SHOWERS

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-22-part-2/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 22:10 – And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size.

In our last post, we saw that Joshua summoned the soldiers of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh to Shiloh. There, he commended them for their military service to the nation. They had been faithful and obedient to their pledge to cross the Jordan and assist the remaining tribes in conquering the Promised Land.

Now that the land was subdued and distributed to the remaining tribes, Joshua discharged them from active duty.  They had made many sacrifices in assisting their brothers; now it was time for them to go home and enjoy their own inheritance.

Apparently, at some point on the march homeward, the trans-Jordan tribes got an idea – they were going to build an altar. 

The first question to be addressed is where were they building it?  This verse simply says it was in the 'region of the Jordan'. 

Common sense tells us it must have been on the eastern side of the river because the trans-Jordan tribes would not have built a structure on someone else's property. (This assumption will be further confirmed as we discover the purpose of this altar.)

Many scholars believe the structure was built parallel to the city of Jericho, because there was a river crossing near that point which was routinely used by all the Israelites. Anyone using that crossing would have no difficulty seeing the altar.

The altar would also have been plainly visible due to its 'imposing' or remarkably large size.  It was clearly not the work of a single individual, but of hundreds or even thousands of men working together for a common purpose. 

In keeping with the law, the altar was made of earth and uncut stones; it was a giant replica of the altar at Shiloh.

Joshua 22:11-12 – And the people of Israel heard it said, "Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel."  And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.

Apparently, it isn't long before the altar is noticed and word of it spreads throughout the land.  As a result, tribal leaders gathered at the temple in Shiloh where they decided to take up arms and wage war on their own brothers. 

Does that seem a bit extreme to you? Were they really going to destroy their brothers over a pile of stones and dirt? Are they over reacting, or are their actions justified?

In order to fully understand the situation, we must remember that God had been very specific about the rites and practices of worship. No variations or substitutions were permitted; everything must be done strictly according to the laws given by God. For example:

• There was to be only one tabernacle and God was the one to determine where it would be located.
• Those serving as priests came exclusively from the family of Aaron.
• There was a precise formula for the incense offered before the Lord.
• The daily sacrifices and offerings were clearly delineated in the law; there could be no substitutions or changes.
• The sacrifices were processed in the same way every time, etc.

We could go on and on, but my point is that God had given very specific directions for worship/religious rites and these directions could not be changed.  This is significant because the law specifically stated that there was to be one (and only one) altar for sacrifices and it was to be located in the tabernacle:

Deuteronomy 12:13-14 - Take heed to yourself that you offer not your burnt offerings in every place that you see:  But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

(See also Leviticus 17:8-9).  So, if the trans-Jordan tribes were erecting a second altar to offer sacrifices to the Lord, that was a serious problem.  It was an unlawful practice that would essentially pollute/blaspheme the true worship of God.

There was also great danger in having an unattended altar in the middle of nowhere, because it could be used to offer sacrifices to the heathen gods/idols of the Canaanites.

Keep in mind that God had also already given strict instructions on how to deal with overt acts of apostasy/idolatry within the nation.  According to the Lord's instructions in Deuteronomy 13, if the Israelites heard one of their fellow citizens so much as suggest that they should worship/serve other gods, they were to immediately investigate the matter.  If the rumor turned out to be true, the punishment was immediate death:

Deuteronomy 13:15 - You shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is in it, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.

Not only were all living things in the city to be destroyed, the spoil was to be piled in the street and burned:

Deuteronomy 13:16 -And you shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of its street, and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof, unto the LORD your God: and it shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again.

As a lasting witness to their idolatry, the city was to remain a ruin; it could never be rebuilt (see Deuteronomy 13:12-18 for full details).

Obviously, in light of these instructions from the Lord, the western tribes were very concerned about this enormous, rather strange altar built by the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. 

Joshua 22:13-14 – Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel.

According to the law, it was the responsibility of the western tribes to investigate this matter.  If the accusation of idolatry turned out to be true, they would need to slaughter the people and animals of the trans-Jordan tribes, burn their goods and destroy their cities.  Therefore, we can conclude that they did not simply overreact; their readiness to fight their brothers was a fulfillment of their duty to the Lord.

So again, in keeping with their duty, leaders of the western tribes gathered at the tabernacle in Shiloh to consult with the priests.  They formed a committee made up of a priest (Phinehas) and one elder from each of the western tribes (10 in total) and sent them to investigate the matter face-to-face.

This is a lesson that we can learn from.

None of us can read the mind of another person; we do not know the true intentions or motivations which drive their actions. Since that is the case, we should always confirm a person's intention/motivation before we judge them or lash out against them.  This is best done face-to-face, without stopping to gossip, accuse, or speculate about what the alleged lawbreaker is doing. 

Let me repeat that one more time: If we suspect one of our brothers or sisters in Christ is breaking one of the laws of God, we should meet them face-to-face to ask them about the situation. We should NOT gossip about them, accuse them without facts or presume that we know their intentions.

When we approach them in love, sincerely asking about their actions/decisions instead of attacking them, we may find out that we misinterpreted their deeds. If that turns out to be the case, we can 'clear the air' and quickly resolve the misunderstanding.  This will retain unity within the body of Christ.   

However, if our brother/sister really was in gross violation of one of God's laws, we should seek to discuss the matter with them, and show them the truth of God's word.  It is our responsibility to help restore them to fellowship.

Galatians 6:1 – Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.  But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Joshua 22:15-16 – And they came to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them, "Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, 'What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the Lord by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the Lord?'"

The committee members that were sent on this mission were all men of great rank and honor. Their presence was a mark of respect toward the men of the trans-Jordan. But make no mistake - they were also men of authority. They had the ability to assess this situation and the power to declare war against the eastern tribes if needed.

It is unclear whether the committee sent a messenger in advance to set up a meeting with the heads of the 2  tribes, or whether their arrival was unexpected, and a meeting was convened when they arrived. 

In either case, the meeting was convened and for reasons we will shortly discuss, Phinehas is almost certainly the speaker for the committee. 

He begins by proclaiming that the committee has come on behalf of the 'whole congregation of the Lord'. He does not use the term 'congregation of Israel' because this was not a mere civil complaint, it was a religious matter of great importance. They had not come to plead the cause of their fellow citizens; they were there out of concern for the glory and honor of God.

We can't help but notice that Phinehas doesn't approach the elders of the trans-Jordan tribes with an open mind. His opening statement is a harsh accusation, given in a rough manner. The committee obviously assumed that the 2  tribes had built the enormous altar with the intention of using it to make sacrifices to the Lord (or possibly idols), which was a direct violation of the law (Leviticus 17:8-9).

In their opinion, this showed that the eastern tribes had already begun to fall away from the true worship of God. In their eyes, this offense was all the more grievous because of all the good things/favors God had recently done on their behalf, and because Joshua had just admonished them to stay true to the Lord. It seems like the committee was already looking to declare war on their brothers.

Although they should be commended for their zeal in righteousness, they could have handled the situation in a different way.  As it is, they assumed that the eastern tribes were guilty, and it was now up to them to prove they were innocent!

Joshua 22:17-18 – "Have we not had enough of the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which there came a plague upon the congregation of the Lord that you too must turn away this day from following the Lord?  And if you too rebel against the Lord today then tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel."

Phinehas proceeds to reference an incident which he calls the 'sin at Peor'. What sin is he alluding to?

If you dig back into your memory, you will remember the story of Balaam and his talking donkey (Numbers 22). In case it's been a while since you read that narrative, let me give you a quick summary.

As the children of Israel traveled to the Promised Land, they defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan.  (These kingdoms were located east of the Jordan River and their territory eventually became the inheritance of the trans-Jordan tribes.) 

These two kingdoms were extremely powerful. In a natural match between Israel and Bashan or Israel and the Amorites, Israel was sure to lose every time. But they didn't lose – they won. Because of this, the nations around them recognized that Jehovah was fighting for Israel, and they were terrified.

There was yet one more mighty king in that area – Balak king of Moab. Based on what had happened to Sihon and Og, he too was extremely fearful of Israel.� Since mere military might was not enough to subdue Israel, he took another approach. He hired Balaam to come and put a curse on Israel, so they could be defeated by Moab.

To make a long story short, Balaam tried three separate times to curse Israel, but God took a hold of him, and he blessed Israel instead:

Numbers 24:10 - And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

At this point, it becomes apparent that God is with his people. His unyielding desire to bless Israel cannot be overcome by any of her enemies, nor can it be thwarted by a curse.

Balaam, however, was an evil and crafty man.  He knew that he could not stop God from blessing Israel.  But he also recognized that there WAS someone who could rob Israel of her blessings – Israel herself.

So upon the advice of Balaam, the Midianite women of Peor began to make friends with the people of Israel, particularly the men.

They invited Israel to their sacrifices and worship services for Baal. These services were enormous feasts which encouraged unbridled self-gratification. Gluttony, idol worship and all types of sexual immorality (including orgies) were common at these celebrations.

The end result was that the scheme of Balaam (carried out by the women of Midian) was a huge success.  Israel bound herself to Baal of Peor and as a result she forfeited many of the blessings of God.

To put it mildly, God was extremely angry with Israel for worshipping Baal.  He called the entire nation to assemble before him at the entrance to the tabernacle. 

There, God instructed Moses to call forth the judges of Israel who were told to kill any of their men who had worshiped Baal.  The bodies of these men were to be impaled upon poles before the Lord, so that his anger would be appeased.  All the people of the nation were weeping and groaning because of the great sin they had committed and because of the punishment/plague that was ravaging the nation. 

As these events were taking place, an Israelite man named Zimri, son of Salu of the tribe of Simeon had the nerve to come to the entrance of the tabernacle with a Midianite woman! Can you imagine the audacity? To bring one of the very women who caused Israel to sin to the temple where repentance/punishment was taking place was to show utter contempt for God. It was like spitting in God's face!

There was one man among the Israelites who wasn't going to allow Zimri and Cozbi (the Midianite woman) to get away with such a vile and outrageous mockery of the Lord.  When he saw the two come to the temple together, he took action:

Numbers 25:7-9 – When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man and the woman through her belly.  Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.  Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

Did you notice the name of the priest who was zealous for the glory of the Lord during the incident of Baal-Peor?  That's right – it was Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the same priest who was head of the committee that was sent to confront the trans-Jordan tribes about their alleged apostasy.  Because of his background, he was the logical choice as a priestly representative. 

As Phinehas addresses the elders of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, he mentions the events of Baal-Peor to remind them of the serious/deadly consequences of rebelling against the commands of the Lord. He also reminds them that their sin would not just affect them; it would reach out and touch the whole nation of Israel, just as the sin of Baal-Peor did.

Therefore, their actions were of interest to all; the western tribes had a right/obligation to confront the eastern tribes.

Joshua 22:19-20 – "But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the Lord's land where the Lord's tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us.  Only do not rebel against the Lord or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the Lord our God.  Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel?  And he did not perish alone for his iniquity."

The point Phinehas is making is that any kind of rebellion against the Lord would call down destruction upon the entire nation.

As a further example, he points to a very recent incident in the history of Israel.  During the destruction of Jericho, Achan son of Zerah rebelled against the Lord and took some things that were devoted to the Lord. 

Even though he acted alone and in secret, destruction came upon the whole nation as they attempted to conquer the city of Ai (see Joshua chapter 7).  If the anger of God burned against the entire nation because of the sin of one man, how much more destruction would come upon the nation if the 2 tribes decided to rebel and/or commit idolatry?

At this point, Phinehas finally gives his brothers a very small benefit of the doubt.  He does this by asking them if they considered their land polluted, defiled or 'unclean'.  In his mind, this was the one and only reason they could have for erecting this altar.  

What did he mean by that?

Essentially, he wonders if the trans-Jordan tribes considered their land unholy because the tabernacle was not in it.

In other words, perhaps the trans-Jordan tribes felt that they were in a sense 'cut off' from the Lord because their land was east of the river.  If that was the case, they may have considered their land unholy/not consecrated to God and thus not under his protection and blessing.

Phinehas further supposes that his brothers constructed the altar as a token of God's presence in their land; by performing sacrifices and bringing offerings to this altar, their land would be holy.

He goes on to tell his brothers that if this was indeed the case, he had a different solution for their problem.  The 2 tribes were welcome to cross the river once again and receive an inheritance west of the river, where the tabernacle (and God's presence) dwelt.

This meant that the elders of the other tribes had already agreed to suffer personal loss and expense in order to give some of their land and inheritance to help their brothers. It was a remarkable display of their love, and it demonstrated a true concern for their brothers' spiritual good. It also showed Israel's great desire for the glory and honor of God, which they valued far above their own personal blessing.

Joshua 22:21-23 – Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel, "The Mighty One, God, the Lord!  The Mighty One, God, the Lord!  He knows; and let Israel itself know!  If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the Lord, do not spare us today for building an altar to turn away from following the Lord.  Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the Lord himself take vengeance."

Finally!  The men of the eastern tribes get a chance to speak!

The eastern tribes, who are utterly amazed at the suspicions/accusations of their brothers, flatly deny that they intended to offer sacrifices to the Lord (or idols) on their enormous altar.  Furthermore, they are in no way unhappy with their land or inheritance; they do not consider themselves 'cut off' from God. 

Let's take a closer look at their defense.

The men of the east begin by exclaiming 'The Mighty One, God, the Lord'. In the original Hebrew, they are saying God-El (the Strong One), Elohim (Creator God and Supreme Being) and Jehovah (the covenant God). In so doing, they are appealing to the One True God as the judge of their case, because He alone knew their true reason for constructing the altar.

The phrase 'he knows' is an emphatic declaration that God heard their words and was a witness that they were speaking the truth about their reasons for building the altar.  The implication is that if they are guilty, the God of the universe can judge/pour out his wrath on them.

This phrase was later used by the Psalmist Asaph in the same manner - to express the supremacy of the Lord:

Psalms 50:1 – The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

By saying the phrase twice, it adds an emphatic tone as well as an added level of sincerity to their argument. Through it, they seek to show their deep concern for the honor of God and to wipe away this awful reproach/accusation which the western tribes placed on them.

Calling upon the name of the Lord is also proof of their faithfulness - they worshiped no gods/idols other than Jehovah, the One True God of Israel, who was also worshiped by their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are basically saying that they are completely committed to the Law; it would be ridiculous to think that they had abandoned the God of their fathers in order to worship false idols.

As further proof of their innocence, they willingly place themselves in harm's way – if they are guilty of the charges brought against them, then their western brothers were welcome to attack and destroy them.  Nothing but true innocence could have prompted them to make this statement.

Joshua 22:24-25 - "No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?'  For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad.  You have no portion in the Lord.'"

At last we come to the true reason why the altar was built.

The promises made to Abraham and his descendants were specifically related to the land of Canaan – the land west of the Jordan River. However, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had willingly chosen to remain in the trans-Jordan lands conquered by Moses. The men of these tribes were concerned that future generations of Israelites would therefore consider them as being outside the blessings and privileges of the Mosaic covenant.

If that were to happen, their future offspring would be cut off from the temple at Shiloh.  They would be unable to offer sacrifices, serve the Lord, and fellowship with their brothers.  They would be 'kicked out' of the nation of Israel and cheated out of the blessings of being a member of God's chosen people.

This was the last thing the trans-Jordan tribes wanted to happen!    

Joshua 22:26-27 – Therefore we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, "You have no portion in the Lord.'"

So they built an enormous alter as a memorial or a monument that would stand as a witness to all future generations that the people living in the trans-Jordan were just as much a part of the nation of Israel as the people living west of the river. 

As such, they were entitled to all the rights and privileges of the covenant and they were fully obligated to obey the law:

• They would have full access to the tabernacle.
• They would bring burnt offerings, sacrifices and peace offerings to the Lord.
• They would participate in all national festivals and feasts.
• Their males would appear before the Lord three times each year, etc.

In other words, they were true brothers of the western tribes and no one could claim otherwise.   

Joshua 22:28 – And we thought, If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, 'Behold, the copy of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.'

The men of the eastern tribes recognized that as time marched on, the generation who knew that Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had valiantly fought with their brothers in the wars of Canaan would eventually die. Future generations might call their service into question and seek to cut them off from the nation.

In order to prevent that from happening, the eastern tribes would point to the witness of the monumental altar.  It was an exact replica of the Mosaic altar, which proved that the people of the east had both seen the altar at Shiloh and sacrificed upon it.  Since that was the case, they were clearly true descendants of Israel. 

Joshua 22:29 – Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord and turn away this day from following the Lord by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle!"

The men of the eastern tribes concluded their defense in the same way it began – by protesting before God, in the most emphatic and sacred manner, that they were not in any way, shape or form rebelling against the Lord.

In fact, the opposite was true.  They were doing their best to ensure that the unity of the nation was preserved both politically and religiously.   

Joshua 22:30 – When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their eyes.

The committee fully accepts the explanation of the eastern tribes; they gladly admit that no offence had been committed.  What's more, they were delighted with what the trans-Jordan tribes had done to preserve the common faith and fellowship of Israel.

This reveals that the zeal of the western tribes was rooted in genuine concern for the glory of God.  Had they been motivated by religious jealousy, they would have found fault with the explanation and looked for other reasons to find fault with their brothers.       

Joshua 22:31 – And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh, "Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the Lord. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the Lord."

As previously mentioned, Phinehas and the rest of the elders rejoice to find their brothers innocent. They acknowledge that it was the presence of the Lord himself who preserved their brothers from sinning in this manner.

Because they had been faithful to God and not rebelled against his commands, the entire nation was delivered from the judgment/wrath of God.  Furthermore, the western tribes were spared from engaging their own brothers in bloody warfare.     

They rejoiced mightily, because they could continue to expect God to be in their midst, to save, deliver, protect and provide for the entire nation.

Joshua 22:32-33 – Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs, returned from the people of Reuben and the people of Gad in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them. And the report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel. And the people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more of making war against them to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and the people of Gad were settled.

 

The committee had been sent by the entire nation to investigate the alleged rebellion/apostasy of the trans-Jordan tribes.  After their investigation, they returned to Shiloh with the good news that all was well; there was no need to wage war on their brothers because they were not in rebellion against the Lord.

In fact, the trans-Jordan tribes were to be commended for seeking the glory of God and the political/religious unity of the nation. 

This report caused unbounded joy and thankfulness to rise up within the entire nation.  They gave credit to the Lord and his goodness for preventing a dreadful civil war within Israel.

Joshua 22:34 – The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, ''For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."

'Witness' was a very appropriate name for this altar.  It is very likely that after this meeting, an inscription was placed on this altar, which established the purpose for which it was built – to confirm that the trans-Jordan Israelites were one in worship, one in faith and one in fellowship with their brothers on the western side of the Jordan.

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Phinehas acknowledges that it was God's presence among his people that prevented a civil war from taking place.  That is because when we dwell in his presence, we experience joy, peace, provision, wisdom and other blessings as well.  If we are in close communion with the Lord, rebellion against him will be the furthest thing from our minds.  Unity among the people of God is a natural outcome of dwelling in his presence.

We know by the nature of the world that God is present everywhere (Psalms 139:7-10).  Yet, not everyone experiences a close, intimate relationship with him.  The difference is our desire to commune with him. 

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.

When we ask Christ into our lives, we have the capacity to enjoy spiritual communion with him. But like any relationship, it only thrives and grows as we interact with him, learn more of him, spend time with him, and follow his ways. God is always standing at our heart's door knocking and waiting for us to open the door and fellowship with him. Sadly, we often leave him outside while we go on with our lives.

However, when we are one with him through daily or hourly communion, his real, tangible presence is with us and upon us.  It is through this communion that we receive blessings from him. 

God does not simply send blessings from a far away distance or through the mail slot in the closed door of our heart; he breathes them upon us while we are close to him.  That is why our bodies are his temple – so we can closely commune with him at all times. 

1 Corinthians 6:19 - What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have of God, and you are not your own?

How much quality time are you spending with the Lord?  Remember, you enter into his presence with praise and worship. Why not set aside some time today to fellowship with him?

Let me offer you some strength:

In today's post, we noted that God has an unyielding desire to bless his people.  Nothing our enemies do can stop him from blessing us. 

However, it is possible for us to rob ourselves of the blessings of God intends to shower upon us.  Most often we do this by disobeying his commands. 

For example, in 1 Samuel chapter 2, we find that God had promised the descendants of Aaron that his family would have the honor of being his priests forever.  This was an amazing blessing that no one could ever take away.

But sadly, the house of Levi was unfaithful to the Lord. They were disobedient and they dishonored the sacrifices of the Lord. The culmination of their unfaithfulness occurred in the family of Eli (Samuel 2:27-34).  As a result, God cast them from their office and gave that blessing to another.

Are you walking in disobedience in some area of your life? If so, now is the time to submit yourself to the Lord and repent. Then ask the Lord to renew his blessings upon your life.

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-22-part-1/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 22:1-2 – At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you."

The 22^nd chapter of Joshua continues with the 'wrapping up' of the conquest of the land. 

Before Israel ever crossed the Jordan, the Lord had promised Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh the territory that formerly belonged to Sihon and Og.  They received land and cities without being involved in the lot (Deuteronomy 3:1-22). 

But there was a stipulation connected to their inheritance – the military personnel of these tribes had to cross the Jordan and assist the remaining tribes until the land was subdued by Israel.

Deuteronomy 3:18, 20 - The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel until the Lord gives rest to your brothers and they also occupy the land that the Lord your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession.

(See also Numbers 32, Joshua 1:12-18). Consequently, a combined total of about 40,000 soldiers crossed the Jordan to assist their brothers in the war. They faithfully fought alongside the other tribes until the conquest of the land was complete.

The conquest of the land was estimated to have taken 5-7 years.  However, it should be noted that while the 2 tribes maintained a continual presence of about 40,000 soldiers that whole time, they were not necessarily the same men.  It has been speculated that the men rotated home on occasion, in order to take care of business and to see their families.

It is also possible that at various times of rest or breaks in the wars of Canaan that all or part of these 40,000 men were able to travel home for brief periods.  Whatever the case may have been, the soldiers of the trans-Jordan tribes were faithful to keep their word; they actively served in the national army along with the other tribes as long as the war lasted.

At this point in the history of Israel, it is clear that the land as a whole had rest - it had been conquered to the point where the Canaanites were no longer in power; they were no longer able to amass an army that could fight against the people of God.  There were still pockets of Canaanites to be subdued, but it was now the responsibility of each individual tribe to remove these enemies from their inheritance. 

Therefore, it was now time for the fighting men of the 2 tribes to be discharged from their duty to the nation. To this end, Joshua assembles these warriors at Shiloh, says a few remarks, and sends them home.

Joshua 22:3-4 – "You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God.  And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them.  Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan."

In his closing remarks, Joshua gives strong words of praise to these 40K men. He publicly acknowledges that they have kept their part of the bargain; they willingly and whole-heartedly gave their military assistance to the remainder of the nation. They followed all the orders Joshua gave them, no matter how difficult or dangerous.

Notice that their service was not just a command of Joshua, it was a charge or duty given to them by the Lord himself. This means that these soldiers had been obedient and faithful to a divine law/command. In so doing, they exhibited several key Christian traits – faithfulness, obedience and sacrifice. Let's take a more in depth look at these traits.

OBEDIENCE: Obedience is defined as compliance with an order, request or law; it requires submission to the authority of another.

Everyone is required to submit to some kind of authority.  Scripture tells us that even Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father:

John 6:38 – For I [Jesus] have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Philippians 2:6-8 – [Jesus] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

If Jesus was obedient to the Father's will and authority, we should expect to do the same.  Scripture teaches that obedience is one of the key elements in our spiritual walk.

Children are to be obedient to parents (Colossians 3:20), servants are to be obedient to masters (Ephesians 6:5-7), citizens are to be obedient to those in civil authority, as long as that authority is in harmony with divine commands (I Peter 2:13-16), and believers are to be obedient to spiritual authority in the church (Hebrews 13:17). Christians are to submit to the authority of Jesus as head of the church.

In fact, even our salvation is dependent upon obedience, because in order to obtain it, we must follow the requirements set by the Father – we must confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God has raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10).

The soldiers of the trans-Jordan tribes had their obedience rewarded with possession of the land east of the Jordan as well as 'very much' livestock, money, clothing, gold, etc.  This blessing was in accordance with God's kingdom principles/laws:  

Isaiah 1:19-20 – If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat of the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

We too can expect good things to happen when we obey the laws and commands of the Lord, because his laws bring life and peace to us while simultaneously keeping trouble out of our lives:

Proverbs 22:4 – The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

Psalms 25:12-13 – Who is the man who fears the Lord? He shall instruct him in the way he should choose.  His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

For example, God's law says that the person who borrows money is a slave to the one who lends to them (Proverbs 22:7).  The person who chooses to ignore or live in rebellion against this law will go out and live beyond their means.  Instead of exercising self-control and budgeting to go on that dream vacation (and/or buy a house/furniture/car, etc), they simply borrow money so they can have whatever they want the moment they want it. 

But later, when they want to switch to a lower paying job, or they want to support a missionary, or they have an opportunity to make a good investment, they can't – because they have trapped themselves with their debt. 

Factors outside their control (like inflation or a job lay-off) can also increase their financial burden to the point of bankruptcy, foreclosure, or total financial ruin. This, in turn, would be devastating to every other area of their lives as that kind of stress can wreak havoc on a marriage (and other relationships) and ruin your health.

By contrast, the person who chooses to obey the law of God and live within their means, can expect to be blessed as they generously give to the poor, support the gospel, and wisely plan for the future. They will be able to take full advantage of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Money will not cause stress in their marriage or keep them awake at night.

So let me just say it again: Obedience to God's laws brings life and peace to us while simultaneously keeping trouble out of our lives.  You should definitely consider being obedient!

SACRIFICE: To sacrifice is to give up, renounce or suffer the loss of something, especially for an ideal or belief.

Did the fighting men of the trans-Jordan tribes sacrifice anything?

I believe they did. They gave up time with their families. They gave up opportunities to plant vineyards or establish businesses. They gave up the chance to be safe from harm (some of them no doubt perished in the wars of Canaan). They gave up the freedom to travel and study and other things too.

They sacrificed these things in order to serve God by furthering the kingdom of Israel and God blessed them because of it. 

We too are blessed by making sacrifices for the kingdom of God.  In Matthew 19, Jesus has a conversation with his disciples about giving up things for the kingdom of heaven.  This is what he said:

Matthew 19:28-29 – Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."

Don't ever think that the sacrifices you make for God go unnoticed.  He sees everything you offer to him – even when the world does not – and he will reward you for it (Matthew 6:1-7, 16-18), even when your sacrifice is a mere cup of cold water (Matthew 10:42)!

Consider this as well:  What is the most valuable commodity we all have?

I believe it is time. Each of us has been granted a specific amount of time on earth, and we can't manufacture any more for ourselves. So our time is very precious. Whatever amount of time we spend doing kingdom work is essentially a sacrifice, because we could have used that time to satisfy our own desires.

FAITHFUL: Firm adherence in observance of duty; steadfast in affection or allegiance; loyal.

The highest and most profound example of faithfulness is God's faithfulness to us.  Even though we fail and continue to sin over and over again, he is always faithful to forgive our sin and cleanse us from unrighteousness (I John 1:9).  His steadfast love and care for us never ceases (Psalms 100:5). 

The armies of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh are also a good example of faithfulness. They made a solemn vow to aid their brothers in their war to subdue the Canaanites; they were faithful to keep that promise.

All throughout that 5-7 year period, they steadfastly continued to encounter the enemy in battle after battle. They were present in the battle for Jericho. They marched against the five-king alliance. Even when things became really frightening (in the battle against the northern confederacy), they continued to show up and actively fight.

Their loyalty must have been a real encouragement to the nine other tribes mentally as well as physically.  Their faithfulness certainly played a part in the victory of Israel.

We too need to be faithful stewards in the house/kingdom of God.  God has a master plan for this planet and for the race of mankind.  As we look around today, it may seem as though the enemy is winning the war, but don't believe that.  God is in control.  At the exact right moment, he will change the tide of this war; there will be an end time revival where millions of people come to Christ. 

So be faithful to the Lord and continue to stand on his promises!

Joshua 22:5-6 – "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."  So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

Joshua's closing advice to the men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh is interesting. He does not advise them to diligently farm their land, increase their herds, fortify their cities or enlarge their own territory now that they are seasoned warriors.

Rather, he admonishes them to continue to carefully follow all the commands of the law. He particularly admonishes them to love the Lord with all their hearts and souls and to earnestly cling to him.

It was vital that the men of the 2 tribes follow this command closely. They were about to leave their brothers behind and go to the other side of the Jordan. Even though some of the Levites lived among them, they would be quite a distance from the tabernacle, the altar, and the service of God. This disconnection may have increased their temptation to serve the false idols that still persisted in the land.

When you cling to something, you are very unwilling to let it go. The implication is that the thing you are clinging to is vitally important to you; you treasure it and/or understand the value of it.

Joshua was giving these men very sound advice.  They were about to go home where they would now be reunited with their loved ones and they would be able to enjoy all their blessings – new homes, fields, vineyards, clothes, possessions, and wealth. 

While all these material things were blessings given to them by the Lord, they had to be kept in proper perspective.  In the New Testament parable of the sower, Jesus tells us that some of the seed grew among the thorns or weeds, which choked the plants and rendered them unfruitful.  As he explains the parable, Jesus tells us that these thorns represent the riches, cares and pleasures of this life:

Luke 8:14 – And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

These thorns/weeds can render us unfruitful in the kingdom of heaven, if we allow them to choke out the word of God (good seed) in our lives.

How do weeds choke out good plants?  They compete with the plants for water, sunlight and the nutrients of the soil.  If given the chance, they will take everything and cause the good plant to die.  Short of that, they will only leave the good plant just enough to survive, so that bearing fruit is impossible.  

If you've ever had a backyard vegetable garden, you understand this completely!

Now might be a good time for us to examine ourselves. Do we have riches or pleasures in our lives that are not inherently sinful, yet they are preventing us from bearing fruit in God's kingdom by stealing all of our time, attention and resources from spiritual matters? If so, how can we limit or remove these things in our lives?

Joshua also stresses our love and devotion to God for another reason – the best proof of our love for someone is our conduct towards them.  In other words, if our love for God is genuine, then we are rooted and grounded in him and it will produce practical proof in our lives.  If we truly love God, we will be devoted to his service, diligent to repel false beliefs and eager to abide by his laws. 

In a way, we could say that the trans-Jordan tribes were isolated or separated from the rest of the Israelites. The danger was that this separation would cause their love/service to God to grow cold, so Joshua warns them to cling to the Lord and serve him only.

Joshua 22:7-8 – Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan.  And when Joshua sent them away to their homes and blessed them, he said to them, "Go back to your tents with much wealth and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with much clothing.  Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

Let's discuss at the division of the spoil.  Notice that Joshua did not give the men any commands about exactly how the plunder should be divided.  That's because God had already addressed that issue much earlier – when Moses led Israel to victory over Midian. 

Numbers 31:26-24 – Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.

The men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh could be divided into two groups. The fighting men who crossed the Jordan made up one group. The other group consisted of the men who stayed east of the river, tending the flocks, sowing the land, protecting the women/children and building the cities. Both jobs (protecting the home front and serving in the army) were equally important and therefore every man/family received an equal share of the spoil.

This is reflective of the way in which the New Testament church operates.  Paul likens the church to the body of Christ.  In order for the body to be fully functional, it needs all the different parts – eyes, fingers, back bones, kidneys, knees, ankles, glands, etc.  It should be apparent that we cannot compare ourselves to other Christians, because God has uniquely created each person and assigned each one of us different goals to accomplish.

It also means that every Christian – EVERY CHRISTIAN - is an essential part of the body. So I can say with all confidence that the body of Christ needs YOU! You bring essential talents, skills and ministry to the church. Please don't cripple the body of Christ by not showing up to church or by not using your talents and skills!

Joshua 22:9 – So the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had possessed themselves by the command of the Lord through Moses.

Many bible scholars find this scripture to be a picture or parallel of our lives on earth and our subsequent rewards in heaven.

The job of the 2 tribes was to assist their brothers by fighting in Israel's army.  They delayed the enjoyment of their own inheritance while they helped others obtain theirs.

The moment we receive Christ as our Savior, are co-heirs with Christ.  The inheritance that awaits us in eternity is so amazing we can't even conceive the extent of it.  But like the trans-Jordan tribes, God tasks us with remaining on 'this side of the Jordan' (on earth), so that we can assist others to obtain their own inheritance (salvation). 

For now, we must remain here on earth, putting on the full armor of God and fighting against our common enemy.  Just like the trans-Jordan men, we must go wherever our commander (Jesus) sends us, and do whatever he orders us to do.  We must never fear, complain, or grow weary in our work, because we know that God himself will give us victory.

We can take comfort in knowing that as we are faithful, as we obey and as we make sacrifices in this seemingly endless war, Jesus will notice and he will reward us in heaven, just as the men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were rewarded with 'very much' wealth for their service.

And then one day, our fight will be over; God will discharge us from earthly duty to go home to heaven (sometimes referred to as crossing the Jordan), where we can enjoy our everlasting reward. 

It should be noted that when we cling to God – loving him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength – it becomes easy to enter the battle and stay until the victory is won.  That is why Joshua admonished the trans-Jordan men to keep their eyes on God and obey the covenant.

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Joshua admonished the men of the trans-Jordan tribes to keep their focus on the Lord and not let their love for him grow cold.

When Jesus walked on earth, he gave the disciples (and all New Testament believers) the exact same warning - to be on guard, lest we also lose our focus and grow cold:

Matthew 24:12 - And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold.

As we read this scripture, it's easy for us to dismiss it – we are sure that our love for Christ would NEVER grow cold.  While I hope that is true, we can't just dismiss the possibility of it, because Jesus is the one who said it was true!

Therefore, we need to constantly guard against growing cold in our faith, especially when we look around and see wickedness everywhere.  When times get tough, we must be obedient and faithful to Jesus our commander, because victory is found in him.    

Let me offer you some relief:

God has never lost a war and he isn't going to lose the one for planet earth either!

God is in control of what happens on this planet and in your individual life.  He promises that if we remain faithful and obedient to him, he will welcome us into his eternal kingdom.

Matthew 24:13 – But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

The simplest way to 'endure unto the end' is to take life one day at a time.

• Read your bible – today.
• Spend time in prayer – today.
• Witness to a sinner – today.
• Give to the poor – today.
• Stand for righteousness – today.
• Worship – today.

I think you get the point! A faithful and obedient life to God is built one day at a time.  Don't worry about tomorrow; just serve the Lord TODAY.

Let me offer you some strength:

Are you concerned that you won't be able to remain faithful and obedient to the Lord and accomplish the tasks he has assigned to you?  Are you worried about making sacrifices for the kingdom?  If so, let me assure you that God has paved the way for you to be victorious over your flesh!

Do you remember who Zerubabbel was?  He was the man who led the first group of Jews back to the Promised Land after the Babylonian captivity.  The task God assigned to him was absolutely monumental.  It was fraught with peril and Israel's enemies undermined his work every chance they got. 

In the second year after they returned to the land, Zerubbabel was given another task – to construct an altar to the Lord and lay the foundation for the replacement temple (the temple of Solomon had been destroyed when Israel was exiled). 

Again, this seemed like an impossible task – and it would have been if Zerubbabel relied on his own strength and power.  But he didn't.  God sent an angel to remind him that through the power of Holy Spirit, he could do what seems impossible:

Zechariah 4:6 - Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

Likewise, you and I don't need to worry or fret about staying faithful and obedient to all that God has called us to do, because God has given us Holy Spirit to assist us. If we listen to his voice and do has he instructs, we will find wisdom, protection, resources and victory as we walk here on earth.

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-21/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 21:1-2 – Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel.  And they said to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, "The Lord commanded through Moses that we be given cities to dwell in, along with their pasturelands for our livestock."

Finally, we come to the portion of scripture dealing with the inheritance of the tribe of Levi. 

After all the other tribes had received an allotment, the Levites came to Joshua, Eleazar and the elders of the nation to request their own inheritance.  This may seem somewhat familiar, because earlier we noted that Caleb did the same thing – he came to the leadership of the nation to request that which had been promised to him. 

In both cases (Caleb and the tribe of Levi), God had promised them a gift/inheritance, but that inheritance didn't just jump into their hands – they had to pursue it.

What was involved in the pursuit? 

First, there was an assurance that the promise belonged to them. The Levites had heard the Lord promise to give them 48 cities in the Promised Land, and they didn't forget it (Numbers 35:7). Day-in and day-out, during all those years of wandering in the desert, they kept that promise in their hearts and passed it down to their children. They both valued and desired the gift God set aside for them.

Second, they had the faith to believe that God keeps his promises – without exception. If he promised them 48 cities, the Levites firmly believed they would be given that exact amount.

Furthermore, they understood that God only gives gifts that are good. Therefore, they knew these 48 cities would not be run-down, demolished slums. They would be vital, fully functional living spaces which would be a blessing to their families.

Third, they finally arrived at a point where they knew/sensed they needed their gift immediately. In order to move ahead and fulfill the duties God had given to them in the nation (studying the scripture, teaching, running the tabernacle, etc), they had to have their gift – they had to be able to settle their families in permanent homes and provide for their livestock. It was time to finally unpack their bags and settle down for good.

How did the Levites claim their gift/inheritance?  They simply came to the highest authority in the kingdom and asked to have possession of that which (technically speaking) already belonged to them.  It was that simple. 

We know this to be true, because the remainder of this chapter outlines the inheritance they received. It is very clear that the Levites did not have to beg/plead for what they needed, nor were they required to strike any bargains or jump through any hoops.  They simply received what they asked for.

This reflects a spiritual truth.  Just as God promised a gift/inheritance to the Levites, so he has promised spiritual gifts to Christians.  Yet, these things won't automatically drop into our hands.  Three things are required for us to obtain them – the same three things required of the Levites.

First, we must know/be assured that God has promised us gifts, just as he did the Levites.  These gifts already belong to us; we don't need to beg and plead for him to give them to us.  God has already provided all we need through the death and resurrection of Christ:

Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

The apostle Peter also tells us this:

II Peter 1:3-4 – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.

Notice that both of these passages of scripture are in the past tense.  In other words, God has ALREADY provided these spiritual gifts to us.  In fact, he has granted us EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING as well as ALL THINGS that we need for this life. 

In order to claim these gifts/promises Christians MUST have the faith to believe that God keeps his promises.  Do you believe God is faithful to his word?  Do you also believe that every gift God gives to you is good and/or perfect (James 1:17)? 

If so, then let me ask you this: do you recognize a need in your life? Have you arrived at the point where you know or sense that you need a gift from God right now?

As we spiritually take land for the kingdom of heaven, we will experience the need for new and/or greater spiritual and temporal gifts.  As we continue the work God has given us, we will develop a sense of urgency about obtaining these gifts because our need will be increasingly evident. 

Do you feel a need for words of wisdom or the ability to discern spirits?  Do you have a need for a personal, heavenly prayer language?  Do you have a need for a ministry partner, further education or increased resources? Perhaps a new church or office building?  What needs do you sense in your own spiritual walk/ministry/church right now? 

Once you know what has been promised, you have the faith to believe God will give it to you and you sense the time is right, move ahead - approach Father God through his Son Jesus and ask for what you have been promised! 

Let me just reiterate once again (because we sometimes struggle with this concept), God has already promised to give us all things that pertain to life and godliness.  You do not need to beg, plead or make deals with God in order to receive these blessings; they are already ours through Christ Jesus.  Once we recognize our need, all we have to do is ask for what is already ours:

Matthew 7:7-8 – Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Once you have asked for what you need, simply receive it the same way you received your salvation – by faith in God. Just ask and receive in faith!

Joshua 21:3 – So by command of the Lord the people of Israel gave to the Levites the following cities and pasturelands out of their inheritance.

When we examine the scriptures, it turns out that God was very specific about the 'borders' of the Levites, just as he was specific about the borders of the other allotments.  The Levites were to receive not only the city but the suburbs or pasture lands surrounding it.    

The borders of the Levite cities were determined by measuring a distance of two thousand cubits (3000 feet or 1000 yards) outward from the outside edge of the city wall in all four directions (north, south, east and west). The resulting line was the border of the territory of the Levites:

Numbers 35:5 – And you shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle.  This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities.

It is interesting to note that God specified that the city was to be in the center of the allotment.  This meant that the tribes who gave the cities couldn't 'fudge' the borders by giving the Levites more land in one direction in order to save a choice piece of land for themselves. 

This may have been plenty of land for tending sheep and goats but what about crops?  Were the Levites given any farmland?

The answer is no.  God didn't want the Levites spending all their time growing food.  He wanted them to spend their time attending to his temple, studying his law, and teaching his people.  For this reason, he gave the Levites the grain and first fruit offerings that were brought into the tabernacle.  In other words, the tithes and offerings of the people provided the needs of the clergy, allowing them the time they needed to minister to the nation. 

This still occurs in most churches today.  Christians should be attending a local church, and they should be paying tithes and giving offerings to that church.  As they do, all the needs of the church are provided for – the salary of the pastor/leaders, as well as the utility bills and other outreach ministries. 

Now, let's switch gears for a minute. Before we move on to look at the specific details of the inheritance of Levi, let's do a very brief review of their family lines.

Levi had three sons – Gershon, Kohath and Merari (I Chronicles 6:1).  These became the three branches of the Levites. 

Kohath's firstborn son was Amram, and he had three children whose names you will recognize: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. 

Talk about a talented family! Moses spoke to God face to face (Exodus 33:11) and led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Miriam led Israel in worship and God appointed Aaron as the first high priest in the nation. The position of high priest was then passed down from father to son. All other males in Aaron's family line became 'ordinary' priests in the temple.

Accordingly, we would assume that Aaron's oldest son Nadab would become the next high priest.  Unfortunately, Nadab and his brother Abihu were killed by the Lord for rebelling against his commands (Leviticus 10:1-2).  This meant that the next high priest after Aaron should be his son Eleazar.  And sure enough, Eleazar is the priest who assisted Joshua in the casting of the lots for each tribe's inheritance. 

It was a blessing and a privilege to be a member of the priestly family.  It was also a lot of work!  In fact, the Lord knew that the service of the temple would be way too much work for a single family line to manage.  So, while Israel was camped out at Mount Sinai, the Lord instructed Moses to dedicate the entire tribe of Levi to helping the priesthood (Aaron and his sons) with these responsibilities (Numbers 3:9).

Thus, we find that during the wilderness wandering, each of the family lines – Gershon, Kohath and Merari – were assigned specific duties/tasks associated with the temple. 

That might not sound like much work until you consider that the tabernacle was a large and somewhat complex structure, which was taken down, carried through the wilderness and then reassembled every time Israel stopped to camp. We can't fully discuss the details here, but I want to mention the basics, so you get an understanding of what was involved in moving this structure from place to place. 

The tabernacle had silver bases which held up vertical support beams.  There were also horizontal beams for stabilizing the structure.  The tabernacle area was subdivided into the outer court, the holy place and the most holy place, which were all separated by beams and curtains. 

There were also three layers of 'coverings' which were draped over the framework of the Holy Place and Most Holy Place to create the tent.

The first layer consisted of 10 curtains of fine twined linen interwoven of blue and purple with figures of cherubim.  The 10 curtains were jointed together in sets of 5 to form two large curtains, which were fastened together with loops and gold rings to form the first layer of covering on the temple framework (Exodus 26:1-6).

The second layer (sometimes called the tent covering), was made with 11 curtains of goat hair.  One set of 5 was sown together, while the second set of 6 was also sown together.  These two curtains of goat hair were also joined together with loops and clasps (this time of bronze), and the entire curtain was placed on top of the linen curtain (Exodus 26:7-13).

Finally, a covering of seal/porpoise or badger skins was placed on the top as a waterproof cover.

Don't forget there were also several pieces of furniture in the temple.  There was the brazen (bronze) altar, the laver, the candlestick, the table of showbread, the altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant.  All these pieces of furniture (other than the ark) also had numerous utensils associated with them such as forks, shovels, plates, bowls, knives, pans, etc.  Temple services also required wood, oil, water, incense, etc.

During the wilderness wandering, the Kohathites were responsible for moving and guarding the furniture of the temple (after it was prepared by the priests).  The Gershonites were responsible for all the curtains and screens and the Merarites were responsible for all of the bases, frames, bars, pillars and anything else associated with the framework of the structure. 

The care/maintenance of the tabernacle and its priestly duties were clearly a full-time job which required an entire tribe just to keep up with it!

Joshua 21:4-5 – The lot came out for the clans of the Kohathites. So those Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, thirteen cities. And the rest of the Kohathites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

The inheritance of the Levites was determined in the same place (Shiloh) and in the same manner (by lot) as the other tribes had received their inheritance. Most scholars believe that each tribe had already designated certain cities for the Levites when they received their initial allotments of land.  This makes sense, because they wouldn't have wanted to move their families into some of these cities only to have to move them again when the city was given to the Levites.

The first lot that was drawn went to the Kohathites.  Remember, the priestly families of Aaron and his descendants came from the family branch of Kohath. 

Scripture tells us that the descendants of Aaron (the actual priesthood) received a total of 13 cities, while the remainder of the Kohathite families received an additional 10 cities for their inheritance (see verse 26). This made the total allotment of the Kohathites 23 cities.

Joshua 21:6 – The Gershonites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

The second lot was drawn for the Gershonites.  They received a total of 13 cities.

Joshua 21:7 – The Merarites according to their clans received from the tribe of Reuben,the tribe of Gad, and the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

The Merarites were the last to receive an allotment.  The received a total of 12 cities.

Altogether, 48 cities (including the cities of refuge) were allotted to the Levites, just as God had promised them.

Joshua 21:8 – These cities and their pasture lands the people of Israel gave by lot to the Levites, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

As the 48 cities are divided among the Levites, we are again put in remembrance of the prophetic words that Jacob spoke over his son Levi (and Simeon) – 'I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel' (Genesis 49:7).

What a blessing this prophesy turned out to be for the nation of Israel! By disbursing them throughout the land, every family in Israel could have reasonable access to the men who were best acquainted with the law. They could receive instruction, have questions answered and see an example of the holy lives they were to aspire to live (Malachi 2:7).

We can compare the role of the Levites in their society to the role of Christians in ours.  Christians are scattered among the heathen.  There are definitely some sinners who will never even consider entering a church to receive the gospel, so the Lord has seen fit to place us among them so we can carry the gospel to them.  We provide a testimony for Christ by living holy, compassionate lives in our communities.

Christians are not to live apart from the world to ensure our own sanctification; we are to live in the world to promote the world's redemption.� We are to be shining examples of the love of God to all men.

Joshua 21:9-26 – The following cities mentioned by name, which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the clans of the Kohathites who belonged to the people of Levi; since the lot fell to them first.  They gave them Kiriath-arba, Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands, Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands. The cities of the clans of the rest of the Kohathites were ten in all with their pasturelands.

Verse 9-26 give a detailed list of the cities assigned to the priestly line and to the rest of the Kohathites.  Since we are not examining the significance of each individual city, I have abbreviated the list in today's post.  If you have an interest in seeing the names of all 23 cities, please look in your bible.

Joshua 21:27-33 – And to the Gershonites, one of the clans of the Levites, were given Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Hammoth-dor with its pasturelands. The cities of the several clans of the Gershonites were in all thirteen cities with their pasturelands.

Joshua 21:34-40 – And to the rest of the Levites, the Merarite clans, were given Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim with its pasturelands. As for the cities of the several Merarite clans, that is, the remainder of the clans of the Levites, those allotted to them were in all twelve cities.

Verses 27-33 give a detailed list of the cities assigned to the line of Gershon while verses 34-40 list the cities assigned to the line of Merari.  Again, I have abbreviated the list in this post; in order to see the entire list you will need to consult your copy of the scriptures.

By the way, you might really enjoy taking a closer look at these lists of cities. Many of them became key places later in Old Testament history.  How many names of cities do you recognize? Can you remember what occurred there? If not, it might be fun to find out!

 

Joshua 21:41-42 – The cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the people of Israel were in all forty-eight cities with their pasturelands.  These cities each had its pasturelands around it. So it was with all these cities.

Again, we want to note that the priests and Levites were scattered throughout the Promised Land for the benefit of the nation.  As the people most familiar with the law, they were there to council, teach and instruct the people, while modeling a life of holiness in their conduct. 

God had amply provided them with numerous choice cities, so they could be wholly dedicated to the service of the Lord and not be distracted by claiming and working the land.  For this reason, it would be utterly inexcusable for them to neglect their ministry. 

Joshua 21:43 – Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there.

At first, there seems to be an inconsistency with this verse and the fact that Israel had not yet fully possessed the land and defeated all the Canaanites. However, it should be noted that God had completely fulfilled his part of the covenant.

In God's eyes, the Canaanites had already been delivered into the hands of his people. They were discouraged, fearful, broken in strength, void of major military leaders and holding only spotty positions throughout the territory. Essentially, they were surrounded by God's people and they could have easily been defeated.

All Israel needed to do was seek divine guidance on how to claim the victory, then step out in faith and get the job done.  But alas!  They never fully possessed all the land God had given them (Numbers 34:1-12).

However, it should never be said that God failed to keep his promises - it was man who failed to reach out and grasp the victories God had given!

Likewise, the New Testament speaks of the triumph of each individual Christian and the victory of the church as already being accomplished in God's eyes. While God has made victory possible through Jesus Christ, and it is his will that we be victorious, we still must fight to subdue/conquer our enemies and claim/live out the victory his grace assures us.

Fun Fact: While studying this topic, I ran across a bible commentator who described the Israelites as being 'pusillanimous.' I don't know about you, but this word isn't in my daily vocabulary, so I looked it up.

Turns out it means, 'timid; exhibiting a contemptible lack of courage or determination'.  Apparently, the emphasis is on the word 'contemptible', meaning that there was absolutely no reason why Israel should have feared to take the land.  Their refusal to do so was base and deserving of scorn.

Let us strive to live boldly for Christ, so the church can never be referred to in this manner!

Joshua 21:44 – And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands.

This is a general closing statement to the history of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land which began in chapter 13.

God had given Israel the deed to the entire parcel of the Promised Land (a deed, incidentally, which they still hold today), actual possession of much of it, and the power to possess the rest of it as soon as their numbers increased, and they had need of it (Exodus 23:29-30).  God had also given them absolute dominion over all the remaining Canaanites.

At this point in time, the Promised Land was now considered conquered – it was divided by lot among the tribes and the Canaanites were so completely routed that there was not a single army willing to attack Israel.  Those left in the land were either paying tribute or quietly trying to avoid the gaze of the Israelites. 

The bottom line is that GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD. This is a promise that ancient Israel stood upon and which the church stands upon too.

Nevertheless, we need to remind ourselves of several key aspects of God's faithfulness.

God fulfills his promises on his own time schedule.  Much to our annoyance, God does not always do things instantaneously or immediately.  Often, he does not fulfill his promises when we expect him to.  Because of this we can sometimes be tempted to become discouraged or to doubt his word. 

During those times of waiting, satan will often attack by accusing God of breaking his promises.  When that happens, resist him so he must flee!  Reassure yourself that God is perfect; he will fulfill his promises in the 'fullness of time' or at the exact right moment!  Many times we cannot see his perfect timing until after the situation is over, but when it is, his wisdom becomes apparent. 

God fulfills his promises in the way/manner of his own choosing.  We may be tempted to grumble about how he answers our prayers, because we would like things done differently.  But in these instances, we must remember that God's ways are not our ways – his ways are much, much better than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9)!  While we are usually looking for the easy way out, God's ways usually help us to stretch our faith, grow closer to him, build a testimony, and otherwise mature in grace. 

For example, let's suppose you were diagnosed with cancer. As a Christian, you certainly prayed (in faith, no doubt) for God to instantly heal you. When that didn't happen, and you had to move forward with treatment, you may have been tempted to grumble. But later, you may find that God chose to cure you through modern medicine because it drew you closer to him, created a testimony and matured your faith.

So no matter what the circumstance, know that God hears your prayers and that he WILL be faithful to his word – but in his own perfect way!

God's promises are often connected to our faith and conduct.  His covenant is iron-clad as long as we keep our side of the agreement.  For instance, God promised Israel that he would remove the Canaanites from the land, but since Israel refused to step up and do as God directed, their enemies remained.

If you are looking for God to fulfill a promise for you, make sure you have done your part.

Joshua 21:45 – Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Hallelujah and amen!  God's promises to Israel never failed and they won't let us down either!  As individuals and as the church, we can be assured that though heaven and earth may pass away, the word of God shall stand forever (Isaiah 40:8)!

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

God's word never returns to him void (Isaiah 55), because it is endued with his power and anointing:

John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

For example, God spoke light/darkness, sea/dry land, plants/vegetation etc into existence from nothing, with the power of his words (Genesis 1). 

You can rest assured that every single word of prophesy in our world either has been fulfilled, or it will be because God's promises are not hollow empty words – they are full of power; they bring life to our situation by manifesting God's will into our lives.

For this reason, I strongly encourage you to speak the word of God over your situation when you pray. For instance, if you are struggling with fear or anxiety, verbally quote II Timothy 1:7 every time you feel anxious. These words are God's words, so they carry an anointing to break the bondage of fear and anxiety. They can help you attain a calm and sound mind. By quoting them, you are resisting the will of the devil and he will be forced to flee from you!

Let me offer you some strength:

Have you ever gone through a spiritual or physical battle that left you weary, drained and tired? 

I'm sure the children of Israel felt that way for quite some time.  However, God had promised them a period of rest, and by the time the Levitical cities were assigned, they had entered it. 

They rested from the fatigue of marching for years on end, from the wars in Canaan and from the insults which their enemies had heaped upon them.

Scripture tells us that God has also set aside a day of rest for the New Testament saints.

Hebrews 4:9-10 – So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

 

God has a day of rest set aside for the church just as he did for the nation of Israel. When the time is right, we will enter heaven with Christ and lay aside the endless toil of this sinful life, our war against the devil and the insults of the heathen.

 

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-20/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 20:1-2 – Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Say to the people of Israel, 'Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses'"

Welcome back, dear readers! 

The official distribution of the Promised Land began back in Joshua chapter 15 with the first lot drawn for the tribe of Judah.  The distribution continued through the end of chapter 19, with the tribe of Dan drawing the final lot. 

Once the inheritance was divided, God commanded the children of Israel to give Joshua a special gift – he was permitted to choose one city within the Promised Land as his own personal inheritance.  This was probably a promise/blessing that he received for being faithful to the word of the Lord during Israel's first opportunity to enter the Promised Land.  He chose the city of Timnath-serah in the tribe of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

At this point the official distribution of the land is almost complete.  The only remaining business is to assign cities to the Levites (chapter 21) and to establish the cities of refuge. 

God's command to institute the cities of refuge can be found in Deuteronomy 19 and Numbers 35.  You might want to take a few minutes and read those portions of scripture.

Joshua 20:3 – "' that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there.  They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood.'"

What was a city of refuge?

In order to fully understand the concept of a city of refuge, we must first acknowledge that every nation, including ancient Israel, experiences a certain amount of crime.  Sadly, as a result of our sinful nature, theft/larceny, rape and murder occur anytime people live in close proximity to each other.

Secondly, we must understand that God places a very high value on each and every human life. Each person was created by him, in his image (Genesis 1:26) and he assigns a life-span to each individual he creates (Psalms 139:16).

The life we live here on earth is the time in which we secure the salvation of our immortal souls and prepare ourselves for the eternal world.  Therefore, it is infinitely important that each of us has the full amount of time God has assigned to us in order to work out our salvation, grow in grace, and complete all the good works God has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

If we murder someone, we are cutting short his/her time on earth.  Taking a man's life away before his time could result in the murder of his soul as well as his body.  For this reason, God forbids us to commit murder:

Exodus 20:13 - You shall not kill.   

But as we know, people can die by accident as well as by murder.  This brings us to the purpose of the cities of refuge - to protect the person who was responsible for the accidental death of another.

Just to be clear, I want to emphasize that in the scripture, God makes a definite distinction between murder and accidental death. 

Murder is defined as killing with premeditated malice; to willfully, deliberately or unlawfully destroy or put an end to someone's life; to intentionally kill.

God defines/describes murder this way:

Numbers 35:20-21 – And if he pushed him, out of hatred or hurled something at him lying in wait, so that he died, or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, the he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer.

Notice that God's example of murder contains the classic elements of premeditation, hatred and intentionality.

God further mandates that anyone convicted of murder (this would require two or more witnesses), receives the death penalty (Exodus 21:12-14, Numbers 35:30-31). 

God also gives us this example of an accidental death:

Deuteronomy 19:4-5 -  If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past – as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies – he may flee to one of these cities and live.

In other words, an accident occurs when a person is unintentionally killed by another and there is no contention or hatred between the two.    

A person who causes the death of another can flee to a city of refuge to receive what we would call a 'fair trial'.  Based on the outcome of the trial, he will receive a proper sentence.

Joshua 20:4 – "He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city.  Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place, and he shall remain with them."

Back in the day, it was common for the elders and judges of the city to sit (hang out) just inside the city gates where they were accessible to the common people.  There they would conduct business, strike bargains, share news, read/discuss the law, and administer justice (Deuteronomy 16:18, Ruth 4:1, Proverbs 22:22). 

Let's suppose that two men – Herman and Maynard – were working together building a house and Maynard winds up dead. At that point, Herman had to immediately flee to one of the cities of refuge.

Once there, he was to enter the gates, find the elders and explain what happened in the death of Maynard. He was to tell them the whole matter – the circumstances that led to Maynard's death, the errors or innocent mistakes that were made and exactly how Maynard's death resulted from the accident.

After hearing his story, the elders of that city were to ask questions and examine the matter more fully.  If they determined that Maynard's death could have been an accident, they would give Herman a place to stay and likely some form of employment.  Herman was to remain in the city of refuge until his accuser (the avenger of blood) came to town and an official trial could be conducted to determine his guilt or innocence.   

Joshua 20:5 – "And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and did not hate him in the past."

Who is the avenger of blood, and what role does he play in this situation?

All the members of an extended family are counted as being of one blood; a wrong done to one is a wrong done to all.  In the case of murder, the wrong could only be redressed by the nearest relative of the victim, who was consequently referred to as the avenger of blood. 

In our example, we will assume that the dead man (Maynard) had a brother named Quincy.  As the closest male relative to Maynard, Quincy was considered the avenger of blood.

The avenger of blood had the responsibility/obligation of executing the murderer of his kin:

Numbers 35:19 – The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

He was the only person who had the right to carry out the mandated death sentence.  This rule allowed justice to be served, while at the same time preventing entire families from completely destroying one another in senseless acts of retribution (similar to the mob families).   

Joshua 20:6 – "And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time.  Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled."

Now let's pull all of these facts together:

Herman and Maynard are working together building a house when Maynard winds up dead.  Herman immediately runs home, talks to his wife, throws together a suitcase, kisses his kids goodbye, and rushes off to the nearest city of refuge. 

Once at the gates of the city, he approaches the elders and explains that Maynard's death was an accident – as they were laying brick for the walls, Herman accidentally knocked a brick off the wall and it fell, hitting Maynard on the head.

The elders of the city would then give Herman a place to stay within the city and provide him with some kind of temporary employment.

In the meantime, Maynard's closest male relative (Quincy) finds out that Maynard is dead. After the funeral, he too travels to the city of refuge and finds the elders of the city. At that point, an official trial is held (Numbers 35:12) in front of an assembly of adult citizens (commentators estimate the assembly to be around 200-300 men).

It would be almost impossible for all of these citizens to be bribed or unfairly biased against the defendant. Thus, a calm impartial trial by a fair 'jury of his peers' was provided for Herman.

Quincy can now give any evidence pertinent to the case, such as the relationship between the two men and whether or not grudges, hatred or contention existed between the two.

Based on the evidence, the elders would either convict or absolve Herman.

If Herman was found guilty of murder, he would be immediately handed over to Quincy, who had the responsibility of executing him.  At that point, the case was closed.

If he was found innocent of murder, Herman was then sentenced to remain within the city of refuge until the death of the current high priest.  Once the high priest died, he could then return to his hometown (Numbers 35:28). 

Jewish tradition says that if Herman died before the high priest in the city of his refuge/exile, he was to be buried there and only after the death of the high priest could his bones be removed and placed into his family sepulcher.  

In the meantime, no one was assigned to monitor Herman.  If he chose to leave the safety of the city of refuge, he could do so - no one would prevent him from going.  But if the avenger of blood spotted him outside the safety zone, he could kill him on the spot without penalty (Numbers 35:26-28). 

To leave the city of refuge was to take your life into your own hands. It is hard to imagine anything that would be important enough for a man like Herman to leave the safety of the city of refuge, but apparently, it must have happened on occasion!

We can't help but notice the wisdom of God in this arrangement. Each accused person received a fair trial, under the purview of the people who knew the law best (the Levites). The trial cost nothing and occurred with little or no delay. This system provided for justice while at the same time restraining revenge and preventing blood feuds. At the conclusion of the matter, no one had a right to complain about the outcome, so there were no appeals. Remarkable!

Joshua 20:7-8 – So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.  And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed Beer in the wilderness on the tableland, from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramah in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.

There were a total of six cities of refuge, three east of the Jordan River and three west of the river.  These cities were strategically placed. 

On either side of the river, there was one city of refuge in the northern portion of the land, one city in the middle and one city in the southern region.  This allowed easy (and somewhat close) access to all of the population of Israel (Deuteronomy 19:3).  

Joshua 20:9 – These were the cities designated for all the people of Israel and for the stranger sojourning among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so that he might not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, till he stood before the congregation.

Every city of refuge was a Levitical city.  That may not seem significant on the surface, so let's take a closer look.

Put yourself in the position of someone who accidentally caused the death of your neighbor, friend or child. You are already in a state of shock, fear and remorse. In the midst of that, you must abruptly leave your family and hope that you get to a refuge city before the avenger of blood finds you. You are experiencing your worst nightmare, desperately hoping you will find mercy for your situation.

If that were you, wouldn't it be comforting to know that the elders you met at the city gates were priests – men who were sanctified to be mediators between God and man?  Wouldn't you be glad that these men were very familiar with the law, and that they were there to impartially consider your case and protect you from death?  

Furthermore, being a refugee in one of the six cities meant that you could no longer travel to the temple in Shiloh.  In that case, wouldn't it be a comfort to be among the priesthood of the nation, who could pray for you at the temple and give you instruction from the scriptures?

The fact that the cities of refuge were also the cities of the Levites is one more example of the mercy of God to his people.

Let's ask ourselves one more question – why did the manslayer have to reside in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest?

Because the high priest is a picture of the mercy we find in Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 2:17 - Therefore in all things it behoved him [Jesus] to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Obviously, the parallel isn't perfect; we know there is no person who is innocent of sin. All of us are guilty and we deserve to be turned over to the avenger (the righteous wrath of God) and experience eternal death.

Nevertheless, many aspects of the cities of refuge have a counterpart in the gospel message:

• For example, a man guilty of premeditated murder represents a sinner who is bound by guilt and shame, living under the wrath of God and facing a sentence of death. In such a case, it was impossible for the murderer to purchase a pardon with money (Numbers 35:31-32). Likewise, no person could ever purchase his own pardon from sin with money (or anything else, for that matter).

• The person guilty of sin has only one path open to him that leads to mercy – he must flee to the refuge of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except by him (John 14:6).

• When a man fled to the city of refuge, he had to observe a definite set of rules in order to remain in the refuge. Those saved by grace must also observe a set of rules in order to remain under the mercy of Christ. We must surrender all, turn our back on evil, and wholly follow our Savior.

• The cities of refuge were not limited to the native Israelites. The 'stranger' and the 'sojourner' who lived among them would also be accepted if he sought safety in the city of refuge (Numbers 35:15, Joshua 20:9). This is another Old Testament picture of the Gentiles being welcomed into the kingdom of God.

• The man who was granted the right to live in the city of refuge was restricted; he could no longer dwell in his old house, sow his old fields or continue on with his old ways. This is a picture of the separation of the Christian from the things of this world. We must forsake our old ways once we have found freedom in Christ.

• There was a very real danger to the person who delayed in going to a city of refuge – they could be killed by the avenger of blood at any time. There is also a very real danger to the sinner who plays around with the grace of God and refuses to submit to the call of Holy Spirit to repentance. None of us know when our last moment on earth will be. The person who delays in accepting salvation risks being lost for eternity.

 

• At the death of the high priest, the manslayer was set free. After the death of Jesus, our High Priest, we were set free from spiritual death.

We know that those who were found guilty of murder were sentenced to death and in truth, this was the sentence we all received, because the wages of sin is death.  Yet, God in his great mercy, pardons us because Christ has paid the price of our redemption.  Though our sin is as red as scarlet, the blood of Christ washes it what as snow:

Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Even the names of the six cities of refuge reflect the grace of the gospel:

Kedesh means 'holy'. Our refuge is the Lord Jesus, who is holy (I Peter 1:16).

Shechem means 'a shoulder'. The government (and judgment) of mankind rests upon the shoulders of Christ (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Hebron means 'fellowship'. All believers (Jew and Gentile) are admitted into the kingdom/fellowship of Jesus our Lord and King.

Bezer means 'fortification'. Jesus is our strong tower and fortification; he is a very present help in the day of trouble (Psalms 46:1-3).

Ramoth means 'high' or 'exalted'. God has exalted Jesus above every other being; at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord (Philipians2:9-11).

Golan means 'joy/exultation' – Jesus is our eternal joy and exultation for through him we are justified.

These are just some of the comparisons between the cities of refuge and Jesus Christ as our savior. What other similarities can you find?

There are also some distinct differences between the city of refuge and the gospel as well:

• The cities of refuge afforded a temporary protection for the physical body of a man. The gospel, however, is protection for both the physical and spiritual man and it lasts forever.

• The cities of refuge provided protection only to the innocent while the gospel is a refuge for the guilty (THANK THE LORD!).

• The protection of a city of refuge involved the sacrificing of certain privileges, but the gift of the gospel ensures/provides every privilege and every good thing to the believer in Christ.

• Those who received the blessing/protection of the city of refuge would still have a desire to return to their old ways and old life. Not so with the redeemed! We will never desire to return to the bondage of sin!

Aren't you thankful for the refuge of Christ?

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In our study of the cities of refuge, we noted that God provided a place of safety for anyone who needed it.  But it was up to each individual to travel to the city of refuge with all due haste!  Any delay could potentially result in death by the avenger of blood.

So it is with us in the spiritual realm.

Have you accepted Christ as your Savior and given your heart to him?  If not, I strongly urge you to do so immediately, because you don't know when your life will end.  To die outside the refuge of Christ is to be eternally subject to the wrath of God.  That isn't a place you want to be!    

For those who have accepted Christ, are you heeding the call he has placed on your life?  Are you going where he sends you, sowing your resources at his command, and spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth?  Are you investing your talents in the kingdom as he opens up doors of opportunity for you? 

If not, what are you waiting for? Anytime we hesitate to follow the leading of God, we place ourselves on dangerous ground indeed! Let's not profane the opportunities God has given to us – let's resolve to listen to him and walk where he leads.

Let me offer you some relief:

In today's post we noted that God places a very, very high value on every human life, including yours.  In fact, he still has value for your life, even if you have taken the life of another.   

Perhaps you find yourself in that place today – perhaps you have murdered another human being through accident, premeditation, abuse or abortion.  If so, do not despair.

The Old Testament law required people to be executed for the taking of life.  But under the new covenant of grace, God offers spiritual relief through the blood of Jesus Christ.  This means that every sin, including that of taking a life, can be forgiven if you repent and seek refuge in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

So don't wait – invite Christ into your heart and life today!

Let me offer you some strength:

If you were a person who was forced to flee to a city of refuge, my guess is that you would look at each new day as a blessing and/or a valuable gift.  At the same time, you would need to leave the past behind you, and move forward with life.

That is a good example for us as Christians.  In fact, the apostle Paul advises us to do exactly that:

Philippians 3:13-14 – Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own.  But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Do you have things in your past that you need to leave behind?  If so, I strongly recommend that you go to Jesus in prayer, give them to him once and for all, and then banish those things from your mind forever!

Yesterday is gone and today is a new day; look ahead to the plans and purposes God still has in store for you!

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-19/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 19:1 – The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah.  And they had for their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, Haar-shuel, Balah, Ezem,� together with all the villages around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb.  This was the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Simeon according to their clans. 

In chapter 18, Joshua gave instructions for the remaining land to be divided into lots by representatives of the seven remaining tribes.  This new division said very little about the actual terrain of the land.  Instead, it focused almost entirely on the cities and towns that were to be inherited by each of the remaining tribes. 

Those particular cities are listed in great detail here in chapter 19.  However, because we are not studying the locations of each city, I have not included the names of each one in this post; the text has been abbreviated by me.  If you are interested in all of the specific names of the towns, you will need to read each verse in your own bible. 

Once the new surveys were completed, they were submitted to Joshua.  Benjamin was the first of the seven to receive an allotment (chapter 18) and now in chapter 19 we find a record of the remaining assignments.   

THE SECOND LOT FELL TO SIMEON

His lot is perhaps the most interesting of the remaining seven. 

In Genesis 34, we have a rather gruesome record of an event involving the children of Jacob.  As Israel and his family were living in the land, many of the native people wanted to intermarry with them.  However, if Israel's family intermarried with the other people in the land, they would soon cease to exist as a distinct nation.  This was one reason why God strictly instructed Israel that his family was NOT to intermarry with the other nations.

Deuteronomy 7:3 - Neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give unto his son, nor his daughter shall you take unto your son.   

At some point Dinah, one of the daughters of Jacob, was out and about when she was seen by Shechem, who was a prince (a man of the highest rank) of the Hivites.  Shechem was instantly attracted to Dinah.  He seized her, took her to his house and had sexual relations with her. 

Afterwards, Shechem and his father Hamor went to see Jacob. They begged for Jacob to allow Dinah to marry Shechem. Shechem volunteered to pay any price they would name, no matter how large, in order to marry the girl.

When Simeon and Levi returned from working in the fields and found out what happened, there were livid! However, they held their peace and instead deceitfully convinced the house of Hamor that Dinah could marry Shechem on one condition – if all the men of their great city would agree to be circumcised.

In fact, they went so far as to say that if the Hivites would agree to this, then they could freely intermarry with the children of Jacob. 

Hamor and Shechem return to their city and convince the men of the city to become circumcised.  This is where the ulterior motive of the Hivites came to light.  They wanted to intermarry with the Israelites because they were blessed and extremely wealthy; they planned to assimilate all of Israel's wealth into their own nation:

Genesis 34:23 – Will not their [Israel's] livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.

So the Shechemites were circumcised. But on the third day afterward, when they were at their weakest point, Simeon and Levi went into the city and easily killed every single male.

They then plundered the city, taking everything the Hivites owned including their women and children. (Please take five minutes and read the account for yourself in Genesis 34.) However, their massacre of innocent people did not go unnoticed.

Now, let's fast-forward a good many years.  When Jacob is on his deathbed, he prophesies over each of his sons.  This is part of what he says about Simeon and Levi:

Genesis 49:7 – Cursed by their [Simeon and Levi] anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.

In other words, the descendants of Simeon and Levi were destined to be scattered among the other tribes as punishment for their violent revenge on the Shechemites.

We see the fulfillment of this prophesy in the division of the land.  Levi will indeed be scattered in Israel because the Levites do not receive an allotment of land; they receive individual cities scattered throughout Israel.  We will discuss this more fully in the next chapter.  For now, let's examine the inheritance of Simeon.

Joshua 19:9 – The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah.  Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them, the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.

As you recall, Judah was the very first tribe to receive an inheritance.  However, it was eventually discovered that their allotment was much too big.  They literally did not have enough people to inhabit the cities and utilize the land.  For this reason, some of their land/cities were going to be given to other tribes.

Here we find that all of the cities given to Simeon were originally deeded to Judah. In fact, their entire inheritance was actually inside the borders of Judah. (Unfortunately, the map we are currently using does not reflect this; but if you look at other sources, you will see Simeon completely within the borders of Judah).

 

Thus, Simeon was scattered within the borders of Judah, with what could scarcely be called their own lot.  They were divided from the tribes they had been united with during the wilderness wanderings (Reuben and Gad).  Indeed, it could be argued that they were divided from all the tribes, since they were 'encased' in the tribe of Judah. 

Eventually, as time went on, the people of Simeon were assimilated into the tribe of Judah.

Joshua 19:10-16 – The third lot came up for the people of Zebulun, according to their clans.  And the territory of their inheritance reached as far as Sarid.  Then their boundary goes up westward and on to Mareal and touches Dabbesheth, then the brook that is east of Jokneam.  From Sarid it goes in the other direction eastward toward the sunrise to the to the boundary of Chisloth-tabor... This is the inheritance of the people of Zebulun, according to their clans – these cities and their villages.

THE THIRD LOT FELL TO ZEBULUN

The original allotment of Zebulun consisted of a mere twelve cities. This would certainly not have been an adequate amount of territory for a tribe which exceeded sixty-thousand people (Numbers 26:27).   This leads us to one of two conclusions: 

• The surveyors submitted a map to Joshua which displayed the entire territory of Zebulun, while only listing the major/largest cities in the allotment. Since the map did not travel down through history, we are left with only the names of major cities.

• The surveyors submitted an exhaustive list of cities to Joshua, but the historian who recorded the allotments in scripture chose to limit the information included in our text.

Regardless of what actually occurred, we find that the initial territory of Zebulun did not actually touch any bodies of water. Yet, later in the history of Israel, we can confirm that their borders reached the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:13-5), where they undoubtedly reaped many benefits from fishing and trading, as predicted by their father Jacob:

Genesis 49:13 – Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.

Scholars debate whether or not the people of Zebulun ever extended their territory to the seacoast of the Mediterranean. Sidon, or Zidon, is an actual city but the name is also used to refer to the general location of the Phoenicians, who were experts in sailing and trade (the Phoenicians were the Amazon trading company of that day).

The prophesy of Jacob may simply indicate that the territory of Zebulun was close enough to the Phoenicians that they enjoyed extensive and profitable commerce with them, even though their actual border did not touch the Mediterranean Sea.

The territory of Zebulun included:

• The later city of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood.
• Mount Tabor, where Jesus was transfigured.
• The coasts of the Sea of Galilee, where many of the miracles and ministry of Jesus occurred.

Joshua 19:17-23 – The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the people of Issachar, according to their clans.  Their territory included Jezreel and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan – sixteen cities with their villages.  This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Issachar, according to their clans – the cities with their villages.

THE FOURTH LOT FELL TO ISSACHAR

Sixteen cities were allotted to the children of Issachar.  Two notable leaders came from this tribe:

• Tola, one of the great judges of Israel, was from this tribe (Judges 10:1).
• Baasha, one of the kings of Israel was also from this tribe (I Kings 15:27).

In addition, a lot of notable historical events took place within Zebulun's borders:

• Jezreel – This was the location of the palace of the wicked king Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. It was here that the royal couple plotted to kill Naboth, so they could steal his vineyard (I Kings 21).

• Shunem – Elisha spent a lot of time here; consequently the woman of Shuneum and her husband built a tiny apartment for him on top of their house. At some point, Elisha raised their son from the dead (II Kings 4).

• Kishon River – This was the location of the victory of Deborah and Barak over Sisera, the commander of King Jabin's army (Judges 4).

• Mountains of Gilboa – This was the place where King Saul and his son Jonathan were slain in battle. The site was not very far from Endor, where Saul consulted the witch (I Samuel 28:4, I Samuel 31).

• Valley of Megiddo – This was the place where king Josiah was slain in a battle with the king of Egypt (II Kings 23:8-30).

Joshua 19:24-31 – The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans.  Their territory included Helkath, Hali�Ummah, Aphek and Rehob – twenty-two cities with their villages.  This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans – these cities with their villages.

THE FIFTH LOT FELL TO ASHER

The allotment of Asher was long and narrow with the Mediterranean Sea being its western border.  Its land has been described as pleasant and fruitful. 

The scriptures do not record any particularly famous people or leaders coming from this tribe, other than the prophetess Anna who identified Jesus as the Messiah when he was being dedicated in the temple (Luke 2:36-38).

This tribe was right next to the two famous maritime cities of Tyre and Sidon, but there is no indication that the people of Asher took advantage of the opportunities this afforded them.       

Joshua 19:32-39 – The sixth lot came out for the people of Naphtali, for the people of Naphtali, according to their clans.  And their boundary ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim. Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemeth – nineteen cities with their villages.  This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Naphtali according to their clans – the cities with their villages.

THE SIXTH LOT FELL TO NAPHTALI

The western border of Naphtali was the tribe of Asher, while its eastern border was the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.

Naphtali means 'struggle' or 'fight' and this seems to describe the men of this tribe very well.

• Ten-thousand men from Naphtali responded to the call of Barak in the victory against Sisera. The warriors of this tribe distinguished themselves for their bravery in battle (Judges 5:18).

• The tribe of Naphtali provided 1000 army captains and 37,000 men with shields and spears to assist David in taking the kingdom from the house of Saul (I Chronicles 12:34).

But despite all this bravery, they failed to drive the Canaanites out of their territory.  As a result, the land around Galilee eventually became known as Galilee of the Gentiles (Matthew 4:15).  It was in this region that Jesus began to preach the gospel after John the Baptist was thrown into prison (Matthew 4:12-17).

Joshua 19:40-46 – The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the people of Dan according to their clans.  And the territory of its inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh and Rakkon with the territory over against Joppa.

THE SEVENTH AND FINAL ALLOTMENT FELL TO DAN

The allotment of Dan was to the west of Benjamin.  It consisted of land given up by both Judah (some of its northern cities/towns) and Ephraim (its southern cities/towns).  The exact boundaries are not given, because they can be located by examining the adjoining territories. 

Their allotment included a mountainous region and a lot of very fertile ground at the base of the mountain range. But sadly, they didn't get to enjoy much of it.  This tribe was vexed by the Amorites, who forced them up into the mountains and took their best land (Judges 1:34). 

Dan was also smitten by the Philistines on a regular basis.  Because of this, the Lord raised up Sampson to give the Danites relief (Judges 13-16).

Joshua 19:47-48 – When the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them, the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and striking it with the sword they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor.  This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans – these cities with their villages.

At a later date (after the death of Joshua), the Danites found themselves out of room for their growing population. This was due to the fact that the Amorites were in their territory. However, instead of taking them head on, they opted to fight against the city and region of Leshem which was controlled by the Sidonions.

They won this war, annexed the city and its lands to their tribe, and renamed the city Dan.  You can read the account of this battle in Judges chapter 18. 

Dan became the most important city in the northern part of Israel.  Beersheba was the southern most major city.  Hence, we often come across the scriptural phrase 'from Dan to Beersheba', which signifies the entirety of the Promised Land from north to south.

Joshua 19:49-50 – When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. By command of the Lord they gave him the city that he asked for, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.

All the tribes have now received their allotment. Caleb has been granted the right to conquer and possess Hebron. The daughters of Zelophehad had received their share of inheritance from their father. At this point, there is one final footnote to the division of the land – a special inheritance for Joshua.

We note that his inheritance was given to him 'by the command of the Lord'. The inference is that God promised Joshua a specific city way back in the day, just as he had promised Caleb the city of Hebron (Joshua 14:6).

However, because of his humility, Joshua did not seek to possess his inheritance until every other person had received theirs. He was literally the last one to claim his inheritance, which reflects his modesty and devotion to God.

Joshua requested to have the city of Timnath-serah (or Timnath-heres) which was located on Mount Gaash, within the allotment of his own tribe (Ephraim).  Scripture tells us that this city had to be rebuilt before it was inhabited.  This is further evidence that Joshua did not seek the best of the land for himself.  It also indicates that he did not presume to think that the rest of the nation 'owed him' something; he did not expect others to repair or rebuild the city for him.

One commentator has expressed an interesting opinion on the inheritance of Joshua:

Not all riches comfort us. Ill-gotten riches curse us. Riches earned by others and simply passed on to us are insipid. Wealth obtained by penury (being miserly) is a burden. But the riches that come as a reward of diligence and honor have a special sweetness, and the man who acquires them has a special power of enjoying them.

This must surely have been true of Joshua!

Joshua 19:51 – These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting.  So they finished dividing up the land.

This verse represents the formal close or finish of the history of the division of the land.  It is stamped with the names of the leaders (Joshua and Eleazar) as well as the place where the casting of the lots took place. 

Because all of this was done in the presence of the Lord, the division was final; there could be no complaining and no appeals would be entertained. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

One thing that becomes apparent in today's post is that God is always faithful to his promises. Way back when Abraham was alive, God promised to give Israel their own land.

Genesis 12:7 - And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto your descendants will I give this land: and there built he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

It took multiple generations until the promise came to pass, but it did come to pass.

When Israel turned away from God and served idols, God called on the people to repent or else he would exile them from the land.  They had many, many years in which to repent, but they refused.  Sure enough, God was faithful to his word and Israel was taken into exile (II Kings 24 and 25).

But in his great mercy, God promised to once again bring them into the land, which he did through Cyrus, king of Persia.  The point is that God is always faithful to his promises.

God has made many promises to the church. 

He promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against us.  He promised us the Holy Spirit and all of his power.  He promised that when he opens a door no man can shut it and when he closes a door no man can open it.  He promised us a crown of life.  He promised to prepare a place for us in his eternal kingdom.  He promised to be with us until the end of the age. 

So be encouraged today – the battle may seem long and protracted, but God will continue to be faithful to his word!

Let me offer you some relief:

There is another apparent truth in today's text – Israel was repeatedly unfaithful to God and often exhibited unbelief.  This was very evident by the fact that not one single tribe fully drove the Canaanites out of their inheritance.

And truthfully, we are not so different.  Despite the promises of God we too often exhibit unbelief and a lack of faith.  Many of us have 'giants' living within the borders of our own lives.    

But here is some good news that bears repeating – every single time Israel repented and turned back to the Lord, he forgave them.  He once again renewed his relationship with them and was ready and willing to give them victory over their enemies.

Psalm 103:10-11 - He [God] has not dealt with us according to our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.   

God has not changed; his great love and mercy are still the same today! Just as he was patient with Israel, he is patient with us today. If you need to repent for your unbelief, do it now, because God is waiting for you to turn toward him, so he can assist you in obtaining victory!

Let me offer you some strength:

You may have a 'giant' within the boundaries of your life, and it may look like there is no way to gain victory over it.  But that's not true – with God, all things are possible.  Even if you've been defeated in some area of your life in the past, there is still hope for the future. So don't give up on the promises of God!

Stand strong in your faith.  Continue to fight the battle on your knees in prayer.  Speak the promises of God over your situation; open your mouth and testify about the deliverance of God and watch those promises come to fruition in your life!     

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-18/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 18:1 – Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there.  The land lay subdued before them.

When the children of Israel first crossed the Jordan River, they formed a camp at Gilgal.  This camp was probably set up in the same order Israel used when wandering in the wilderness.  The tabernacle was set up in the middle of the camp and each tribe had a specific area assigned to them around the ark (Numbers 2).

The camp at Gilgal was Israel's headquarters for the entire time they were fighting against Jericho, Ai, the southern alliance, and the northern confederacy.  They had been camped in that location for about seven years.

But at this point, after Ephraim and Manasseh received their allotments, there was no longer any overt Canaanite aggression towards Israel ('the land lay subdued before them').  This is not to say that there were no more Canaanites in the land; there were many, many cities and villages that Israel did not yet control.  But the remaining Canaanites had no plans to attack or actively oppose Israel.  They seemed content to hide in their cities and avoid God's people, making this a time of relative peace.

While that was good for the Canaanites, it was bad for Israel.  God brought his people into the land and gave them astonishing victories over the Canaanites.  But instead of pressing that advantage and claiming total victory, Israel grew lazy and sluggish.  The tribes that were assigned an allotment were content with possessing only a small portion of the inheritance God had given them. Worse yet, there were seven tribes who had not even received an allotment yet!

Not only were they missing out on all the blessings God had for them, they were putting themselves in grave spiritual danger. From the very beginning, God instructed Israel to wipe out the heathen nations and destroy every trace of their religious activities, lest they corrupt Israel with their idol worship (Numbers 33:50-56).  The longer Israel waited to fully possess the land, the more comfortable they became living in the midst of these heathen nations and the more they grew to accept and embrace the idolatry of Canaan.

So God, in his mercy, now speaks to Joshua (who isn't getting any younger) and tells him to get the people moving.  It was time for the remaining tribes to divide up the unclaimed land into lots and have God assign them.  It was also time for the people to begin worshiping God at the tabernacle, as instructed in the covenant.

The first step in this process was to break up the camp at Gilgal.  We know that long before this, God had instructed Moses and Joshua that he would determine the location of his house - the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 12:8-10).  Therefore, we can be sure that it was the Lord who instructed Joshua to move the tabernacle from Gilgal to Shiloh.

Why do you suppose God chose that location? 

That particular site had many advantages:

• Shiloh was situated on a hill in the territory of Ephraim, 12 miles north of Bethel and about 15 miles from Jerusalem.  This effectively put the tabernacle in the very center of the Promised Land, where it would be most convenient for all the tribes.  This was important because people needed access to the temple.  For example, all males were to appear before the Lord three times a year.  In addition, sacrifices/offerings were not to be made anywhere except the tabernacle, so people would be traveling there on a regular basis. 

• Joshua was still the leader of the nation, and he was still actively engaged in the division of the land.  But he was also getting older.  Since much of this work took place at the tabernacle, a location within his home tribe of Ephraim was no doubt helpful for him.

• Shiloh was a relatively safe long-term resting place for the tabernacle (and ark) because Israel had complete control of the land on all sides.  It is interesting to note that once moved there, the ark of the covenant would remain in Shiloh for roughly 300 years, until it was captured by the Philistines during the time when Eli was the high priest (I Samuel 4:1-11).

Scripture tells us that the whole nation assembled while the tabernacle was being moved.  This reflected their respect and love of God. 

Because the camp at Gilgal had been dissolved, the remaining tribes most likely camped around Shiloh until they received their allotment of land.  This was an encouraging moment – God was moving and his people were moving with him!

Joshua 18:2 – There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.

Just as a reminder, Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh had received an inheritance east of the Jordan.  Judah, Ephraim and the other half of Manasseh had received allotments on the west side of the river. 

Levi was not to receive an allotment; later they would inherit specific cities scattered all throughout the Promised Land.

This left Benjamin, Simeon, Asher, Issachar, Dan, Zebulun and Naphtali as the tribes who still needed to be assigned a territory.

Joshua 18:3 – So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?"

There is an old proverb which says, 'good is the enemy of best'.  That was certainly the case in this situation.  The inheritance the Israelites possessed at this point was not the full blessing that God intended for them.  However, since it was better than anything they had in the past, they were willing to accept it.  Because of this they did not strive to completely displace the Canaanites and obtain the best God had in store for them.

In addition, they were overcome with laziness.  The nation was motivated to go to war when they fought as a whole and subdued the land, but when it came down to each individual tribe fighting for their own allotment, they became slothful and indolent. 

The land that remained to be divided was partially controlled by the enemy.  The seven remaining tribes would have to wage warfare, rebuild or repair the cities and towns, cultivate new fields, move their families and drive their flocks and herds to new far away locations.  This would certainly require a lot of work and involve some degree of hardship.  For this reason, they were not in a hurry to get moving.

Unfortunately, every day that Israel delayed was a day the Canaanites used to strengthen and fortify their hold on the land. Every day Israel allowed themselves to dwell among the heathen was a day they grew more accustomed to false idols.

It could truly be said that Israel was in danger of losing their inheritance before they had even fully obtained it! They had to be prompted into action.

Is there a lesson here for us?

I believe there is.  The questions Joshua poses to the children of Israel here in verse three could just as well be asked of the church of today.  Let's consider that for a minute:

Scripture tells us that Jesus died for the entire human race...

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

...and it is his will for everyone to hear the gospel and turn to Jesus for salvation:

II Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Just as the armies of Israel had to fight to gain ground in the Promised Land, the church is the army of God, and we are to fight spiritual battles to take ground in the kingdom of heaven.

But in some ways, the church has followed in the footsteps of Israel.  In the last few generations, the church seems to have fallen into a spiritual lethargy with Christians being caught up in a love of pleasure, entertainment, prosperity, and ease.  Because we are so content with what we have, we have delayed going to war against our enemy.  Look around you - is this the inheritance we want to leave for our children and grandchildren?

Now is the time for the church to get moving again.  This will not be easy.  It requires spiritual training.  It requires work and sacrifice, and it will undoubtedly involve hardship.  But in the end, we will receive God's fullest blessings if we keep his commands and seek his best.

God sent Israel a warning against apathy through Joshua.  He has given the church a similar warning through Jesus, in his address to the seven churches of Revelation:

Revelation 13:16-19 – "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked.  I council you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see."

While the church has been relaxing, our enemy has been advancing.  Now is the time to clothe ourselves with personal holiness, prepare/train ourselves for war, and engage the enemy to win souls for Christ.  Now is the time for us to press forward and bring the kingdom of heaven to the uttermost ends of the world. 

Jesus instructed us to pray that workers will be sent into his harvest fields (Luke 10:2).  Let's take it one step further – let's pray 'here am I Lord, send me' (Isaiah 6:8)!

Joshua 18:4-5 – Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land.  They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. They shall divide it into seven portions.  Judah shall continue in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the north.

A preliminary survey of the land had already been completed.  It included information about the land itself, such as the resources available (timber, ore), the quality of the ground and pastures, whether there were hills or mountains, what kind of water was available, etc. 

The second survey was very different.  It focused almost exclusively on the cities and towns located within the land.  Why was that important?

Israel was in the midst of making a huge change.  The only lifestyle they had known up to this point was a nomadic one – they constantly moved from place to place.  If a family wound up in an unsuitable spot, they could just 'make do' knowing that it was only temporary.  Now, however, they would be permanently established in the vacated cities of Canaan. 

These cities had been won through war, which means they had all been destroyed to a greater or lesser degree as they were being captured.  Obviously, some cities could be occupied immediately, while others had to be totally rebuilt. 

In addition, each tribe had to have enough cities to accommodate their population.  It was important for some of the cities to be larger, as they would have protective walls (and would serve as centers of trade), while others could be smaller and more rural.  For these reasons, the second survey focused on the size and importance of the cities, rather than the characteristics of the land.

A secondary reason for the new survey may have been the complaints made by the tribe of Joseph, who alleged their lot was too small.  The specific listing of cities would ensure a fair division of the remaining land while removing any questions or suspicions of unfair treatment.

So without further ado, Joshua sends out the twenty-one men.  Some scholars have speculated that these 21 were divided into three groups, with each group taking a different section of land to survey, which would have sped up the process considerably.

Although it is possible that this group (or groups) was accompanied by a military guard, it probably wasn't necessary.  The remaining Canaanites were still struck with terror from heaven making it highly unlikely that they would attack Israel in any way (even a small group of men).

Finally, it should be noted that the new survey was not to include any of the land already allotted to Judah, Ephraim or Manasseh.  Any changes to their territory (and changes were made) would be made in the future, based on the need of the tribes.

Joshua 18:6-7 – And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me.  And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their heritage.  And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.

Once the survey was done, the seven portions would be set forth in writing.  Again, this would allow everyone to see that the division was fair and equal.  It provided an opportunity for the elders to voice their opinions, if they thought their tribe's allotment was too small.  It would ensure that any arguments or complaints about the parcels would be addressed in advance - before Joshua approached the Lord to ask him to assign each parcel to a particular tribe.

After the lots were cast and God assigned a parcel to the remaining tribes, no one would have any basis for complaining.  Each lot contained many benefits for which to be thankful, as well as a few challenges designed to bring out the best in each tribe.

According to the historian Josephus, the survey took seven months to complete, although this is not confirmed in scripture.

Joshua 18:8-10 – So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, "Go up and down the land and write a description and return to me.  And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh."  So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions.  Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord.  And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.

The act of taking a second survey by the express commission of the Lord must surely have aroused the faith of the people.  In their mind's eye they could now see/perceive that by the grace of God, they were about to finish the great work of claiming the Land. 

All the promises made to them by the Lord were about to finally be fulfilled!  What an exciting and joyful day that must have been!

Joshua 18:11 – The lot of the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph.

Obviously, the survey was completed, the parcels were agreed upon, and Joshua went to the tabernacle to have Eleazar assist him in inquiring of the Lord as the lots were cast.

The next lot was assigned to the tribe of Benjamin, who received a relatively small allotment of 26 cities.  However, we want to note once again that the lots were divinely appointed by God and the borders adjusted by the council so the portion given to Benjamin was perfect for them. 

Scholars have commented a great deal about the divine hand of God in this allotment.

In life, Benjamin and Joseph had been full brothers – their father was Israel and their mother was Rachel (Genesis 35:24).  Due to Joseph being the favorite son, the other 10 brothers were jealous of him, and they were often in conflict with each other.  The 10 went so far as to sell Joseph into slavery in the land of Egypt.  However, all of them loved Benjamin (the youngest son/brother) very dearly.  

As you know from reading the book of Genesis, the 10 brothers were eventually sent to Egypt to buy grain.  Unbeknownst to them, they were buying it from their long lost brother, Joseph who proceeded to tell them they had to bring back their youngest brother Benjamin before he would sell them any grain.  To make a long story short, it was the mutual love and affection for Benjamin that eventually reconciled Joseph to his other 10 brothers. 

And now, in the allotment of the land, we find the little tribe of Benjamin sandwiched between the two very large and powerful rival tribes of Joseph and Judah!  There is a lot of intense interaction among these tribes in the history of Israel, which you can read for yourself as you study the era of the kings of Israel. 

Joshua 18:12-28  – On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan.  Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (there is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.

Verses 12 through 28 go on to detail the cities, towns, and boundaries assigned to the tribe of Benjamin.  We are not going to look at them in detail, but it is worth mentioning that Jebus/Jerusalem was on the border between Judah and Benjamin.

Neither tribe had much luck in conquering the city.  It wasn't until the time of David that the Canaanites were fully removed and Jerusalem was made the royal city.  

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

It's easy to see that the children of Israel were somewhat lazy or indifferent when it came to fully possessing their inheritance and establishing their nation. 

The underlying spiritual principle is a reminder to us not to be lazy in our work of establishing the kingdom of God.  Now is the time for us to get to work.  The apostle Paul expresses this same thought in his letter to the Ephesian church:

Ephesians 5:15-16 - See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  

In other words, Paul is instructing us to get busy and make the best use of our time.

In Ephesians chapter five he goes on to say that our time can best be spent in continual praise and worship, speaking/singing spiritual hymns and songs, being filled with Holy Spirit, and carefully walking through this life with a full understanding of God's will for us.

In light of his comments, I encourage you to take a few minutes and ask yourself these questions:

• How do I spend my time? In a 24 hour cycle, how much of that time do I spend working for the kingdom by praying, reading the word, worshiping God and acting when I hear his voice?

• How does that amount of time compare to the amount of time I spend in entertainment or pursuing hobbies?

• Do I have a good understanding of God's will for my life?

• If I need to balance my priorities a little, what changes can I make to allow that to happen?

Let me offer you some strength:

God provided motivation for his people to once again 'get moving' and finish the task of possessing their inheritance/kingdom. 

He did that by disrupting or breaking apart their established habits and patterns (living in the camp at Gilgal), refocusing their attention on him (moving them to Shiloh), and filling them with a fresh sense of excitement (they were about to accomplish their goal). 

If you find you own spiritual life to be stale or at a standstill, these steps may help you too.

• Begin by breaking old habits/patterns. Find new times of the day to read/study the word, find new places of prayer and look around your church and community for new opportunities to minister to people. Study the bible with a new/different bible scholar. Buy some new praise music and learn some new songs.
• As you break old habits, refocus your heart and mind upon the Lord and what he is currently doing in your life. Seek him until you feel confident that you know what his will is for you during this specific season of your life.
• Ask the Lord to give you a fresh sense of hope and excitement for the future.  After all, no matter how desperate things may seem, God is in control and he is going to be victorious in this world. God has never lost a war and he isn't going to start now!

 

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-17/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 17:1 –The allotment was made to the people of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph.  To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war.

As we noted in our last post, the people of 'Joseph' consisted of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.  Chapter 16 gave us the details of Ephraim's inheritance, while chapter 17 gives us the details of Manasseh's inheritance. 

Half of the tribe of Manasseh had already received an inheritance east of the Jordan River while Moses was still alive. They received this allotment after waging war against Og king of Bashan and Sihon king of the Amorites (Joshua 13:29-31). This is the inheritance referred to here, in verse one.

At an earlier point in our study, we mentioned that a divinely appointed council determined the exact borders of each allotment, while God himself determined the lot or location of each tribe. Lot assignments were based on the unique skills, talents and needs which God had placed into each group.   Each lot also contained some challenges that would bring out the divine potential of each tribe.

The inheritance of Manasseh is a good example of this.  The people who inherited the parcel east of the river were the descendants of Machir, son of Manasseh.  Machir was born in Egypt where he distinguished himself as a man of war, probably in the conflicts between the Ephraimites and the men of Gath. 

His war-like disposition was passed down to his offspring; scripture tells us they were "mighty warriors" and "famous men" (I Chronicles 5:24).  Their position on the east side of the Jordan made them the first line of defense for any foreign invaders from the east.

Potential conquerors of Israel would first need to subdue the brave, pugnacious tribe of Manasseh and subsequently cross the Jordan before they had any chance of taking Jerusalem. This half tribe of Manasseh clearly inherited the parcel of land that most suited them!

Joshua 17:2 – And allotments were made to the rest of the people of Manasseh by their clans, Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph, by their clans.

As you already know, the tribe of Manasseh was actually given two parcels of land.  They had the parcel we just discussed (the inheritance of Machir) which was east of the Jordan River, and they also had a second inheritance west of the river.  (This double portion is reflective of one of the benefits of the 'firstborn', as discussed in our last post.)

Their second allotment is described more fully in the remainder of this chapter.  Basically, it was a large territory north of the allotment of Ephraim.  It was assigned to six of the sons/descendants of Manasseh. 

Ordinarily, this would be just a matter of routine, however, there was an unusual circumstance in this situation.

Joshua 17:3 – Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Manasseh's great, great grandson (Zelophehad) did not have any male children.  According to the customs of ancient Israel, that was a problem.  During that era, women did not have the same rights as they have in our day.

Specifically, women did not own property and they did not work outside the home.  They were supported by their fathers until they married, and subsequently their husbands took care of them.  During old age/widowhood, they were supported by their adult male children.  (Incidentally, this also ties into the responsibilities associated with the first born – one of the reasons the firstborn received a double inheritance was because they were responsible for the care of their mother and any unmarried sisters once their father died.)

So, the question is, what became of the inheritance that would have gone to the male descendants of Zelophehad, if he had any?

Fortunately, this particular situation had already been identified many years earlier during the census taken before Israel crossed over the Jordan (Numbers 26:33).  At that time, Moses sought an answer from the Lord, and God responded by giving a hierarchy of rules for inheritance. 

Numbers 27:8 – Say to the Israelites, "If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter."

Basically, if a man died without sons, his daughters were to receive his land and property as an inheritance.

If the deceased man had no daughters, his brothers were to inherit his possessions. If he had no brothers, his stuff passed to his uncles on his father's side of the family. If he still didn't have an heir at that point, his land and possessions went to his next closest relative within his clan. (For full details, see Numbers 27:1-11).

Joshua 17:4-6 – They approached Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, "The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our brothers."  So according to the mouth of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh.

It should be noted, however, that a stipulation was placed upon their inheritance.  The daughters of Zelophehad had to marry a man within the clan of Hepher.  This way, when the land passed to the next generation, it would remain within the family. 

This makes perfect sense, because if the daughters married men of other tribes or even other clans, the inheritance of this family would have been swallowed up by another family or tribe, which was an unacceptable situation in that era. 

Let's shift gears for a moment and take a look at another topic which comes to mind as we consider the daughters of Zelophehad. 

Earlier in our study, we said that the conquest of the Promised Land was a physical picture of the spiritual warfare we are involved in today:

Ephesians 6:12 -For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.

Since the women of Israel were not directly involved in combat during the conquest, does that mean that women cannot or should not be involved in spiritual warfare?  Since the women in ancient Israel did not hold offices in Israel's army, does that mean they should not hold offices in the church?

These are questions that have been raised in the church from time to time throughout the years.  Rather than answering them based on tradition, let's follow the example of Moses and see what God has to say on this subject. 

The apostle Paul offers us this insight in the book of Galatians:

Galatians 3:26-28 - for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

Did you catch what Paul said to the Galatian church? In the spiritual realm, no distinction is made between males and females. Every born again person is considered an offspring of Abraham and is an heir of all the spiritual promises and gifts of God.

This means that women are saved.  They have equal access to the throne of God.  They are filled/baptized with the Holy Spirit and his gifts operate in and through their lives.  The faith of a woman will move mountains, just the same as the faith of a man.  The fervent prayers of a righteous woman are just as effective as the fervent prayers of a righteous man.  We could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.   

The prophet Joel reveals that it was always God's plan for women to be spiritually active in his kingdom:

Joel 2:28 – "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions."

In the book of Acts, Luke gives us a record of women who operated in the gifts of Holy Spirit, just as men did:

Acts 21:8-9 -And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven; and abode with him.  And the same man had four daughters, virgins, who did prophesy.

Furthermore, Jesus clearly demonstrated that he approved of women in ministry.

Just a few days before his crucifixion, Jesus was eating dinner at the house of Simon the leper. While he was at the table, a woman came into the house, broke open an extremely expensive flask of perfume (Nard), and proceeded to minister to Jesus by anointing his head (Mark 14:3). The perfume would have run down his face/beard, shoulders and chest; his whole body was touched by it.

The men present at the dinner threw a fit.  They gave the woman a hard time; scripture says they 'murmured against her' which means they criticized what she was doing and insisted that she stop. 

Jesus responded by essentially telling the men to 'knock it off':

Mark 14:6 – But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me."

Let's consider this situation for a minute.  Scripture compares the relationship of Christ and the church to a human body.  Jesus is the head.  He does the thinking, he makes the decisions and he leads his body (the church) where he wants it to go.  We are his hands and feet here on earth, to obey/follow where Christ leads us. 

I Corinthians 12:27 – Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

So, when Jesus allowed this woman to anoint and minister to his physical body, it was a picture of her ministering to the spiritual body of Christ – the church.  Keep in mind that when men tried to stop her, Christ responded by saying "Leave her alone"!

We can conclude that since God does not make a spiritual distinction between men and women (and we have ample scripture to prove it), both can serve the body of Christ in whatever spiritual office Holy Spirit places them.  We find both men and women actively serving as preachers, teachers, missionaries, evangelists, worship leaders, council members, etc.

Some folks argue that women are to be silent in the church and this command excludes them from being pastors, teachers, etc.

1 Corinthians 14:34 - Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be submissive, as also says the law.

However, when examining the context of this statement of the apostle Paul, we find that he is merely advocating for order in the midst of the church service. Keep in mind that during that time, women were not educated in the synagogues like men were.

So if a woman had questions regarding the teaching/instruction given to the congregation, she was not to interrupt the service and question the speaker. Instead, she was supposed to ask her husband for clarification of the teaching after they were at home. In this way, order was maintained within the service.

Joshua 17:7-11 – The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the boundary goes along southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah on the boundary of Manasseh belonged to the people of Ephraim. The boundary went down to the brook Kanah.  Also in Issachar and in Asher Manasseh had Beth-shean and its villages, and Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of Dor and its villages and the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; the third is Naphath.

Here we have another long description of the cities, towns and villages that fell to the half tribe of Manasseh, west of the Jordan.  Again we will not seek to identify or pinpoint each individual site.  

However, it is worth noting that Ephraim inhabited some cities within the territory of Manasseh, while some of the people of Manasseh inhabited cities in Ephraim, Asher and Issachar.  As we discussed in our last post, this intermingling created a greater sense of unity among the tribes.

Joshua 17:12-13 – Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.  Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out. 

Which is true of the tribe of Manasseh – they 'would not' drive out the Canaanites, or they 'could not' drive them out? Is there a difference?  What do you think?

'Would not' implies that they had an opportunity to remove the Canaanites from their land, but they chose not to do it. Was that the case?

Yes, it was. God made it very plain from the beginning of the conquest (even in the battles fought in the trans-Jordan under Moses) that if his people would seek him and enter the battle by faith, he would give them victory over every foe they faced. As we have seen in the book of Joshua, God was true to his word.

Therefore, the fact that the Canaanites still dwelt in the inheritance of Manasseh leads us to conclude that Manasseh 'would not' do what was necessary to possess the totality of their inheritance.  It implies that they consciously chose not to pursue ultimate victory by partnering with God in faith.

What led to this decision?

The people of Manasseh began to shift their focus from eternal spiritual things to the things of this world. It was God's desire for them to completely remove the Canaanites from the land, and for a while Manasseh was diligent to step out in faith and accomplish that goal.

But eventually, they began to desire the things of this world more than the things of God; they became far more interested in cultivating the land and acquiring wealth than in fighting for the remainder of their inheritance.

As a result, their military skills grew rusty.  Worse yet, they no longer exercised their faith as they once did.  As they took their eyes off the Lord and focused on the things of this world, their fear of the Canaanites increased.  The enemy's strongholds and chariots of iron began to seem insurmountable.  They convinced themselves they could not win a war against their foes.

The end result is that they became both spiritually and physically 'out of shape' and unfit for battle.  Thus, their decision not to engage the enemy (would not) led to a situation where they were literally no longer capable of defeating the enemy (could not).

Eventually, this decision was repeated by all of the tribes of Israel, and it led to their downfall.  Because they did not remove the Canaanites from their territories, the Israelites began to accept and even embrace their idols and false gods.  In due course, Israel was sent into captivity because of these wicked practices.

We need to be on guard against falling into this same trap. 

Our first priority is to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength:

Mark 12:29-30 – Jesus answered, "The most important [commandment] is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'"

Our second priority is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31).

Once we have these priorities in place, it is perfectly fine for us to pursue and enjoy the things of this life. Despite what you may have heard in the past, God is not in favor of his people being poor.

In fact, the opposite is true - God loves to bless his people.  He declares that we are blessed going in and blessed going out.  He desires to bless everything that we set ourselves to accomplish.  Scripture says that God delights in blessing us. 

Deuteronomy 30:9-10 – The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground.  For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in the Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

In other words, it makes God happy to bless us! But that only happens when we follow God with all of our heart and soul.  If we make God and his desires our top priority, we won't fall into the trap of loving the things of this world more than the things of God.

Now is a good time to stop and examine your own life.  Are you spiritually out of shape?  If so, put yourself on a spiritual work-out routine – feast on the scriptures, spend time in prayer and exercise your faith.

Where are your priorities?  If God is not first, make some changes in your life right away!

Joshua 17:14 – Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua saying, "Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?"

At some point the elders of Ephraim and Manasseh came to Joshua with a complaint.  They alleged that the offspring of Joseph had so many descendants that the common/combined allotment of land given to them was insufficient for their needs.  They wanted Joshua to give them additional territory.

However, their complaint had no real basis. According to the census taken in Numbers 26, Ephraim numbered 32,500 and Manasseh 52,700. Considering that half of Manasseh had an inheritance east of the Jordan, their combined population was really only 58,850.

This number is significantly less than the men of Judah (76,500), the men of Dan (64,400) and the men of Issachar (64,300). Despite what they alleged, the tribes of Joseph really didn't need additional land. (It should also be noted that the land which they were assigned was some of the most fertile in the Promised Land.)

Many commentators believe that the elders of Ephraim wanted to take the lead as the governing tribe of the nation.  Accordingly, they felt that their tribe should receive a larger endowment because of its (perceived) importance or dignity.  And they probably felt they had a good chance of getting what they asked for, since Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim.

But Joshua (the embodiment of justice and fairness) unfailingly does what is right according to God's laws; he is not influenced by these elders.  In fact, he turns their own complaint against them.  

Joshua 17:15 –And Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."

Joshua doesn't mince any words with the elders of his tribe.  The lot which God had assigned them contained many pockets of Canaanites that had yet to be subdued.  Since they had such a vast army, they clearly had the power and resources to oust the Canaanites and thus expand their hold on the land. 

What they lacked was faith and courage. Clearly, they could easily have taken more land through war, but instead they stood by and insisted that someone else give it to them! The time and energy they needed for battle was wasted by grumbling and complaining.  Ephraim wanted to be the dominant/governing tribe, but they didn't want to pay the price of difficulty and hardship as they went to war.  They seem to exhibit a spirit of entitlement, which we often see in the world today. What a shame!

Fortunately for us, we have the parable of The Talents to warn us against this way of thinking.  Do you remember this parable of Jesus?  You can read the full story in Matthew 25, but the gist is that three men were each given some talents (10 or 5 or 1).  Those who used their talents received more; but the man who hid (did not use) his talent had it taken away from him:

Matthew 25:28-29 – So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

So instead of complaining about their portion (like the man with one talent), the men of Ephraim should have used what God gave them to increase their territory. God had obviously given them the allotment they were best suited for; they had plenty of man power to use in battle. And God no doubt wanted to challenge them in order to bring out their hidden potential.

As strange as it may sound, hardships are often a blessing because they teach us to trust in the Lord, to overcome circumstances and to persevere until we succeed.  Hardships build character, patience and confidence.  They bring our hidden talents to the surface.  The men of Ephraim and Manasseh forfeited all these blessings (as well as extra land) by refusing to use the tools/talents God had already given them.

Are there areas of your life that you want to change?  If so, don't fall into the trap of complaining, blaming others or expecting someone else to fight your battles.  Use the talents God has given you and watch him build your character, your testimony and your opportunities!

Joshua 17:16 – The people of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us.  Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel."

In order to avoid taking responsibility for their own situation, the elders of Ephraim and Manasseh resort to making excuses for not fighting their own battles. They contend that although the land of the plains is fertile and desirable, it is of no use to them because it is occupied by Canaanites with formidable iron chariots. How ridiculous!

The wars of the last seven years clearly showed that no enemy was capable of standing against God. Nothing the Canaanites possessed could prevent the Lord from giving victory to Ephraim and Manasseh, if only they would trust in him!  Again, the real issue here is that these tribes did not want to put forth the work and effort to obtain what they desired.

Joshua 17:17-18 – Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You are a numerous people and have great power.  You shall not have one allotment only, but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders.  For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong."

Joshua replies to the offspring of Joseph by repeating that it is not his intention that they should live in a portion of land that is too small for them.  However, he is not going to simply hand them a bigger portion.  They must not be intimidated by the enemy; they must stand up and use the strength and tools they have been given in order to extend their borders and enlarge their domain. 

Why do you suppose Holy Spirit preserved this conversation for us in the scriptures? 

I believe he did so because it is a picture of the church's position in the world.

Ephraim and Manasseh were in partial possession of their inheritance.  They needed to fight in order to extend their territory.  In fact, if they did not strengthen their position and continue to enlarge their borders, the Canaanites would soon be back to re-possess the land they did occupy.

Let's compare this to the spiritual realm.  The church has partial possession of the world; we dwell among the strongholds of satan, populated by lost souls.  If we do not pursue the salvation of these lost souls, they will definitely try to influence us to stop serving the Lord and turn to false idols.

Just as Ephraim and Manasseh had all the tools they needed to conquer more land, so the church has all it needs to expand the kingdom of heaven.  Here is a partial list of the tools God has given us:

• We have the authority of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).
• We have the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
• We have faith (Mark 11:22-24).
• We have prayer (5:16).
• We have the ability to fast (Matthew 17:19-21).
• We have heavenly languages (Mark 6:17, Acts 2:4).
• We have gifts of Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:7-11).

And we have the same promise made to the tribes of Israel - nothing is impossible with God (Mark 10:27)!

Think about it this way:  God had already given the Promised Land to his people.  But it was still up to them to enforce that victory and take possession of their inheritance.  In the same way, Jesus already defeated satan when he died on the cross and rose from the dead.  Now it is our job to enforce that victory here on earth by engaging the enemy in battle and winning souls to Christ.

We cannot sit idly by and wait for the return of Christ.  We can't expect the Lord to do all the work of the kingdom while we do nothing. Instead, we must enter into spiritual warfare and expand the boundaries of the kingdom of heaven.

The church must always keep one eye on our enemy, because if we fall asleep for even a moment, satan will try to re-take our hard-won victories.  As of right now, he has possession of our schools, our government and even some of our churches.  We cannot allow him to take any more territory from us; we need to aggressively take control of these institutions once again, so that Christ is lifted up and men and drawn to him.  We need to secure new boundaries for the future generations of our families. 

Jesus has commissioned us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every nation.  This is a mandate to expand our boundaries all over the world; it presents us with an unlimited field of conquest.  As we consider the battlefield, let's remember that Jesus promised to be with us always, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).  And if God is for us, who can be against us?

Let me give you some encouragement:

In today's post, we noted that the elders of Ephraim came to Joshua with a complaint – their possession was too small.  They wanted Joshua to assign their tribe more territory even though they had the power to subdue additional land themselves.

Joshua wisely refuses to expand their borders.  While this may seem harsh, it was for Ephraim's own good. To simply hand these people something they wanted without any effort or 'skin in the game' would only increase their sense of entitlement and their arrogance. It would allow them to continue being a weak tribe, always in need of support from the rest of the nation.

By encouraging them to fight for themselves, Joshua has done them a favor.  They are now set up to increase their confidence, faith and self-respect through their own hard work.  They will profit from their own experience; they will strengthen their fighting skills and their ability to strategize.  By winning the land for themselves, they will appreciate and value it to a greater degree.  And they will have additional land for the coming generations.

This has obvious implications for us in the natural realm. Like Ephraim, we need to work for what we desire to have, because work builds character. It gives us self-respect and confidence. We value the things we earn more than the things we are given, because we expended much of our own effort to attain them!

But I want to call the spiritual aspect of this principle to your attention as well.  Christians often look to others for prayer and spiritual guidance when faced with a battle.  Let me start by saying there is nothing wrong with that.  Even seasoned Christians benefit from having a prayer partner. 

I'm talking about the Christian who is still spiritually immature, despite years in the faith.  These Christians should be advanced enough to wage spiritual war by themselves, yet they are still so weak and inexperienced that they always run to someone else begging for prayer for their situation.  They have no experience in prayer, no knowledge of the word and no spiritual endurance even though they have been Christians for a very long time. 

If you know a Christian like this, continue to pray for them but also encourage them to develop their own spiritual skills and put on their own spiritual armor.  You will be doing them a huge favor!

Let me give you some relief:

In today's post we mentioned that the whole nation of Israel failed to drive the Canaanites out of their territory.  This was because they had their eyes on the world, rather than on the spiritual damage the Canaanites could do to them.  This was a mistake they lived to regret.

Take a few minutes to evaluate your own life. If God is not first in your life, make some changes while you still can!

Let me give you some strength:

Do you ever become angry or hopeless when you are confronted with challenges in life?  Do you ever wonder why you encounter hardships even though you are serving the Lord?   I know that I sometimes do!

That's why it is good for us to remember that God not only assigned each tribe its own allotment, he reserved challenges for each of them too.  These challenges were not to make them miserable, they were to bring out the divine potential that God had placed within them.

God has some challenges for us as well.  So the next time one comes your way, don't grumble and complain.  Lean into the Lord and trust that he is doing something substantial in your life through that hardship – he is bringing out your hidden potential and building your testimony.

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-16/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 16:1-4 – The allotment of the people of Joseph went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel.  Then going from Bethel to Luz, it passes along to Ataroth, the territory of the Archites. Then it goes down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea.  The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

Joshua chapter 15 gave us the boundaries for the tribe of Judah.  Chapters 16-17 give us the boundaries for the people of 'Joseph'. 

As we already mentioned, the twelve sons of Jacob became the tribes of Israel, with one exception – his son Joseph.  After being sold as a slave in Egypt, Joseph went on to become second in command under Pharaoh. 

Eventually, the people of Israel came to Egypt to buy grain during a famine, and they were reunited with Joseph who now had two sons.  Years later, as Jacob was dying, he declared that Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, would be considered his heirs just like his other sons:

Genesis 48:5 – And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I [Jacob] came to you in Egypt are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.

That is why we have the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh inheriting a territory in the Promised Land.  Their boundaries are mentioned together in the first four verses of this chapter.  Then, the specifics of Ephraim's inheritance will be given in verses 5-10, while the specifics of Manasseh's inheritance will be listed in chapter 16.

Before we get into this chapter, let's pause and ask ourselves a question:  Was there any significance to Judah being the first tribe to receive an allotment of land?  Is there any significance to the people of Joseph being the next tribe to receive an inheritance?  

In order to answer these questions, we need to understand the ancient Hebrew custom of the firstborn or the birthright.

Back in the day, the firstborn son was given certain unique rights, responsibilities and privileges. For instance, if anything should happen to the father/head of the family, he would take over.

He was considered preeminent over his siblings, which means he was first in everything – first in honor, first in importance, and first in authority. He was believed to represent the prime of his father's strength and vitality.

As a result, the firstborn not only received the best of the family inheritance, he also received a double portion or twice the amount that others got.

However, the rights of the firstborn (also called the birthright) were not necessarily guaranteed. They could be sold, transferred (Genesis 25:29-34) or lost.

Jacob's firstborn was Reuben and he was entitled to all of the blessings of the birthright.  But these were taken away from him because he committed a heinous sin.  He had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father's concubine (Genesis 35:22).  His actions demonstrated the utmost disrespect for his father and rebellion against his authority.  The entire family was disgraced because of this sin. 

Genesis 49:3-4 – Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the first-fruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.  Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it.

Because of his sin, Reuben forfeited the blessings of his birthright.  They were passed on to others, particularly his brother Judah but also the sons of Joseph.

We have clear evidence that the blessings of the firstborn rested upon Judah:

• Judah was the first to receive an inheritance in the Promised Land, which indicates his preeminence among the tribes.  As the first to receive a land allotment, Judah was considered to be the personification of the strength and vitality of Israel. 

• Jerusalem, the capital of the nation and the seat of national power/authority was located in the territory of Judah.  Again, this reflects the rights of the firstborn.

• The temple, and thus the presence of God, was also located in Judah, making them closer to God than any of the other tribes. We would expect Judah to be a leader in the religious life of Israel.

Why is all this so important?

It is important because the significance of the firstborn reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. All the implications of the firstborn's rights and privileges give us a picture of Christ's preeminence in the family of God and over all of creation.

Colossians 1:15-16 – He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers of authorities – all things were created through him and for him. 

In that same chapter of Colossians, Paul goes on to say that Christ is 'before all things' and that he 'holds all things together'.  He is the 'firstborn among many brothers' and sisters in the body of Christ (Romans 8:29), the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18) and the firstborn from the dead. 

In fact, Jesus is preeminent or first in everything – first in power, authority, dominion and glory (see also Ephesians 1:20-23, Hebrews 2:10-12).

Here is some good news: The blood of Christ made it possible for us to become 'born again', to be raised from death, and to inherit everlasting life in heaven with the Father. Jesus allows us to wield his authority on this earth in matters that pertain to his kingdom. Jesus was first in all things, and in many ways, he empowers us to be his 'second in command'. Are we taking advantage of that opportunity?

Now, let's circle back to our original questions:

Was there any significance to Judah being the first tribe to receive an allotment of land? 

Answer: Yes. Judah received the first and best allotment in the southern half of the Promised Land (along with the seat of national power/authority and the temple) because they had the rights of the firstborn. These rights were a picture of the rights that belonged to Jesus Christ, who was of the tribe of Judah.

Is there any significance to the people of Joseph being the next tribe to receive an inheritance?

Answer: Yes.  Although Joseph was the one of the younger sons of Jacob, he was the firstborn of Jacob's beloved wife Rachel.  As you know, he was the most loved of the twelve sons and the one who received the coveted 'coat of many colors'.

Genesis 37:3 – Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age.  And he made him a robe of many colors.

Joseph himself is an Old Testament picture of the person and work of Christ:

• Joseph was a shepherd (Genesis 37:2), Jesus is the great Shepherd (John 10). 
• Joseph was hated by his brothers (Genesis 37:4), Jesus was also hated by his brothers (John 1:11, Luke 19:14). 
• Joseph spoke of his future sovereignty (Genesis 37:7-12) and so did Jesus (Matthew 26:64). 
• Joseph's father sent him to find his brothers (Genesis 37:17), God sent Jesus into the world to find his brothers, the lost sheep of Israel (John 4:34, 6:38-40, 12:48-50). 
• The brothers of Joseph conspired against him (Genesis 37:18) as did the brothers (the Jews) of Jesus (Matthew 12:14). 
• Joseph became a servant (Genesis 39:1), Jesus was also a servant (Philippians 2:6-7).
• Joseph was cast into prison even though he was innocent (Genesis 39:20), Jesus was sentenced to death, although Pilate found no fault in him (John 19:4-6). 
• Joseph was cast into a pit (Genesis 37:24), Jesus was cast into a grave. 
• Joseph was taken out of the pit alive (Genesis 37:28), Jesus left the grave alive. 

The comparisons go on and on, but my point is that Joseph was also a firstborn son, and he was a type or example that was eventually fulfilled in the person of Christ.

So the blessings of the firstborn are also found (to a lesser degree) in the tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh).  Just as Judah received the first and best portion of land in the south of the Promised Land, Ephraim and Manasseh received the first and best portions of the land in the northern region of the Promised Land.

There is also clear evidence of the blessing of the double portion because the people of Joseph received double the land of any of the other 11 tribes.

Joshua 16:5-8  – The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon, and the boundary goes from there to the sea.  On the north is Michmethath.  Then on the east the boundary turns around toward Taanath-shiloh and passes along beyond it on the east to Janoah, then it goes down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, and touches Jericho, ending at the Jordan. From Tappuah the boundary goes westward to the brook Kanah and ends at the sea.  Such is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Ephraim by their clans.

The lots of Ephraim and Manasseh are not described in as much detail as the other tribes.  Their boundaries are still very specific, but there are no particular cities listed within their inheritance.  This causes some scholars to think that part of the original text has been lost, although there is no way to know this for certain.

In general, we can say that Ephraim's lot was north of the tribes of Benjamin and Dan and south of the half tribe of Manasseh.

 

Joshua 16:9 - ...together with the towns that were set apart for the people of Ephraim within the inheritance of the Manassites, all those towns with their villages.

Here we have an interesting statement.  It indicates that the people of Ephraim occupied a number of cities and towns which were actually within the allotment of Manasseh. 

What's up with that?

The most likely scenario is that the inheritance of Manasseh was too large for them; therefore, some of the cities on the border were given to their neighbor Ephraim who seemed to need more space.  Although that was probably true, let's dig a little bit deeper.

In Joshua 17, we find that the people of Manasseh occupied some of the cities in the territories of Issachar and Asher.  This would make no sense if the tribe of Manasseh already had too much territory.  This indicates that God must be doing something else here.  What do you suppose it is?

This overlapping at the borders of the tribes created a situation where the interests of one tribe were also the interests of their neighbor. In other words, if an enemy attacked the tribe of Asher, the interests of Manasseh were also threatened, because they had cities in that territory. As a result, both tribes would go to war together to defeat their common foe.

So the occupation of some cities by the neighboring tribe fostered a sense of unity among the people of Israel.

In some ways, we also find an early foreshadowing of the future time (during the era of the kings) when Israel will be split into two separate kingdoms – Israel (10 tribes) and Judah (2 tribes) - but that is a study for another day!

Joshua 16:10 – However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day, but have been made to do forced labor.

Gezer was a town on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and they specialized in trading.  Scripture tells us that the men of Ephraim did not annihilate them, but instead made the Gezerites servants of Israel.  The question is, what led to this arrangement?

One explanation is that when Ephraim went up to attack the city, the people of Gezer immediately surrendered and promised to abide by the laws of God.  For this reason, they were spared, but they were still made servants of the Israelites just as the Gibeonites were (see Joshua chapter 3), and presumably they would serve the Lord from that moment on (which did not happen).

Another explanation is that the men of Ephraim were unable to conquer the city of Gezer.  If that is true, then we must lay the blame at the feet of Ephraim, not the Lord who was both willing and able to give his people victory.  If this scenario is true, then we know that the men of Ephraim failed to fully follow God, just as the men of Judah did when they could not take the city of Jebus.

However, the noted historian Josephus gives us a different picture.  He says this:   

"They [the men of Ephraim] grew effeminate as to fighting any more against their enemies, but applied themselves to the cultivation of the land, which producing them great plenty and riches, they indulged in luxury and pleasure."

In other words, the men of Ephraim may have been unwilling to slay the men of Gezer due to laziness, greed or covetousness.  They preferred the easier and more profitable task of forcing the Gezerites into servitude.  Perhaps they wanted to take advantage of their knowledge and expertise in sailing, ship building and trading in order to enrich themselves.

If so, their wealth came at a great price for eventually, as the Lord warned them, they fell into idol worship, greed and oppression (Hosea 12:7-8).

Deuteronomy 20:16-18 - But of the cities of these people, which the LORD your God does give you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes: But you shall utterly destroy them as the LORD your God has commanded you: That they teach you not to do according to all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so that you should sin against the LORD your God.

Here is a trivia question for you:  Do you know who eventually destroyed the city of Gezer?  You can find the answer to that question at the end of today's post.

As we think about the Canaanites and Israelites living together in the land, we are put in mind of the New Testament parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-43).

In this parable, Jesus tells us that the righteous and the wicked will live together in close contact here on earth until he returns.  As Christians, we need to be mindful of this fact.  We don't want to be extremely close to the world, or sin may draw us away from God just as the Canaanites drew Israel away.  On the other hand, we don't want to completely remove ourselves from the world either, because it is our responsibility to share the gospel with the lost.  Each Christian must find and maintain that balance in their lives.

The Canaanites and Israelites dwelling together also gives us a picture of what occurs in our own hearts. 

Most of the Promised Land was conquered; it was under the control of Israel.  In the same way, the heart of a Christian has been conquered by Christ; sin has been removed from the throne of our heart and Christ now occupies that position.   

Nevertheless, sin still lurks in the dark corners of the life of a Christian, just as some of the Canaanites still lived in the Promised Land.  And just like the Canaanites, any sin or wickedness in our lives must be regarded as dangerous:

Romans 7:21-23 – So I [Paul] find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

The good news is that due to the work of God, the Canaanites were already a defeated foe; it was only a matter of time and effort until they were annihilated.  And because of the work of Christ, whatever sin still lies within the heart of a Christian is also a defeated foe and will eventually be exterminated. Praise God!

Let me give you some encouragement:

God had a purpose and a plan for each of the tribes of Israel.  He gave each of them a specific inheritance which was designed to both challenge and bless them. 

Unfortunately, there were cases where Israel failed to walk in the fullness of that plan.  Sometimes they were lazy, sometimes they lacked faith and sometimes they put their focus on the world, instead of God. 

This is a picture of our lives.  God has a purpose and plan for every one of his children, including you.  He wants to give you a spiritual inheritance that will both challenge and bless you. 

In order to walk in the fullness of those blessings, you and I must walk by faith and actively pursue the things of God.  We must remember to keep our eyes on the eternal realm, because this world is not our home. 

Let me give you some relief:

Obviously, the people of Israel made some poor decisions.  But God never gave up on them.  He continued to work in their lives as much as they would let him. 

The same is true for Christians.  Perhaps you have messed up or made a poor decision in life.  If that is the case, don't lose hope!  The Lord is standing by waiting for you to turn toward him.  He can take the mess you've made of your life and turn it around!  God can give you beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, if only you will allow him to work in your life (Isaiah 61:3)! 

Let me give you some strength:

In today's post we noted that the people of Ephraim occupied several towns within the tribe of Manasseh while Manasseh occupied cities within the territories of Asher and Issachar.  This created a bond between the tribes.  Because of these relationships, the individual tribes were united against their foes.

This is a picture of Christians within the local church.  We all have different backgrounds, but our faith creates a bond between us.  As we fellowship within the church body, we develop close bonds with each other.  When one of us experiences a trial or an attack from satan, our brothers and sisters are ready to come to our aid. 

This is a true blessing from God!  When you experience an attack from the enemy the support of your church family can make all the difference; it can ensure your victory.   If you aren't attending church on a regular basis you might want to re-think your decision, because at some point, you are going to need the assistance of other Christians.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Eventually, the city of Gezer was destroyed by the king of Egypt, who wanted to give the land to his daughter as a wedding present when she married King Solomon:

1 Kings 9:16 -For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burned it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-15/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 15:1 – The allotment for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south.

Welcome back, readers! The book of Joshua can be divided into two sections.  The first part tells us how God worked with his people to bring them into the Promised Land and helped them take possession of it by defeating the Canaanites. 

The second section of the book goes into great historical detail about the division of the land and the inheritance of each tribe. As we noted in our last post, the allotment of each tribe was determined by both lot and council.

The lot was determined by God and it designated the general location of each tribe within the land.  In other words, it determined which tribes would be by the Mediterranean Sea, which would be near the southern desert, which would be high in the mountains, etc. 

After that determination had been made, a council determined the exact borders of each tribe, based on the number of people in the tribe and other factors.  We also noted that the council was made up of a priest (Eleazar), Joshua, and one representative from each of the tribes who were going to inherit land west of the Jordan.  These men had been hand-picked by God before Israel ever even entered the land.

The tribe of Judah is the first to be assigned their inheritance.  The details are recorded here in chapter 15.

Joshua 15:2-4 – And their south boundary ran from the end of the Salt Sea, from the bay that faces southward.  It goes out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, passes along to Zin, and goes up south of Kadesh-barnea, along by Hezron, up to Addar, turns about to Karka, passes along to Azmon, goes out by the Brook of Egypt, and comes to its end at the sea.  This shall be your south boundary.

I want to begin by saying that our study is NOT going to involve an intricate study of each and every city mentioned in the text. There are two main reasons for this.

First of all, that is an exercise that would best take place in a classroom setting, where detailed maps could be seen by all.  But even in that environment this is a most difficult task, as numerous changes have taken place between then and now. 

Many of the ancient towns and villages had their names changed when ownership/possession changed. Other cities have been obliterated and lie buried beneath thousands of years of dirt and rubble with nothing to show where they were once located.

And to make things even harder, we have many instances where multiple cities adopted the same name, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint the exact locations of all the cities named in our text. (Nevertheless, it should be noted that we can identify enough of the cities and/or ruins to confirm the truth of the scriptures.)

Secondly, unless you are a professional bible scholar, that kind of detailed study won't bring you joy or bear a lot of spiritual fruit in your life.  Realistically speaking, it would be much more likely to cause you to fall asleep!

So instead of attempting to delineate the exact borders for this tribe, we will give a general description of its location.  If you want a more detailed study, you can find many wonderful maps and resources online.

The tribe of Judah occupied the southern-most portion of the Promised Land.  We know this because the description of the southern border of Judah given in Joshua 15 corresponds to the description of the southern border of the entire Promised Land, as detailed in Numbers 34:3-5.

Its southern border began next to the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea) and ran west all the way to the Mediterranean.

Joshua 15:5 – And the east boundary is the Salt Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan.  And the boundary on the north side runs from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

Judah's eastern boundary was determined by water – it began at the mouth of the Jordan River and extended southward down the length of the Salt (Dead) Sea.

Joshua 15:6-8 – And the boundary goes up to Beth-hoglah and passes along north of Beth-arabah, then the boundary goes up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the southern shoulder of the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem).  And the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the Valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.

These verses mention two important places which are found elsewhere in the scriptures:

Jerusalem:  We are all familiar with Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel.  Its original Canaanite name was Jebus after the Jebusites who built it.  Jebus was actually located on the boundary between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, on the summit of two rocky hilltops.

One of the hills was called Zion, which is why Jerusalem is also sometimes referred to as the city of Zion. This is a natural place for a fortified city because it is surrounded by ravines on three sides.The city actually extended to the next hill/mountain top called Mount Moriah, where the temple was eventually built by King Solomon.

Although each tribe (Benjamin and Judah) probably attacked the city of Jebus numerous times, neither one was able to fully drive out the Jebusites (Joshua 15:63, Judges 1:21).  As a result, the strong hold of Jebus remained in the hands of the Canaanites until the time of David.  After he conquered the city, he renamed it Jerusalem (city of peace/possession of peace) and made it the capital city of Israel.

Once David made the city Israel's capital, he also moved the tabernacle to that location.  Later, David's son Solomon built a permanent (and very lavish) temple for the Ark of the Covenant, which was where God's presence dwelt.  The temple was so incredible that it took seven full years to build it!

I Kings 6:37-38 – In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv.  And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications.  He (Solomon) was seven years in building it.

You can read all the details of the building in I Kings chapter 6. 

Unfortunately, Jerusalem did not remain in the hands of the Jews forever.  Because the Jews cast God aside and worshiped false idols, God sent them into exile.  This occurred in 586 BC.  At that time, the city and the temple were both destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians. 

After 70 years the captivity ended and the city and the temple were eventually rebuilt during the time of Nehemiah, although they had none of their former splendor.

Hundreds of years later, during the time of Jesus, Jerusalem was ruled by the Romans.  Herod the great, king of Judea, had invested enormous sums of time, labor and money remodeling the temple in hopes of winning political support from the Jews.  For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as Herod's temple. 

However, all his efforts were for nothing. Eventually the Jews rebelled against him anyway and during the insurrection, Titus and his troops destroyed both Jerusalem and the second temple. These events occurred in 70 AD.

Although the city recovered and still thrives today, the temple was never rebuilt.  Nevertheless, we know that one day it will be, because a third temple will be in place during the great tribulation period, spoken of in the book of Daniel (Daniel 11:1).  

Valley of Hinnom:  This valley was a deep and narrow ravine on the south side of Jerusalem.  Its name means 'son of Hinnom'.  It was probably named after a hero among the Canaanites, although we know nothing about him or his exploits. 

During the era of the kings, an evil image of the pagan god Molech (the god of the Ammonites) was set up in this valley.  King Ahaz, King Manasseh and many of the common Jews sacrificed their children to this demonic power (II Chronicles 28:3, II Chronicles 33:6, Jeremiah 7:31-32). 

The image was set up on a particular spot within the valley which eventually became known as Tophet (Hebrew for timbrel) because drums and/or percussion instruments were constantly played there to drown out the screams of the dying children.  

When Josiah (one of the few righteous kings) came to power, he purged Israel of almost all idol worship.  He desecrated the valley and tore down the image of Molech, so that no more children could be sacrificed there (II Kings 16:1-15).

From that point forward, the valley of Hinnom became the common cesspool for the city. Raw sewage was pumped there and eventually it was carried off by the waters of the Kidron River.

The valley was also used as a public cemetery.  The fortunate were buried in tombs cut out of the mountainside.  The bodies of criminals and dead animals were often simply dumped there without any burial at all.  However, this wasn't much of an issue since the valley also served as the general garbage dump for the city.

Fires were kept constantly burning there in order to try and consume anything combustible.  Wild dogs often scavenged there.  Can you picture the constant fires, the rotting bodies and the swarms of insects and worms?  Can you imagine the smell?  All in all, it was a place of horrors.  No Jew could enter it without becoming ceremonially unclean. 

The Jews associated this valley with two clear ideas. One was the suffering of the victims (children) that had been sacrificed there. The other was perpetual filth and corruption. Thus, the valley of Hinnom eventually became a symbol of destruction and punishment – the place of the wicked/damned which burned with perpetual fire.

The Hebrew word 'Hinnom' is translated as 'Gehenna' in the New Testament (because the New Testament was written in Greek). Both words are translated as 'hell' in our English bibles. Thus, we have a picture of hell as a stinking, fiery place of death, destruction and perpetual despair. The word is used in the context of future punishment by Jesus himself on several occasions (Matthew 23:33, Mark 9:43 &45, Luke 12:5, etc).

As you read through the Old and New testaments, you will certainly see multiple references to Jerusalem as well as Hinnom/Gehenna or hell.

Joshua 15:9-12 – Then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and from there  the boundary comes to an end at the sea. And the west boundary was the Great Sea with its coastline.  This is the boundary around the people of Judah according to their clans.

Verses 9-12 mention a number of cities and landmarks, but the end result is that the southern boundary of the tribe of Judah ended at the Mediterranean Sea, while the coastline of the sea was Judah's western boundary.

Joshua 15:13 – According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). 

In verses 13-19, we have another reference to the special request that Caleb made back in chapter 14. As you recall, Caleb and the elders of the tribe of Judah approached Joshua about a promise that was made to Caleb 45 years earlier.

At that time, Moses told Caleb that because of his faith in God, he would eventually win a victory over the giants that lived in Hebron and he would inherit the city and its surrounding land as his own possession.���

As we saw in chapter 14, Joshua listened to the claim of Caleb and ruled in his favor.  This is exactly what we would expect, since Joshua was present on the occasion in question and he no doubt fully remembered the promise.

Joshua 15:14 – And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.

The scripture gives us the names of four giants, however, there were likely many more than just four.� Each of the men listed in this verse were chiefs - the heads of families or branches of families within the race of Anakim.� Therefore, it is almost certain that there were many more giants than just these four.�

Regardless of the number, Caleb and the men of Judah were successful in driving the giants from Hebron and its surrounding territories.  Their success was based on working hand-in-hand with God and their utter dependence on him: 

Joshua 14:12 - Now therefore give me this mountain, of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

It is perfectly clear that Caleb and the men of Judah defeated the Anakim.  In fact, we have an almost verbatim record of their victory in Judges 1:10-15.  This second account in the book of Judges raises some questions among scholars. Let me explain.

As you recall from one of our earlier posts, the writers in the ancient east did not always present information in chronological order.  Instead they grouped similar or related events together.  This is where the question arises. 

The events in the book of Joshua occurred during the conquest of the land.  Since one record of Caleb's victory is listed here, the assumption is that he drove the Anakim out of the land during that period of time.

However, the book of Judges deals with events that occurred years later - after the death of Joshua.  Since Caleb's victory is also listed there (almost verbatim) this raises the question of when he defeated the giants. 

Commentators have offered various theories in answer to this question:�

• One theory says that Caleb defeated the giants and their offspring during the conquest of the Promised Land.� Those who believe this theory claim that the writer of the book of Judges was using some of the same source materials as the writer of Joshua, and he included this event in his writing because it was pertinent to his overall subject matter.� (Some of the prominent themes of Judges include Israel's need for godly leaders, the importance of God's law as our standard for living, faith in God's promises, God's faithfulness to his people, etc).�

• A second theory says that Caleb did not defeat the Anakim until after the death of Joshua, which means that the victory in Hebron actually occurred during the era of the judges.� This theory maintains that Caleb's victory was recorded in the book of Joshua because it was historically and geographically linked to the conquest of the land, even though it took place years later.

• A third theory says that conquering Hebron and defeating the Anakim was a two-step process.� Those who believe this theory say that during the initial conquest of the land, Caleb 'chased away' or 'drove out' enough of the giants for him to occupy Hebron.� However, the giants returned and re-took the city.� Then, after the death of Joshua, Caleb and the men of Judah once again conquered the city and at that time, they put the giants to death.

Regardless of which theory you believe is correct, the end result is the same – Caleb believed the promises of God and stepped out in faith to battle the giants.  As he did, God gave him the victory!

Joshua 15:15 –And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir.  Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher.

After his victory at Hebron, Caleb went to war against the Canaanites in Debir.� Although there were actually three different cities of that name, Caleb was fighting with the one that was about 10 miles south of Hebron.�

Debir was also referred to as 'Kirjath-Sannah' which means the city of law/city of sacred learning.  And Debir had a third name as well - 'Kiriath-sepher' which means 'book city'.  This city is believed to have been an ancient seat of Canaanite learning.  It may have had a university or a famous library which contained a depository of the sacred books of the Anakim.

Joshua 15:16-17 – And Caleb said, "Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife."  And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it.  And he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.

In ancient Israel, the fathers assumed the absolute right to choose a marriage partner for their children.� There are many examples of this in the Old Testament, although capturing a city was not always a requirement for marriage!

From Caleb's point of view, this public offer was a sound decision.  It would ensure that the future husband of his daughter was a strong and courageous man.  It also meant that his future son-in-law knew how to hear the Lord and follow him, because that was the only way anyone could defeat the fortifications of Debir.

Scripture tells us that the man who was successful was the brother of Caleb.  In the Old Testament, 'brother' was a generic term that meant 'close male relative'.  Those who have traced the family lines tell us that Othniel, son of Kenaz was actually Caleb's nephew.  This meant that Achsah married one of her cousins, not an elderly uncle.

Interestingly, God not only used this circumstance to bless Othniel, he also used it as a training exercise.  In the book of Judges, we find that after the death of Joshua, the Israelites abandoned the Lord and served false idols.  For this reason, God allowed them to be oppressed by a foreign power.  When they repented and sought the Lord, God used Othniel to deliver them.  He was the very first judge of Israel (Judges 3:7-11).

Joshua 15:18-19 – When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field.� And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?"� She said to him, "Give me a blessing.� Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water."� And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

The day came when it was time for Achsah to leave her father's house and be the wife of Othniel.  As she was leaving, she unexpectedly dismounted her donkey and approached her father.  Caleb could see that she clearly had something on her mind, so he asked her what she wanted.

She acknowledges that her father had given her 'land in the Negeb'.  This means Caleb gave the couple a parcel of land which had a southern exposure.  As such, it was comparatively arid and barren.  Therefore, she asked her father to also give her the adjoining parcel, which had a spring of water on it.  This would make all of their land fruitful and valuable. 

Caleb not only grants her request, he gives her twice as much as she asked for - he gives her both the upper and lower springs. 

This is a picture of the generosity of God.� If earthly parents are ready and willing to bestow good gifts on their children, how much more will our heavenly Father do for us?� The apostle Paul discusses this very idea in the book of Romans:

Romans 8:31-32 – What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Think about these verses for a minute.  The blood of Christ is priceless.  It is the only thing that can redeem us from sin, and there was no way we could possibly obtain it for ourselves.  We could only receive it as a gift from God. 

If God, our loving heavenly Father, has already given us the most expensive and precious gift possible, why would he withhold lesser things from us?

Achsah found herself in a situation where she needed something extra to make her land fruitful.  Because of the good relationship she had with her father, she felt confident reaching out and asking him for a blessing.  He responded by giving her double what she requested.

What areas in your spiritual life and/or natural life are unfruitful?� What do you need in order for that to change?� Because of your relationship with Christ, you should feel comfortable in asking God for what you need.� Because of your faith in him, you should feel confident that he will freely and generously supply whatever you need.

Joshua 15:20-32 – This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans.  The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, � Ain and Rimmon:  In all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

Joshua 15:33-47 - And in the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, � and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages.  Libnah, Ether, Ashan, � Ekron, with its towns and its villages; from Ekron to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.  Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages, to the Brook of Egypt, and the Great Sea with its coastline.

Joshua 15:47-63 -And in the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, � In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, � and Engedi: six cities with their villages. But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

In this chapter we find a list of 114 cities that stood in the territory of the inheritance of Judah.  (Although it should be noted that later on, some of these cities will be reassigned to the tribe of Simeon and the tribe of Benjamin). 

The list definitely served as a historical record.  But it had another purpose as well – it was a challenge.  The list was to inspire the people of Judah to continue trusting the Lord and fighting their enemies until all these cities were possessed by them. 

The wars that Israel had already fought should have taught them one thing: God wanted Israel to have success and he was ready to assist them in both ordinary and supernatural ways to take possession of the land.  The only thing left for them to do was to accept God's offer by rising up and going to war. 

Yet, we find that many of the cities on this list remained in the hands of the Canaanites.  We make particular note of the cities of Ekron, Ashdod and Gaza because these were three of the five cities of the Philistines, who were long and bitter enemies of Israel.  Jerusalem, the holy city of God, was also on this list. 

There can be no doubt that Israel was responsible for the failure in taking possession of these cities.� Had they done everything God commanded them and exerted all their strength against these opponents and still failed, dishonor would have fallen on God and his word.� We know that this could never be the case; God had promised that he would continue with them until they had full possession of all the Promised Land.

Therefore, our only conclusion is that Israel did NOT fully comply with all that God commanded and/or they did not continue fighting until their foes were vanquished.  Whether through laziness, fear, weariness or unbelief they allowed many of the Canaanites to dwell alongside them in their inheritance.

How does this apply to us? 

We know that the battles Israel faced in taking the Promised Land are a picture of the spiritual warfare we face in this generation. 

With that in mind, what cities, territories or people groups has God assigned to your home church or your ministry?� Are you actively seeking wisdom and direction from God on how best to conquer that stronghold?� Have you drawn up a battle plan and set it in motion?

I admit, these are some really tough questions.  But I encourage each one of us to consider them.  We know that if we follow the leading of God, step out in faith and fight the enemy, God will give us victory.  So, let's press our attack against the enemy and gain victory for Christ!

Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:

Victory in our lives can only be obtained through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Have you established that relationship with him yet?  It's not a hard thing to do;   the bible tells us that if we confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God has raised him from the dead, we are saved:

Romans 10:9-10 - � if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 

If you believe Jesus is Lord and you want to establish a relationship with him right now, please pray this prayer out loud:

Dear Jesus, I confess to you that I am a sinner.� I am sorry for all the wrong things I have done and I ask you to forgive me.� I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross and rose again, and that your blood paid the price for my sin.� I invite you to come into my heart and life and to be my Lord and Savior.� I commit myself to you right now.� Thank you for saving me from death and giving me the gift of eternal life.� Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and sincerely meant it, then you have received the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ!  Please share this good news with some of your friends and family.

Your next steps are to find a local church to attend, read your bible and continue to fellowship with God in prayer. �As you grow in your faith, God will teach you how to fight for him in the spiritual realm.

/Blog/Blog-With-Us/SHOWERS/joshua-chapter-14/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Joshua 14:1-2 – These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel gave them to inherit. Their inheritance was by lot, just as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes.

In chapter 13, we were given a description of the division of the land east of the Jordan River.  This land was given to the Transjordan tribes – Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. 

The book of Joshua now goes on to describe the division of the official Promised Land (west of the Jordan River) among the remaining tribes.  After a brief introduction in verses 1-5, the author will pause in his narrative and give us an update on the story of Caleb.  The official record of land distribution will then resume in chapter 15.

The author begins with a statement that seems like a contradiction - we are told that the land was divided by a council, yet we are also told it was awarded by lot.  Which was it?  Could it be possible that both were used to determine the inheritance of the tribes?

Let's begin by examining the council.

Eleazar the priest was on the council because he represented God's authority. As evidenced by the recent victories in war, the nation of Israel was not directed by the earthly wisdom of men; it was governed by the will of God. Therefore, God would certainly have a representative on the council. Because he was a priest of God, he was considered honest, just and fair.

Joshua was on the council because he was the supreme authority in all civil matters relating to the nation.  The people of Israel had already pledged their allegiance to him, so they would trust his decisions in this matter.

Ten representatives (one from each of the tribes who were going to split the land west of the river) were also selected for this committee. You can find their full names in Numbers 34:19-28. Obviously, Reuben and Gad did not have a representative as they had already received their inheritance.

It is important that we understand that these ten officials were not selected by popular vote. They were not chosen because of friendship with Joshua or kinship to Eleazar. There were specifically commissioned by God to perform the task of dividing the land.

Therefore, the people of the nation could be assured that no fraud or deceit was practiced in the division of the land.  No matter what territory they wound up with (and no matter what its size), they could be assured that it was the exact land that God chose to give them.

Now back to our original question – how can it be said that the land was divided by a council and yet by lot?

In our last post we pointed out that God does not give gifts that are one-size-fits-all.  He gives specific gifts to specific people.  In this case, God had a specific region that he desired to give to each unique tribe.  For instance, some tribes were going to wind up on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, where they could facilitate shipping and trading.  Some tribes would inherit land high in the mountains, which were rich in timber and ore.  Some would inherit foothills perfect for vineyards.  Others would have extremely fertile land perfect for farming and grazing. 

The lot was used to determine the general area/location of each specific tribe (by the sea, in the mountains, south toward the desert, etc). 

Although we are not specifically told how the lot was cast, most scholars believe it was done according to the pattern that was used during the lifetime of Moses (Numbers 27:21, Deuteronomy 17:9).

This meant that the lot was cast by the priest (Eleazar) at the entrance to the tabernacle.  With the council in attendance, two vessels were prepared for the casting of the lot.  One held the names of the tribes, while the other held descriptions of the various locations.    

As civil leader of the nation, Joshua would pull the name of a tribe from one vessel.  He would then approach Eleazar and request that he ask the Lord to assign them a location.  After consulting with the Lord, Eleazar would draw a lot from the second vessel, which determined the area/location for that tribe with the ten representatives witnessing the procedure.  Thus, the location of each tribe was determined by the will of God through the lot.

The role of the council/committee was to determine the borders of each territory that had been determined by God through the lot. The size or number of people in the tribe as well as their individual economic strengths/talents had a great deal to do with their decisions.

For example, the lot placed the tribe of Benjamin right next to the tribe of Judah, with Judah being much bigger (having a greater population).  It was up to the council to determine where the border would fall between these two tribes.  Based on population and other factors, they would determine which cities, pastures, bodies of water, etc fell into the territory of each tribe. 

This explains how the land was divided by lot (which determined the general location of each tribe) as well as by the council (which determined the actual borders of each tribe, based on need and strengths).

This unique method of division prevented any jealousy, animosity or quarrels among the tribes in regard to the quality of their land, the quantity of their inheritance or the number of Canaanites still living in their new territory.

As we will see in the next chapter, some of these borders were adjusted as the land was conquered (Numbers 26:53, 33:54). We will also see in the next chapters that the casting of the ten lots did not all occur on the same day. The tribe of Judah drew the first lot and it seems as though they were settled in their inheritance before others were drawn. We will also see that the camp/headquarters of Israel was moved from Gilgal to Shiloh.

Joshua 14:3-4 – For Moses had given an inheritance to the two and one-half tribes beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and their substance.

This is the third time that note has been made of the fact that the Levites did not inherit a specific territory.  It is also yet another reminder that Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh received land east of the Jordan.  No further comment is necessary on these verses because we have already examined them at length.

Joshua 14:5 – The people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses; they allotted the land.

The process of dividing the land into general locations was probably more difficult than it seems. In our day, we would send a drone over the territory, feed the data into a computer and wind up with a detailed map that showed all the specifics of the land. And we could do it all from the comfort of our own home!

But back in that day, the only option was to send groups of men out with pencil and paper to lay eyes on the land. They had to manually chart thousands and thousands of acres of land, making note of the landscape (hills, mountains, valleys), the resources (vineyards, standing timber, mines, pasture lands, etc) and bodies of water. They would also have recorded the number, size and value of the major cities. No doubt note was also made of how many Canaanites were still occupying these territories.

We are not told how much time was taken up in the task of examining the land.  However, we know that it did happen: the divisions were made, accepted by the council/committee, placed into the vessel and set before the priest so the lot could be cast as commanded by God.

Joshua 14:6 – Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal.  And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me."

The author interrupts his account of the division of the land with a narrative about Caleb, son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah.

Basically, Caleb is about to stake a personal claim on the city of Hebron and its surrounding territory.  The claim that Caleb is making is based on a verbal promise from Moses, who has now been dead for quite some time. 

At this point, what we want to understand is the time-frame connected to Caleb's request. The author tells us 'then' Caleb and some of the men of Judah came to see Joshua. What time-period is the author referring to?

Keep in mind that Western cultures (like ours) always present events in chronological order. Because of this, you and I would assume that Caleb approached Joshua with his request just as the lots were being cast at the tabernacle.

However, writers in ancient Eastern cultures did not write that way.  They often presented information by lumping relevant people, ideas or events together, regardless of when they occurred.  Therefore, we cannot assume that Caleb's request occurred when the lots were being cast.  It is probably mentioned here simply because it relates to the division of the land west of the Jordan.

In fact, as we examine his claim, it becomes very clear that this request was made much, much earlier than the casting of the lots.  As we will see, circumstances dictate that it had to have occurred during the years of warfare, before the period of rest and before God prodded Joshua to divide the land.

So, at some point during the period of active warfare, Caleb approaches Joshua at the camp in Gilgal along with several of the other leaders of Judah.  He proceeds to bring up a conversation that occurred just after Israel refused to enter the Promised Land the first time.

Joshua 14:7-9 – "I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart.  But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God.

As you recall, Moses sent 12 men to spy out the Promised Land before Israel entered it. When they returned, Joshua and Caleb encouraged the people to move forward immediately, because God was giving them a good land, flowing with milk and honey.

But ten of the spies brought back an evil report of a land that had well-trained troops and fortified walls.  They were particularly afraid of the giants which they saw in the land (Numbers 13:33).  They discouraged Israel and blasphemed God by saying there was no hope of conquering the land. 

During this whole discussion between Israel and the spies, Joshua and Caleb argued numerous times that Israel should be courageous and trust in God.  He had promised them the land; there was no reason to fear the people of Canaan or the giants who lived there:

Numbers 14:9 – Only do not rebel against the Lord.  And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.

It has been speculated that during these discussions, when the ten spies made mention of the Anakim (giants) in order to frighten the people, Caleb responded by saying that he would attack the giants of Hebron himself, and keep their land as his inheritance, provided the rest of the Israelites would agree to step out in faith and enter the land.  

Israel refused to take Caleb up on his offer to slay the giants of Hebron.  However, God heard it, and he rewarded Caleb's faith by promising him and his descendants 'the land on which your foot has trodden' for an inheritance forever:

Joshua 14:9 - And Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.'"

Although the city of Hebron is not specifically mentioned by Moses, the context of the conversation implies this was the case (Numbers 14:24.  See also Deuteronomy 1:36).  Furthermore, Joshua (who was present at the time) clearly believes and acknowledges that God's promise to Caleb referred to the city of Hebron.

This 45-year-old promise is the reason Caleb has come to see Joshua.  Despite the long delay, he still plans to slay the giants of Hebron and take their land as his possession.  What remarkable faith he has!

Joshua 14:10 – "And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness.  And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old."

Let's pause and think about this meeting for a moment.

We have Joshua and Caleb, the two oldest men in Israel and the only survivors from their generation.  The mere sight of them must have been a testimony to the younger generation because their very presence was proof of God's judgment concerning the unbelieving generation (who were all dead), as well as his gracious promises to those who put their faith in his word. 

And despite the passage of more than four decades, Joshua and Caleb were just as strong, just as energetic, just as mentally sharp, and just as youthful as they had been in their prime. Their youth was obviously a blessing from God for their faith in his promises.

As we think about Joshua, Caleb and the other ten spies, we are reminded that each of us carries the ability to influence others.

One of the ways we influence others is through our words.  The effects of what we speak can be very profound.  The ten spies are a perfect example.  Their testimony to Israel was one of fear and defeat.  Despite the fact that God had never broken a promise to them, they did not believe he would take them into the land and help them defeat the Canaanites and the Anakim.  The fear, worry and unbelief that they spoke infected the rest of the nation like a plague!  As a result, the men of that generation died while wandering in the wilderness. 

In the same way, your words can influence those around you.  This might be a good time to stop and consider what you are saying.  Are your words building people up in their faith?  Are you using your daily conversations to testify about God keeping his promises to you?  Are you dispelling fear and doubt in those you speak to at work, school or out in the public arena?  If not, you should consider changing your ways:

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

We can also influence those around us through our actions. Caleb was so confident about defeating the giants, he set up that special meeting with Joshua, taking the leaders of Judah with him. After receiving Joshua's approval, he moved forward in faith and confidence to take Hebron, even though he was 85 years old! His actions sent a message to all of Israel – if Caleb can slay the giants with the help of God at age 85, what is possible in my life? Why do I fear the giants?

Consider your own actions for a moment.  What are you doing to build faith in your family and friends?  Are you fearlessly praying?  Are you voting?  Are you financially supporting the gospel?  Passing out copies of God's word?  Debating issues in the public sector that display your faith in God?  If not, why not look for ways to be involved?

Joshua 14:11 – "I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming."

Caleb adamantly asserts that he is just as strong and virile at 85 years of age as he was at 40, due to the mercy of God. Therefore, despite his age, he is still ready and willing to march forth and fight with the giants of Hebron.

In doing so, he will glorify God and create a testimony for the rest of the nation.  He will also give God an opportunity to bless him as he steps out in faith to take on the enemy.

Joshua 14:12-13 – "So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities.  It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said."  Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.

It is obvious from these verses that the city of Hebron and its surrounding territory had not yet been subdued by Israel as they were still full of terrifying giants.  This confirms the fact that the meeting between Joshua and Caleb did not take place during the time when the lots were cast; it occurred as Israel was still gaining possession of the land. 

In fact, it must have occurred just before the battle against the five kings of the south, as recorded in Joshua 10:36-37.  Although the account of the war in chapter 10 does not specifically mention Caleb, we are told in Joshua 15:13-14 that Caleb was the man who killed the giants of Hebron.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  In the initial meeting between Joshua, Caleb and the men of Judah, Caleb is basically asking Joshua for two things:

One, that he be given the chance to fight/slay the giants of Hebron. This was an opportunity that he should have had 40+ years earlier, and despite the long delay, he never gave up hope that he would one day have the chance to defeat them in battle.

This shows that Caleb had a promise from God down deep in his heart and he wasn't going to let it go, no matter how long it took!  I am sure there were days when it seemed like his opportunity was never going to come, but he didn't let his faith fail.  Despite the circumstances, he never gave up.  

I think that he kept that promise alive by meditating on it all the years that Israel wandered in the wilderness.  I bet he laid in bed at night, making battle plans and rehearsing his victory as he fell asleep under the stars.  And now his faith was being rewarded with that long awaited opportunity!

Two, Caleb was also asking for an assurance from Joshua that when he slew the giants of Hebron, the land would be his personal inheritance.

Up until this point, all the land that was conquered was waiting to be divided up among the nation.  Caleb did not want Hebron to get lumped into the general territory of one of the tribes.  That particular piece of real estate had been promised to him by God and he wanted to make sure there would be no question of ownership after he conquered it. 

After listening to his request, Joshua blessed Caleb. In other words, he acknowledged his right to the city of Hebron, consented to his making a conquest of it, and also prayed for his friend and colleague to have favor with God, who would give him victory in this endeavor.

All of these interactions took place in the presence of the men of Judah, who served as witnesses to Caleb's right to Hebron.  (Also, because Caleb was the representative of Judah on the council that divided the land, it was best to have these witnesses so that people did not suspect anything underhanded was happening when it came time to divide the land.)

Joshua 14:14 – Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.

Those who follow the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength are always blessed of God.  They will always be victorious in the kingdom of God and they will always serve as a righteous testimony not only to those around them, but to future generations as well.  Hallelujah!

Joshua 14:15 – Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim).� And the land had rest from war.

Kiriath-arba literally means 'the city of the four'.  This city is believed to be so named because of four exceptionally powerful giants (Anakim) who either founded the city or conquered it.  It is further believed that the four were three brothers along with their father:

Numbers 13:22 And they ascended through the South, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

As we will see in our study of chapter 15, Caleb will indeed be victorious over these giants.

The writer ends this chapter by coming full circle back to the time when Israel had finished its general conquest of the land and was enjoying a period of rest, when God prodded Joshua to assemble the council and divide the land.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

God never, ever fails to keep any of his promises.  However, their fulfillment isn't always instantaneous.  The entire book of Joshua is an example of this. 

God had promised to give Israel the land and he absolutely did - but not overnight.  The Israelites had to fight, rest and fight again on numerous occasions over a 5-7 year period.  During that entire time, God fought alongside his people, protecting them, providing for them, giving them wisdom and assisting them in battle until the promise was fulfilled.

The story of Caleb presents us with another example.  God had promised to give Caleb the territory of Hebron, the land of the four formidable giants.  Due to the unbelief of Israel, that promised was delayed 45 years. 

But God's promise was not affected by Israel's folly.  God went so far as to give Caleb miraculous youth until such time as he was able to grant him the promise.

What promise(s) has God given to you? Are you still holding to them tightly, dreaming about them at night and waiting on God to make them possible? If you have a promise from God that seems to be taking forever, I strongly encourage you to stay in faith, because your story isn't over yet – God will prevail in your situation!

Let me offer you some relief:

We sometimes have a tendency to think that God is unable to fulfill a promise because of a mistake or failure on our part.  As a result of that kind of thinking, we give up on the promise God gave us. 

Do you realize that that kind of thinking makes you greater and more powerful than God? Seriously – think about it. If you have the ability to thwart or demolish the promises/plans of God by simply making a mistake, what does that say about God?

If the enemy has duped you into thinking that way, let me give you some relief – God is bigger, greater and more powerful than your mistakes and he is well able to keep the promises that he made to you! 

So stop believing the lies of satan.  Ask the Lord for forgiveness and allow him to restore hope within your soul for the thing he has promised to you.  Once you get it back, never let go until you experience its fulfillment.

Let me offer you some strength:

What is strength? Webster's dictionary defines it as the ability to do or to bear; the capacity for exertion or endurance whether physical, intellectual or moral.

Given this definition, we can conclude that:

• God gave Joshua the strength to lead Israel over the Jordan, into the land, and through 5-7 years of constant warfare.

• God gave Caleb miraculous strength and youth so he could defeat the giants.

• God will also give you the mental, physical, emotional and financial strength you need in order to fulfill the destiny that he has designed for you!