Joshua 22:1-9 – Keep the finishing line in focus

In Joshua 22:1-9, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half a tribe of Manasseh were summoned by Joshua and commended for keeping their words. While on their journey into the promised land, they saw a good pasture land in the east of Jordan. Since they had lots of sheep, they wanted to settle in the land. Moses told them they could have it only if they would first help their brethren in the other tribes to conquer Canaan. Then they could return to possess the land they had requested. They had kept their words and helped the other tribes to subdue the land of Canaan. So, Joshua allowed them to return to possess their inheritance. Here, we learn the need to keep our words. We must let our words be our bond. Ability to keep what we have promised is an indication of our integrity. We are only as good as our words.  The Lord Jesus tells us that we should make sure our yes is yes, and our no is no. Anything else would be needless and excessive. So, let’s be people of our words.

Joshua was a God-fearing man. As a leader, he cared for his followers. He did not only care when they were in his presence, but he also made it his business to ensure that they would not fall into errors in his absence. At this point in time, he was advanced in years and aware that he did not have much time. Before he broke camp, he wanted to ensure that the people of Israel would stay the course with God. He wanted to remind them to be faithful to the Lord who had brought them into the promised land. His purpose was to help them remember the glory of the Lord, whom they served. This would ensure that they keep the work of God vibrant. So here he warned them of three things they ought to look out for.

Firstly, he admonished them not to be complacent. He was afraid that the people would take the law of God for granted. So, in the first part of verse 5, he exhorted them to “be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you….” Like the children of Israel, self-centeredness and self-absorption can also be the two common maladies of today. It is true that many, even believers of today, do have a short concentration span. They are quickly attracted by the fads of this world. If we are to finish our journey with distinction, we need to stay focused and remain true to the Word of the Lord. We should never neglect but to study and search God’s inspired Word, that can make us wise to the way of salvation. Through them, we will learn to walk in God’s righteous ways.  

Secondly, he exhorted them not to compromise. So, he told them to love the Lord their God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments. Just like the Israelites, the world with its many voices is also vying for our attention. If our eyes are not fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith, we may run into the tendency of running aimlessly in different directions. We must make it our objective to stay the course and not allow anything to distract us from our mission.

Thirdly, he challenged them into a deeper commitment. Joshua was afraid that they would relax in their fervency and not fully embrace the Lord as they should. Remember what Jesus said, he who sets his hand on the plough and looks back is not worthy of the kingdom. Let’s stay committed and do what the last part of verse 5 exhorts us to do, to “…hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Joshua 21 – Taking care of the Lord’s ministers

Joshua 21 is one of the longer passages regarding the allocation of cities. It is about the allocation of cities to the Levites. It took place at Shiloh. As we know, Moses and Aaron were biological brothers. They came from the tribe of Levi. Aaron was sent by God to assist Moses in leading the people out of the bondage of Egypt. He was appointed as the priest to the nation of Israel. The names of Aaron’s three sons were Kohath, Gershon, and Merari.  In this chapter, we also see how the different tribes of Israel selflessly contributed cities to the descendants of these three sons of Aaron.

According to the command of the LORD, the descendants of Kohath received twenty-three cities. Thirteen came from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin and ten came from Ephraim, Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Manasseh and the half tribe of Manasseh in the land of Bashan. And the sons of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Verse 41 then summarizes and tells us that in total forty-eight cities and the pasture lands surrounding them were given to the Levites. Notice that the cities were in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel. From this, we know that Levitical cities were scattered among the people of Israel.   

What were the functions of the Levites? There were two things that they needed to do. Firstly, they were expected to be salt and light among the Israelites, all throughout the land where they were located. Secondly, they were tasked to teach the law to the people wherever they were situated. These functions remind us of our functions in the community God has set us. First Peter 2:9 specifically says that “you (we) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you (we) may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you (us) out of darkness into His marvelous light….” We, followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, are called out of the world to be salt and light of the Lord. We are now to make known the excellencies of His glorious name. These are our functions today.  

Israel as a nation took great care in carrying out the order of the LORD regarding the contribution to the Levitical cities. In verse 3 we are told that they obeyed the LORD. This chapter shows us that they took great care in carrying out the LORD’s command. It also shows us that they did not leave the servants of the LORD unattended. They took responsibility to care for His servants by supporting those who gave their lives to serve God in the ministry and so must we. They have left an example for us, the church, on how we also need to function in unity. Every tribe played his part and contributed something to the work of the ministry. That’s how we too ought to contribute to the work of the ministry. So that as a complete unit, we can advance the Kingdom of Christ.         

Joshua 20 – Christ, our eternal refuge

By and large, Canaan had now been subdued and the different tribes of Israel had been given their inheritance. But there was still much work to be done. Then the Lord reminded Joshua to establish the cities of refuge as He had commanded Moses to do in Numbers 35. He was to appoint six cities so that anyone who had killed someone unintentionally could run to for refuge. These cities were known as cities of refuge. They give us a picture of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the safe refuge for all who would run to Him for safety.  

The provision of these cities shows us the grace of God. He was the one who had instructed that these places of refuge be set up. The concept of the cities of refuge was not the idea of man. Only the kind and magnanimous God could have thought of such a plan. Man’s vindictive nature is entirely opposite to that of God. For any wrong, purposeful or accidental, man would want to get even. God knows this perfectly well. In the cities of refuge, He dealt with the vindictive nature of man and provided avenues for an accidental killer to run to for a fair hearing. This shows how reasonable our God truly is. People had often complained that it’s unfair that mankind should be made sinners for the wrong of Adam. In sending Jesus Christ to be our refuge, God has shown Himself to be more than reasonable. He knew that we can never erase what Adam did by ourselves. So, in Jesus, God came as the incarnate Son of God, to provide for us a place of safety and to give us an avenue to undo the nature we have inherited from Adam.

Like the cities of refuge, Jesus has the power to save. Through Him, God hears the plea of anyone who comes by faith to Him. He is God’s more than sufficient provision. Everyone who comes to Jesus will have a fair hearing. The strategically spread out locations of the refuge of cities is an indication of the grace of God that is available to all. And clearly, in Christ, the grace of salvation is made available to all. So, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” And like the cities of refuge, Jesus is also accessible to all who are willing to come to Him.

Finally, the different meanings of the names of these cities also speak clearly of all the benefits for anyone who comes to seek refuge in Christ. In Him, one can find righteousness pictured by Kadesh. In Him, one can also find a shoulder, a Shechem to lean on. The word Hebron means fellowship, so through Christ, one can find fellowship with God. The name of Bezer means fortress. Christ is our fortress from the assault of divine wrath. Ramoth means height. It shows us that in Christ a person who believes in Him is raised to sit in heavenly places. And finally, in Christ, those downcast who come to Christ can find joy, the meaning of Golan. So here we see that in Christ the names of the six cities are encapsulated. So, take heart and draw near. Hebrews 4:16 invites us to “…draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” And this we should do daily and earnestly!

Joshua 19:49-51 – True test of character

People will be tested by adversity, but the best test of the character of a person is when he or she is given power. The mark of a person with character is often seen in how he handles power. Joshua was a man of character. He knew how to handle power. He was not a self-indulgent man. This is clearly evident in how he administered the allocation of the land. If he was a smaller person, he would have felt entitled to reward himself first. For after all he was the leader and could assert his rights to the first cut of the cake. But here in Joshua 19:49-50, we clearly see that he was not such a person. In verse 49 we are told that it was the sons of Israel who gave him the land. And he only settled into what was given to him after all the other tribes had received theirs. People may prize talents but God prefers people of character. So, let us seek to be a person that has the character to match our calling.   

In verse 50, we are told that what was given to him was according to the command of the LORD. The land was his because of the will of God. Notice that he didn’t presume on his position as the leader and went on to annex the land for himself. From this, we know that God knows what’s best for us. The gifts He will give to us are those that best befit our personality and ministry. It is said in verse 50, that Joshua went into his land, settled in his allotment and built it. Like him, we must take the gifts God has granted to us, acknowledge our gifts and excel in them. We must continue to hone our God-given gifts and deploy them for the work He has called us to do. We must be conversant and excel in whatever we are given.    

The land given to Joshua was not done secretly. It was a transparent and open deal before the eyes of the tribes of Israel. There was nothing that needed to be hidden for it was an honest deal. He didn’t do anything that was improper and suspicious and needs to be done covertly. We need to be seen to be doing what is right but importantly, we must be doing what is right. The strength of a person’s character is seen in his attitude. The truth of Joshua’s character was seen through how he went about doing things, especially those that concerned himself. He was truly a godly man of great character and a great model to follow. But the greater Joshua, Jesus our LORD is far worthier of our emulation. Let us seek to be Christlike!    

Joshua 18:11-19:48 – Be a faithful steward of God’s grace

In our last discussion, we saw seven tribes being chided for their inactivity. A 21-man team was then created, comprising three men each from the seven tribes. Their task was to survey the land, divide it into seven portions and to submit a report to Joshua. With their report, Joshua then cast lots before the LORD and distributed the allotment to each of the seven tribes. The following passages show the cities and areas distributed to each of the tribes

(1) Joshua 18:11-48 – describe the allotment of the tribe of Benjamin.

(2) Joshua 19:1-9     – describe the allotment of the tribe of Simeon.

(3) Joshua 19:10-16 – describe the allotment of the tribe of Zebulun.

(4) Joshua 19:19-23 – describe the allotment of the tribe of Issachar.

(5) Joshua 19:24-31 – describe the allotment of the tribe Asher.

(6) Joshua 19:32-39 – describe the allotment of the tribe of Naphtali.

(7) Joshua 19:40-48 – describe the allotment of the tribe of Dan.

Here are a few observations concerning the distribution of the land. Firstly, we learn that while Joshua was the one who cast the lots, the giver of the land was the Lord Himself. Secondly, of all the distribution described here, the most carefully listed was the portion allotted to Benjamin. Thirdly, the land given to the tribe Judah was too large for them so Simeon was given areas within the allotment distributed to the tribe of Judah. So, in Joshua 19: 10 we read “The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was taken from the portion of the sons of Judah, for the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so, the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of Judah’s inheritance.”

From these verses, we must remember that all that we have in life comes from God. In His divine providence, He has granted us all things in life to teach us wise stewardship. As King David so wisely acknowledged in 1 Chronicles 29:14, we must recognize that everything we have in life is given by the Lord. All that we have come from Him and it is only of His very own can we give to Him. Bear in mind that we are not owners but stewards of the grace of God. Faithfulness and gratitude demand that we responsibly develop the gifts and talents God has given to us. Hence, we must deploy them and use them to glorify His name. Let’s always keep in mind that as God’s steward, we must be found faithful. Here are some questions each of us should ask at the end of each day to keep oneself accountable before God. Is my gift well-used? Is my work well-done? Is my life well-lived?  

Joshua 18:2-10 – Advancing with God

At this juncture of Israel’s conquest of Canaan, there were still seven tribes that had not received their allotment of the promised land. Joshua 18:3 suggests that Joshua expected them to take some initiative and actively possess the land. But they procrastinated and did not make any move to lay claim to what could be rightly theirs. Being a proactive leader, he chided these tribes for their passivity. He then initiated the formation of a survey team. Each of the seven tribes was to provide three men to form that team. So, in total this would be a 21-member team. They would then go through the unpossessed land, write a survey report and divide the prospective areas into seven portions. When that had been done, Joshua would then cast lots before the LORD and allocate the seven lots to each of the remaining seven tribes. They followed the instruction and did what was instructed. Joshua cast the lots before the LORD and allotted the portions to each of the seven remaining seven tribes.    

Journeying with God is such an awesome privilege. He has granted us a free moral will to make decisions and take actions to advance our life with Him. There is a necessity for us to pause every now and then, evaluate our progress, reset and align our compass, harness our strength and continue to make the advance. There is a possibility that our advance with God could be waylaid by our procrastination because we have become weary in the journey. Instead of recharging and be refreshed to advance we retreat into passivity and spiritual inactivity. Failure to cultivate proper spiritual measures can be detrimental to our advance. It can hamper the development of a vibrant faith and thus unable to keep our experience with the Lord current and fresh.

Our lack of advancement in our walk with God is often due to the lack of initiative on our part and not the reluctance of God. According to 2 Peter 1:4, God has “…granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature….” Our failure to advance is obviously our lack of action to lay claim of all that has been made available to us in Him. What could be some reasons some of us would stay passive? Firstly, one can be overtaken by complacency and become satisfied with what he or she already has. Secondly, it could also be due to laziness and not ready to make the time and effort to advance with God. Thirdly, it could be the habit of procrastination. And fourthly, it could be unbelief and nonchalance that keep us from advancing with God.

Beloved, let us see this passage as an invitation of God to advance further with Him. Regardless of which station we are at in our spiritual journey, there is still more of us that need to be harnessed for His glory. Success is a journey. It is not a point. Every victorious experience is a stepping stone to the next. The Apostle Paul urges us “to reach out to the things that are before us.” Remember we are in a transforming journey to become more Christ-like. Cultivating spiritual disciplines are imperative to our advancement in Him. To remain static will be to our own disadvantage and will bring dishonor to our Lord, who wants us to be with Him so that He can send us forth to advance His reign.      

Joshua 18:1 – Make meeting God central in our life

Joshua 18:1 introduces Shiloh to us. It was a city situated in the land allotted to the tribe of Ephraim. This city was the central place of worship up to the period of the kings. The meaning of Shiloh is believed to be “the peaceful one.” It’s a word that refers to the coming of the Messiah as well as a symbol of the place of rest. The privilege for us believers is that we can worship God anywhere because He is everywhere present. Yet there must be a Shiloh for us, a unified place where we can come to and share life with the Lord and with each other. It is the place where we can gather on the Sabbath to experience God and do life together. The church is symbolically our spiritual Shiloh. It is the place where we assemble together to forge our relationship with God and with each other and to receive our co-ordinated instructions and commission to do the work of God. Church life is an integral part of wholeness for every believer. Hence it is imperative that we commit ourselves to our home church and find our niche here through active service.    

Joshua 18:1, also specifically tells us that the people of Israel assembled together in Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting. In the Bible, this tent of meeting is also referred to as the Tabernacle, the portable worship place that the people of Israel constructed based on the pattern God had specifically given to Moses. It was given to help the people to know that God was in their midst. It was the pivotal place for the covenant community. In putting up the Tabernacle at Shiloh, the people had attached significance to what is most critical in their life at that point. They were in effect recognizing the critical part God would play in the life of the community. Here they would honor and establish the sovereignty of the LORD over them. Here they would come and pay their homage to this Supreme and Most High God. The Tabernacle was the place where God met with His people and spoke to them. To us, it is a symbol of God’s dwelling place. It foreshadows the coming of Christ, the perfect place where we ultimately meet God and commune with Him personally. We must make Christ central in our life.

In Joshua 18:1, we are also told that the land was subdued before them. But we know that the land was far from being subdued. What does this phrase mean then? It is referring to the potential conquest that was theirs. It presupposes that they could conquer the land if they put their hearts to it. For, after all, they were on God’s side. This phrase that “the land was subdued before them” is an expression of God’s desire for us too. There are no legitimate things specified in the Bible that will be out of our reach if we put our heart to it. Know that God has given us dominion over the circumstances of our life in Christ Jesus. We are designed to be an overcomer in Christ. Romans 5:17 explicitly says that we are reigning in Christ. Here’s how J.B. Philip puts it in his translation of this verse: “For if one man’s offense meant that men should be slaves to death all their lives, it is a far greater thing that through another man, Jesus Christ, men by their acceptance of his more than sufficient grace and righteousness, should live all their lives like kings!” Let us reign with and through Christ!