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."
