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“The Profiles Of Occupation, Pt.1” •
1.26.14 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We're in a new section of the book of Joshua,
which deals with the details of Israel's coregency in the land of Canaan, now
Israel.
- The major battles are over. From here, the
land will be divided to the remaining tribes, who will occupy and be
responsible to remove the smaller pockets of resistance within their territory.
- Admittedly, this section, stretching over
chapter 19, will be difficult for us
to cover in our usual format. What we will do is "fly over" the
passage and concentrate ourselves on a few profiles.
- These people or tribes stand up within the
text and offer us rich illustrations regarding our own walk with the Lord and
what can be said of it from heaven's perspective.
Text
• Joshua
13:1-7 : "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. This is the land that yet remains:
all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites, 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; 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; the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise,
from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath; 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. Now therefore, divide this land as
an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.'" : Joshua admits his age, that he had grown old. Sustained conflict
does that to a person, wearing them down before their time.
- But just in case there was any doubt, the
Lord confirms it! "Son, You OLD!!"
- God tells Joshua that his age doesn't change
the fact that much is left to be done. "It's not time to settle or relax.
There is still work to do." That's a word for all of us!
- You might be getting older, but there remains
very much land yet to be possessed!
- God provides a list of lands that were yet to
be conquered and that none would stand a chance, as God would continue to drive
them out before Israel.
- For now, Joshua was to commence with the
dividing of the land for the remain tribes of Israel.
- For the remainder of this chapter, Joshua reviews
the territory that had been allotted to the two and a half tribes on the east
side of the river Jordan.
- Verses 8-12
provide a summation of the two battles that secured their settlement. Sihon and
Og, the two Amorite Kings, fell before Moses and the Israelites.
• Joshua
13:13,14 : "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. 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." :
For all the forward motion that was created by God's victory over Sihon and Og,
Reuben, Gad and Manasseh failed to expand their initial settlement.
- We do not know who the Geshurites or the
Maachathites were, but we know that they did not belong. God had given Reuben,
Gad and Manasseh land that they did not take.
- This influence remained with them until that
very day, a scourge on their record for sure and the cause of their eventual
demise having "played the harlot after their gods." (I Chronicles 5:25)
- God reminds the people that the Levites are
the only tribe without an inheritance, save for the common lands that each
territory was to provide.
- Their inheritance was to be given them from
the sacrifices of the Lord.
- The rest of the chapter details the land
given to the Eastern tribes, Reuben (v.15-23),
Gad (v.24-28) and half of the tribe of
Manasseh (v.29-33)
- If one were to characterize these Eastern
tribes, we'd recieve a message about not going far enough in the things of God.
The land that they settled in was financially viable for their flocks.
- They could make a living, but not live a
life! That's the story here. They are people who settled just short of where
God was calling them to for the sake of temporal riches.
- God intended them to live safely within the
borders of Canaan, near their brothers and sisters, near the place where He
would set His Name and be worshipped.
- Instead, they chose to cut themselves off
from meaningful fellowship and from practical assistance, being that the Jordan
river lie between them and the rest of Israel.
- They left themselves exposed out on the
fringe and their children became the first victims of the Assyrian campaign, as
they went into captivity 18 years before the rest of Israel. (I Chronicles 5)
- There are too many Christians who settle for
fringe existence. They may not see the full ramifications of their decision,
but there is no doubt that their children will!
- If you take the things of God lightly and
express that through your priorities, how much more lightly will they take the
things of God!?
- Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had some really good
years financially and even spiritually, but they set up their children for
spiritual ruin when they settled for less than God's best!
• Joshua
14:1-5 : "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. Their inheritance was by lot, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of
Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. 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. 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. As
the Lord had commanded Moses, so the
children of Israel did; and they divided the land." : Chapter 14 begins to
deal with the settlement of the 9 and a half Western tribes, who crossed the
Jordan River.
- This section provides some light with regard
to the process. Joshua is not alone in doling out territory, as Eleazar the
Priest and an untold number of delegates took part in the process.
- This was performed by lot, which was the
preferred way that the Old Testament saints determined the will of the Lord. It
was not a lottery system, but a trusted method that they agreed to.
• Proverbs 16:33 : "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."
- Thus, the people would accept the lot that
was given to them and each tribe's territory became their responsibility. Each
tribe would be charged with occupying it's given land.
• Joshua
14:6-8 : "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. 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. Nevertheless my brethren who went
up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God." : Joshua is about to have this meeting with Judah, when Caleb
jumps in right before them! "I'll be going first if you don't mind!"
- Caleb's name means "Dog" and if
there was ever a spiritual "bulldog," he fits the bill!
- In order to understand Caleb, please take
note of a few significant details about him. First, he is the son of a
Kennizzite. He is associated with Judah and goes out for them, but he is a
Kennizzite.
- Genesis
15:19 lists the Kenites as a Canaanite tribe! Somewhere along the line,
Caleb's family joined itself to the people of God, specifically to the tribe of
Judah.
- But Caleb himself was a foreigner, an actual
member of the people that he helped drive out!
- Notice additionally that Caleb is a man
living by God's promise to Him. "You know the word which the Lord said to
Moses concern you and me!"
- He held onto God's promise to him for 40
years and then some! He had never forgotten it.
- Caleb recalls when Moses sent them out and
when he came back speaking of the victory that would be theirs if they just believed.
- But the voices of the other 10 spies, the
majority, had already planted the seed of doubt deep into the hearts of the
people. In fact, their hearts melted, dissolved, liquefied! But not Caleb.
- Notice third the epithet over his life: He
wholly followed the Lord. He wasn't going to let the majority tell him
different. His heart was set on the Lord and the plan that He had set before
Israel.
• Joshua
14:9-12 : "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.’ 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. 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. 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.'" : Notice fourthly, Caleb's an aged man who has been at this for
45 years!
- Incidently, it's amazing how different these
two men were. At the beginning of chapter 13,
it's reported that Joshua is well advanced in age.
- Caleb is just about the same age, but still
has the same heart as when he was a young man!
- Notice a fifth point about Caleb. His
spiritual ambition is unabated. He believed that he was still just as able to
vanquish the Anakim as he had been 45 years earlier!
- Caleb asks for the land of Hebron. Here's an
aged man who has been through the wars and is certainly facing fewer days ahead
than were behind. I might have asked for a nice spot by the river!
- Caleb doesn't just ask for a difficult spot.
He asks for the headquarters of the giants where the cities were great and
fortified. This brings us to our sixth point.
- Caleb was confident in the Lord's ability to
bless. Caleb wanted this area, but was not in any way presuming that he could
take it without the Lord's help. God would do it for him!
- I can't help but pray that some of you will
eventually have this heart spiritually. I look forward to someone coming to me
and asking a blessing to go.
- I pray that you will set your spiritual
sights on a land that is filled with giants, covered with cities that are great
and fortified, wise enough to know that if God calls, He's able to finish it!
- This was Caleb's heart in this day before
Joshua. He didn't need to be young or strong. He just needed Joshua's blessing
and God's presence with him!
•
Joshua 14:13-15 : "And Joshua blessed him, and gave
Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. 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. And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the
greatest man among the Anakim). Then the land had rest from war." : God gave it to him because he followed God "wholly"
or whole heartedly. Would that be said of you?
-
Caleb went into his possession and renamed it from "the city of Arba"
to the name Hebron, meaning "association." He wanted his possession
to be associated with the Lord.
-
It had been formerly named after the greatest man among the Anakim, which says
alot being that they were all fearsome men. But nothing is better than being
associated with the Lord God!
-
For the first 12 verses of chapter 15, Joshua delineates the totality of
the inheritance that was given to Judah.
-
The best thing to do would be to read this with a map of Israel next to you.
You can see the cities that are given here and have a better idea of the
territory.
-
Suffice it to say, Judah is a large section of Israel in the south that was to
border Edom and the Dead Sea and the Wilderness of Zin on it's South and East
border respectively.
-
It's Western border was to end at the Mediteranean Sea. It's in Judah's tribe
that the Messiah will be born. In verse 13,
we return to Caleb.
•
Joshua 15:13-15 : "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). Caleb drove out the three sons of
Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. Then he went up from there to the
inhabitants of Debir (formerly the name of Debir was Kirjath Sepher)." : Caleb always eyed this particular Anakim stronghold. After all,
they were responsible for all those years of wandering!
-
Arba was the Father of Anak, the originator of this line of giants.
Essentially, Caleb came to the root of the Anakim and sought vengeance.
-
He repeatedly put himself to the task of dispossessing them from the land.
-
He took out Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai and then went on to deal with the
inhabitants of Debir, which had been called the city of Sepher.
•
Joshua 15:16,17 : "And Caleb said, 'He who attacks
Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.' So Othniel the son of Kenaz, the
brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife." : Caleb could do a lot of things, but he could not do it all.
Kirjath Sepher was a stronghold that he was unable to go out after given his
occupation of Hebron.
-
He offered his daughter in marriage to the man that would step up to this
challenge. In a way, this is a great way to adjudicate a potential mate for
your daughter!
-
How will he respond to a spiritual challenge? Will he be fearful of faithful?
Will he see it through to the end? That sort of man would be worthy of a
daughter.
-
Othniel whose name means "lion of God" stepped forward to take the
challenge. Othniel is a relative, definitely a fellow tribesman. In two words,
Othniel "took it!"
-
He brought this area into subjection and earned the right to Achsah's hand in
marriage.
•
Joshua 15:18,19 : "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?' 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." : Achsah was just as wise and enterprising as her Father Caleb.
Listen to her heart: Give me a blessing!
-
She asked for springs of water and Caleb, through Othniel, gave her the upper
and lower springs. Follow the picture. The Father gives the Lion of the Tribe
of Judah a bride.
-
That bride asks the Father for a blessing, which He gives to them via the Son.
Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who awards his bride the gift of the
Holy Spirit!
-
Jesus alludes to life in the Holy Spirit metaphorically as if one had torrents
of living water flowing from their lives! (John
7:38) They are connected to the very source of water or refreshment!
-
That's the life of a believer: Constantly refreshed by the power of God's Holy
Spirit who has been given to us by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, having won
the right to award this to them!
-
Now, consider where we have been. There are two examples before us. There are
the ones who settled for less than what God intended for them in the tribes of
Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.
-
Their culture eventually corroded their spiritual lives, sending them into a
spiral toward eventual occupation.
-
We also have the example of a man who not only went for a great inheritance,
but also sought a blessing for others of the same mind.
-
Israel has heard this story. Judah has heard this story. How would they
respond? Would they have the faith that is seen in Caleb's impressive victory?
-
Verses 20 through 62 detail the entire allotment that the
tribe of Judah received. The record leaves us with this note.
•
Joshua 15:63 : "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." : And so it begins. The inspired example of Caleb's life of
driving out giants and Judah could not take out the Jebusites.
-
There aren't any details afforded to us, but we know that this land won't be
taken until the time of King David!
Conclusion
- What will be your response? Will you settle for less or go for it all?
Will you position your family on the fringe or will you provide for your family
a spiritual heritage?
- As with all of the tribes that we will see,
the decision was theirs to make. I pray that we choose wisely!
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