Joshua Series #14
The Amazing Race to Rest & Reward
“Critical Choices”
Review
I. Purge the Land 1-12
A. God Prepared Joshua for leadership 1
B. Joshua prepared the people to possess the land 2
C. Israel Purged the Canaanites 2-11
1. Central Campaign 6-10
2. The Southern Campaign 10
3. The Northern Campaign 11
4. The Summary of the conquest 12
Joshua cataloged the purging of 31 kings and their people.
Preview
II. Possess the Land 13-24
A. Land Allotment 13-22
1. Unconquered territory 13:1-7
2. Eastern Tribes 13:8-33 Reuben, Gad, Manasseh ½
3. Western Tribes 14:1-19 Judah, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan
4. Six Cities of Refuge 20:1-9
5. Levitical Cities 21:1-42
6. Summary of distribution of land 21:43-45
7. Return of the army from the east side 22:1-34
B. Joshua’s farewell address and burial 23-24
1. Reminder of God’s faithfulness 23:1-3
2. Declaration of completion 23:4
3. Promise of God’ continued presence 23:5
4. Warning against defection 23:6-16
5. Historical Review 24:1-13
6. Call for Commitment to serve the Lord only 24:14-28
7. Burial of Joshua, Joseph and Eleazar 24:29-33
INTRODUCTION
God created humans with the privilege of choice. Without the opportunity of free choice, there can be no meaningful relationship. Life consists of many choices. We all must choose many times throughout the day. Life also consists of many times when free choice is limited or even eliminated.
We sometimes hit choice burnout.
Paper or plastic
Decaf or regular (The coffee Isle)
Strawberry or vanilla
Wear the blue shirt or green shirt
Wendy’s or Taco Bell
One brand over another
Not all choices are all that critical. The world will not end if I eat at Wendy’s instead of Taco Bell. Other choices are much more important and even critical.
Some life choices could take us down a path of excruciating pain. Some choices affect our future.
God superintended the Scriptures to help guide us to make the best life choices. All scripture was a result of God directly communicating to the writers and is profitable for Teaching, Reproof, Correction, Instruction in right living.
God keeps His promises -- we need to keep ours.
So choose this day who you will serve.
First, Joshua reminded them that the job was not finished.
Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the LORD said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed. Joshua 13:1
I suppose that Joshua didn’t need reminding that age was becoming a factor. He was 110 years old and there was much left undone. God told Joshua the job was not finished. At first, I had some trouble reconciling this verse with another.
Then Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab and from all the hill country of Judah and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. Joshua 11:21
They conquered and executed God’s judgment on the cities and the people “utterly destroyed” but there were rural areas and other cities not yet purged. It would be up to the individual tribes now to continue the purge. God listed the territories yet unconquered.
Allotment of Territory
Next, Joshua along with Eleazar the priest and the heads of households gathered to divvy up the territory according to God’s allotment. Joshua played the role of the executor of the covenant.
The tribes east of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had already received their portion.
Now it was time to distribute the rest. The Scripture is pretty cut and dried about the description and boundaries of the land. There are a few caveats to point out.
Caleb who came from the tribe of Judah had a special request. He was the ultimate Marine.
He wanted the hill country. Although now 85 years old, he claimed he was as strong as he was 40 years earlier. He wanted the territory occupied by giants. Just like before, he was not afraid because He believed God’s promise.
Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites in their territory but made them slaves. That was not God’s instruction.
The writer singled out Manasseh as the tribe that could not take possession but noted that they persisted until they grew strong enough to take control.
Joshua had to motivate the remaining tribes to actually leave and claim their territory.
So Joshua said to the sons of Israel, "How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? Joshua 18:3
How often do we hesitate to take possession of a promise of God because we feel more comfortable and secure in our current state?
Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan
Next, Joshua allocated six cities of refuge (safe houses) where people accused of a crime could find refuge from family retribution until a proper trial could be conducted. The whole concept of cities of refuge can be found in Exod. 21:12-14; Num. 35:6-34; Deut. 19:1-13; Josh. 20:1-9). These were 6 out of the 48 cities allotted to the Levites. The cities were strategically placed throughout the nation. There were three on the east side of the Jordan and three on the west side.
Next, Joshua appointed cities for the Levites. The Levites did were not given a territory as a reminder that God was their inheritance and He would take care of them. God gave the Levites cities to live including surrounding territory to farm and keep livestock.
Joshua summarized the whole distribution program.
So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. Joshua 21:43-45
God keeps His promises -- we need to keep ours.
Now that each tribe had been granted significant control of their allotted territories through a group effort as commanded by Moses, Joshua discharged the tribes from east of the Jordan to return to their families. (Reuben, Gad, Manasseh)
"You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. You have not forsaken your brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them; therefore turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan. Joshua 22:2-4
"Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents. Joshua 22:5-6
Before crossing the Jordan, they built a large altar. This created an early conflict between the east and west tribes. The west interpreted this as a breech in the covenant and prepared to confront them and engage in war. It turned out that it was a means to remind the west they the east was still part of the covenant. They never intended to offer sacrificed on the altar that it would serve as a unification memorial. They resolved the conflict through clarification.
Joshua’s final
1. Reminder of God’s clear hand in all they did.
"And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the LORD your God is He who has been fighting for you. Joshua 23:3
God did as He promised
2. Distribution completed
"See, I have apportioned to you these nations which remain as an inheritance for your tribes, with all the nations which I have cut off, from the Jordan even to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun. Joshua 23:4
I did as instructed
3. Promise for the future
"The LORD your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. Joshua 23:5
God will keep fighting for you
4. Warning against defection
Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. For the LORD has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God. For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you. Joshua 23:6-13
Beware of defecting
5. Historical review 24:1-13
Joshua reviewed his role and God’s role in this amazing adventure.
We’ve come a long way by God’s direction
6. Call to commitment to serve Yahweh only 24:14-28
"Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Pick sides!
Here we have a most critical choice to make. Will we serve God or ? Fill in the blank.
Who or what will take ultimate priority in our life? The bible is full of calls to fidelity. James calls those who give more time to the word system adulterers.
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
Demas having loved this present world left the company of Paul and ministry.
Elijah (1 Kings 18:21) called the Israelites to a decision.
“How long will you hesitate between two decisions.” It is either God or Baal.
They didn’t answer. Fortunately after a graphic demonstration so God’s power of Baal they came to their senses.
When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God." 1 Kings 18:39
The writer of Hebrews called us to listen when God speaks. Today, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts and ignore Him but hold fast you confession.
Listen, Trust, Obey.
Your most critical choice is to choose Jesus today.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36
He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 1 John 5:12
If you have strayed, you also have a choice to make. Repent and return to the Guardian of our souls.
God keeps His promises -- we need to keep ours.
So choose this day who you will serve.
But He gives a greater grace (to embrace Him over all else). Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:6-10
7. Burial of Joshua, Joseph and Eleazar
The close of one era the beginning of a new.
