How does Deuteronomy 3:8 connect with God's covenant in Genesis 15:18-21? Text of the Passages “At that time we took the land from the two kings of the Amorites who were across the Jordan—from the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Hermon—” “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates: the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.’” Key Geographic Overlap • Both passages name the Amorites; Deuteronomy highlights their territory now taken. • Arnon Valley-to-Hermon (Transjordan) sits well within the larger Genesis boundaries running “river of Egypt … to the Euphrates.” • Deuteronomy records land east of the Jordan already in Israelite hands; Genesis promised land on both sides of the Jordan and far beyond. From Promise to Possession 1. Promise Given (Genesis 15) – God unilaterally covenants to give an identifiable, literal territory to Abraham’s seed. – Specific peoples—including Amorites—are listed as future dispossessions. 2. Promise Initiated (Deuteronomy 3) – Roughly 600 years later, Israel actually conquers part of that promised area. – The defeat of Sihon and Og proves God’s word is not theory; it moves into history. – The land east of Jordan becomes the tribes’ inheritance (cf. Deuteronomy 3:12-17). 3. Promise Yet Unfolding – Deuteronomy stands on the threshold; the western side will follow under Joshua (Joshua 21:43-45). – Prophets later recall the covenant to assure future restoration (Nehemiah 9:7-8; Jeremiah 32:41-44). What This Reveals About God’s Covenant Faithfulness • Accuracy: The named Amorites fall exactly as foretold. • Timing: Centuries do not weaken the promise; God’s calendar determines the fulfillment (2 Peter 3:9). • Progression: God often grants first-fruits (Transjordan) before full harvest (all Canaan). • Encouragement: Israel can face the Jordan with confidence; past victories guarantee future ones (Deuteronomy 7:17-19). Further Scripture Echoes • Exodus 23:27-31—land boundaries restated, linking Sinai law to Abrahamic covenant. • Deuteronomy 1:7-8—Moses reminds Israel, “Go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to your fathers.” • Psalm 135:10-12—worship ties God’s Name to the conquest of Sihon and Og. Living Response • Trust God’s track record; what He promises, He performs—sometimes in stages, always in full. • Let past deliverances fuel present obedience, just as Israel’s victory east of Jordan emboldened them for the west. • Marvel at Scripture’s unity: centuries-spanning promises converge in precise, historical fulfillments. |
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