The Levites placed throughout israel and the conquest summarised

Text Joshua 21 Time 20 06 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

We come this week to Joshua 21 where we read of the final tribal allotment of land, that to the Levites. The Levites, of course, are different in that they are given land all over Israel not just in one place.

There are three movements in the chapter - an introduction and the main matter on the Levites in verses 9-20. There then comes a conclusion for the book so far.

1. Consider the opening statements made about the Levites

In verses 1-8 we read Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, "The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock." So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

and then you read how The first lot came out for the Kohathites, according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted 13 towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.

Next The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted 10 towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.

Then The descendants of Gershon were allotted 13 towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

And finally The descendants of Merari, according to their clans, received 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

Verse 8 concludes So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. Three things here

1. The Levites make their approach

The final lot was not assigned until the Levites made their claim. An inheritance is provided as with the other tribes but they must ask for it. Ask, and it shall be given you. They are an example in this. Note how they build their claim on a good foundation - not their own merits but God's command (The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock they say). God provides for us but he will have us pray for these blessings.

He commands today that ministers be provided for. We should all consider our role in this

They did not make their claim until all the rest of the tribes were provided for, of course. Until then the various tribes could not give anything to the Levites. It showed humility, modesty and patience for the Levites to be willing to be served last. We too should be the same.

2. The Levites are provided for immediately, without dispute.

It says that as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance .... God decided how many there would be - 48 in all. Presumably it was done by Joshua and the others deciding how many towns each tribe was to give. So God had commanded (Numbers 35:8) The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few. And here it is happening - and, it would seem, they gave some of the best and most considerable places. It looks like they chose them in a way that would mean there were Levites everywhere in Israel. No-one would be too far from a Levite city.

On the other hand the giving was at the Lord's command. This was an act of obedience. They gave the number God commanded. It was right that the Levites should not ask for more. The Israelites kindly included the pasturelands around the towns in their allotment

3. When the 48 cities were chosen, they were divided into four lots and then distributed by lot among the different Levite clans.

The first lot went to Aaron and his sons, who were the only priests. They were given 13 cities by the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin. In God's wisdom then though Jerusalem was not made a Levite city, it being still in Jebusite hands, the priests were given towns near Jerusalem. In due time that would be the holy city, where their main work would be.

The second lot went to the rest of the Kohathites. They were given the cities that lay in Dan, which was next to Judah, and Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh, which was next to Benjamin. So these Kohathites lived next to Aaron's sons.

Gershon was the eldest son of Levi and so his children were put before Merari but not Kohath, even though younger. This is all part of God's mysterious providence.

The Merarites were last and furthest off.

2. Consider the main statements made about the Levites

In verses 9-42 we have more detail about the four allotments to the Levites.

First (9-19) we read how the first lot fell to the Aaronites who were given cities From the tribes of Judah and Simeon ... Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), and

Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah & Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands - 9 towns from these 2 tribes.

and from the tribe of Benjamin ... Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth and Almon ... with their pasturelands - 4 towns

The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to 13 ... with their pasturelands

Then comes the rest of the Kohathites (20-26) they were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim: In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge ...) and Gezer, Kibzaim and Beth Horon, ... with their pasturelands - 4 towns.

Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Aijalon and Gath Rimmon ... with their pasturelands - 4 towns.

From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon...with their pasturelands - 2 towns

All these 10 towns & their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

Third, the Gershonites (27-33). Their towns came from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge ... ) and Be Eshterah ...with their pasturelands - 2 towns;

from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth and En Gannim...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon, Helkath & Rehob...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge ...), Hammoth Dor and Kartan...with their pasturelands - 3 towns.

The total number of towns of the Gershonite clans came to 13, together with their pasturelands.

Finally, the Merarites (34-42) The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:

from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah and Nahalal...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz, Kedemoth and Mephaath...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge ...) Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands - 4 towns in all.

The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans who were the rest of the Levites came to 12

The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were 48 in all...with their pasturelands. Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns

1. The Levites were dispersed among the tribes and not allowed all to live in any one area.

By this means they would find work to do and be able to provide for themselves to some extent. They were open to scrutiny by the people in away that they would not have been had they all lived in one place. The eyes of all Israel were on them and they would have lived in the light of that fact.

2. Every tribe in Israel was honoured by the presence of at least some Levite cities.

They were all God's people, and therefore they all had Levites among them. It showed the kindness of God to them. it made it easy for the people to receive advice and instruction from the Levites. The Levites were like salt preserving the life of the nation - just as we who believe are to be the same in society today. At the same time because potentially there is a minister in every church we are all provided for.

3. Some 13 cities, including some of the best, were given to the priests, the sons of Aaron.

The Aaronites proved to be a large clan in the end even though two of aaropn's sons were out to death. God saw how they would flourish in due time and provided fro them.

4. Some Levite towns are mentioned later in Scripture - Hebron is where David began his reign. Mahanaim is where he had his headquarters when he fled from Absalom. The first Israelite considered a sort of king was Abimelech, son of Gideon, and he reigned in Shechem, another Levite city. Anathoth was where Jeremiah was from.

5. The number of Levite cities altogether was more than most tribes, except Judah, even though Levi was one of the smaller tribes. It is a reminder of God's kindness and a call to be kind to his servants. Of course, unlike the Levites, the tribes had olenty of unwalled towns and other areas not mentioned by name. Levites were provided for so that they could live comfortable and useful lives, as should eb the case with ministers today.

3. Consider the concluding statements made of a more general nature

Verses 43-45 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. Then The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. And Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Dale Ralph Davis calls these verses the theological heart of the book and yet some commentaries do not give the verses the attention they deserve. One writer suggests that verse 43 summarises Chapters 13-21 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there and verse 44, Chapters 1-12 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. Verse 45 then sums up the whole book - Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Three things here about God's promises

1. God had promised to give the seed of Abraham the land of Canaan as a possession, and now at last he had done it. They possessed it and lived in it. Though they had long not benefited from the promise and it had been a long time coming now at last all the difficulties were over and Canaan was now their own.

One day we who believe will know something similar - heaven will be ours forever.

2. God had promised to give them rest in that land, and now they had rest.

The trudging through the wilderness was over, the wars in Canaan were over. They were now living in their own land. it was quiet and peaceful, though there were still Canaanites remaining. But with the right spirit all was going to be well. It was only when their own sin and folly reasserted itself that they lost that peace. Watch out!

3. God had promised to give them victory and success in their wars, and this promise was also fulfilled.

There was no one left to face them. Wherever they turned their forces had seen success. Yes, there were Canaanites now remaining in many parts of the land and later on that would be a problem but that did not contradict God's promise. In Exodus 23:28-30 he had said

I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

At this point Israel held as much land as they needed and could manage. The Canaanites merely kept possession of some less cultivated parts of the country until Israel, in due time, would become numerous enough. It was only later that Israel had problems with the Canaanites and that was due to their own cowardice and laziness. God used the Canaanites to punish them at that time.

This is always the case then - God's promises can be trusted. He always fulfils them. Never doubt him.

Christ our city of refuge

Text Joshua 20 Time 12 06 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

We are looking at the final chapters of the Book of Joshua. We have seen now how the land was distributed among the various tribes and in Chapter 20 we have a short description of how the Cities of Refuge were designated. The Cities of Refuge are first mentioned in Exodus 20 and then again in Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 4 and 19 as well as here.

Like so much in Scripture the Cities of Refuge point to Jesus Christ and his power to save. In order to properly understand how that is so we need first to understand exactly what was prescribed regarding these cities of refuge and so we will begin there and then come on to how they teach us about Christ and his redemption.

1. Understand the plan behind the cities of refuge

Before we come to the content of the chapter, let me explain what happened when a person was killed in ancient Israel. When a person was killed in ancient Israel it was the responsibility of a person designated by the dead man's family, a man known as the avenger of blood, to hunt down the killer and see that the killer himself was put to death for his crime. What the Cities of Refuge dealt with was the situation where someone kills a person accidentally and unintentionally. Rather than saying that the avenger of blood must be called off, the killer is told to run to what was called a City of Refuge. He is not automatically safe there, certainly not if he is guilty of murder but if it was truly manslaughter then he could find refuge.

So Joshua 20 begins Then the LORD said to Joshua: Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.

Verse 4 explains how When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them.

It then says (5) If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbour unintentionally and without malice aforethought.

We are told, verse 6, that They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.

Then in verses 7 and 8 the cities to be set apart are listed (working north to south) Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. Also East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) (and this time the middle then south then north) they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh.

We learn elsewhere that all of these were Levite cities occupied by men from this priestly tribe. They are also all in hill country or high up so that they could be seen from a distance. So there are six cities, three on one side of the Jordan and three on the other side. On the western side, Kedesh is in the north, Shechem in the middle and Hebron on the south, with a similar pattern to the east of the Jordan for Bezer, Ramoth and Golan.

Kedesh is 180 km north of Hebron and if you imagine going south east from Kedesh to Golan due south to Ramoth then back south west to Shechem and south east to Bezer and south west to Hebron, there is not much more than 50 or 60 km between each city - about a day's journey.

If the places were in England, very roughly it would perhaps be something like Chingford, Cambridge and Peterborough (going north) on one side and (going north again) Reading, Milton Keynes and Leicester on the other.

The chapter ends (9) Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

2. Understand how the cities of refuge point us forward to Jesus Christ and his redemption

I think that if we meditate on what is revealed about the cities of refuge here and elsewhere in the light of the redemption in Christ revealed in the New Testament we will see some worthwhile things.

1. We are all sinners and we are rightly exposed to the danger of death

Just as every individual who killed in the Old Testament was then pursued by an avenger of blood so there is an avenger of blood who is pursuing all of us because we too are guilty. He will drag us down to hell if we are not rescued by some means or another.

Do you realise that?

2. There is a place of refuge in Christ for all who are guilty

In verse 3 we read that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee to a city of refuge and find protection from the avenger of blood. In a similar way, every guilty sinner who flees to Christ will find refuge in him.

The very reason Christ came is to save the guilty. He justifies sinners who repent and trust in him. By nature we are lost and without hope but if we flee to him to find safety then all will be well. He provides a hiding place for the guilty. He protects them and saves them.

3. God himself has appointed Jesus as the refuge for condemned sinners

Just as the cities of refuge were chosen and designated by God so Jesus Christ has been appointed by God as the refuge for condemned sinners. It is the Father who sent the Son, having chosen him for the task before the beginning of time. As Peter says of Jesus in Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Not only did God send him but he allowed him to die, then raised him to life and seated him at his own right hand. Peter says (Acts 10:38) God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

We can go into more detail. Some older commentators try to make something of the meanings of the names of the cities (Kedesh is holiness, Hebron refers to friendship or fellowship and Bezer means stronghold or refuge, etc). That is probably to go too far but these things can be noted.

There were six cities, an adequate number for Israel and pointing to the sufficiency of Christ. Jesus is the sufficient Saviour for all. In him there is room for as many as shall come.

Then there is the way the cities were spaced out over various places throughout the kingdom. There is also the accessibility of Christ then. Christ is accessible to all sinners. God has provided everything that might make you want to come to Christ - in many cases, godly parents or ministers. You have grown up, in many cases, with Bibles you can read and churches that preach the gospel and good Christian books. All are designed to point you to Christ. They lead you away from the cross-roads and by-ways of human reason and human error and self-righteousness that would lead you astray, to the Lord Jesus Christ. They say to you "Flee! flee! Flee for refuge and lay hold on the hope set before you!"

In 2 Peter 3:9 we read The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Christ wants all to come to him. None who come will be turned away.

The roads that led to the cities of refuge would have been broad, well constructed roads and this reminds us of the free, full and plain declarations of the gospel of Christ that we find in Scripture and in the mouths of God's servants. Act on them.

4. Each city of refuge pictures the salvation that is found in Jesus Christ

Once you were inside the city you were safe. In a similar way, once you repent and put your faith in Christ, then you are safe. Once you are in Christ, you are as safe as can be. As long as you remain in him, no harm can possibly come to you. (See John 15). Hell is not possible and heaven is certain. Once you belong to Christ, you are delivered from present condemnation and from the prospect of eternal death. In Christ there is ample provision.

5. The Cities of Refuge remind us that full salvation is dependent on Christ's death

In verse 6 it says They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.

Given that Christ is our High Priest it is perhaps legitimate to point out that without the death of Christ full salvation would not be possible.

6. Just as the Cities of Refuge were the only hope for the guilty so Christ is the only hope today

Jesus Christ is the only refuge there is for sinners. John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. He alone can deliver from hell and from the wrath of God.

3. Hear these final applications

1. Think of the terrible misery and the peril of the careless sinner. It is like a person who has killed someone but is somehow oblivious to the fact that the avenger of blood is already on the road, coming to wreak vengeance on him. Are you awake to your danger?

2. The absolute necessity of repentance before God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In those days, if you entered the city of refuge, all would be well; if you did not. you were at the mercy of the avenger of death. So now outside of Christ, there is no hope for you at all.

3. It is a reminder of how urgent we should be about waking people up to their danger and trying to persuade them regarding the truth

4. You need to come to Christ without delay

In those days it was imperative that the guilty got to the city of refuge as soon as possible. In a similar way we must flee to Christ without delay. In 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 Paul says As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favour, now is the day of salvation.

You know that proverb Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1) Another says Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed - without remedy. (Proverbs 29:1)

5. How happy are those who have been delivered from the power of Satan, and have come to enjoy the forgiving love of God. Within the city of refuge all our interests are secure both for time and eternity.

Learning from the settlement of the last six tribes of Israel

Text Joshua 19 Time 05 06 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

I want us to return this evening to the Book of Joshua as we still have a few chapters to cover. Joshua can be divided into three or four parts

1 (1-4) Entering the land 2 (5-12) Taking the land and then 3 (13-21) Possessing the land.

We are in the section of the book where the land is divided among the people. So far we've looked at how the land was given to the tribes of Judah, Ephraim and Manasseh and Benjamin. We know that land had already been allotted to two and half tribes on the east of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh) and that the Levites did not receive an inheritance like the others. There were six more allotments to be made then in Joshua 19. Here we read of the allotments to Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Dan. At the end of the chapter we read also of the allotment to Joshua the leader of God's people at this time.

I've mentioned before how my father was a big football fan and he would say to me sometimes things like "Grimsby lost on Saturday" or "I notice that Halifax Town beat Lincoln midweek". At first I would wonder why he was telling me about teams hundreds of miles away. Sometimes I would ask and sometimes it would dawn on me - Grimsby losing or Halifax winning was important because of the way it affected Newport County's position in the table! A lot of things are like that - they seem wholly irrelevant but once you spot the connection, they suddenly become relevant. I'm interested in Grimsby and Halifax as I'm interested in Newport County.

Eleri's sister was never much interested in cricket growing up but then she married a man who loves cricket and soon she became a minor expert on the game.

I'm saying this because we are potentially confronted by a chapter of little interest to us.

As Dale Ralph Davies observes a war film is always going to be more interesting than watching land surveyors at work. For that is what we have in this section - a description of the land that the Israelites took.

However, our only real problem is that we don't see its relevance. If we could put ourselves in the sandals of an Israelite of the time we would have no problem - what part of the land is going to come to my tribe? Where am I going to be living? If I said I'd bought the houses in this street and I wanted to give one to each of you and to listen as I describe who's getting what, you'd be eager to hear. So let's try and see how this would have sounded to the first people who heard it.

Otherwise I want to make four points

1. Note the importance of God's providence and prophecy

Firstly, it is worth bearing in mind here, as in all things, both God's providence and prophecy. In the opening nine verses we are told that

The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. It included: Beersheba (or Sheba), etc, etc ... - thirteen towns and their villages; Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan - four towns and their villages - and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev). This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah's portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.

Because things were done by lot then it turned out that Simeon had the second grant of land. However, because Judah had been given more than they needed there was room for Simeon and so their territory was allotted within Judah. At the same time this fulfilled the prophecy of Jacob in Genesis that said that Simeon, like Levi, would be scattered in Israel. So both were scattered but by different means.

Issachar was older than Zebulun but in God's providence the younger brother came out first. We have commented before how God loves to do such things, turning the expected order on its head. Again prophecy is fulfilled. Genesis 49:13 Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. Matthew Henry says "The lot of God's providence exactly agrees with the plan of God's counsel, like a true copy with the original. If prophecy says, Zebulun shall be a haven of ships, Providence will so plant him."

In verses 40-48 we read that The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, etc, etc ... These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to its clans.

Dan was a numerous and powerful tribe. Perhaps it was placed between Judah on the east, the Philistines on the west, Ephraim on the north and Simeon on the south as the tribe best able to deal with the vexatious Philistines and not be overawed by its powerful Israelite neighbours. That was the case to some extent but they ended up, as verse 47 says, finding that their territory was lost to them, and so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor. This is related at the end of Judges.

The lesson here is that we must accept our lot, recognising God's Providence and bearing in mind what he has revealed in Scripture.

2. Recognise that some are more blessed than others and can accommodate others

There is perhaps a lesson to be learned in what happened with Judah and Simeon. In this life there are some who are so blessed and so large hearted that they seem able to bear not only their own load but that of another too. They have a capacity for helping others. That is what Judah ended up doing for Simeon. For it to work Judah had to be magnanimous and it took some humility from Simeon. Judah could have resented losing so many cities and Simeon could have complained at not having their own distinct territory but that did not happen, as far as we know. From Judah came David and many other kings but we know of no-one significant from the tribe of Simeon, though no doubt there were many godly people in the tribe down the years. Of course, when the kingdom split, Simeon found itself within Judah and do not so tempted to follow the idolatry of the north. What a good influence.

There is a general call here then to be humble in our circumstances then. If you are overshadowed by someone else, do not resent it and if you are the one doing the overshadowing then do it with grace and kindness.

3. Consider places mentioned here and their later history

1. Simeon - Beersheba (2) was the southernmost town in the land and Ziklag (5) was the city later occupied by the Philistines that was given to David and that in his time was attacked by Amalekites but David rescued the captives they carried off.

2. Zebulun - Gath-Hepher (13) is where Jonah came from.

3. Issachar - Tola, one of the judges, was from Issachar as was Baasha, one of the kings of Israel. Of Issachar we read (17-23) The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans. Their territory included: Jezreel, where Ahab later had his palace near Naboth's vineyard Kesulloth, Shunem, where the good woman who looked aftee Elisha lived Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, which could refer to the River Kishon on whose banks Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera Ebez, Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. The boundary touched Tabor, also mentioned in connection with Deborah and Barak Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, where the ark was later received from the Philistines and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its clans.

3. Asher (24-31) In the New Testament we are told that Anna the prophetess was of the Tribe of Asher. The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans. Their territory included: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph, Allammelek, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath. Carmel was near the coast and is the mountain where Elijah would successfully defeat the prophets of Baal. Verse 27 says that the boundary then turned east toward Beth Dagon, a name the Philistine must have given it (House of Dagon) touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul on the left. It also says (28-31) that It went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Akzib, Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, according to its clans.

4. Dan. Verses 41-46 The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, both cities mentioned in connection with the story of Samson Ir Shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Samson married a Philistine girl from there, Ekron, also a Philistine town, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa on the coast.

This reminds us of how important it is to get to know our Bibles and that includes Bible geography. These days it is easy to look up maps online too and learn more that way. It will help us appreciate the Bible better.

4. Do not forget that all this points us to Christ

Always when reading Scripture we want to notice when it points us to Christ. That happens here. So for example, although Jesus was born in Bethlehem and belonged to the tribe of Judah, he grew up in Nazareth which is within the territory of Zebulun. In verses 10-16 eighteen towns are mentioned - Sarid ... Maralah ... Dabbesheth ... Jokneam ... Kisloth Tabor ... Daberath ... Japhia ... Gath Hepher ... Eth Kazin ... Rimmon ... Neah ... Hannathon ... Iphtah El ... Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem (not the one in Judah). Nazareth was so obscure it was not mentioned but that is where Messiah grew up.

In verses 32-39 we read about how The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans: Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim, passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan on the east. The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath and Beth Shemesh. There were nineteen towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans. Kinnereth is the name used for the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias as the Romans called it. In Naphtali were Capernaum and Bethsaida, names familiar to us because Jesus also lived there and did many miracles in these places.

So here are some subtle pointers to the coming Messiah for those who are awake to join the dots. Finally, when we read in verses 49, 50 of how When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, as the LORD had commanded we ought to remember that Joshua and Jesus are the same name and we ought to be on the look out for things to learn about Messiah. They gave him the town he asked for - Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.

Perhaps we can make these points

1. Though the eldest and greatest man in all Israel, one whom we may have expected to receive his allotment first, Joshua deliberately leaves himself to last. His concern was for the people not for himself. let the people be saved first. And so our Saviour was concerned first to save his people.

2. His allotment was as the LORD commanded. No doubt when God Caleb his inheritance through Moses (14:9) he also told Joshua what he would receive too. In John 17:24 Jesus speaks to his Father about the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. We all look forward to the glory of heaven but he has a glory beyond that.

3. He chose to live among his own people. Rather distinguishing himself from his own people Joshua lived among them. Again he points us to Christ who has lived with us here on earth and will live with us in heaven.

4. When it says that the people gave the place to Joshua perhaps we should have in mind how Christ's people give him all glory and honour and he accepts it.

5. Joshua built up the town and settled there just as presumably Christ prepared a place for himself first in heaven before he went there and then prepared places for others. Matthew Henry says "Our Lord Jesus thus came and dwelt among us, not in pomp but poverty, providing rest for us, yet himself not having where to lay his head. Even Christ pleased not himself."

Lessons in spiritual thinking and living

Text Joshua 18 Time 22 11 20 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

We are in the section of Joshua where the land is divided among the people. So far we have looked at how the land was given to Judah and to Ephraim and Manasseh. We know that land had already been allotted to two and half tribes on the east of the Jordan and that the Levites did not receive an inheritance like the others. There were seven more allotments to be made then.

We come next to Joshua 18 where this final exercise begins and we read about the allotment to Benjamin. The allotment to Benjamin is in verses 11-28 and the first ten verses are by way of introduction to Chapters 18 and 19.

1. Centralisation, Control, Commissioning a survey - lessons in spiritual thinking

There are three things to note in the opening four verses.

1. Centralisation

In verse 1 we read that The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting or tabernacle there. For many, many years, before the ark and the Temple were in Jerusalem, they were based in Shiloh. Shiloh was pretty central in the territory of Ephraim, a few miles north of Bethel. It is here that at this time Joshua set up the tent of meeting or tabernacle permanently. God speaks about this in Deuteronomy 12.

It begins These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess - as long as you live in the land.

First, he says negatively Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, etc ... wipe out their names from those places. You must not worship the LORD your God in their way.

Then positively But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, etc ... There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you. You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the LORD your God is giving you. But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. Then to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name - there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, etc ... And there rejoice before the LORD your God - you, your sons and daughters, etc ... and the Levites .... Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

Of course, under the new covenant there is no temple or at least not in the same way. Under the new covenant every individual is a Temple of the Holy Spirit and then together we who are believers form a spiritual temple for God's praise. Perhaps the application is that at the heart of our thinking must be the worship of God. It is not an extra but something central. Is that how we think?

2. Control

Then in verses 2 and 3 it says but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet 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 ancestors, has given you?"

Time is moving on and still the Israelites have not really taken control of the country. Many Canaanites have been untouched. Things go on in great swathes of the country - the Baal worship and the wickedness - very much as they were going on before Israel invaded. How long are they going to take before they really begin to control the country in the way that they should?

Now in a similar way, there is a question here for some of us who have been Christians for a while. How long will you wait before you begin to live the Christian life that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given to you? When God saved you it was not his purpose that you should live as you had been living in the past. He did not plan merely superficial and limited changes either. No, his purpose was to completely revolutionise your life. Now I know the revolution has begun but has it been halted somewhere along the line? Are you possessing your possession as we might put it? Are you really living the Christian life as it should be lived. Romans 8:13 if despite having been converted you live according to the flesh, you will die; you will go around as though you had never been saved but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live you will live as a Christian, as you really should.

Let me challenge you then. Are you really living the Christian life to the max? Is it all and everything to you? Can you say with Paul, for to me to live is Christ? That is how it should be. Possess your possession.

3. Commissioning a survey

What happens next is interesting. In verse 4 Joshua says Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me. So at this stage Joshua proposes sending men out to do a survey. These are the pioneers of this sort of work - the work carried out in more recent times by Mason and Dixon in America and Burke and Wills in Australia. These anonymous men were to survey the land and describe it, setting out what inheritances were available and then return to Joshua.

Now this is in part the work that Christian ministers do. They have ideally visited the parts of the Christian life that others have not and can describe them and show the way to them too. That is what I am trying to do here. I am trying to show you the shape of the Christian life if you are going to live it. It begins with worship like this on the Lord's Day and goes on with prayer and praise and holy living, fighting against sin wherever it lurks. This is your heritage in Christ.

2. Description, Division, Distribution - lessons in spiritual living

Next we go on to look at verses 5-10. In verse 5 these men are told that they are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north. After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them the tribes here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the LORD our God. The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the LORD gave it to them.

So the focus is now not on Judah or Ephraim and Manasseh or the Levites or the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan. Rather, it is on the remaining tribes who have not been allocated land - Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Dan. What we have then in verses 8-10 is how the men describe the land and return to Joshua who divides it by lot and then the beginning of the distribution of the land.

1. Description

8 As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, "Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it." As we have said, this is what is going on now. I am describing to you now what the Christian life is like. So, for example, if we go to the end of one of Paul's New Testament letters, we will see there the sort of thing that ought to be going on in our lives. So taking 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 as an example I would say to you

Rejoice always, Do everything you can to stay joyful. Don't give in to the temptation to be morose and discouraged.

pray continually Begin the day with prayer, end it with prayer, pray at certain points. Try and keep a spirit of prayer throughout the day.

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Don't take anything for granted. Thank God each time you eat, thank him at the end of the day. Be thankful even when everything seems to be going wrong. There are always reasons to be thankful.

Do not quench the Spirit be sensitive to the Spirit. He will only be active where we are open to his ministry and are not driving him away with our unbelief, our unloving ways and our despair.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; our attitude to the Word of God and to the Word of God preached ought to be receptive. There must not be contempt but a willingness to believe.

hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. Here is a final catch all. If anything is good, hold on to it. If it is evil then reject it, whatever its source.

A lot more could be said but you see the drift.

2. Division

Joshua goes on. Once these men have described what they see Joshua says Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD. So following the description comes the dividing up of the land among the different tribes left. Verse 9, 10a 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.

A story is often told about a man arriving at church very late indeed one Sunday morning, so late in fact that it looked as though the service was over, which it was. And so he said to a man in the church near the door, “Is the sermon done yet?” The man replied, “It all depends what you mean by done. The sermon has been preached certainly, it is done in that sense or over, but it has yet to be done by anyone.” You see his point.

The old Puritans were always very careful about this. They would arrange their sermons in a particular order - first the text and its explanation and then the doctrine to be drawn from this text and finally the application or uses.

I remember when Sinclair Ferguson was ministering in Glasgow in the Tron church there was a bit of fuss about what he should wear in the pulpit. I remember him saying once, jokingly, that he was trying to arrange a sponsorship deal with Nike so that he would wear the sort of ecclesiastical robe some were keen for him to wear and when he came to the end of the sermon he would simply turn his back on the congregation, lift his arms and they would see the Nike tick on his back and the Nike slogan Just do it! Because in the end the application or use is the most important thing. So let's not miss the use or application here.

Just as the land was first described then divided so let each of you start looking for something to take away from this sermon. What are you actually going to do about what I am saying? In one sense the application will be different for different people. I don't know where you are at present.

Some of you perhaps are ignorant. You don't know much about how to live the Christian life. Of the ignorant, some perhaps are arrogant and not ready to learn from me. I want to try and wake you up to the fact and urge you to begin seeking God more earnestly. Others of you know you are ignorant and weak and I hope something I say will help you to know how you should be living.

Then others are quite knowledgeable. You have heard many sermons on these sorts of subjects. You've read whole books on living the Christian life. That may have made you big headed so that you feel there's not much you can learn from me. Again, I want to try and wake you up and remind you that the question is not how many sermons you've listened to this week but how much you are putting into practice what you here. And then those of you who know a lot I want gently to remind you of those things and to encourage you to go forward in the things of God.

3. Distribution

Of course, the final bit is in verse 10b and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. This is what is described next. For us this is the ongoing life that we live after the sermon is a distant memory. This is life in the real world. For all of us the parameters are different and so our lives will be different, just as each of the tribes inhabited different terrain and found themselves in different circumstances. Take temperament as an example. We are all different. You have people like Luther and Spurgeon who were very jolly men and to the point but who suffered with depression. There are scholarly types like Calvin and Henry Martyn and I suppose John Wesley. There are emotional types like George Whitefield. The thing is we need to be godly whatever our temperament or circumstances. We need to live out the Christian life in our own sphere.

3. The inheritance of Benjamin - an example of God's goodness

We read in verse 11 that The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. The territory is then described. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah to the south and Joseph to the north. It then says that (12, 13) On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho within Benjamin and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wilderness of Beth Aven near Ai and just east of Bethel From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth Addar on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon. That is the northern border.

Next the west (14) From the hill facing Beth Horon on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.

Then the south (15-19) The southern side began at the outskirts of Kiriath Jearim on the west, and the boundary came out travelling east at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, south east of Jerusalem north of the Valley of Rephaim. It continued down the Hinnom Valley along the southern slope of the Jebusite city Jerusalem and so to En Rogel. It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth, which faces the Pass of Adummim, and ran down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah and on down into the Arabah which today means the area immediately south of the Dead Sea but was then used for the whole area of the Jordan Rift Valley. It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Dead Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan in the south. This was the southern boundary.

20 The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side.

These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.

We then have a list of its towns in groups of 12 and 14 - The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel which became the centre of idol worship in Israel later, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba Which was made a Levite town- twelve towns and their villages. (21-24)

Gibeon, mentioned earlier in the book as the place where those deceivers who fooled Joshua came from Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah mentioned in Judges, the name means hill and so is called Gibeah of Benjamin sometimes or Gibeah of Saul as Saul reigned there and Kiriath - fourteen towns and their villages.

This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.

As with the other tribes Benjamin had its boundaries and to be a Benjaminite you really had to live in certain towns and not elsewhere. In a similar way God has given certain boundaries to us all to live within. And so for example, we can eat and drink and own things but only if they are ours not someone else's, we can drink alcohol but we must never get drunk, we can be in a sexual relationship but only in marriage, we can say many things but those things must be true and we must not gossip or slander people or misuse God's name. We can worship God in various ways but we must not make an image or bow down to idols. We can work long and hard but on the Lord's Day we must focus on worshipping him. And so on. Obviously our circumstances will impinge on our ability to obey. If you were in Benjamin getting to Jerusalem to worship God was easy once the temple was in Jerusalem, although at this time it was in Shiloh and so a little effort was required. And so some of us have no taste for alcohol and so are not likely to get drunk or we do a job that is not likely to involve Sunday work. Others will not find things so easy.

The thing is that whoever we are we must love and serve the Lord as the Benjaminites and others sought to do.

Ephraim and Manasseh - God's Ways and God's Word

Text Joshua 16:1-17:19 Time 15 11 20 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)
When I was a child you would often form teams for an informal game by two captains choosing. It's a strange feeling as you wait to see who will be picked next. You hoped to be called early on, of course, not last. I suppose it might have been similar for the tribes of Israel as Joshua announced who was to be allotted their land next.
We have seen the first allotment was to the tribe of Judah (Chapter 15) and now, in Chapters 16 and 17, we come to the second allotment - the one for Ephraim and Manasseh. These were the sons of Joseph and so it is the whole allotment that is described first and then which bit was for Ephraim and which bit was for Manasseh. To add to the difficulties in following what is going on

• Manasseh had half the tribe on the west side of the Jordan and the other half on the east side.
• Then in 16:9 we read that the territory for Manasseh also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites
• And then in 17:11 that Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also had a further six towns and surrounding settlements.

It may sound strange but sometimes geography is. It can get a little complicated on the Dutch Belgian border where the Dutch municipality of Baarle-Nassau has seven exclaves in two exclaves of the Belgian municipality of Baarle-Hertog. An exclave is a portion of territory of one state completely surrounded by the territory of another.

Two things tonight

1. Understand the parameters of the tribe of Joseph as set out in Joshua

It's easier to see on a map, again. If you think of a map of Palestine with the Mediterranean on the west and the Jordan with Galilee and the Dead Sea on the east then Joseph takes up a large section from the Mediterranean to the Jordan a few miles above the Dead Sea. Immediately to its south are Dan and Benjamin, long narrow areas north of Judah. To the north are Asher, Zebulun and Issachar. West Manasseh covers most of the Joseph territory but Ephraim forms a section in the far south that goes from the Mediterranean to the Jordan. East Manasseh is the largest and most northerly territory east of the Jordan.

Joseph's territory is described here in 16:1-4 as, starting in the east and describing the southern boundary The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho (in Benjamin) and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel. It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz), crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth, descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.

Then from that large territory we are told (5-7) This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans: The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. That's the northern boundary.

From Mikmethath on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah on the east. Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan.

Verse 8 From Tappuah the border went west to the Kanah Ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. The southern boundary - This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. 9 It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.

You then have this sad note, similar to the one at the end, of Chapter 15, 16:10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labour.

In 17:1, 2 we read about East Manasseh This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph's firstborn, that is, for Makir, Manasseh's firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because the Makirites were great soldiers. So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh - the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans. Then in 17:5, 6 it is added that Manasseh's share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

In 17:7-11 we're back to West Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh extended from Asher north of them to Mikmethath east of Shechem. The boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah. (Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites.) Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine. There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, as mentioned but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea and bordered Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.

And then just one more further complication 11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo, together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth).

And then again that low note (12, 13) Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

2. Learn lessons from the allotment of land to the tribe of Joseph in the time of Joshua

That is the territory but what can we learn from this? What is there to teach or to rebuke or correct or train us? We can learn a number of lessons here. Let's name four

1. Do not forget that our ways are not God's ways

The first thing is something very subtle that could easily be missed. In 16:1-4 we read

The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel. It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz), crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth, descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.

We recall that Joseph was singled out as the elder brother (even though he was not literally) and so he was given a double portion. In verse 4 he refers to Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph putting the oldest first, Manasseh then Ephraim. But you remember, perhaps, what happened when down in Egypt Joseph took his two sons born there to his father Jacob for him to bless them before he died and how blind Jacob deliberately crossed his hands so that his right hand fell on the one to his left, the younger one, and his left hand on the one to his right, the older one. Joseph was rather annoyed about it and tried to change it but his father insisted and so Ephraim was put before Manasseh just as Jacob himself had been put before his older brother Esau. And so although he begins So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance when he comes to describing the allotment he begins with the allotment to Ephraim and only after comes to the allotment for Manasseh. The writer makes no fuss but he simply reminds us of how it was.

He has already dealt first with Judah even though Reuben, Simeon and Levi were all born before Judah. He was not the oldest - not the best either.

This is often God's unexpected way. He delights to turn things around and defy human expectation. And so in the New Testament Paul says to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

Or James 2:5

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

2. Remember the importance of pleading God's Word

In 17:3, 4 we read Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives." So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the LORD's command.

This takes us back to Numbers 27 (and 36) when this promise was made. Now as with the significant role that Acsah played in the previous chapters we could take the opportunity to say that although the Bible is certainly patriarchal, it has a high view of women and so, for example, they too have inheritance rights - not just men.

The more important point here, however, is the way these women plead their case. "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives." they say and so it must be done. They are sure Eleazar and Joshua will therefore be eager to comply.

Commenting on Numbers Calvin says

Although (the daughters of Zelophehad) plead before Moses for their own private advantage, still the discussion arose from a good principle; inasmuch as they would not have been so anxious about the succession, if God’s promise had not been just as much a matter of certainty to them as if they were at this moment demanding to be put in possession of it. They had not yet entered the land, nor were their enemies conquered; yet, relying on the testimony of Moses, they prosecute their suit as if the tranquil possession of their rights were to be accorded them that very day.

Here again in Joshua 17 it is the same approach. They know the land has been promised and so they are eager to see that the promise is fulfilled. We made this point with regard to Caleb the other week.

You may remember we said that we can think of the whole Bible as a book full of promises, cast-iron guarantees given by God. All we have to do is to believe them and act on them.

Spurgeon used to talk of the Bible and its promises it as “the cheque book of the bank of faith” – all ready signed, we simply have to fill in the amount.

We used to sing a hymn in my home church ‘Standing on the promises of God’ – are you standing on the promises?

Bunyan’s slough of despond in Pilgrim's Progress had a way out - steps that stand for the promises of God. Bunyan has Help say

there are, by the direction of the Lawgiver, certain good and substantial steps placed even through the very midst of his slough; but at such time as this place doth much spew out its filth, as it doth against change of weather, these steps are hardly seen; or, if they be, men, through the dizziness of their heads, step beside; and then they are bemired to purpose, notwithstanding the steps be there: ....

Remember how also later the pilgrims find themselves in Doubting Castle when Christian suddenly remembers he has a key in his pocket called promise. Bunyan describes how they were threatened and cowered by Giant Despair and how he and his wife Mrs Diffidence discussed searching them the next day.

Well on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and continued in Prayer till almost break of day. Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, brake out in passionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty. I have a Key in my bosom called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any Lock in Doubting Castle. Then said Hopeful, That's good news; good Brother pluck it out of thy bosom and try.

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the Dungeon door, whose bolt (as he turned the Key) gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the outward door that leads into the Castle-yard, and with his Key opened that door also. After he went to the iron Gate, for that must be opened too, but that Lock went damnable hard, yet the Key did open it. Then they thrust open the Gate to make their escape with speed; but that Gate as it opened made such a creaking, that it waked Giant Despair, who hastily rising to pursue his Prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his Fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the King's High-way again, and so were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction.

Get to know the promises in God's Word and believe them. Every promise God makes will hold good. They are all ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ in Christ. God’s Word cannot fail. One writer has written ‘You cannot starve a man who’s feeding on the promises of God.’ Look at Zelophehad's daughters here and believe it.

3. Do not fail to be merciless with your enemy the flesh but follow God wholeheartedly

Let's think now about these notes sounded about Israel's failure.

15:63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.

16:10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labour.

17:12, 13 Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

The Israelites were supposed to carry out God's judgement on the wicked Canaanites and completely destroy them. However, they were increasingly failing to do that.

First, we read about the failure of Judah with regard to Jerusalem. Then with regard to Ephraim they not only fail to take Gezer but settle for a compromise and merely subject the Canaanites to forced labour. Thirdly, the Manassites do the same thing with a number of towns where the Canaanites were determined to live.

Now the challenge for us is how we are doing with our enemies and especially our own flesh or sinful nature. Are there still sins that we have failed to put to death? Old habits that seem like they are never going to die? Or are we compromised? We intend never to kill some of those sins - our laziness, our lack of self control, our self-centredness. "That's just how I am" we say.

John Owen reminds us in his book on mortification (putting to death) of sin

The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin. ...

The mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies, that it may not have life and power to bring forth the works or deeds of the flesh is the constant duty of believers. ...

Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. ...

Not to be daily mortifying sin, is to sin against the goodness, kindness, wisdom, grace, and love of God, who hath furnished us with a principle of doing it.

4. Recognise the fearful danger of being discontented with God's ways

17:14-18 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "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."

This is their first complaint then. The problem is not their failure to put the Canaanites to death but the fact that Joshua has not provided them with enough land. This is quite ridiculous. Ephraim and Manasseh easily have more land than any other tribe, even Judah.

Joshua replies (15) "If you are so numerous ... and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites." There's plenty of land you just need to show some enterprise and put in the work.

But they come back (16) "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel." This shows their real problem. They are simply pessimists who can always find a problem. The hill country is not enough and the Canaanites are in the plains with their iron chariots. This is hopeless and totally unfair.

Joshua is firm, however, (17, 18) But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph - to Ephraim and Manasseh - "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 chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out."

So Joshua is sympathetic but he encourages them to see that they need to be more confident in the Lord. He takes us back to a passage like Deuteronomy 7:17-22

You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you.

The sons of Joseph had started to doubt God and that is never a good position to be in. Is that our problem? Is our basic spiritual problem a lack of faith? That should never be.