One of the fundamental principles back then and today is that God keeps his word. Dr. Tony Evans reminds us that God's promises never expire. God is faithful to do what he said he would do. This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr.
Tony Evans. We've all heard that actions speak louder than words, and that's certainly true when it comes to loyalty. Today, Dr. Evans explains how loyalty to God isn't just a declaration, it's a lifestyle that trusts His Word, obeys His commands, and holds fast even in times of trouble. Let's join him as he begins today's study in the book of Joshua.
In chapter 21. We are finishing this land survey. to the uh household of of Levi. And the Levites are given forty-eight cities to live in.
Now, the Levites, According to Deuteronomy chapter 33, verse 10, we're responsible to teach God's law. to the people verse two they spoke to them at shiloh in the in the land of canaan saying the lord commanded through moses to give us cities to live in with their pasture lands for our cattle So That leads to the central point in the book. And that central point is verses 43 to verses 45 of chapter 21. Let me read them.
So the LORD gave Israel all the land which he had sworn to give to their fathers. and they possessed it and lived in it. And the Lord gave them rest on every side. according to all that he had sworn to their fathers. and no one of all their enemies stood before them.
The Lord gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises Which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed. Uh Came. to pass. Over and over in those three verses.
All that God promised. Came to pass. say it over and over again. And he gave them Rest. One of the Fundamental principles.
For back then and today. Is that God? keeps his word. God is faithful to his word. If you can ever grab that concept.
That God is faithful to do what he said he would do. It is a life-transforming concept. And it is the key to the book.
Now Let's do a little history. It was some 600 years earlier. All the way back in Genesis chapter 12, God promised Abraham.
Okay. I'm going to make your descendants great. I'm gonna make your name great. And I'm going to give you this land. That was 600 years.
And for a lot of reasons. It took that long for them, part of it, you know, Israel didn't operate by faith. And so that delayed it. But your delay is not God's denial. Your delay only affects your time.
That you get what God promises. Or whether you get it at all. But if you can accept the fact. In spite of what your two eyes tell you. In spite of what your 2020 vision.
or whatever your eyeglasses help you with. That God is faithful To keep His word. Hebrews chapter Tim Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope. Without wavering, For he who promised is faithful. Because he keeps his word.
He says, I want you to. Hold fast to the confession of your hope. Yeah. Hope is something you've not realized yet. You're looking to it.
You're looking forward to it. You haven't realized it yet. But because God is faithful, he says. Keep confessing your hope. Keep confessing the expectation that's based on God's promise.
Because God's promises are often not visible till they arrive.
So he says, Keep Your Confession. To confess something is to declare it.
So declare the faithfulness of God. to what he has promised. Look at Uh 2 Corinthians chapter 1. Verse twenty For as many as are the promises of God. In him they are yes.
Therefore, also through him is our amen in the glory of God through us. His promises And Christ is Yes. In other words, It's dependable. You and I must grab the dependability of God, and the only way to grab the dependability of God is by faith. That's the only way to do that by faith.
That's why when Hebrews 11 talks about it, by faith this happened, by faith that happened, by faith that happened. And often, many of those things that they describe that happen by faith, did not happen because people could see it.
So they're hoping for this and the very opposite is occurring. And that's why you have to keep the confession and be around people who will help you to keep the confession of faith because faith often has to work in a context. Of doubt. The thing that cancels out faith is not your doubt. The thing that cancels out faith is your disobedience.
See, even if you got questions, if you still moving in faith, then that's faith.
So faith moves even sometimes. when it has to move in the face of doubt. But the key to remember is That God Is dependable. His word is true, and it can be dependent upon.
Now Notice it says God gave it. Watch this. It says God gave it, but watch this. They had to go get it.
Okay, so let's learn another principle about God's promises. God's promises are in your grasp, but not necessarily in your hand. In other words, They are accessible to you and available to you. But you lay hold of it. You grab it, you go get it, you take it.
They had to go take the land every place on where I place your foot. I have given it to you, he tells them in chapter one. I've given it to you.
So it's been pre-given. But you go get it. Why? Why have God gave it, do I have to get it? Because he wants to see that you believe he gave it.
So he's calling for faith. God's promises are true, and He gave them rest. And not one of their enemies stood before them. And they had some pretty big-time enemies. They had some pretty big time people to defeat.
God is faithful. His word is true. And he can be depended upon. But for many people, that's not real to them. Because they don't move in faith.
They don't go get what God gave. God's promises are legal, you make them literal. For you.
So, this is assuming something. This is assuming you know what those promises are. You know what to look forward to. You know what to expect. But when you do, it changes your view.
Of the power of circumstances. It's circumstances now. don't have the final say. It also enables you to deal with things you don't understand happening around you. Because you don't understand it.
But Because you know the promise. You can experience what God gave them, rest. He gave them Rest. And that rest. came because they kept going.
And they kept moving by faith.
So it wanted you to know that God kept his word, and I love this. Verse 45: Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. All came to pay. He ain't miss a beat. Not One.
Not only does God keep his promises, he keeps them in detail. Not one. Did he come short on? We live in a world of broken promises. We live in a world of even if people mean well.
Even if people mean well, their humanity gets into the way or their. That circumstances get into the way, and we live in a world of broken promises. And everybody in here, to some degree, has broken promises. has said we would do things we didn't do and make promises we didn't fulfill. You know?
Borrowed money we still haven't paid back. You know, it comes in all shapes and sizes and forms. But in God's case, not one. of his promises fail. Dr.
Evans will come back in a moment to show how God's unbroken promises played out for the Israelites in the Old Testament and what we can learn from that today. Before he does, though, I want to remind you that Tony's current sermon series from the Book of Joshua. Is available for you in its entirety, and that includes material we won't have time to present on the broadcast. This nine-message audio collection is a deep dive into how God's guidance can help you navigate both triumphs and trials as you pursue His promises for your life. When you support the Ministry of the Alternative with the donation, we'll send you the complete Joshua series as our thank you gift.
And because God has a plan for every part of our lives, including our families, we'd also love to include the Kingdom Family Devotional as a special bonus. This 52-week devotional, written by Tony and his son Jonathan, covers practical topics like faith, priorities, relationships, and handling life's everyday challenges. Each weekday offers short but meaningful devotions that are engaging for kids and spiritually enriching for parents. Don't wait, we'll only be offering this exclusive double resource package through tomorrow. Visit us today at tonyevans.org to make your request or call our resource request line at 1-800-800-3222.
Our team is available around the clock to assist you. That's 1-800-800-3222. Yeah. Well now let's get back to Dr. Evans with part two of today's message from the book of Joshua.
In chapter 22. We've got Reuben, we've got Gad, and we've got a half tribe of Manasseh. On the east side of the Jordan River. But if you recall, they left the east side to go to the west side to help their brothers fight against the Amorites, Hittites, Canaanites, and all the enemies in taking the land.
Well, now that the land is resting, it's time for them to go back home because this has been like almost seven years that they've been away from home and family and all that. And so it's time to go back.
So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, chapter 22 says, You have kept all that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you, and you have listened to my voice and all that I've commanded you. You didn't forsake your brothers, in other words, you came over to help them. these many days to this day. but have kept the charge and commandment of the Lord. And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers.
As he spoke to them, therefore turn now and go to your tents. To the land of your possession, which is the east side of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond this Jordan. Only be careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you. To love the Lord your God and walk in all of his ways and keep his commandments and hold fast to him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
So he says, Look, even though you leave in your brothers and everything, you hold tightly to everything God says.
So he challenges them as they're about to go back. when they came verse 10 To the region of the Jordan, which is the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by... The Jordan, a large altar in appearance.
So they build this huge thing of worship altar. When they get to the Jordan and they're getting ready to cross over the Jordan to go home.
So when they get to the Jordan, they build this large, huge humongous. All two. Houston, we have a problem. Verse 11. And the sons of Israel heard it said, Behold, The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar.
At the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of Jordan, On the side belonging to the sons of Israel.
So they built it on Israel's side, but they're crossing over to the east side.
So they build it before they cross over. When the sons of Israel heard of it, The whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves at Shiloh to go up against them in war. Because they have built An altar, okay? What's the issue?
Well, the issue is An altar is a place of worship. They've already been told, don't you have any other God? The place of worship was in Shiloh. The tabernacle was in Shiloh. to build another huge altar.
Was to say that we have our own place of worship separate. from the tabernacle of God, which was the place, the official place of worship.
So that was viewed as sacrilege. And so Israel in Canaan. Said they are brothers and everything, but we got to deal with this. Lest their idolatry comes back on us.
So that's why it was a big deal and it was a matter of war because the whole message was you got to hold to the Lord your God and not the gods of the idols in the area.
So they are getting themselves for war.
However, Phineas, verse 13. And ten of the chiefs from each father's verse fourteen household from each of the tribe. They came to them. Let us go down here and find out what's really going on.
Okay. So they come down to them before everybody starts fighting and going to war. and spoke with them in verse 16. Thus says the whole congregation, what is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel?
So I'll say it was a spiritual issue. Turning away from following the Lord this day by building yourselves an altar to rebel against the Lord this day. If you rebel against the Lord today, he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow. You mess up today, you're going to mess us up tomorrow.
So he's telling them what the problem is. If, however, verse 19, the land of your possession is unclean, then cross into the land of the possession of the Lord. where the Lord's tabernacle stands and take possession among us. Come to Shiloh, where the real tabernacle is. Only do not rebel against the Lord or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves.
beside the altar of the Lord our God. In other words, a competing altar.
So that is the problem. But then the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh say, Whoa, Nelly. Hold up here. And they do something very interesting, verse 22. The mighty one.
God. He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion or if in an unfaithful act against the Lord, do not save us today. If we're doing what you said to do, then let God judge us. If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the Lord, or if to offer a burnt offering or grain offering on it.
or if to offer sacrifices of peace offering on it, may the Lord himself require it. But truly, we have done this out of concern. Says we had a reason for doing this. What was the reason? for a reason saying, In time to come.
Your sons may say to our sons, What have you to do with the LORD the God of Israel?
Okay, your sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad, you have no portion in the Lord because y'all over there.
So, your sons may make our sons stop fearing the Lord. We were concerned. that the next generation is in conflict. Because of our different locations. Therefore we said, let us build an altar for the burnt offering or for sacrifice.
Rather shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generation after us. that we are to perform the service of the Lord before him with our tent offerings and with our sacrifices. And peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons, in time to come, you have no portion in the Lord. He says no. You have misunderstood our motives.
Have you ever done that? You thought somebody was doing something for one reason. And was prepared to make war. Go off on them. Until you got clarity.
So instead of allowing them to go out to war, They got clarity first. And they say, no, you've misunderstood our motives. We're thinking generationally. And we know it could come where when we're off the scene and our children grow up and this separation of the Jordan River is there, they're going to raise the question, are we part of them?
So we wanted to put something in place for it to be visible. On your side, that we on our side. Are still committed to the same God.
So they got Clarity.
So that's why we said it. Far be it verse 20 from us. That we should rebel against the Lord and turn away from following the Lord this day. by building an altar for burnt offering. Because the altar of the Lord, which is his tabernacle, that was at Shiloh.
So if Aeneas and the priests and the leaders of the congregation, even the heads of the family of Israel who were with them, heard the words with the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. And so today we know, verse 31, that the Lord is in our midst because you have not committed an unfaithful act against the Lord. Verse 33, the words pleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel blessed God, and they did not speak of going up against them in war to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gab were living. The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gab called the altar witness. For they said, it is a witness between us.
That the Lord is God.
So there are a few lessons here. One is to not act hastily. The Bible says a fool acts before he's heard the whole side of a matter. Get clarity before you go to war. Before you fight.
This happens in homes. It happens. With couples, it happens with friends. Where A little lack of clarity if it were made or allowed to be made. would not have produced World War III.
You don't compromise, but you do see clarity. In other words, Don't embrace their gods, don't embrace their value systems. You are distinct, you are unique. 1 Peter says, you are a peculiar people. That's why the Bible says, don't love the world, the things in the world.
Anyone who loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. You cling to the Lord, for the Lord. Verse 9 has driven out great and strong nations from before you.
Now, behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. I'm getting ready to die. And you know, in all of your hearts and in all your souls. That not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed. God has not failed you in one way.
In closing. He says that God's word is sure. But he's asking for loyalty and commitment. Loyalty does not mean perfection. None of us can meet that.
But loyalty means direction. When you fall away. you as quickly as possible come back.
So let's stay with our direction so that we can experience all that God has for us. Amen? Dr. Tony Evans, encouraging us to keep our hearts pointed toward God regardless of where we find ourselves in life's journey.
Now, don't forget, today's lesson is part of Tony's powerful nine-part sermon series from the Book of Joshua, a journey through spiritual victories, life lessons, and God's promises. When you support Tony's ministry, we'll say thanks by sending you the full audio series along with a bonus copy of the Kingdom Family Devotional, a 52-week guide designed to strengthen your family's faith one day at a time. But this special double offer ends tomorrow.
So visit tonyevans.org right away to make your request. Or give us a call at 1-800-800-3222. That's tonyevans.org or call 1-800-800-3222. When our schedule revolves around success, status, or screens, that may be a sign we are serving something other than God. Tomorrow, Dr.
Evans takes us to the final chapter of Joshua. for a powerful look at what it means to choose whom you will serve. Be sure to join us.
