At the Borders of Canaan

At the Borders of Canaan

When the children of Israel had entered Canaan, the manna stopped, and they ate of the fruits of the land. On that day a completely new time began for the children of Israel when the reproach was taken away from them.

This can also be said of the days in which we are living. A completely new time has begun, with new food for all those who come out of a life in the desert and into the body of Christ. Before they prayed to God for blessings in the midst of their wretched state, and God let manna rain down on them from heaven—spiritually speaking. However, now the manna has ceased and they are instructed to do God’s will. It would have been useless for the children of Israel to desire manna again if they had refused to eat of the fruits of the land. They would most certainly have perished.

It is the same in our days. The moment God enlightens a man concerning an overcoming life it is no longer possible to be blessed in his old state of sin and grace. There is no turning back. However, at the border of the land, or the gate to the kingdom of heaven, great battles and struggles are often fought by the individual. That is why Jesus also says that you must strive to enter in. At the border a person is met by people and the devil seeking to hinder him from taking possession of the blessed land. Every time a truth-seeking soul wants to cross the border, pastors and religious people of various denominational stripes are sure to show up as well, and they cry out together: “Deception!” They call the fruit of the land (i.e., doing God’s will), bondage and poisonous grass; and they claim that everyone who eats of it will die. I myself have witnessed the most amazing scenes here at the border, and how some religious leaders have revealed their folly in the most hair-raising manner.

Neither is there any lack of visions and dreams in such situations. However, if there arises among you a prophet who dreams dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, and the same prophet proclaims a gospel without commandments, then you shall not listen to the words of this prophet, or to him who had a dream, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Read Deuteronomy 13:1-5.

Many people are severely tested at the border, to see whether they love the truth. First they meet opposition from their own flesh; then they meet opposition from their relatives and from friends in religious assemblies, plus strong warnings from a religious leader in whom they have always had complete confidence in all things. It really takes an effort to break through all this and go in faith, like Abraham, into something new and unknown. This is where they need help and guidance, given with wisdom and understanding.

Before them lies the land of Canaan which is indeed flowing with milk and honey, but which is also full of enemies. Behind them there is an entire flock of people who entice them with a glorious freedom in the desert where they can sit down and eat, and rise up and play. Then, if they are bitten by serpents, they can always look up to the brass serpent and be healed, and receive manna from heaven and water out of the rock. They do not know anything about fighting, because there are no enemies. However, God did not keep and preserve the children of Israel in the desert so that they should remain there; they were only journeying through on their way to the Promised Land. Those who did not have faith to enter in when the time came were slain in the desert.

We can also be kept under the law for a time until faith comes. However, after God has enlightened us concerning the way and given us His Spirit, He requires that we walk on this way in this Spirit. Our food will now be the fruit of the land, and we will only be blessed by doing God’s will. The manna has ceased forever, and we cannot go back and expect to receive God’s blessing over our lives.

Those preachers who have warned against us have also rightly said that it is difficult to come among the friends. However, if someone does come along, he will never leave. Generally speaking, this seems to be the case, because as long as people are in the desert they have another place to go to—across the border and into the land. However, once they have come into the land they have no place to go to except further into the land.

The boundary is the river Jordan, which means death. It indicates a complete separation from the world and people. On the other side there is a living relationship with Christ and all the saints.

Blessed are they who break through all hindrances and begin to delight in the precious fruits of the land. Once they have begun to taste them, there is no other food that can satisfy them. By eating this food they can quickly grow up to the full measure of the stature of manhood in Christ and can discern every wind of doctrine.