A panoramic view of a lush mountainside and sun beaming through the clouds| Photo by Joseph Corl on Unsplash

We have always heard about the land of the promise in churches and bible studies. But as a young Christian, what is it really about?

As Christians, we have been on a spiritual journey to salvation, finding our way to God’s arms and seeing the land of the promise with joyful eyes. We follow the teachings of the scriptures and understand how we can become a better person for a better world. But have we really understood what the land of the promise entails? Do we take in mind and in heart the implications of knowing the teachings in the scriptures?

Thomas Fitzhugh Sheets talks about the Land of the Promise in his book trilogy, “on that Day.” The Land of the Promise in “on That Day” delves into people’s faith in God. It features the Parable of the Ten Virgins to talk about faithfulness and being prepared for the Second Coming of Christ. The book also lets its readers understand more about the Land of the Promise and the different promises God made to Abraham.

Who is Abraham?

Abraham or Ibrahim is regarded as the father of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. He is the first one to teach the people that there is only one God and that everyone is connected through Him. In a Biblical sense, Abraham sets an example for the people to follow to fulfill God’s promise. Through Abraham, we get the idea of the Promised Land, a homeland for Jewish people where they will see and experience the glory of God.

Abraham went on a journey through a covenant with God for His promise of a nation and a land where his descendants could take shelter. Abraham agreed that he and his descendants would worship God, obey His commandments, and lead an example for the other people.

The Covenant and the Land of the Promise

Abraham was born in the city of Ur when worshipping idols was the most common. In a vision, God spoke to Abraham to let him start his journey for a better future with Him.

“¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12: 1-3

In a covenant with God, Abraham was asked to leave his homeland to go to Canaan, the land of the promise. If Abraham fulfilled this journey, God would name him the Father of Many Nations. God promised that he would be given descendants who would become great nations. Some of them will become kings. In return, Abraham and his descendants have to worship God above all else. This covenant was sealed through Abraham’s circumcision.

The Test of Faith

Abraham and his wife had been longing for a child. After sealing his promise to God, they were granted a son they named Isaac. Abraham loved his son with all his life. But fulfilling God’s promise is never easy. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son to Him. Facing the difficulty of the test, Abraham went on to sacrifice his son even if it hurt his heart. At the last moment, God asked an angel to stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac as He saw that Isaac would follow in the footsteps of his father.

Why is the Covenant Important?

Abraham’s covenant with God includes worshipping God above all else. With this, Abraham becomes the first human to reject the commandments of false gods during the reign of idol worshipping. He was only seeking God throughout his life.

This covenant does not only seal Abraham’s faith in God. It runs through Abraham’s descendants. Those who will be faithful to God shall also enjoy His glory in the land of the promise. As part of Abraham’s descendants, we still have to fulfill the covenant to experience eternal joy with the Lord.

Thomas Fitzhugh Sheets conveys the lesson of this covenant in his book “on That Day.” Book 3 in this Trilogy is also known as The Land of the Promise, which delves deeper into Abraham’s story.

As Christians, we have the mission to fulfill this covenant and find our way to salvation. We always carry with us the teachings in the scriptures as we continue the journey that Abraham started. God is with us. And with faith, we will eventually see our days in the land of promise.