HIGHLIGHTS IN JOSHUA
Number 17
PROMISED POSSESSION
Joshua chapters 18 and 19
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THE Christian life can be looked on as going forward to obtain the promises of God in Christ. When we think of the Christian life and warfare in this way, we can see the parallel it has with the situation of Israel in the book of Joshua. Because of this we can learn from the situation here for our own living.

The point about these chapters is that although much of the promised land had been won, there was still a great deal to be possessed, and this meant that seven of the tribes of Israel had not yet received their promised inheritance. From verse three we get the impression that the people had grown a little weary of the constant battle, and because at last they had achieved relative peace, the country having been brought under their control (v1), the people had begun to slow or even stop their advance. Virulent opposition from the people of the land had ceased, and the fear they had of being overcome was removed, and so they grew slack in their purpose to enter into the promises of God for them in possessing the land.

There is a spiritual lesson here. We tend to ease up in the Christian warfare and in the possessing of the inheritance of God in Christ when life becomes more peaceful. When we are fighting temptation, and when we are working for some difficult project, and when we have tasks to perform which take all our energy, then we go forward. When there is a relative calm, then we grow slack. After a sustained assault from the powers of evil, or some time of advance when all our energies have been engaged, we become weary, and when more peaceful times come we relax and cease to go forward.

The consequence, apart from the danger of slipping back into old ways, is that we are missing the promised inheritance in Christ in its fullness. Thus the joy and strength that God means us to have will be relatively lacking in our lives.

The Israelites wanted to enjoy what they had got, and were reluctant to face the effort of further possession promised them. When we believe, we inherit great blessings and make progress forward in understanding them and living for Christ. We have much joy in these blessings, and become slack. We live on the experiences of the past, rather than an every day deeper knowledge and experience of Christ. I believe we can learn at least three things from the Israelite experience in these two chapters. Let us consider each in turn.

WRONG CONTENTMENT

The Israelites delighted in the enjoyment of the victories they had already won and had begun to rest on their laurels. Joshua has to chide them for waiting in verse 3 and not going on the possess the inheritance God had promised them.

It is wonderful to bask in the joy and blessing we already have received from the Lord. It is easy to grow weary of the constant spiritual warfare. Because of these we can find ourselves standing still, enjoying the blessing that God has already bestowed, rather than seeking to enter into the blessings that God has still for us. The result is that, not only do we deprive ourselves by this action, but the work of the kingdom of God is thereby held up.

It is perfectly right for us to enjoy the Lord and the joy of fellowship with him. The Lord does from time to time make us to lie down in green pastures, so that we may have rest and recuperation. We must never let this inhibit us from seeking to follow the Lord deeper into the purposes he has for us. I realize more and more, as I study the Bible, how much more riches there are in God's revelation than I have yet been able to understand and receive. I also know that God's purpose for me in love and for his kingdom will continue to go forward throughout my earthly life. We are not called to rest in this life. Our rest will come when we enter the eternal rest in heaven.

With all this in mind the word of Joshua has something to say to us. We need to heed his words so that we do not fall into the trap of 'waiting' when we should be going forward. Further, if we have succumbed to lethargy in our spiritual lives, Joshua's words come from God to us. We may feel weary and inadequate. Here faith is the answer as we believe that God gives us no task that is beyond us to accomplish with the gifts and strength he has given us. Also to believe that he is with us where ever we go.

REALISE INHERITANCE

Joshua's advice to Israel, in order to stimulate them into further advance, was that they should survey the land to see what there was still for them to possess in the promise of God. Each tribe was to send out three researchers to map and inspect the land still promised, so that the people may know the blessings and joys God had still for them.

Not only was this a beginning of advance, it was also stimulation as they were moved to the appreciating of the possessions that God had allocated to them, which were theirs to possess. It also meant that they could work out a strategy for taking their possession, and how to divide the land, according to God's plan, amongst the seven tribes still to be given their inheritance.

We 'survey the land' in two directions. There is first of all our personal pilgrimage. Here we need to survey something of the enemies in our lives which still need to be conquered and overthrown. The many failings and sins that we succumb to; the many ways the world's pull overcomes us; and the many times we fall short of the ministry to which God has called us. This must be done with care and in proportion. It must never be done without a vital sense of God's love for us in Christ and the complete atonement we enjoy through the merits of Christ. If we are not living in the vitality of this Gospel, we shall grow despondent, perhaps; or even turn to our own efforts to make things better.

It is the responsibility of all preachers to have a right balance between the exposing of sin and failure on the one hand, and the dwelling on the wonders of our redemption on the other. If there is any lack of balance, the weight should be towards the wonders of redemption.

Together with this survey of our enemies, we need to survey and appreciate our weapons, our strength in Christ, and the total victory of Christ over Satan and his ways. You will find such a survey centres around the blessings of the Gospel, and the great love of God in Christ which has achieved everything for us. To study the Scriptures to understand the depth of all Christ has won for us, and feel afresh and more deeply the great love behind it all, is the way of renewal of our lives. It is when this renewal is strong, and the love of God is deeply felt, that we are able to stand in the evil day. If you consider the armour of God set out by Paul in Ephesians 6, and if you understand it correctly, you will see that all the armour is defensive, and concerned with aspects of the Gospel and our resting in Christ. This stops all the fiery darts of the evil one. We are given one offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. This is the weapon we fight with. It is the weapon Jesus used so successfully when being tempted in the wilderness. The devil has no answer to God's word, and God's word is life to all lost souls, and strength to God's people.

The other direction of survey is the work still to be done to fulfill Christ's command to preach the Gospel to every creature. Here we need to survey the 'land' still unpossessed, and note the millions who have still not responded to the saving word. This survey will then be narrowed down to the ministry in which we find ourselves - the fellowship we belong to, and the place we have in this ministry. It involves searching our hearts whether we are fulfilling all the purpose of the limb we are is given to perform in the body of Christ .

There will follow from this some consideration as to how the work of God may go forward. We seek to assess the ways we can go forward where we have stood still, and consider avenues of advance within the wider fellowship we belong to.

WAIT UPON GOD

This will lead into the last lesson which is waiting on God for his direction, and being totally submissive to his will. In the Old Testament the casting of lots was used to discern the will and purpose of God. I believe this way was permitted for that time, and not to be repeated. There is much in the Word of God in the Old Testament of instruction and commands, which came from God for them and their situation. These are not meant to be copied in the New Testament. What Joshua was doing is seeking the will of God how the land surveyed was to be distributed amongst the tribes of Israel. God must be consulted at all times.

Although we must not 'wait' while the work of God is left undone, when our growth in grace is still imperfect, and when his blessings not appropriated, yet we must 'wait upon God' for how his work is to be done and for which gifts he bestows.

If we are to grow more into the blessings of salvation, then we must seek the Lord continually. This means we attend the means of grace, but not in a tardy spirit, but with an eager spirit to meet the Lord, experience his presence and hear his instruction. We must be like Mary and sit at Jesus feet, eager to hear the words that fall from his lips. Our reading of the Bible is not a duty to be performed, or even an irksome study, but a tryst with the Lord. We must eagerly seek to hear his voice speaking through the Spirit opening the Word to us. If a passage is dry or difficult to understand we do not simply give up with impatience, but earnestly seek God in prayer for illumination, as we read the text again and again and meditate upon it. Talking to oneself as to what we think the text is saying is a good means of digging deeply into the word.

Then we must wait upon God for the particular ministry which he has for us in his body, the church, and for the gifts which we will need for that ministry. It is true we are much more likely to wait rather than seek to be used, but once we are renewed with a desire to serve, there can be a danger for us to make up our mind what we want to do, and which gifts we would like. This is what Paul is intimating in 1 Corinthians 12. If God purposes us to be an 'arm', then it is no use us trying to be an 'ear'. If we do something like this we shall not only be useless but we will also do harm and get in the way. Further the work we are meant to do will be left undone, and the efficiency of the 'Body' will be thereby impaired.

Then there is the gifts which are needed for ministry. We must not decide what we would like, but wait upon God for what he has for us. This has so often been forgotten in the renewal surge of today. Christians have sought the gifts they would like, forgetting as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the Spirit dispenses his gifts severally as he wills, and for the good of the church. We must understand that the gifts of the Spirit are not first and foremost for our enjoyment or spiritual aggrandisement, but for the health and effectiveness of the body, the church.

Then the church must wait upon God, and the minister must wait upon God for the way forward and the work that God wants to be done. We may not find it easy to discern the way ahead. What we can do is prayerfully move to a way forward which seems right, ready all the time to listen to God if that is not God's way forward. Such was Paul's experience in Acts. He tried to go to two places to preach, but in each case God stopped him. God's way was for Paul to go to Macedonia, and God made this clear in his good time. We must not be like Jonah who went the way of his desire. He did it deliberately to avoid the work God had for him. We can do it just as easily by going the way of our wisdom even though we do it with the best intentions.

CONCLUSION

We must not wait in idleness in the spiritual warfare. We must go forward and possess the land. Yet we must not do this without thought, but to search out what is there to possess and all the glory of it. Going forward, though a must, also must be done in the will and guidance of God. Put these three points together and the church will advance with victory.