Joshua 24 - the end of the journey

Seems fitting that the history of the move from captivity to freedom ends with the Lord giving the Israelite leaders a history lesson of what was, what is and what is to come. They, as do I, needed to be reminded of the Lord's benefits and faithfulness to His promises. The Gospel is about choices - God chose to send, Jesus chose to come and die to save us. Now the Israelites were given their choices but Joshua, even after stating the famous v. 15, gave them the option to choose to follow the Lord. How prophetic that while they said yes, they ultimately said no. Let the Judges begin....

The chapter ends with the Promised Land being the final resting place of the forefathers of the faith. I guess that will be something to ponder further about. Oh well, preparing for the New Year. I am praying that this will be a blessed and "robust" one!

Joshua 23 A Farewell to Arms

Just as there was a break between the last post and this, so there is a break between the narrative between 22 and 23. Christmas was good, despite what some feel was a setback in the food. I thought it was ok. The presents were also good - it hit needs and wants. The people I shared it with was great! Nearly 40 people came and hopefully enjoyed themselves and were blessed. On the eve, I got to meet my niece's prospective in-laws and that was a good and meaningful time. Good people.  The service on Sunday was good since the whole family participated. Prayer service was good and dinner at Juniors was good (especially the dessert). West Side Story was fair but the snow was NOT good. We got 25 inches and made it home Sunday night with the Lord's providence - the last train to Edison and the truck did the rest. I praise God for the family bonding and our efforts to clean the driveway and be Jesus to our neighbors.

Joshua's reminder to the Israelite leaders comes at the end of his life. Keep on the narrow and hold fast to the Lord and his ways. Anything else will be disastrous. He reminded them that one can defeat a thousand if the Lord is on your side. Very similar to Jesus when he said if we had the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. How true yet how distant...

As I heard someone say over the radio, it's not just about believing, Jesus wants your heart as well.

Joshua 22 - You can't judge a book by its cover

What a chapter!!! Joshua sends out the three tribes to possess the land that they were given, and upon doing so they erect an altar between the lands of the remaining Israelites. The remaining tribes feel that this is a slap in the face to them and God and want to go to war. They send an emissary to see what is going on with them and to rebuke them if they see if they have turn their backs to the Lord. To their delight, they found that they were not only practicing the laws and the sacrifices that Moses laid down, but their "altar" was to be used as a memorial for the purpose of "A WITNESS BETWEEN US THAT THE LORD IS GOD".

How often do I mistake good deeds and intentions for evil? Thank you Holy Spirit for giving me a discerning heart to listen and not talk, to see things through the eyes of Christ. I pray that I will always heed that.

Joshua 21

The Levites were the last of the 12 tribes to be allotted a place to dwell. As it turns out, they didn't have a specific region but were given towns and pasturelands by all of the tribes. Of course, they had to be given for the most part - the cities of refuge as well. The sprinkling of the Levites were supposed to flavor God's people with His holy tribe. As the last of the tribes to receive their due, the Lord fulfilled his promises. Not only did He give them the land, He gave them rest on all sides and no one opposed them.

Seems like a fairy tale but it was true. How I wish that we were like this today...

More prayers for Hannah Joy, last post didn't sit well with me.

Joshua 20

I have always been intrigued that the Lord set up "cities of refuge" - to protect those who unintentionally and accidentally kills someone. I see that as a place where mercy lives and justice will prevail without fear of retribution. There were 6 in all and were scattered so someone may flee to there. I see that churches are and can serve the same function since we all need to follow Micah 6:8.

I have been following a blog for several months http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rodgers4/ and the journey of the Rodgers family and their soon-to-be 3 month old daughter, Hannah Joy who has gone through hell in a hospital since birth. Working with Joe for about 15 years, I have seen him step up to the plate and hold this family together while trusting in the Lord during this season. All I can do is pray daily for them and lift them up to the Father that will give them their refuge and strength.

Joshua 18: 1-10

6 and 1/2 tribes were yet to received their land (no Levites) and thus Joshua asked them why and why not? A part of me thinks they lacked initiative or direction but a part of me also thinks that they were waiting for it so they would offend God or Joshua. Anyway, the system was divised and the lots were drawn (I guess that's the God aspect) and thus the land was distributed according to their tribal divisions.

The balance of the chapter and 19 will talk about the clans getting what so we'll see...

All in all, a good day at church yesterday and an interesting class on Worship, in particular worship songs. While I agree in principle to most of what Dr. Geisler said, I still use Phil 4:8 and Col. 3:16 as guidelines. Good observations about the 1 Cor passage and the Psalms as well. It is all about Him and not about me...

Joshua 17

There is so such thing as a free lunch. That was a lesson that I learned a long time ago in the working world. The reason you get something is to give something. God gave, through Joshua, land to the Manassites according to the tribes and the heads of households. They felt cheated and wanted more, even though they got what they were promised. In reality, they as we deserve nothing. We are given it by grace and love from a Father that provides all that we need. Remember the Canaanites from the last chapter? Well, they were so determined to live in that region that they could not be driven out but rather, over time became laborers for the Manassites. In turn, that was a reason for them to ask for more land. If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question. Joshua told them to go and fight for it. Despite the odds that they thought they were against, Joshua convinced them that they were capable to take the land they need.

We all think we are due something. Whether it is a job, career, possessions and "certain unalienable rights". If we got what we deserved, God wouldn't have sent His Son for us. There is a price for everything and things will never always go our way. That tests us and challenges us. That prepares us and directs us. We need to seek God daily as we "walk and talk" with Him.

Joshua 16

A historical perspective of the inheritance of the land by the descendants of Joseph (of Genesis fame). 2 sons - Ephraim and Manasseh had their descendants and they were allotted the land starting from Jericho. The Bible is very specific about which clan got what, I guess that it was easier to do this to make everything equitable. The interesting verse of 16 comes at the end when the Canaanites (who I guess had that part of the land first) were not dislodged and remained as workers "to this very day"

I guess to me a dry part of Scripture as will be the next few chapters of the subdivisions of the land...

Still much to be thankful for yet still very tough to get back into the swing of things after a long time away in FL. Trying to fight a cold/cough and getting slowly back into the early morning wakeup. At least this vacation I proved to myself that I can sleep longer than 6 hours a day. Who woulda thunk?

Joshua 15

Sorry for the delay but this was actually read and pray for a few days ago... Finally back in the swing of the AM devotionals after a few days on the road.
The details of the split of the land for the Judah tribe to me reveal the importance of Judah to God. Caleb's children were the major benefactors of their father's obedience to God. This was especially true for his daughter who asked for and got the springs of water to go along with the prime real estate. The telling verse that ends the chapter was that they were stuck with the Jebusites and couldn't get rid of them.
So... what does this mean to me? To me it means that if God is honored and obeyed, his people will be blessed. The entrenchment of Israel in the land and the settlement of the people in their cities and towns could have lasted for all eternity if Dt 6:5 was obeyed and followed. I can only do the same...

Joshua 14

This continues the division of the land that was promised to the 12 tribes (actually 11 since the Levites did not take part of in this). A new twist came to pass since Joseph's tribe was actually split betwen in half - Manasseh and Ephraim. I guess they just couldn't get along. Still, they were allowed to and were given their allotment of land.
Perhaps the man of the chapter was Caleb who spent half of under Moses and the balance under Joshua. He was the faithful who was sent to spy as recorded in Dt. 1:19 and God told him in Dt 1 :36 that only he would rewarded. God always keeps his promises even though it took 45 years in this instance to receive it. Not only was he rewarded but he was able to enjoy it given the peace that ensued.
The lesson: God will answer and reward in His time and He will never give us second-best if we are faithful and true.

Joshua 13

This chapter re-emphasizes the need of more land to be taken and how the land that they have was to be divided among the 9 1/2 tribes (Manasseh's tribe was split in half). It goes through who had the land before and who got it now. It seems that the prior holders were simply a bookmark for the Israelites whom the Lord loved and gave them the land. It still reminds me of how much the Israelites they had and ultimately how much they lost through their disobediance and defiance. God is still remindful that the Levites got no land since the Lord was their inheritance.

We are now the Lord's inheritance, I pray I never lose it!