching, for anything that has anything to do with me. When God looks at me, all I want him to see is his son, Jesus Christ. That's our dwelling place. That's what abiding in him means. You consciously do not want to be anywhere else. Now that's unique to a believer. Only believers feel that way and every believer feels that way. We want to be found only in Christ.

Paul put it this way, oh, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness. That's the disassociation with Adam and all of his house, all of my works, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, Because I know what that is, it's filthy rags. But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith, we have a new dwelling place, Christ himself.

And then he said, and I will make, in verse two, I will make of thee a great nation. Now this is speaking of the nation of Israel who represent the true Israel. God's elect. I'll make of thee a great nation. I will bless thee. There's no ifs about this. He didn't say, I'll bless you if. He said, I will bless you. Let me tell you why God blesses me. Because he said he would. No other reason is needed. I will bless thee. His blessings are for Christ's sake, not for your sakes, not for my sake, for Christ's sake. That's why he can say with such Power, I will bless thee. And I'll make thy name great. Every believer's got a great name. You know what it is? This is the name where she shall be called, Jehovah Tsikinu, the Lord, our righteousness. I've got a great name. Every believer has a great name. You know, people want to leave their legacies. Maybe something's wrong with me, but I care less about anything like that. I just want to have the great name of the Lord Jesus Christ as my name, nothing else.

And then he said, thou shalt be a blessing. Everybody who's in Christ is a blessing to others. You're a blessing to me. I hope I'm a blessing to you. I am, if I'm in Christ, you are, if you're in Christ. What a blessed thing. And he says in verse three, I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee. And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And I think it's interesting. Paul quotes that. in Galatians chapter three, when he says, the scriptures preached before the gospel unto Abraham. Now the scriptures had not been yet written. Don't you love that? They wouldn't be written for a thousand years. Abraham was way before Moses, but the scripture preached the gospel before to Abraham. And that tells us that his word is the living word. You can't separate God and his word. He said, David said to the Lord, thou has magnified thy word above all thy name. And this is the gospel message in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Now here are seven promises given to Abraham and they're given to every believer as well, a place to dwell. Of him are you in Christ Jesus. What a place to dwell. Who of God is made into us, wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption. And we have the promised seed, Christ, that would cause us to become a great nation, but you're a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people.

We have the promise blessing. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings. I've got them all. I've got them all. There's none that I do not have. This is true of every believer. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Jesus. He blesses those who bless us. He curses those who curse us. And as much as you've done to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it unto me. He's given us this great name. How blessed we are in him, the seed of Abraham.

Now look in verse seven. Remember, Joshua was talking about this happening hundreds of years before. when God made this promise to Abraham. And he made this promise to every believer. Look in verse seven. And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, unto thy seed will I give this land. And there he builded an altar unto the Lord.

Look in chapter 13, verse 14. And the Lord said unto Abraham, after the lot was separated from him, lift up now thine eyes. and look from the place where thou art northward and southward and eastward and westward." That's in every direction. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed forever. I'll make thy seed as the dust of the earth. He doesn't have any kids yet. So that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I will give it to thee.

Look in chapter 15, verse 18. In the same day, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying unto thy seed, Have I given this land from the river of Egypt, from the great river Euphrates? I've given it to you.

Look in chapter 17, verse one. And when Abraham was 90 years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am almighty God. Walk before me and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face and God talked with him. saying, as for me, behold, my covenant is with thee. And thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be called Abraham. The addition of H, the Hebrew for breath or life. He is made a father of many nations.

Verse six, I'll make thee exceeding fruitful. I'll make nations of thee and kings shall come out of thee. And I'll establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee. That's me and you. That's every believer. We're included in that. In their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I've given to thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. And I will be their God." Now that's God's promise to Abraham and all of his seed. Now, remember Zacchaeus? When people were complaining about him, he's extending his mercy to a man like that? And the Lord answered, he's a child of Abraham. The son of man has come to seek and save that which is lost. He's a child of Abraham. That woman bent over and couldn't raise herself up. The Lord said, shouldn't I heal her? She's a child of Abraham. Every believer is a child of Abraham in his seed.

has taken place between Abraham and this statement by Joshua. Abraham's seed spends 400 years in the land of Egypt. God brought them out. They spent 40 years in the wilderness, in the desert, before they appeared into the promised land. Joshua brought them in. Moses couldn't do it. The law can't do it. Joshua brought them in. And beginning in Joshua chapter 13, he assigns all 12 tribes the land that God had promised them when he made this promise to Abraham. Last of all, the cities of the Levites.

Now, back to Joshua chapter 21. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land, which he swear to give unto their fathers. Now, the first thing I want us to consider is the Lord gave. The Lord gave them all the land. He promised. The gospel is about what Jehovah gives. You see, before the foundation of the world, God gave his son a people. His gift. The Lord referred to them as, them which you have given me. And Christ gave himself to be their savior. He knew that the only way they would be saved is for Him dying for their sins.

But I think this is so glorious. These people have always been viewed in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God's never seen any of His people independent of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. You've always been viewed in the Lamb. God gave you to the Lamb. The Lamb agreed to take full responsibility for your salvation. The father gave his son, the son gives himself. He came to this earth for this purpose. We read it in the very opening chapter of the New Testament. Thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins.

The last verse of that song, how did it go? When I'm saved from, to sin, I love the, however it was, I loved it. Being, when I'm, when I'm no longer a sinner. Well, that's, that's when I may be plumb saved. when I'm no longer a sinner. Jehovah gave. He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall not also with him freely give us? Freely give us all things. There's nothing you have to do to merit his gift. He gives it freely. For Christ's sake, it's His purpose. The wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

He gives us good providence to put us in the place to hear the gospel, unbeknownst to us. We have the gift of His Spirit. The reason I believe the gospel is because of God the Holy Spirit giving me life. He's the gift of God, just like the Lord Jesus Christ is the gift of God. He gives a new heart to believe. He said, a new heart also will I give you. He gives faith. He gives repentance. He gives love to himself. If I love him, it's because he first loved me. And he gave me that love. Everything in the gospel is about what God gives.

The Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he swore to give to their fathers. Now, all this land is land that he promised to give. He swore. He would give this to the fathers. Paul said, if the inheritance be of the law, it's no more promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able also to perform. Now look what it says next in verse 43. And the Lord gave unto Israel, all the land which he swore to give unto the fathers, and they possessed it. They received it, they possessed it, it became theirs. And this word possessed, it became their personal possession, they received it, it became theirs, they possessed it.

You know, I love to think of this thing of me actually, by the grace of God, receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. what he becomes my possession. I am my Lord's and he is mine.

Now, I think it is amazing how religion makes the act of receiving Christ the saving act. He died for you, he wants to save you, but he can't save you unless you receive him. If you receive him, then you'll have all the benefits of his salvation. It's putting the act of reception as the saving act. Now, if I gave you a gift, And you said, well, at least I received it. I'd be tempted to take it back. It doesn't work that way. If he gave it to you, you will receive and you will possess it. And the reason you receive it is he gave it to you. Nobody rejects his gift. If you don't have him, he never gave himself to you. but all of God's people receive Him and He becomes their possession.

I love Revelation 19, 10, when it talks about, unto her was given, granted, fine linen, clean and white. And this is talking about the righteousness and marriage of Christ. You know that, only His linen is fine linen, clean and white. Do you have anything you've ever done that could be described as fine linen, clean and white? No. But all what he has done is fine linen, clean and white. But John goes on to say, this is the righteousness of the saints. It's their possession. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is my personal righteousness before God. He said, their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. We possess what he has given.

And then verse 43 says, and they dwelt therein. We stay right there, don't we? We don't wanna be anywhere else but in the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to this scripture from Psalm 27. David said, one thing have I desired of the Lord. He didn't say two things, he said one thing. Now, aren't you interested into what David said he desired of the Lord? He said one thing. If I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

Now, interestingly enough, I remember when I was a little boy and I'd hear that verse read, I would think, wouldn't that be kind of boring? I mean, you're in the temple all the time. I mean, I'd like to be there and see it, but to be in there all the time? That I dwell there and live nowhere else? That's because I didn't know what it meant. Dwelling in the house of the Lord is dwelling in Christ. He is the house of the Lord. And it's only dwelling in him that I can behold his beauty and inquire into his temple.

Verse 44. And the Lord gave them, there's that gift again. The Lord gave them rest. Round about according to all that he swear unto their fathers. The Lord gave them rest on every side. There remaineth therefore a rest. to the people of God. For he that's entered into his rest hath ceased from his own works as God did from his."

Let me tell you when you rest, you rest when you cease from your own works and you don't rest until then. Coming to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Now that Laboring and heavy laden is the burden of sin. It's an intolerable burden. He says, come to me, ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.

Now turn with me to Genesis chapter one. Here's where this rest is first spoken of. Verse 31, Genesis chapter one, verse 31. And God saw everything that he made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day, thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them completed. What'd the Lord say from the cross? It is finished. The reason the Lord rested on the seventh day was because what he did was very good and it was complete and there was nothing else to do.

Verse two, and on the seventh day, God ended his work, which he had made and he rested. on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it, he had rested from all his work, which God created and made."

Now, the writer of the Hebrews uses this to let us know what it is to rest in Christ. When God was finished with what he did, it was finished. He didn't do anything else. He rested because the work was complete. It was very good and it was completely complete. If you can say it that way, completely complete. And he rested. He made nothing else. He that's entered into his rest hath ceased from his own works. Oh, what a blessing that would be if you and I will cease from our own works and rest in what he has done. You rest when the work is finished. We rest in him that finished the work and we rest in the finished work of Christ. That's a good definition of faith.

Rest. Rest. And the Lord gave them rest. round about on every side according to all that he swear unto their fathers. And there stood not a man of all their enemies before then the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. I have enemies. My sins. Not one of them stands. Not one. They've all been put away. In Christ, I've never committed a sin. That's how much they don't stand. There's no skeletons in my closet. There's not something that's going to be raising up its ugly head some other time in the future. I don't have any sin. All of my sin. has been put away. He was manifested to take away our sins and Him is no sin.

The law of God at one time appeared to be my enemy because I didn't keep it. But now it rewards me for perfect obedience. It's my friend. I delight in the law of God after the end of man. I love it. I love every commandment. I've kept every commandment in Christ Jesus. The law is my friend. The law calls upon God to justify me. He's without sin. The devil is my enemy. You know, he's called the accuser of the brethren. In Revelation chapter 12, that he's before God day and night, accusing his people. And the thing of it is, any accusation he makes against me or you, does he have to stretch the truth? No, any accusation he makes is true. He knows everything about us. But the scripture says they overcame him by the blood of the lamb. And Satan is no match for my Redeemer.

Now, I can't stand it when preachers talk about the devil. Get on back to hell, devil. You know, let's dance on it and all that. That's so irreverent. That's so wicked. They don't even know who he is when they speak like that. I love what Michael the archangel said. He said, the Lord rebuke you. I'm not gonna deal personally with you. The Lord rebuke you. But the Lord does rebuke him. And he stands as my savior and answers every accusation he makes with who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect. God justified them. Who is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died, yea, rather that's risen again, who's even at the right hand of God.

I've been saved from the wrath of God, And I've been saved for myself. Romans 6, 14 says, sin shall not have dominion over you. And this is a promise. Sin shall not have dominion over you. It shall not have lordship over you. How come? Because you're not under law. You're under grace.

Joshua said there stood not a man of all their enemies before them the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand there failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken into the house of Israel all came to pass all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. It all comes to pass. It is finished is a promise. And it's come to pass, it is finished. When he by himself purged our sins, Hebrews 1, 3, they were purged. All came to pass.

In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him, I promise. It's come to pass. You're complete. And I'm sure that every one of us are woefully aware of inadequacies and sinfulness and certainly anything that talking about being complete. Really? Really. You are complete in him to where the Lord Jesus Christ looks at you and he says, thou art all fair, my love. There is no spot in thee.

They all came to pass because of the character of God. He cannot lie. He's got the ability to cause all to come to pass. And as a matter of fact, it's already come to pass. Because according to the scripture, every believer is seated together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. I'm already glorified. It's what the book says. It's what the Bible says. Whom he justified, then he also glorified. It all came to pass.

May this be engraved by the spirit of God on our heart. It all came to pass and it came to pass because of what we're celebrating right now. What the Lord accomplished on Calvary's tree. Now, this was his purpose to come. He created the universe for this purpose. He came into the world for this purpose. By what he did, all comes to pass. Every promise of God is mine. All the promises of God in him are yea. And amen to the glory of God by us.

And when we partake of the Lord's table, May we be enabled to realize that because of his broken body and his shed blood, all comes to pass.

Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the promises of your word. how we thank you for our dwelling place, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, truly, we don't want to be found anywhere else. And Lord, accept our thanksgiving for his sacrifice that makes us holy and unblameable and unreprovable in your sight. And Lord, may we do what we're doing in remembrance of him, being so grateful and thankful for his broken body, and His shed blood, our salvation. In His name we pray.