Asking For Your Inheritance

They say that children should never talk about their inheritance. Sure, one day Mom and Dad might leave something to the kids. But until that day, children shouldn’t worry about what they’ll receive, or daydream about how to spend it. We know what happened to the Prodigal Son, when he started thinking about his inheritance, and he asked for it too early…

It’s best if we push far from our mind the size and shape of our earthly inheritance. But here’s something we should not forget, that we’ve got another inheritance in store! As believers in Christ, we have become children of God the Father. By the Holy Spirit, we have been born again into his family. And God has said to us, his sons and daughters, “I’ve got an inheritance for you. I want to give to you riches that are beyond all comparison, a glory that is true and everlasting.”

As one who is almighty and eternal, the LORD God will never die. He doesn’t need to think about who will take things over, once He’s gone. But all the same, He gives an inheritance. Says Peter, God has prepared for us “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (1 Pet 1:4).

Inheritance—that’s the theme of the book of Joshua. For what this book recounts is the astounding fulfillment of promise during Joshua’s lifetime. God had vowed to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. That promise was made all the way back in Genesis 12, but here we are six hundred years later, and at last the time has come. The children of Abraham are finally in the land God has prepared for them, a place where they can serve Him as a holy nation.

And in our text the daughters of Zelophehad ask for their portion. They request their inheritance. And this is not being impatient or greedy, it’s being boldly confident, sure of God’s promise. This is our theme from God's Word in Joshua 17:3-4,

Zelophehad’s daughters ask for their inheritance in the Promised Land:

1) the reason for this request

2) the faith behind this request

3) the blessing on this request

1) the reason for this request: We tend to associate each book of the Bible with a certain theme, or a big event. Genesis is about creation; Exodus is about the exodus; Leviticus is law. Even if it only describes a portion of the whole book, we’ll go with that one-word description. So to us, the book of Joshua is about conquest. We think of Joshua, that brave leader of God’s people, leading the tribes into battle against the Canaanites, and conquering their land.

There’s some truth to that picture. When we start reading in chapter 1, we see the spies checking things out, the Israelites marching with dry feet across the Jordan, and then the beginning of a full-fledged invasion. Their first target is Jericho, where “the walls come tumbling down.” Then follows about eight chapters of war and conquest: cities destroyed, villages overtaken, kings and their peoples put to the sword.

Not to say they had an easy time of it, but in the land there was no military superpower like the Egyptians had been, who were a big nation, with one army. Rather, Canaan had many small city states and tribes, people who could be fought individually. So the Israelites quickly begin to take over the land.

Recall who is leading them at every step. Despite what that children’s song says, it certainly wasn’t Joshua who fought the battle of Jericho. All that he had to do was stroll around the city and blow the trumpets! No, throughout this period of conquest, it was God at work!

This is what the LORD said to Joshua in those first days of taking on the leadership of Israel, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (1:5). That makes all the difference, doesn’t it, when God say, “I will be with you.” If God is for us, who can be against us? And before attacking Jericho, Joshua even meets the mighty commander of the LORD’s army: the angel of the LORD. He gets to see who’s standing in his corner, the one who holds every outcome in his hands. From the start, this will be a “holy war,” for the LORD God is fighting for his chosen ones! He will remove those who bow to false gods, and He’ll put his nation in their place.

Chapter 13 does tell us that after several years of war, there was still some territory that was not taken—we’ll see why a bit later. For now, though, the people had more than enough room to grow and thrive. And so after those eight chapters of invasion, there come nine chapters of distribution! That’s what we see, from Joshua 13 to 21, the conquered territory being handed out to each of the tribes of Israel.