Joshua 12 confirms that the Lord keeps his promises. He told Abraham that he would bring his descendants into the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites (Genesis 15:19–21). He promised Moses that he would deliver the people of Israel from Egypt and take them into a land of milk and honey, the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizites, Hivites, and Jebusites (Exodus 3:8). Now in Joshua 12:8 the people of Israel have taken control of the lands of the Hittites, Amorites Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. The Lord is faithful to his promises (Romans 4:21), the list of kings confirming that God’s promises to Abraham have been fulfilled.

The Lord’s faithfulness to his promises is also seen in the person of Jesus Christ. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son in order to redeem those under law (Galatians 4:4). God’s promise to provide a Saviour (Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:14; Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 18:15; Isaiah 53:1–12) was fulfilled through his only Son.

Because the Lord does what he says, we must not only learn to trust him but also to emulate him (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Peter 1:16). We must keep our words and the promises we make (Psalm 15:4; Matthew 23:16–22).