LESSONS OF FAITH FROM JOSHUA
Lesson 9 : Heirs of the Promise, Prisoners of Hope

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9.5 The Land Restored
The Final Promise Beyond Borders

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Introduction

What does “home” mean when everything seems lost?
For the people of Israel, the Promised Land was far more than a geographical place—it was a sign of identity, safety, and God’s nearness. But the experience of exile and destruction called everything into question. How do you go forward when hope dies?

God gave His people a profound assurance: return, restoration, and future—not through political power, but through repentance and grace. In the New Testament, this promise widens into a heavenly perspective that concerns us today as well: a new land, a new earth—beyond suffering, loss, and death.

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Bible Study

1. Jeremiah 24:6 – To rebuild, not to tear down

“I will set my eyes upon them for good and will bring them back to this land; I will build them up and not tear them down, plant them and not uproot them.”

This verse is God’s love declaration to a scattered people. Despite judgment and exile, His intent remains good: He will rebuild what was destroyed. His mercy outweighs His judgement. The return to the land is a sign of His faithfulness—and His patience with an unfaithful nation.

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2. Jeremiah 31:16 – Hope for Return

“Thus says the LORD: Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded, says the LORD, and they shall return from the land of the enemy.”

God speaks comfort to a weeping people. Their “work”—their grief, loss, uprootedness—will not be in vain. God promises: there will be a return, a homecoming. This is a prophetic word not only to Israel, but to all who have walked through suffering.

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3. Ezekiel 11:17 – Gathering the Scattered

“Therefore say: Thus says God the LORD: I will gather you from the peoples and bring you out of the lands where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”

This is more than a geographical act—it is spiritual restoration. God says: I will gather you from every nation, every dispersion, every exile. The land is not only a destination, but a sign of new beginning and divine guidance.

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4. Ezekiel 28:25 – Restoration despite Shame

“Thus says God the LORD: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples, among whom they were scattered, then I will be sanctified in them in the sight of many nations, and they shall dwell in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob.”

The return is not only a blessing to Israel—it is a public display of God’s holiness. The nations shall see that God keeps His word. Israel’s story becomes a stage upon which God’s character is revealed.

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5. Ezekiel 37:14 & 25 – Spiritual Resurrection & Eternal Covenant

“I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land.”
“They shall dwell in the land that I have given to My servant Jacob, they and their children and their children’s children forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.”

Chapter 37 paints the vision of dry bones living again—symbol of Israel’s spiritual renewal. God promises not only return but new life. And by referencing “My servant David,” the prophecy points forward to the coming Messiah—Jesus Christ.

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Summary of Biblical Teachings:

• God promises return—connected to repentance and renewal.
• Return from exile is a visible sign of His faithfulness.
• The true fulfillment of the promise comes in Jesus Christ, Son of David.
• In the New Testament, the Promised Land becomes spiritual: eternal life, God’s presence, the new earth (Eph 2:6; Rev 21).
• Our ultimate hope lies in God’s final kingdom—not in this old earth but in the new one where God dwells with His people.

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Answers to the Questions

Question 1: What did God promise regarding Israel’s return to the land, and how was it fulfilled?

God promised that His people would return after captivity—a sign of His faithfulness and forgiveness. This promise was tied to repentance and obedience. God allowed exile in Babylon, yet His love remained. After 70 years, return became reality—first physically, then spiritually fulfilled in Jesus Christ. In Him, not only land but a greater home was given: a spiritual homeland beyond the earthly borders.

Question 2: What ultimate hope do we find in John 14:1–3; Titus 2:13; Revelation 21:1–3? Why does Christ’s death guarantee its fulfillment?

The ultimate hope is an eternal home with God—free from tears, pain, and death. Jesus Himself promises He will return to take us there. This hope is not wishful thinking; it is anchored in His death and resurrection. Because He died and rose, our future is secure—not in this old world, but in God’s renewed creation.

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Spiritual Principles

1. The promise remains—even after failure.
   Human mistakes do not cancel God’s plan.

2. Home is more than geography.
   True home means being with God—wherever we are.

3. Restoration begins in the heart.
   External return reflects internal renewal.

4. Christ is the fulfillment of all promises.
   In Him, Israel and all nations reach their destination.

5. The new earth is not a myth—it is our goal.
   Hope for a world without suffering is real and biblical.

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Daily Life Application

• Where do I long for home—in spirit, heart, or life?
• Do I believe in new beginnings—even after failure?
• What does the new earth mean in my everyday living?
• Am I living today as a citizen of the world to come?
• Who around me needs hope for restoration?

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Conclusion

The Promised Land was never only soil—it was a sign. A shadow of something greater: God’s final peace with His people. Israel returned from exile, but the deeper promise waited for Christ. In Him the new land begins—spiritually now, visibly soon. The new earth is not merely hope—it is destination, home, future.

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Thought of the Day

“God does not just bring you back—He makes you new.”
The promise is more than return. It is transformation. And it begins today.

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Illustration

“The Place That Wouldn’t Let Me Go”
A modern parable of being lost, promised, and brought home

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Chapter 1 – Departure

Miriam stands on the train platform. Thirty-four years old, a social worker in the city—successful, but empty. As a child she fled with her mother from a small village to Berlin. Her father? Alcohol, violence, a church-man with shadows behind him. She swore: never return.

But now, twenty years later, she is here again—for a funeral. Her grandmother’s. And a letter waits for her. Handwritten. Only three words:
“Come home, Miriam.”

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Chapter 2 – The Old House

The grandmother’s house is dusty, ancient—full of memories. On the wall, a picture of the village a century ago. Beneath it, a Bible marked in many places. In Ezekiel 37 one verse is circled in red:
“I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live.”

Miriam feels: this return is not coincidence. It is not only about the village—it is about her heart.

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Chapter 3 – The Question

That night she dreams: the house restored, people entering, music, laughter. Her grandmother stands at the door and says:
“The promise was never just the house. It was always the hope that you would be healed.”

The next morning she finds another letter—signed:
“For the new land in your heart. Begin.”

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Chapter 4 – New Beginning

She leaves Berlin. Returns. Begins restoring the old house—not only externally. It becomes a refuge for young people, for those without home or hope.

She reads to them from Revelation 21:
“And God will wipe away every tear.”

A girl asks: “Do you think… it’s true?”
Miriam answers: “I was lost myself. Now I have come home.”

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Chapter 5 – The New Land

A year later, the house is alive—more than wood and walls. It is a piece of the new land. Promise made visible. A place where failure does not define the ending. Where God begins again.

Miriam stands beneath the old cherry tree. Looks upward. Whispers:
“I have arrived. In a land not on any map—but alive in my heart.”

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Final Word of the Story

“Healing is more than return—it is restoration.”

That evening Samuel looks into the sky and understands:
The promised land was never only a place—it was a state of the heart.
Not everyone who returns geographically is truly home.
But those found by God take root where grace and hope grow.

He understands now:
God does not bring us merely back to old walls—
He leads us into a new future.
Not because we deserve it—
but because He is a God who can live even in our ruins.

As he closes his grandmother’s Bible, he whispers:
“Lord, thank You that You come back to us—
before we even know how to return.”

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/9-heirs-of-the-promise-prisoners-of-hope-9-5-the-land-restored-%f0%9f%97%ba%ef%b8%8f-lessons-of-faith-from-joshua-%f0%9f%8c%b1-living-faith/