Joshua

Joshua Chapter 13

Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

There were still lands to possess. I imagine people were tired of war but to quit before God says to quit would be a big mistake. Joshua was getting old. He was around since the days of Moses and stayed faithful to the end. There were only two mistakes he made that are recorded. He allowed himself to go to war once not knowing about the sin of Achan and lost a few men in the process.

He had to go back to the drawing board as the saying goes to find out from the Lord what was wrong. I don't know if he failed to seek God first at that point or if he just went out to battle without consulting God first. The second time was when he was fooled by the Gibeonites who pretended to come from a far country to make a treaty with Joshua.

Joshua 13:2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

The land of the Philistines was not yet conquered for it was a giant of the Philistines that David fought years later. They were west and south of Israel by the Mediterranean Sea. Geshuri is a city in Syria that existed also in the time of David.

Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

This was more land belonging to the Philistines and the Canaanites that was to be conquered. All that was not conquered would later become a threat to Israel both spiritually as well as physically dangerous to their existence. God means what He says.

Joshua 13:4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is eside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:
5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.
6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

Israel today has not yet received all the land God originally promised to them. If it was up to the nations of the world they would give up what they do have. Satan does not want Israel to have this land at all because then bible prophecy could not come to pass.

Here are the original borders that Israel was given from God to Abraham:

From the south: From the Red Sea, in the region of Eilat today, to the Sea of the Philistines, which would be the Mediterranean Sea near Gaza. This southern line was to a place called the River of Egypt, or the eastern boundary of Egypt but not the Nile River.

From the west: The Mediterranean Sea through what is Lebanon and Syria today, to the Euphrates River in the north.

From the East: From the Euphrates River in the north, extending south, past Damascus, along the slopes on the eastern side of the Sea of Kinnereth, what we know as the Golan Heights today. The Kinnereth is also called the Eastern Sea in Scripture and is what we know as the Sea of Galilee.

The Jordan River rises in the mountains of Lebanon and runs south to the Sea of Galilee. At the southern end of the Sea of Galilee the Jordan River flows out and along the Jordan Valley to enter the Dead Sea. The eastern side of the Jordan River, south of the Golan Heights, represents the boundary of the Promised Land.

This area would encompass the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, also called Judea and Samaria, and Gaza. Certain world leaders may be looking for the establishment of a Palestinian state separate from Israel, but God’s Word makes a different judgment. God says that this is the land that He promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Warning God gives against world leaders dividing up the land of Israel:

Joel 3:1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Israel has not yet received all the land God promised them, yet many want Israel to give up even what they have for peace but it doesn't bring any peace.

Joshua 13:7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

The other half tribe of Manasseh, the tribe of Reuben and Gad already received their inheritance on the other side of Jordan. Now Joshua is instructed to divide the land on the west side of the Jordan to the other 9 tribes and the other half of Manasseh.

Joshua 13:8 With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon.

Arnon belonged to Moab. This part of the land was between Moab and the Amorites.

Joshua 13:10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;

Israel was not to take the land of Moab or Ammon which were the children of Lot.

Joshua 13:11 And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;
12 All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.

Here we see a reminder of the conquest of the land of giants by the leadership of Moses who was under the instructions of God Himself. I've mentioned before that according to many bible theologians and the Jewish historian Josephus, we discover a very controversial explanation for the existence of giants both before and after the flood. Genesis 6 is a reference.

Joshua 13:13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.

These cities still existed in the time of David the king.

Joshua 13:14 Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

The tribe of Levi was not given an inheritance but their inheritance was God Himself. They were set apart for the service of worship and were to serve the temple and minister as priests for the other tribes in spiritual matters. This is the beginning of God’s commandment of tithing to support those that gave up the ownership of land in order to live among the other tribes and serve them.

Other nations used tithing but this is the first incidence that tithing was ordained of God as a commandment for Israel to support the tribe of Levi.

The tribe of Levi were not to farm their own land but were to receive tithes from the other tribes to support them. The tithing law was complex. Tithing today is not done how they did it. It was commendable how it was done though. It shows how God provides for those that serve Him as well as providing a way to help the poor. Never was tithing and giving done to make one group of people rich while the poor were neglected. The priests were to give to the poor a portion of their tithes.

Joshua 13:15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.
16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;
17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,
18 And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,
19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley,
20 And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth,
21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

The story of Balaam is in the book of Numbers. He was offered an award to curse Israel by Balak the king of Moab. Since Balaam could not curse Israel, he devised a plan to where God Himself would curse Israel by getting the beautiful women of Moab to entice the men of Israel into fornication and then into the worship of the false gods of Moab.

It’s kind of sad to see Moab worshipping false gods when their ancestors were the same as Israel. Lot was the nephew of Abraham and his descendants should have known better but sadly, if we do not teach our children from one generation to the next, we will eventually lose them to the deceptive world around us.

Balaam’s doctrine is mentioned more in some Jewish writings as well as the books of Jude, Revelation, Deuteronomy, Nehemiah , 2 Peter , Micah, and Joshua.

Joshua 13:23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.
24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.
25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;
26 And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;
27 And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.
28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.
29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
30 And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:
31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.
32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.
33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Had the Levites always followed the Lord and remained faithful in their service to Him, they truly would have inherited more than the other tribes in spiritual matters. As we study the scriptures though, we see that this did not happen the way it was supposed to.

Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Now all can have an inheritance that never fades away, both eternal life and life with the Lord. This is where our treasure is. By sending His Son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins as a sacrifice since the blood of animals cannot take away sins, we who receive Him can have eternal life and also be filled with the very Spirit of God now before we receive our reward in eternity. The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance and can be received by repenting or turning away from sin and turning to Jesus Christ for salvation. It is the only way to be saved.

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

This is for Jew, Gentile, male, female – to all who will willingly believe and receive Jesus Christ also called Yeshua in Hebrew It is ours. We do not have to be a slave to sin and its consequences. We can be full of love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. DC

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