Blogging Bible Study: Joshua 18:12 - 19:51 - How long will you wait?

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The heart of this passage is in the first few verses of chapter 19:

The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there.  The country was brought under their control, but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not received their inheritance.  So Joshua said to the Israelites:  "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?"  (18: 1-3).

Five tribes had claimed their territory:  Reuben and Gad on the east side of the Jordan, Manesseh straddled the river, Ephraim was just to their south and Judah in the southernmost territory.  The other seven tribes...Simeon, Naphtali, Asher, Dan, Zebulon, Issachar and Benjamin...had not yet claimed their land.  Levi, as we were reminded over and over, would not have a territory assigned to them.

So, since those seven tribes had not laid any claim to territory, Joshua proposes a solution.  He asked for three men from each tribe to form survey teams to go out and survey the whole of the land they had conquered and divvy it up into equal portions, then bring back descriptions of each portion, which would be assigned by lot to the seven tribes who had no designated territory.

It had to take a while.

So the men left and went through the land.  They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.  Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. (18: 9 - 10)

First up, Benjamin, who drew the lot that was between Judah and Ephraim. Notable cities listed in the territory of Benjamin included Jericho,  Bethel,  Gibeon, and Jerusalem.

Second, Simeon.  But the surveyors had determined that Judah had more land than they could handle, so Simeon's portion was actually carved out of what had previously been assigned to Judah.  Their cities included Beersheba and Ziklag.

Zebulun came up next; their territory was just southwest of what was later known as the Sea of Galilee (note:  I'm going by the map in the footnote of my Bible).  Bethlehem is listed in the cities of Zebulun, but this is NOT the same Bethlehem that was later known as the City of David.  That was within walking distance of Jerusalem, a good distance to the south of the territory of Zebulun. 

Issachar was fourth, and their allotment came between Manesseh and Zebulun, and actually bordered on the Jordan River just south of the Sea of Galilee.  Their cities included  Jezreel and Shunem.

The fifth lot went to  Asher, and it ran along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered on the south by Zebulun.  Cities included in the inheritance of Asher included Carmel and Tyre.

Naphtali drew the lot between Asher and the Jordan River, north of the Sea of Galilee.  The towns listed for Naphtali are not well known.

The last portion was then given to Dan.  I actually pulled out the NIV Atlas of the Bible to make sure I could see what happened with Dan.   Dan was originally given the bit of territory wedged between Ephraim, Benjamin, the Mediterranean and the Philistines to the southwest; they had territory near Joppa.  But apparently they had problems clearing the towns, so at least a portion of the tribe went all the way up north to Leshem (also known as Laish), captured that city and named it 'Dan' and settled there.  Whether the tribe ended up split between the two territories or all moving north is hard to tell from the passage here.

Joshua was given a specific plot of ground for his inheritance...in the hill country of Ephraim (if you go back to Numbers 13, you will see that Joshua was actually an Ephraimite).

And so they finished dividing the land.  (19:51b).

I was most struck by the challenge in 18:3...How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD your God has given you?

It occurred to me that 'Take possession" = "Take responsibility for".

There are things that the LORD our God has given us.  Gifts, talents, opportunities, positions...how long will we wait before we step up and take responsibility for those areas?  What is the 'land' that God has given me the I have yet to possess?  What is holding me back?  How much longer am I going to wait to step into it and claim it?

Blogging Bible Study: Joshua 16:1 -17:18 -- The Inheritance of Joseph

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Joseph, the favored son of Jacob/Israel, received a double portion inheritance among the people of Israel: the descendants of both his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received separate territory just as if they themselves had been sons of Jacob.  They pretty much split the land directly west of the Jordan, all the way to the Mediterranean, plus the allotment for half of the tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan, with the Reubenites and the Gadites.

But it wasn't described that way in the beginning, even though they were clearly divided into two portions, 16:1 describes it as 'the allotment for Joseph'.  That's certainly how the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh saw it, despite the fact that the two of them together occupied more territory than any other of the tribes, they complained to Joshua that it wasn't enough.

'Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance?  We are a numerous people and the LORD has blessed us abundantly."  (17:14).

Joshua didn't argue with them.  He pointed them at some unclaimed land and said, 'Fine.  You can clear and claim that.'

That brought out a pout. 
'The hill country is not enough, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots.'  (17:16a).

Quite a contrast from Caleb's declarations in chapter 14, eh?

So Joshua wasn't having it; he reminded them of 1) their statement that they were numerous and 2) the ability given to the Israelites.

'You are numerous and very powerful.  You will have not only one allotment but the forested hill country as well.  Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out.' (17:18)

There are some other points in this passage that are worth discussing...the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad, the failure to completely drive out the pagan people from the territory...but I want to focus on this, the difference in attitude between Caleb and the children of Joseph.

Notice...they both came to Joshua asking for land.  They were both given land under the same conditions...that they clear it of the current inhabitants and remove the pagan influence.  Caleb said '..the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.'  The children of Joseph whined 'but they have iron chariots!'

Watch the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh throughout the history of Israel as you read through the rest of the books of history.  This is a shadow of things to come.  The attitude doesn't just reflect the current generation, but it propagates on down.  The chip on the shoulder of the children of Joseph never really goes away.

That's a sobering lesson.  The seeds of division that will eventually rip the country in two are actually visible here, with the attitude of what certainly appears to be entitlement...the children of Joseph wanted their inheritance handed to them.  They didn't want to have to go out and earn it themselves.

Why did they have that attitude?  What was the root of that?  Hard to say at this point...but it may have something to do with whatever happened when the house of Joseph left the capital and made their home among the Hebrews in Goshen.  We don't know when that happened, but it had to be a difficult transition.  Joseph was second in command in Egypt; his boys grew up privileged.  At some point, that privilege was lost...they were numbered with the Hebrews by the time Moses showed up.  But there may have been smoldering resentment...or even just the expectation of it...and resulting offense that still remained all the generations later.

A true reminder to resolve any such issues before they get rooted in the next generation.

Blogging Bible Study: Joshua 14:1 -15:63; Caleb's Determination and the Inheritance of Judah

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

In 14: 4b, we're reminded again that
The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.

Then we see that
The Israelites divided the land, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.  (14:15)

I don't think that was meant to imply that all the land was doled out at the same time; just a statement that it happened.  It kind of appears that some of the tribes were assigned territory, which they took, but the rest were not assigned theirs until later.  The land was divided...just not all in one go.

I think it's very interesting that the first, and most detailed, description of the allotments falls to Judah.   Later, we'll see that the tribe of Simeon is given their allotment within the borders of Judah's, since Judah's is so large, but none of the others require 11 verses to describe the boundaries, and 42 verses to list all the towns in the territory...111 if I've done my math right, plus the territories of Ekron, Ashdod and Gaza.

It's a pretty impressive description.  I don't know if  Judah got that inheritance purely by lot, or if it came as a result of Caleb's promise from Moses.

Let's go back to Numbers 13 and look at the record of the events that led to Caleb's request.

The twelve delegates who had traipsed through the land had returned with their report.
"We went into the lad to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!  Here is its fruit.  BUT..." (Num. 13 27-first bit of 28).

That 'BUT' caused all kinds of trouble for the Israelites.  The people in Canaan were strong, some exceptionally large, the cities fortified, the land occupied.

But, as you  know, two guys out of the group didn't agree with the 'BUT'.  Caleb heard the fear-based report and jumped up.

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."  (Num. 13:30)

The other ten shouted him down and convinced the rest that going into Canaan was a bad idea.  The argument continued to the next day; Joshua and Caleb both  protesting the negative expectations, saying,

"The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.  If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.  Only do not rebel against the LORD.  And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up.  Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us.  Do not be afraid of them." (Num. 14:7-9)

Such talk nearly got them stoned.  But they alone of all the folks in the entire nation over age 20 on that day crossed the Jordan and took the land.  And now Caleb  came to Joshua and reminded him of what they had seen and endured and been promised.

"You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me.  I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land.  And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear.  I, however,  followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.  So on that day, Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.' " (Josh. 6b-9)

But Caleb wasn't done.  He was just as avid to take the land as he was back at Kadesh Barnea.

"Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert.  So here I am today, eighty-five years old!  I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle as I was then.  Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day.  You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."  (Josh. 14:10 - 12)

What remarkable faith!  What tenacity!  Caleb had a promise...that he waited forty-five years to pursue...and then had to fight for.  And not just any little battle...he was going into the very focal point of the fear that had immobilized Israel forty-five years earlier.  Caleb NEVER gave up on the word he had from God, and he never doubted that God would give him the promise in full.

And Caleb had a daughter who followed in his footsteps.  In the process of claiming his inheritance, Caleb promised his daughter, Acsah, to the  man who would capture one of the cities.  Caleb's nephew Othniel captured the city, and so Acsah was given to him as wife.  And, apparently Caleb gave Acsah an inheritance.  Because she was bold enough to ask for more.

...when she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?"  
She replied, "Do me a special favor.  Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water."  So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.  (Josh. 15:18a-19)

It was remarkable enough that a daughter received an inheritance; the Negev was a very dry, desert-like area.  Without a constant water supply,  life would be a struggle of constant moving about to find water.  Springs would allow for settlement and cultivation.  Acsah wasn't just asking for water, she was asking for all that came with it...security and permanence.  And Caleb didn't just give her one, he gave her two.  Because she was bold enough to ask.

Here we have two accounts of asking in faith.  One was asking on the basis of a promise, the other on the basis of relationship.   Neither would have gotten the inheritance without asking.  What is in my heart that I need to believe enough to step forward and ASK to see come to pass?  Do I believe it should come?  Do I have a promise from God, is my relationship such that I can dare ask for the desires of my heart?  Do I even know the desires of my heart well enough to make the request?
Can I state, as Caleb did, that I have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly?  If not, what is holding me back? How can I move beyond that into wholeheartedness?

Blogging Bible Study - Joshua 13:Moses' Allocations

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

We begin now to look at the allocation of the Promised Land to the 11 tribes of Israel...if you put Manesseh and Ephraim together as the tribe of Joseph.  But they really are counted as two separate tribes, which reflects the 'double portion' inheritance Joseph received.  Levi, we shall be reminded, has no territorial inheritance.

I'll be  honest, most of this is just a list of cities and territories and I am not going to go into geography lessons for the next 9 chapters. There are maps in the backs of your Bibles that can illustrate those divisions far better than I can. Instead, there are tidbits sprinkled around and amongst the geography and that's what we'll be looking at closely here.

Just for a moment, let's have a reminder of  Josh. 11:18 - Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time.

Those kings were defeated, as stated in chapter 11, but it took awhile for those victories...which leads us to 13:1 --

When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, "You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over." 

Keep in mind that all the major kings in the area had been defeated.  Those 'very large areas of land' were occupied by pagan people who were without the military leaders that had been protecting them.  With the military gone, it should have been a rather simple matter to expel the folks who were living in the land.
 
Verses 2 - 5 list towns and areas that still needed to be cleared of the '-ites' that live there.  God promised to drive the Sidonians out in front of the Israelites, and instructed Joshua to include all the listed territory in the land that was to be divided amongst the 9 and a half tribes whose inheritance was to be west of the Jordan.

Which brought up the allotment for the folks whose inheritance would be east of the Jordan -- the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, whose inheritance actually spanned the Jordan.  The rest of the chapter is a listing of what Moses set down as the portions for those folks.

There are two verses in that listing that are worth noting, as they emphasize a point:

But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since  the offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them  (v. 14)

But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.  (v. 33).

That information will be repeated again and again, in odd places throughout the geographic descriptions of the territorial allocations. 

Levi receives no territory.

Levi's inheritance is the God of Israel.

The Levites had no territory to claim or defend...only villages scattered throughout the nation, defended by the tribe surrounding them.  Their primary task was to serve God and His house.

Are there any 'areas' in my life that God's kingdom needs to take over?  Anywhere I find myself following the influence of those who do not honor God?  Or what about those places that I want to control myself...have I given up what I might claim as 'my inheritance' (read: 'my rights') in order to serve God and His kingdom, trusting Him? 

Celebrating 70

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

So, yeah, I missed the Joshua study again last week.

We were out of town; My Sweet Babboo's parents were celebrating 70 years of marriage.

The entire family came in...with the exception of the spouses of the only two married grandchildren, who couldn't get off work.  So all four kids, their spouses, and all 10 grandchildren.  Between us, we represented Indiana (the ol' stompin' grounds), Alabama, California, Florida and Pennsylvania.

It was pretty low-key, as far as celebrations go.  We took the folks out for dinner on Saturday (their anniversary was actually the 27th, but we couldn't make Wednesday work for a gathering) and basically hung out for the weekend.

Oh, and we sang at church.

I think I've mentioned the musicality of my inlaw family;  My FIL was a barbershop singer back in the day; both My Sweet Babboo's brothers are barbershoppers and I even think his sister sang with a Sweet Adeline chorus a bit.  The folks, their kids and their kids-in-law all sing in a church choir or barbershop chorus.

Two of the grandkids sing regularly and a third is a musical theater participant.  The others are, um, not particularly pursuing vocal music at the time.

But we have a tradition that began with the folks' 40th anniversary celebration...the entire family sang the special music at church on the celebration weekend.  We did it again for the 50th...the 60th...and now the 70th anniversary, adding the grandkids as they got old enough to participate.

Thanks to the advances in technology, here is the performance from the 9 AM service at St Paul United Methodist Church in Elkhart, Indiana on Sunday, July 1st.  All 20 of us are singing, although some of the grandkids might be doing so rather quietly. 

And, as it seems the video file is too big to upload to  Blogger, here's the facebook link.

It is an amazing blessing to get to celebrate them.