Josh (01-18-09)
Jan 18, 2009
“The Inheritance” Josh 13: 1-33
Thruout this study we must always remember this this thought is so important to remember …
what the land was to Israel so J.C. is to the believer / us
As I hope you have read .. Ch 12-13 are just a reminder of the land that was won & now here in Ch 13 how it was divided among the 12 tribes “for their inheritance”
As we will read .. from now on the word “inheritance” is found over 50 times thruout the rest of this book / Joshua
( always remember )
· Israel didn’t receive the land
as spoils / rewards from their battles
· & they didn’t purchase the land
as in a business transaction
NO .. God gave it to them as an inheritance
So true .. the Jews .. “inherited the land” but the Lord was .. & always is the sole owner of the land / & them [1]
we are reminded of this from Lev 25:23
the land moreover shall not be sold permanently ( why ) .. for the land is Mine / says the Lord & .. you are but aliens & sojourners with Me
12:1-6 showed us Israel’s conquest under the hand of Moses whereas v7-24 showed the conquest under the leadership of Joshua
The conquest under Moses .. of course referred to the battles in the wilderness ( on the east side of the Jordan ) whereas under .. Joshua all the battles
( were in the land itself )
Receiving the land was purely the gracious act of God
But their enjoyment of the land depended on their submission & obedience to their God [2]
Likewise .. our being Christians is purely a the gracious act of God ( given to all who believe in His Son J.C. )
But the enjoyment of our walk with Him is totally dependent upon our submission & obedience to His Word / commands
The Promised Land was a gift of God’s love & if the Israelites loved the Lord they would want to obey & please Him
( as we shall eventually see )
· Unfortunately .. they disobeyed His Law & defiled the land & so .. God had to chasten them [3]
· & chastening will happen to us / as well should we dishonor our Lord & God & become disobedient to His Word
Just as unfortunately .. some Christians walk under unnecessary trials / chastening because of their disobedience
& this burden I want to help us remove & we can .. if we will just confront our sin confess them & faithfully walk with Christ today & forever more
Read Josh 13:1 Pray
Joshua was getting very old at this time I would assume .. he was about 90 yrs old
as we are told in Josh 24:29 he died at 110
it came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun the servant of the Lord died being 110 years old
But don’t let it go unnoticed something very special about this man & also .. what God expected of him & that is .. to keep on serving Him
as God still says to Joshua in 13:1 very much of the land remains to be possessed
( in other words .. get going Joshua there is still more to accomplish )
There is no rest .. our rest comes when we come before our God in heaven
Listen Christian there is always more to do more battles to be won more victories for our Lord
You see .. it is my desire for you & me to say
when our journey ends .. what Paul said
in 2 Tim 4:7
I have fought the good fight I have finished the course I have kept the faith
What is so important to remember as we study Joshua .. is this …
even tho all of the land was theirs ( God gave it all to them ) they still must possess every inch of the inheritance for themselves
Yet .. never in all of their history has Israel actually possess all that God had for them
And for us .. have we actually possessed all the spiritual blessings that our Lord has given us ( & if not .. why not )
Eph 1:3 tells us plainly
blessed be the God & Father of our Lord J.C. who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
But these blessing / inheritances don’t come automatically they are to be won thru battles … the battle of obedience / faith / trustworthy
One of my favorite verses on being faithful / trustworthy to our Lord 1 Cor 4:1-2
1) let a man regard us in this manner as servants of Christ & stewards of the mysteries of God
2) in this case, moreover it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy
& ultimately .. our inheritance is found in our conforming into the image of Christ & that comes thru
the study of God’s Word
( reason enough for us to read our Bibles daily )
You see .. our inheritance in Christ is not .. part of Him .. it is .. all of Him
From all outward appearances Israel seemed to be doing very well they went into the land & drove a wedge right into the center of it they conquered the south & the north but the Lord reminded Joshua that there remained much land still to be possessed ( 13:1 )
“very much of the land remains to be possessed”
After doing a tremendous job there is still more to accomplish & that will always be the case our work on earth will not be completed until we are called home in Phil 3:7-14 Paul says [4]
( turn there please )
7) but whatever things were gain to me those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ
8) more than that .. I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord .. for whom I have suffered the loss of all things & count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ
9) & may be found in Him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law .. but that which is thru faith in Christ .. the righteousness which comes from God .. on the basis of faith
10) that I may know Him & the power of His resurrection & the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death
11) in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead
12) not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect .. but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus
13) brethren I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet .. but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind & reaching forward to what lies ahead
14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus
Some of us have not fought every battle that we should have fought .. for there have been many times in our Christian life when we have evaded the enemy & chosen the easier path
But to do so .. to choose the easier path limits the growth that God has for us James 1:1-4 tells us this truth about our growth in Christ
1) James .. a bond-servant of God & of the Lord J.C. .. to the 12 tribes who are dispersed abroad .. greetings
2) consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials
3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance
4) & let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect & complete lacking in nothing
Verses:
Lev 25:23
2 Tim 4:7
Eph 1:3
1 Cor 4:1-2
Phil 3:7-14
James 1:1-4
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[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:28). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.