The land of promise offered to the tribes of Israel was set forth clearly in several passages of the Old Testament. Canaan, the land of milk and honey, was the goal.

How wonderful it is to embark on a quest, to be pursuing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. A vision, a hope, keeps us pressing forward in anticipation. We can carry our cross when there is joy set before us.

In the Christian tradition eternal residence in the garden of God is our hope, our promised land. But as the time for the coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth draws near we need to look again to the Scriptures to see if we can discover what God has said concerning the land of promise of the believer in Christ.

Actually, there is little said in the New Testament concerning what happens to us from the time we die until the day of resurrection. We have preached and sung about our mansion in the sky. There is nothing at all wrong with looking forward to Paradise no matter where it is located. We have been commanded to set our affection on things above.

Because Paradise was at one time on the earth, the memory of Eden can be found hidden in the subconscious of all the children of Adam. To think and dream about Paradise releases us from the drudgery of life on the earth.

When we turn to the New Testament, we find that our hope is to be directed toward the Day of the Lord, the return of Christ. In that Day of all days we shall be raised from the dead and then clothed with immortality. We shall appear with Christ and restore Paradise to the earth. The meek will inherit the earth in that hour!

But Adam and Eve (they are living somewhere in the spirit realm) cannot be brought back into Paradise with their descendants until first they all are changed—not just forgiven but changed!

And why not? You guessed it. Because an unchanged Adam and Eve with their unchanged descendants would fall again and we would have another six thousand year lesson to see if we can finally learn to keep God's commandments.

I am not particularly anxious for that to happen. Are you?

The Kingdom of God is coming to the earth. The best aspects of Heaven, the Presence of God in Christ, the Holy Spirit as a great River of Life, are to fill the earth in the days to come. The saints will return with the Lord Jesus and bring salvation and healing to mankind. This is why we are enduring rigorous training in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to the Father.

The earth and its peoples are the inheritance of Christ and His coheirs. Even today the Lord may be pleased to give us some people to love and guide—and more so as the Day approaches.

He has kept the good wine until now. Look about you and see the hundreds of millions who are waiting for the royal priesthood to minister to them. Ask the Lord and He will give you the nations for your inheritance. They are your land of promise.