Joshua 19:1-51

¹ The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.
¹⁰ The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans.
²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans.
³² The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans.
⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans.

⁴⁹ When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, ⁵⁰ as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.
⁵¹ These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.

Introduction

When people interpret that Scripture to promote their lifestyle, moral issues would surely arise. Without mentioning which one, religious denominations are breaking up because of conflicting interpretation of moral issues. How should we approach the Scripture? We read and study the Scripture to know what lifestyle is acceptable to God.
God’s activities in the life of the Israelites exhibited similar activities of God among us. He does not ask what we want. He does not ask for opinion. He wants His plan to be followed. His plan is the best for His people. It says in Proverbs 16:9, ^9In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. And in Proverbs 19:21, ²¹Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

God’s plan is the best destiny for each person. The distribution of allotment to the tribes of Israel teaches that God has designed an allotment of destiny for each person.

1. Tribal Allotment

¹ The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.
¹⁰ The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans.
¹⁷ The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans.
²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans.
³² The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans.
⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans.

The allotment for the tribes of Israel was distributed accordingly. Except for the Levites, the rest of the Israelite tribes received their allotment. There was no complaint or grumbling for what they’ve got. There was no comparison of which allotment was better or worse. Such is a picture of how God has designed life for each believer.
God has freed the Israelites from the Egyptian slavery, and brought them to the Promised Land. In the wilderness, the Israelites were tested. And those who obeyed the Lord received their inheritance but those who complained died in the wilderness.
Similarly, God has delivered us from the slavery of sin through Christ crucifixion. We are also subjected to the testing of faith through the wilderness of problems. As we submit to Christ’s Lordship, seek His help for us to obey His will, we will find out that God’s will is the best life for us now. We have hope to share with Christ’s inheritance.
In Romans 8:14-17, ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

In this world, do we not aspire for things that other people seemingly enjoy?
We wish to have what others have, want to taste what others ate or drank, want to see what others have seen, and wish to experience what others experienced. But if it is not within God’s design, He may not allow us to have it even if we pray or plead about it. We ask God to grant our selfish desire. We struggle spiritually because we resist what God has planned for us. Let desires originated from God prevail in our heart.
It teaches us in Psalm 37:1-7, ¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; ² for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. ³ Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴ Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: ⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. ⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Mordecai

Mordecai’s lifestyle displayed a desire that originated from God. In Esther 3:1-2, ¹King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. ² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

What others asked Mordecai to do was desire of human survival. Mordecai refused to honor Haman. Did he know he will be in trouble? Because of what he did, the Jews were also in trouble when Haman planned to annihilate all the Jews in the land.
In the midst of struggle, the human instinct is to blame others. It’s not mentioned but did the Jews blame Mordecai for Haman’s plan to annihilation them? Maybe!
Later, it says in Esther 9:3-4, ³ And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. ⁴ Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.

The story of Mordecai teaches that God favors those who believe in Him. When they received their allotment, it shows that God favoured the Israelites who trusted Him. After they received their allotment, they Israelites gave allotment to Joshua, their leader.

2. Leader’s Allotment

⁴⁹ When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, ⁵⁰ as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there. ⁵¹ These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.

Being God-chosen leader, Joshua did not choose the best land he wished to have.
Joshua could have used his authority as leader of the Israelites to choose the land he desired. Remarkably, Joshua waited for the Israelites to give him his allotment.
Among the 12 men that Moses sent to spy Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land. Caleb reminded Joshua that God has promised to give Caleb as inheritance the land he walked on when they spied the land. And Joshua gave it him.
In contrast, Joshua never demanded an allotment. He waited for the Israelites to give him portion after each tribe has received an allotment. His unassuming attitude may have inspired the Israelites to readily accept and not to complain on what they received. His attitude shows that God’s grace is sufficient. An allotment was just a bonus for him.
Paul testified in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, ⁹ “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Some interpreters suggest that Paul has physical struggles. Others say that Paul had problems in the ministry. Still others think that he might have problems with his relatives or family. But Paul did not elaborate whatever problem he had, why?
When God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you,” its application was not restricted to Paul’s struggle. God’s grace covers all possible troubles we may face as we live by faith in Him. We keep serving God gladly even when situations are not favorable.
In 1 Corinthian 10:13, ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

By His grace, the Lord helps us to overcome whatever trial that comes our way. Each time we face challenges in life, remember that God wants us to seek His help. By His grace, Christ’s Spirit supplies us with joy and peace as we wait upon His help.
That moment when all the Israelites received their inheritance is a picture of that day when God gives us our eternal inheritance. As we travel in our spiritual pilgrimage as a church, pray that our church leaders may find inspiration in Joshua’s lifestyle. Pray that the Lord would raise more unassuming Joshua-like church leaders among us.
Pray also that God reveals clearly the ministry He assigned for you personally. Keep asking the Lord to empower you to live a lifestyle of obedience, and imitate the perspectives of Paul in Philippians 3:10-11, ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Christ’s resurrection is the utmost and greatest exhibit of the power of God Almighty. Nobody can raise anyone from the dead except God. If God can raise Jesus from the dead, shouldn’t we expect some indescribable experience through faith in Him?
You’ve heard it. “God has a wonderful plan for you!” Within God’s plan, we experience the power of Christ’s resurrection. By God’s grace, the challenges we face would not become displeasure or irritation of some sort. We welcome trials with joy and peace as we look forward to what God has prepared for us in eternity.

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