Lesson 9: Heirs of Promises, Prisoners of Hope
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Chief
Chief of Sinners.
Zechariah 9:12 – “Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.”
Core Theme: The Promised Land was a tangible gift of grace from God, requiring active faith to possess. It serves as a powerful symbol of the salvation and eternal inheritance we have in Jesus, which we claim by faith and obedience while living as "prisoners of hope."
Key Insights by Day:
Sunday: Eden and Canaan (Genesis 3:17-24; Hebrews 6:11-12)
Core Theme: The Promised Land was a tangible gift of grace from God, requiring active faith to possess. It serves as a powerful symbol of the salvation and eternal inheritance we have in Jesus, which we claim by faith and obedience while living as "prisoners of hope."
Key Insights by Day:
Sunday: Eden and Canaan (Genesis 3:17-24; Hebrews 6:11-12)
- The loss of Eden established the pattern of a lost perfect home, making the Promised Land a symbol of restored, abundant life.
- Inheritance by Faith: The patriarchs were "heirs of the promises," owning the land by faith long before physically possessing it.
- Our Position: We are called to be "imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
- God, as the ultimate Owner of the earth, gave the land to Israel as a gift of grace, not an inalienable right.
- Dependence on God: The land taught Israel constant dependence on God (for rain and harvest), not their own effort.
- Our Identity: We are "strangers and sojourners" on earth, looking forward to our eternal, God-built city.
- The land was a gift, but possessing it required active warfare and settlement, mirroring the tension between grace and human responsibility in salvation.
- Sanctification Parallel: Just as Israel had to "occupy" their gift, we must "work out your own salvation" (Philippians 2:12) in the process of sanctification.
- Warning: A gift can be forfeited through disobedience and neglect.
- The Jubilee law prevented permanent disenfranchisement, cyclically resetting economic disparities and freeing the oppressed.
- Gospel in Miniature: This system embodied the gospel's power to erase distinctions and offer a fresh start through God's grace.
- Sabbath Principle: The Sabbatical year and Jubilee are large-scale applications of the Sabbath, reminding us that in God's economy, all are equal.
- The post-exilic return was a conditional fulfillment, pointing to a greater, ultimate restoration through the Messiah.
- Fulfillment in Christ: In the New Testament, the land promise is reinterpreted and fulfilled in the spiritual blessings and eternal inheritance found in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20).
- Ultimate Hope: The final, perfect fulfillment is the New Earth, freed from sin, where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:1-3).
- Root Principle: Salvation, like the land, is a gift received by faith, but it must be "occupied" through a life of faithful obedience.
- "Prisoners of Hope": Our hope is not passive but active, anchoring us as we live as sojourners awaiting our true home.
- Our Call:
- Trust completely in God's promise-keeping character, secured by Christ's death and resurrection.
- Actively "work out" our salvation, cooperating with God in the process of sanctification.
- Live as citizens of heaven now, allowing the hope of the New Earth to shape our present values and mission.
rob
Active member
Israel was an agricultural nation, each lived on customary land that could never be bought or sold and your Government could not get a rates payment from you. The land belonged to God. I love this, occurs in PNG but NOT in Australia. Our land is leased to us as freehold tenants and the Council terms us as a Debtor, not a citizen.
You were never meant to live in cities. Zion was a temporary place to come 3 times a year for worship, not to live. People go lazy and lived in cities, which the Bible says not to.
You cannot get the average SDA to live in the country growing their own country veggies and living quietly under God, instead they live in cities and rely on supermarket food. Where is the attitude of Israel as a land of milk and honey?
Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
This is an end time message and it says stop living in cities and live in the country. Get away from her plagues,,,,,
What plagues?
1) air pollution for one
2) noise pollution
3) rat race stress
4) media bombardment
5) supermarket factory processed food
Israel was a customary land place, like PNG is. The ancestors have the same land for all tribes.
One problem I see is my father in law Tom lives on an island where his land is now supporting 250 relatives
or "one talks" and the land is shrinking in productivity? Maybe? Hmm?
The problem with customary land living, is dealing with lazy ones who borrow but not return who eat your food but give nothing back - Once I saw Tom borrow 50,000 dollars to give to his family and never good anything back, only a mortgage for the rest of his life.
In Australia we tend to live alone, which is bad I feel. It's easier to make food if many family members pitch in.
For example Australian Greek families do better on the land than British Australians do, they share their resources better.
We can learn much from Israel living on customary land. Imagine if the SDA stopped living in cities like we do?
Shalom
You were never meant to live in cities. Zion was a temporary place to come 3 times a year for worship, not to live. People go lazy and lived in cities, which the Bible says not to.
You cannot get the average SDA to live in the country growing their own country veggies and living quietly under God, instead they live in cities and rely on supermarket food. Where is the attitude of Israel as a land of milk and honey?
Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
This is an end time message and it says stop living in cities and live in the country. Get away from her plagues,,,,,
What plagues?
1) air pollution for one
2) noise pollution
3) rat race stress
4) media bombardment
5) supermarket factory processed food
Israel was a customary land place, like PNG is. The ancestors have the same land for all tribes.
One problem I see is my father in law Tom lives on an island where his land is now supporting 250 relatives
or "one talks" and the land is shrinking in productivity? Maybe? Hmm?
The problem with customary land living, is dealing with lazy ones who borrow but not return who eat your food but give nothing back - Once I saw Tom borrow 50,000 dollars to give to his family and never good anything back, only a mortgage for the rest of his life.
In Australia we tend to live alone, which is bad I feel. It's easier to make food if many family members pitch in.
For example Australian Greek families do better on the land than British Australians do, they share their resources better.
We can learn much from Israel living on customary land. Imagine if the SDA stopped living in cities like we do?
Shalom
Chief
Chief of Sinners.
Most governments worldwide hold their citizens (should I say subjects?) with such prejudiced contempt it is appalling. Servitude 2.0.
The idea of country living does not fall into their plan because those who practice country living are not easy to control. You cannot threaten them by cutting off food supplies because they do not fully depend on systems to obtain their livelihoods.
As you have mentioned, their foods and lifestyles promote longevity, therefore, they are less likely to get sick and even if they do, their immunity is stronger.
rob
Active member
You are right Chief and I never saw such happy people, owning absolutely nothing. Village life is a dinner plate as a banana leaf, a bed is a woven mat 5mm thick.
As for sickness, once we go over the flues school-kids brought from holiday break, the rest of the 12 weeks we had nothing, no disease what-so ever.
Once a saw a Baningu tribal person who looked like Neathanel man with a backward sloping forehead, bony ridges, etc, I saw a loving 3 million old man ! So much for evolution - it does not exist. Every dog in PNG is vegan. our pets dogs included, ate rice and banana.
Life in the village I found fantastic ! No stress, no bills and no need for money. It gave me a glimpse to the Israel model God had planned for Israel. Shalom
As for sickness, once we go over the flues school-kids brought from holiday break, the rest of the 12 weeks we had nothing, no disease what-so ever.
Once a saw a Baningu tribal person who looked like Neathanel man with a backward sloping forehead, bony ridges, etc, I saw a loving 3 million old man ! So much for evolution - it does not exist. Every dog in PNG is vegan. our pets dogs included, ate rice and banana.
Life in the village I found fantastic ! No stress, no bills and no need for money. It gave me a glimpse to the Israel model God had planned for Israel. Shalom