Faithfulness and its Rewards

Joshua 22:1-9
    1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, 2 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 commanded you. 3 You have not left your brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4 And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents. 7 Now to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half of it Joshua gave a possession among their brethren on this side of the Jordan, westward. And indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.”
    9 So the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

Here the Eastern tribes returned to their lands on the other side of the Jordan as the agreed condition for settling outside the promised land’s original border (Numbers 32:1-5, 28-32, Deuteronomy 3:18-20).  They did as they promised to support the others of Israel in their battles to take their lands, then were able to return to their families where they had settled before the other tribes settled in their lands.  They showed faithfulness and were rewarded with the fertile grazing lands they were previously given by Moses’s hand in God’s Grace.  Just as the LORD had faithfully promised rest and an inheritance to the other tribes, so these two and a half tribes faithfully stood by their promise of support in return.  They were further exhorted to continue in God’s word, to love Him and live accordingly in a life of worship and obedience from the heart, just as we are called to do.  Our calling in Christ is to an inheritance that is certain and immutable (1 Peter 1:4), and our faithfulness to live obediently out of love in His word should demonstrate our devotion to God which brings great eternal rewards (1 Corinthians 3:14, Colossians 3:24, Revelation 22:12).  And so should we faithfully live in holiness, dedicated to His work (2 Corinthians 7:1) in His way in gratitude for our unearned inheritance.   Let us do battle in the heavenly realm for the souls of men and women held captive in the darkness (Ephesians 6:12, 1 Peter 2:9, Acts 26:18, 2 Timothy 2:25-26).  This is true faithfulness and its rewards. 

Cities for Houses of the Holy

Joshua 21:1-45 

    1 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel. 2 And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The LORD commanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for our livestock.” 3 So the children of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their common-lands: 4 Now the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin. 5 The rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, from the tribe of Dan, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.
    6 And the children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
    7 The children of Merari according to their families had twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun.  8 And the children of Israel gave these cities with their common-lands by lot to the Levites, as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses.
    9 So they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are designated by name, 10 which were for the children of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for the lot was theirs first. 11 And they gave them Kirjath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), which is Hebron, in the mountains of Judah, with the common-land surrounding it. 12 But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.
    13 Thus to the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Libnah with its common-land, 14 Jattir with its common-land, Eshtemoa with its common-land, 15 Holon with its common-land, Debir with its common-land, 16 Ain with its common-land, Juttah with its common-land, and Beth Shemesh with its common-land: nine cities from those two tribes; 17 and from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its common-land, Geba with its common-land, 18 Anathoth with its common-land, and Almon with its common-land: four cities. 19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their common-lands.
    20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, the rest of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. 21 For they gave them Shechem with its common-land in the mountains of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the slayer), Gezer with its common-land, 22 Kibzaim with its common-land, and Beth Horon with its common-land: four cities; 23 and from the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its common-land, Gibbethon with its common-land, 24 Aijalon with its common-land, and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: four cities; 25 and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with its common-land and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: two cities. 26 All the ten cities with their common-lands were for the rest of the families of the children of Kohath.
    27 Also to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, from the other half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), and Be Eshterah with its common-land: two cities; 28 and from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its common-land, Daberath with its common-land, 29 Jarmuth with its common-land, and En Gannim with its common-land: four cities; 30 and from the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its common-land, Abdon with its common-land, 31 Helkath with its common-land, and Rehob with its common-land: four cities; 32 and from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Hammoth Dor with its common-land, and Kartan with its common-land: three cities. 33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their common-lands.
    34 And to the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its common-land, Kartah with its common-land, 35 Dimnah with its common-land, and Nahalal with its common-land: four cities; 36 and from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its common-land, Jahaz with its common-land, 37 Kedemoth with its common-land, and Mephaath with its common-land: four cities; 38 and from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Mahanaim with its common-land, 39 Heshbon with its common-land, and Jazer with its common-land: four cities in all. 40 So all the cities for the children of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.
    41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their common-lands. 42 Every one of these cities had its common-land surrounding it; thus were all these cities.
    43 So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. 44 The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.

After the twelve tribes of Israel were given their lands with cities as an inheritance, each tribe then gave a set number of cities to house the holy priests serving the LORD.  There were forty-eight cities in all, along with adjoining land to farm, given just as promised by God through Moses and carried out by Joshua, Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the family tribes to keep it in line with the promise.  Then the people had rest for a while until they would rebel against the LORD once more.  For now, they had rest and peace with no enemies at the gates because they had been given into their hands in conquest.  The promise of God is summarized here, that not one single word of His promise fell short for good.  Everything came to be as He said.  We see God’s character and promises never change, as we who are His people in Christ also have the assurance of eternal promises of the new covenant in His blood which guarantees all He does is for the good of His glory and for us (Romans 8:29-30).  All will come to pass as written for our comfort (Acts 2:21, Romans 15:4), an inheritance in eternity (Acts 20:32, 26:18, Ephesians 1:11, 14, 18, Colossians 1:12, 3:24, 1 Peter 1:3-4) which can never be lost nor taken from us!  Our new celestial city will have houses for His holy ones who are priests to Him forever before His face.  Amen. 

Refuge Cities

Joshua 20:1-9
    1 The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5 Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand. 6 And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.’ ”
    7 So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah. 8 And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.

These cities were designed for a man suspected of murder to find temporary refuge until the judges could ascertain the guilt or innocence of the one coming for protection.  They were now to be setup for this purpose as the LORD had told Moses beforehand, and were for those who accidentally caused another’s death.  But if they were found to have premeditated and planned to kill, they would be turned over for swift punishment, not kept on to avoid the consequences of their evil intent.  This was justice as God designed it, and the true purpose of refuge cities.  They were similar to a holding cell or released pending trial today with some form of protection so vengeance would not kill an innocent man out of rage and false accusations of those losing loved ones.  As soon as innocence was determined, however, the cleared suspect had to return to their own town and house to continue with their life.  How different is what is now called a refuge city where those breaking certain laws are given indefinite protection from legal and justice prosecution!  God’s ways are always best. 

Lots of Inheritance

Joshua 19:1-51 

1 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. And their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. 2 They had in their inheritance Beersheba (Sheba), Moladah, 3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their villages; 7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their villages; 8 and all the villages that were all around these cities as far as Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. 9 The inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah, for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of that people.

10 The third lot came out for the children of Zebulun according to their families, and the border of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. 11 Their border went toward the west and to Maralah, went to Dabbasheth, and extended along the brook that is east of Jokneam. 12 Then from Sarid it went eastward toward the sunrise along the border of Chisloth Tabor, and went out toward Daberath, bypassing Japhia. 13 And from there it passed along on the east of Gath Hepher, toward Eth Kazin, and extended to Rimmon, which borders on Neah. 14 Then the border went around it on the north side of Hannathon, and it ended in the Valley of Jiphthah El. 15 Included were Kattath, Nahallal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages. 16 This was the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

17 The fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. 18 And their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Haphraim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Abez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. 22 And the border reached to Tabor, Shahazimah, and Beth Shemesh; their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.

24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 25 And their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal; it reached to Mount Carmel westward, along the Brook Shihor Libnath. 27 It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon; and it reached to Zebulun and to the Valley of Jiphthah El, then northward beyond Beth Emek and Neiel, bypassing Cabul which was on the left, 28 including Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 29 And the border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. 30 Also Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob were included: twenty-two cities with their villages. 31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 33 And their border began at Heleph, enclosing the territory from the terebinth tree in Zaanannim, Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; it ended at the Jordan. 34 From Heleph the border extended westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there toward Hukkok; it adjoined Zebulun on the south side and Asher on the west side, and ended at Judah by the Jordan toward the sunrise. 35 And the fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh: nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. 41 And the territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Jethlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 46 Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region near Joppa. 47 And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. 48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

49 When they had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance according to their borders, the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. 50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked for, Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim; and he built the city and dwelt in it.

51 These were the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided as an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So they made an end of dividing the country.

After Benjamin’s inheritance by lot was given in the previous chapter, the rest of the seven (Joshua 18:2) not yet receiving their lot are finally given it here.  Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan all receive their lots of inheritance as the last of the twelve families of Israel as promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) through the task given to Moses and Joshua to ensure their receiving what was promised.  After this, Joshua was given a separate lot as a city in the mountains of Ephraim as asked for.  This then finalized the lots given to the twelve tribes of Israel’s descendants which were divided and handed over to them before the LORD in worshipful acceptance of the gift of such grace.  We who are in Christ have places prepared for us (Matthew 25:34) in the celestial city of God as well, not as tribes of the flesh, but as His children in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Here is proof and pattern of God’s faithfulness to His people and promises.  Why should we ever doubt receiving or fear losing them? 

Possess the Land Divided

Joshua 18:1-28 

    1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. 2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. 3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you? 4 Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. 6 You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. 7 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.”
    8 Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” 9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
    11 Now the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot came out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12 Their border on the north side began at the Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the mountains westward; it ended at the Wilderness of Beth Aven. 13 The border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth Addar, near the hill that lies on the south side of Lower Beth Horon.
    14 Then the border extended around the west side to the south, from the hill that lies before Beth Horon southward; and it ended at Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west side.  15 The south side began at the end of Kirjath Jearim, and the border extended on the west and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 16 Then the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is in the Valley of the Rephaim on the north, descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite city on the south, and descended to En Rogel. 17 And it went around from the north, went out to En Shemesh, and extended toward Geliloth, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18 Then it passed along toward the north side of Arabah, and went down to Arabah. 19 And the border passed along to the north side of Beth Hoglah; then the border ended at the north bay at the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary.  20 The Jordan was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its boundaries all around, according to their families.
    21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chephar Haammoni, Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages; 25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

Not all the land to be inherited was divided up at first; there was more work to do to take possession of God’s gift.  There were seven tribes yet to have their allotment.  At Shiloh they had set up the tabernacle to worship the LORD, and they had subdued much land.  Therefore, Joshua sent out scouts to survey the remaining land so he could cast lots to divide it to the remaining tribes.  The surveyors wrote everything down and gave the record of all the cities to Joshua and it was divided up.  We find that God moves us to possess the kingdom already given to us as we worship Him and seek His leading of what is appointed to each of us.  Let us survey the land through His word and Spirit and others gifted by Him to possess the gifts and callings of each of us. 

Strength of Jacob’s Offspring

Joshua 17:1-18 

    1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph: namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war; therefore he was given Gilead and Bashan. 2 And there was a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, the children of Helek, the children of Asriel, the children of Shechem, the children of Hepher, and the children of Shemida; these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families. 3 But Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the rulers, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore, according to the commandment of the LORD, he gave them an inheritance among their father's brothers. 5 Ten shares fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
    7 And the territory of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, that lies east of Shechem; and the border went along south to the inhabitants of En Tappuah. 8 Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 9 And the border descended to the Brook Kanah, southward to the brook. These cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook; and it ended at the sea.
    10 Southward it was Ephraim's, northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea was its border. Manasseh's territory was adjoining Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 11 And in Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth Shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of En Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns—three hilly regions. 12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. 13 And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
    14 Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us until now?”  15 So Joshua answered them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”  16 But the children of Joseph said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.”
    17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.”

The house of Joseph who went to Egypt to save and multiply God’s people, namely the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim, wanted more for their inheritance.  This was espe true after they failed to drive out all the Canaanites from the hilly land and went to Joshua for more.  He wisely offered the forested mountain land and told them to cut down the trees and drive out the Canaanites once and for all.  He encouraged them with words acknowledging their strength and their victory over those with weapons of war such as iron chariots instead of wooden ones.  They were a formidable foe to conquer, but the LORD would enable them to do so as Joshua had hinted at and demonstrated so far to them.  We see here that whatever lot falls to us from God’s sovereign hand will be given with the strength and wisdom and power to inhabit that calling and tasks.  We need only strengthen our doubts and strength in Christ (Hebrews 12:12, Luke 22:32, Psalm 60:12) as the strength of Jacob’s offspring.  It is good to remember 1 Corinthians 15:58, and not lose heart.

Inheritance of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh

Joshua 16:1-10 

    1 The lot fell to the children of Joseph from the Jordan, by Jericho, to the waters of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho through the mountains to Bethel, 2 then went out from Bethel to Luz, passed along to the border of the Archites at Ataroth, 3 and went down westward to the boundary of the Japhletites, as far as the boundary of Lower Beth Horon to Gezer; and it ended at the sea. 4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
    5 The border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was thus: The border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth Addar as far as Upper Beth Horon.  6 And the border went out toward the sea on the north side of Michmethath; then the border went around eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed by it on the east of Janohah. 7 Then it went down from Janohah to Ataroth and Naarah, reached to Jericho, and came out at the Jordan.
    8 The border went out from Tappuah westward to the Brook Kanah, and it ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families. 9 The separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
    10 And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day and have become forced laborers.

More land is given in the promised land to Joseph’s children, the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim.  Their borders are specifically called out here which can be seen on maps which others have drawn out for us to understand this land is Israel’s, and exactly where its borders lie.  Each had their own cities as well.  But we find the final sentence of this chapter gives a foreboding of their future, for they did not drive out all the inhabitants of the possessed land as God commanded and warned of the consequences several times before; even though they had become slaves to Israel, they also became thorns to irritate and to lead after false gods in worship and allegiance.  The warning for us is in holiness of doctrine and fellowship.  We have been given an eternal inheritance in the Lord Christ, and must not allow compromises within the borders of scripture in our assemblies and own lives.  Evil company corrupts good habits, and wolves can lead the sheep astray. 

Inherited Cities Given to Judah

Joshua 15:20-63 

    20 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families:
    21 The cities at the limits of the tribe of the children of Judah, toward the border of Edom in the South, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor, Hadattah, Kerioth, Hezron (which is Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Bizjothjah, 29 Baalah, Ijim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages.
    33 In the lowland: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages; 37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kithlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages; 42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Jiphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages; 45 Ekron, with its towns and villages; 46 from Ekron to the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages; 47 Ashdod with its towns and villages, Gaza with its towns and villages—as far as the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea with its coastline.
    48 And in the mountain country: Shamir, Jattir, Sochoh, 49 Dannah, Kirjath Sannah (which is Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages; 52 Arab, Dumah, Eshean, 53 Janum, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron), and Zior: nine cities with their villages; 55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities with their villages; 58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon: six cities with their villages; 60 Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim) and Rabbah: two cities with their villages.
    61 In the wilderness: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi: six cities with their villages.
    63 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

After defining the borders set by God, now the cities of Judah’s inheritance are named in great detail.  Each one is listed by area and name.  Twenty-nine to the south, fourteen in the lowland, sixteen and nine more toward the sea and the coastline, then the mountain area with thirty-eight cities, and the wilderness with six.  All these cities were given by God to His people who had to step out in faith to wage the battles enabled by His power to take them.  This kingdom was taken by force, whereas ours is fought and won by our Lord Christ on a white horse (Revelation 19:11) with the word His sword (Revelation 19:15) to defeat our enemy who rules this world until His return.  Our battle then is with the word of truth and of life, the gospel we trumpet forth to announce His judgement and return to empty the cities of this world and give us our inheritance in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). How much better is this inheritance than the used cities of Canaan given to Judah and all Israel! 

Divine Deed of Judah’s Inheritance

Joshua 15:1-19
    1 So this was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families: The border of Edom at the Wilderness of Zin southward was the extreme southern boundary. 2 And their southern border began at the shore of the Salt Sea, from the bay that faces southward. 3 Then it went out to the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim, passed along to Zin, ascended on the south side of Kadesh Barnea, passed along to Hezron, went up to Adar, and went around to Karkaa. 4 From there it passed toward Azmon and went out to the Brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your southern border.
    5 The east border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan.  And the border on the northern quarter began at the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. 6 The border went up to Beth Hoglah and passed north of Beth Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 7 Then the border went up toward Debir from the Valley of Achor, and it turned northward toward Gilgal, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley. The border continued toward the waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel. 8 And the border went up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom to the southern slope of the Jebusite city (which is Jerusalem). The border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the Valley of Rephaim northward. 9 Then the border went around from the top of the hill to the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and extended to the cities of Mount Ephron. And the border went around to Baalah (which is Kirjath Jearim). 10 Then the border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (which is Chesalon), went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed on to Timnah. 11 And the border went out to the side of Ekron northward. Then the border went around to Shicron, passed along to Mount Baalah, and extended to Jabneel; and the border ended at the sea.
    12 The west border was the coastline of the Great Sea. This is the boundary of the children of Judah all around according to their families.
    13 Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a share among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, namely, Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). 14 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15 Then he went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir (formerly the name of Debir was Kirjath Sepher).  16 And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.” 17 So Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. 18 Now it was so, when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?” 19 She answered, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

The land of Judah is described specifically in its borders so there is no doubt over the inheritance given by God by those who would dispute these things later.  It is written down as a testimony to this grace of God and as a divine deed to their land.  This included Calebs’s specific allotment for his faithfulness in the wilderness account of faith in God’s good provision for the land to come when others (except Joshua) fearfully refused to enter the promised land.  We find that our inheritance in Christ is also by grace according to faith in Christ leading us to the promised heavenly kingdom country of our inheritance.  He who promised is ever faithful (Hebrews 10:23)!  We have the scriptures and deposit of His Spirit as our divine deed to this land with all the saints, a certain hope (Hebrews 6:18-19, Ephesians 1:18, Romans 8:24-25, Titus 1:1-3).

Inheritance Over the Jordan

Joshua 14:1-15
    1 These are the areas which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed as an inheritance to them. 2 Their inheritance was by lot, as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. 3 For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe on the other side of the Jordan; but to the Levites he had given no inheritance among them. 4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim. And they gave no part to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for their livestock and their property. 5 As the LORD had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land. Caleb Inherits Hebron
    6 Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. 7 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 back word to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 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. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said.”
    13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. 15 And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim).
    Then the land had rest from war.

The land West of the Jordan is divided here in detail, the land of the Canaanites, by the priest, Joshua as leader, and the heads of each tribe.  These acted as God’s executors of Hos will as promised, keeping it fair and as the LORD intended.  This was a shadow and type of our inheritance in Christ, given by God’s power and working as determined by His good will by grace in mercy and love (Acts 26:18, Galatians 3:18, Ephesians 1:11, 1 Peter 1:3-4).  Here we see the tribes inheriting the earthly land promised to Abraham by faith, but we are promised and will receive what is allotted by grace in the better heavenly kingdom by faith in Christ and His work to conquer the enemy of our souls and bring us over the Jordan into our inheritance of eternal life in His presence and rule.  Then the whole world will have rest from every war, not just a momentary pause as we see here.  Like Caleb, we faithfully see the beauty and glory as we see this kingdom in our hearts, and we know we will inherit it as promised for the faithfulness of believing and continuing to believe the Son whom the Father sent (John 6:29, 1 John 5:13). 

Lands of Inheritance

Joshua 13:1-33 

    1 Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed. 2 This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites, 3 from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites; 4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; 5 the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath; 6 all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as the Brook Misrephoth, and all the Sidonians—them I will drive out from before the children of Israel; only divide it by lot to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you. 7 Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”
    8 With the other half-tribe the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses had given them, beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of the LORD had given them: 9 from Aroer which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and the town that is in the midst of the ravine, and all the plain of Medeba as far as Dibon; 10 all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the children of Ammon; 11 Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salcah; 12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants; for Moses had defeated and cast out these.
    13 Nevertheless the children of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.
    14 Only to the tribe of Levi he had given no inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as He said to them.
    15 And Moses had given to the tribe of the children of Reuben an inheritance according to their families. 16 Their territory was from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the ravine, and all the plain by Medeba; 17 Heshbon and all its cities that are in the plain: Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaza, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kirjathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the mountain of the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were princes of Sihon dwelling in the country. 22 The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them. 23 And the border of the children of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and their villages.
    24 Moses also had given an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad according to their families. 25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, which is before Rabbah, 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir, 27 and in the valley Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan as its border, as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth, on the other side of the Jordan eastward. 28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages.
    29 Moses also had given an inheritance to half the tribe of Manasseh; it was for half the tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families: 30 Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities; 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the children of Machir according to their families.
    32 These are the areas which Moses had distributed as an inheritance in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward. 33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as He had said to them.

The nine and a half tribes received their inheritance in the new land of Israel whose borders are defined by the LORD and instructions given to Joshua through Moses.  Here the lands are handed out to each, first on the East side of the Jordan River by Jericho where they came into the promised land, then those to the West of the Jordan.  Note that much of the land still had to be conquered and the unchosen ungodly driven out before the chosen people of God could live in the inherited land.  There was much work to do, and Joshua was getting too old to lead the ongoing battles, so the inheritances were doled out before his demise.  What we do see here is the borders of Israel clearly defined, the places given to each tribe according to their size as promised, and the nations not driven out which became thorns to irritate God’s people for not following through on the conquests as directed.  We see that the Levitical priests did not receive a portion of the land as an inheritance because they were given the sacrifices as their due as a ministry of atoning service to the LORD for the rest of the tribes.  The LORD was their true inheritance to dwell in, a picture of all who are in Christ who are priests to our God and have Him as our eternal inheritance, the one who now lives in us as the Holy Spirit of the living God in these temples of living sacrifice.  We have a heavenly country of the kingdom to come, fought for by Christ’s work on our behalf to give to us to possess.  Let us enter that by faith in His work and our following of obedient trust.  Amen.

Kings Conquered by Moses and Joshua

Joshua 12:1-24
    1 These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed on the other side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the eastern Jordan plain: 2 One king was Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled half of Gilead, from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, from the middle of that river, even as far as the River Jabbok, which is the border of the Ammonites, 3 and the eastern Jordan plain from the Sea of Chinneroth as far as the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), the road to Beth Jeshimoth, and southward below the slopes of Pisgah. 4 The other king was Og king of Bashan and his territory, who was of the remnant of the giants, who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 and reigned over Mount Hermon, over Salcah, over all Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and over half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 These Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel had conquered; and Moses the servant of the LORD had given it as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
    7 And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan, on the west, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, 8 in the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: 9 the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; 10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; 13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; 14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; 15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; 16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; 17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; 19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; 20 the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; 21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; 23 the king of Dor in the heights of Dor, one; the king of the people of Gilgal, one; 24 the king of Tirzah, one—all the kings, thirty-one.

Moses conquered two kings to the East of the Jordan River and justice outside the promised land which he could not enter, gaining land for two of the tribes of Israel.  Joshua led the main charge into the promised land to conquer thirty-one kings with their lands for the rest of the people.  The LORD used these two leaders to capture the lands as the promised inheritance for His people to possess.  Though Moses and Joshua are named as the conquerers who defeated these kings and peoples, in reality it was God who won each battle as evidenced at Jericho where they marched, blew trumpets, and shouted praises as He brought the House down.  The walls fell and wars were won by God’s command, not by the might or leadership or military prowess of these men; the battle belongs to the LORD with its victory (Psalm 24:8, Proverbs 21:31).  Likewise, we who are in Christ fight the good fight, knowing the Lord wages the war and wins the victories, not by our might or power. In the end as Revelation 19:13-16 states, the Lord will win the final battle with the wrath of Almighty God against all His enemies, and we will possess the kingdom with Him (Matthew 25:34, James 2:5, 1 Corinthians 15:50, 57). 

Conquest of Faithful Commitment

Joshua 11:1-23
    1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, 2 and to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west, 3 to the Canaanites in the east and in the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, and the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah. 4 So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. 5 And when all these kings had met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. 6 But the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” 7 So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. 8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. 9 So Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
    10 Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms. 11 And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.  12 So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. 13 But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. 14 And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock, the children of Israel took as booty for themselves; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none breathing. 15 As the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses. 
    16 Thus Joshua took all this land: the mountain country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands, 17 from Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings, and struck them down and killed them. 18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. 19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. 20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.  21 And at that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakim from the mountains: from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel; Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. 22 None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.
    23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war.  

The king of Hazor was the next to try an alliance of the kingdoms in his control against Israel, but the LORD routed them all by the hand of Joshua at the head of His army, utterly wiping them out.  He then turned to Hazor and killed the king and all citizens of that place; the scripture records that there was none left breathing.  Then he burned the city to the ground as before, but this time they were allowed to take booty as the spoils of war.  Joshua faithfully did exactly as the LORD had previously commanded Moses to do in conquering the land (Joshua 1:7, Exodus 34:11-14, Deuteronomy 7:4), leaving nothing undone.  He was faithful to finish the work by God’s command given.  Some wars after these battles went on for an extended time, bit all were defeated except for the Hivites of Gibeon who made a peace treaty to covenant with God’s people.  The LORD hardened their hearts for destruction without a possibility of mercy because He so predetermined these to this outcome.  This was to obtain the promised inheritance of the land given as a gift to His called ones, a country of their own to which they were called to honor and worship Him.  Likewise we are called to bring down evil strongholds in the spiritual places (Ephesians 6:12) in our gospel warfare for the inheritance of the kingdom to come in His presence forevermore.  May we be faithful and trusting and engaged in the good fight as Joshua here the way Paul describes later to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18, 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7).  We do not fight physical war to kill others, but kill the ideas opposed to the truth of the gospel that others may enter the celestial city of New Jerusalem with us.  This then is the conquest of faithful commitment. 

Executing Judgement of the Inheritance

Joshua 10:16-43
    16 But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”  18 So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. 19 And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” 20 Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities. 21 And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace.

No one moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

    22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.” 23 And they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.  24 So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until evening. 27 So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

     28 On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them—all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
    29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah; and they fought against Libnah. 30 And the LORD also delivered it and its king into the hand of Israel; he struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
    31 Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish; and they encamped against it and fought against it. 32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he left him none remaining.
    34 From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it and fought against it. 35 They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; all the people who were in it he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
    36 So Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it. 37 And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword—its king, all its cities, and all the people who were in it; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it.
    38 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and they fought against it. 39 And he took it and its king and all its cities; they struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left none remaining; as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had done also to Libnah and its king.

    40 So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded. 41 And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

Joshua led Israel at God’s command to execute His judgement on the godless and sinful nations for the inheritance of His people, to give them the land to serve Him.  This is a picture of His righteous judgement at the end of time when the ungodly (John 5:27, Jude 1:15, 2 Peter 2:6-9) will be held accountable to His righteousness and the kingdom of heaven will be for His chosen people alone who are in Christ.  We see here in Joshua’s conquests the total destruction of the kings and cities of these lands, a total of seven, leaving nothing behind as at Jericho.  There was to be nothing and nobody left to tempt God’s people to serve other false gods or desire their possessions and divide their devotional worship and loyalty to the LORD; all had to be wiped out.  This command they faithfully executed here.  Later it would not always be so, unfortunately, leaving snares to pull them away and thorns to trap them (Judges 2:3).  God fought for Israel by the hand of Joshua, and cleared the way, reminding us He will come to do the same in the end (Revelation 19:11-16) as He deals the final blow of judgement and makes all things new in His eternal kingdom without end (Revelation 21:5).  We who are His will then camp before His face forever, at peace. 

The Day the Sun Stood Still

Joshua 10:1-15
    1 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. 6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”
    7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10 So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.
    12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

    “Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
    And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
    13 So the sun stood still,
    And the moon stopped,
    Till the people had revenge
    Upon their enemies. 

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.  14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.  15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

After thoroughly defeating Jericho and Ai, the king of Jerusalem gathered four other kings together to attack Israel, especially after seeing Gibeon’s deceitful covenant with God’s people as their slaves.  This mighty royal city could not see hope in defeating or defending themselves from Israel and Joshua, so these others were afraid and thought that there would be strength and safer in their numbers and might.  They failed to understand that this was not Joshua or Israel, but the LORD God Almighty who they were attempting to fight off; His sovereign might was impossible to withstand.  The five nations attacked Gibeon instead of a frontal assault on God’s people, and Israel was bound by covenant treaty to defend the city and all in it.  This was an attempt at a trap to lure Joshua into battle for a supposed defeat, but they did not consider the LORD behind the deliverance from Egypt through the Red Sea, crossing the Jordan, the other battles won decisively, and the recent Jericho and Ai.  God therefore promised victory to Joshua who attacked in faith and confidence to rescue them.  They chased away whom they did not slaughter, and the LORD killed more from heaven with large hailstones than Israel did by the sword!  He demonstrated His might and victory, for the promise was to drive out the inhabitants of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.  He who calls is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, Revelation 17:14) who does all these things.  Consider how He answered Joshua’s prayer for more daylight to finish the battle on the day the sun stood still for nearly an entire day as He fought for His people!  This was not the day the earth stood still, which will come in the final days of judgement, followed by His presence in place of the sun, a presence forever before us which will never set on the horizon of the new earth, but the day the sun stayed high on the sky all day.  This seems impossible because of gravity and our understanding of the earth needing to keep spinning, yet nothing is too difficult (Jeremiah 32:17) for the Creator of the universe and all its underpinnings.  There will be a day with a new earth and heavens where no sun or moon will be seen, but He will take their place to illuminate all forever (Revelation 21:23, 22:5). His victory is certain.  Amen and amen.  Are we counted among His people under covenant, or are we to be defeated in our sin as all stands still in His final battle?

Treasonous Treaties and Godly Wisdom

Joshua 9:1-27
    1 And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it, 2 that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord. 3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, 5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. 6 And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.”  7 Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so how can we make a covenant with you?”  8 But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”  And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
    9 So they said to him: “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11 Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’ 12 This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
    14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. 15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.
    16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them. 17 Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim. 18 But the children of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.  19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 And the rulers said to them, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them.”
    22 Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell near us? 23 Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”  24 So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.” 26 So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. 27 And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day.

Hearing of Israel’s crushing victories over Jericho and Ai, the kings of the doomed nations joined their armies together to attack God’s people before they became the next to fall.  But the Hivites of Gibeon used deceptive tactics instead of fighting alongside the others in what would most certainly end in defeat and disaster.  They sent several ambassadors dressed in rags and with aged provisions to give the appearance backing their story of a long journey and extreme poverty.  They told the truth concerning the tales others told of Israel’s victories by the LORD’s hand over Egypt and the kings of the surrounding lands, but lied about who they were because they would be next in defeat.  They begged to have Israel make a covenant agreement with them as their servants in order to survive as the lesser people who could not prevail in battle against the LORD and His people.  Unfortunately, the men of Israel (most likely the elders and leaders of the tribes) did not seek God’s counsel for direction, much like we do through prayer and consulting His word.  Joshua as their leader then made the covenant of protection for their servitude based on their recommendation, also not seeking His counsel and adding to the success of the deceivers.  Then Israel was bound to keep their word when the treachery was revealed and they could not attack and defeat the Hivites of Gibeon, so they firmly commanded that they serve in manual labor as a people to cut wood and carry water for the people and the tabernacle from that day onward; thus their cunning saved their lives and complicated Israel’s lives by not seeking the LORD’s guidance and wisdom, as thorns in their side (Numbers 33:55) to introduce false gods and enticements away from Him down the road.  This lesson teaches us to not make impulsive or rash decisions without seeking God’s will through the scriptures and prayer and godly counsel.  It is easy for us to be deceived by clever stories and appeals to our hearts which the deceiver then uses to lead us astray, individually and as a church.  We need to be wise as well as harmless in our love (Matthew 10:16, Ephesians 5:15, Philippians 2:15) expressed in promises and commitments (Ecclesiastes 5,4-5). 

Covenant Reminder in Whole Counsel of God’s Word

Joshua 8:30-35
    30 Now Joshua built an altar to the LORD God of Israel in Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
    32 And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
    34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.

After God brought victory over Ai to Israel, Joshua built an altar to atone for sin and bring peace with God through their offerings.  This altar was made with stones as the LORD had made them, uncut by man’s work to signify the offerings were from what God provides and accepted only as He prescribes.  Man’s work can not appease God for their sin of disobedience and disbelief; only God’s work as we find fulfilled in Christ’s work for complete and eternal atonement for sin (Romans 6:23) and peace with God (Romans 5:1), not according to our works of sacrifice (Titus 3:5). This is a reminder of reconciling grace and peace with God in Christ’s work to save us from God’s wrath forever.   Joshua then made a copy of the Law on stone for lasting remembrance before the people, blessed the people under the LORD, and then read all of the written word of God to them, both good and bad, blessings and cursings.  He did not pick only that which sounded pleasant to hear, nor only that which would cause fear to obedience.  He gave the example of reading the whole counsel of God to all who were in the camp of the LORD.  This is our example to rely on Christ’s work alone in our worship along with reading and hearing the whole counsel of God’s words of the new covenant which embodies all of scripture from Genesis to Revelation.  We dare not pick only the parts which please others or make our own points as if they are the work of God.  We let Him speak as written by the words given is and bring out the sense which are the actions we should do in thought and heart and deed.  These things we must remind ourselves and each other daily (1 Timothy 4:13, Hebrews 3:13, 10:24-25). 

God’s Will for Victory and Spoils

Joshua 8:1-29
    1 Now the LORD said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.” 3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. 4 And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that we shall flee before them. 6 For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. 8 And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of the LORD you shall do. See, I have commanded you.”
    9 Joshua therefore sent them out; and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10 Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 11 And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and Ai. 12 So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
    14 Now it happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16 So all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17 There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.
    18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. 19 So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place; they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and they entered the city and took it, and hurried to set the city on fire. 20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
    21 Now when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. 22 Then the others came out of the city against them; so they were caught in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side. And they struck them down, so that they let none of them remain or escape. 23 But the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
    24 And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 So it was that all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He had commanded Joshua. 
    28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day. 29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening. And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree, cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones that remains to this day.

As in Joshua 1:9, God encourages Joshua to be strong in heart and resolve to gain the victory according to His will and way.  His will was to give Ai to them the annihilation as at Jericho, but this time with spoils of war permitted instead, which caused their defeat before against Ai because it was taken in sinful disobedience by Achan without divine mandate; this time they were given that, so victory was certain as well.  The plan given by the LORD was to draw them out of the city as if in retreat while others of Israel then came into Ai and burned the city down.  Then the fleeing turned back to attack the demoralized enemy caught between the forces.  They took their king prisoner until they killed all twelve thousand of Ai and took the spoils.  They burned the city to the ground as Jericho to leave another heap of stones, then hung their king after he saw the utter defeat.  They learned obedience and taught us to rely on God by following His word and ways of gaining the victory; the difference is the enemy we fight is unseen (Ephesians 5:12), and we do not kill others and take all they possess.  No, we give others what they need and fight for the gospel truth and its saving power to defeat the hearts of people taken captive by the wicked one (1 Timothy 2:25-26).  Our treasure is in heaven, won by our Savior who delivers us in victory over the adversary, reminding us to be strong and courageous like Joshua as we live by faith in God’s work and do our part according to His word and will.