Joshua 15:20-32 Twenty-nine Cities

 20This is the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Judah. 21These were the southernmost cities of the tribe of Judah in the Negev toward the border of Edom:

Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine cities in all, along with their villages.

Twenty-nine Cities 

Sometimes the Bible can seem boring and the verses above seem to be an example but we need to remember that it’s the word of God and it serves to preserve history as well, a lesson for us. These twenty-nine cities and villages were judged by the Lord and given as an inheritance to the tribe of Judah. Later on they will sin and be judged also. 

We live in a country that is a conglomeration of states, cities and villages that are also sinning against the Lord. How will He judge us?

The Bible is clear what will happen in the last days and those of us that study the Book need to be prepared by being right with God. Hold short accounts by confessing your sin’s daily. Tell others about Jesus and His free gift of salvation.

I look forward to my inheritance and my citizenship in heaven!

Do you?

Blessings 

https://www.gotquestions.org/citizenship-in-heaven.html

Joshua 15:13-19 Mo Wa Wa

 13According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 14And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

15From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). 16And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.” 17So Othniel son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.

18One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged hime to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”

19“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.”

So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

Mo Wa Wa

Acsah was asking for more water 💦 by asking for the “springs of water as well.”

Years ago when I was studying morse code I just couldn’t get it. I tried all the different methods but my mind just couldn’t grasp it. Then a friend gave me a Morse code phonetics kit. It had a deck of cards with letters and numbers on one side and a picture with phonetics on the other. The letter (W) was a baby asking for mo Wa Wa, more water! In Morse code it’s a dot dash dash or dit dah dah .--

So when you hear it sent in Morse code is sounds like the phonetics, mo Wa Wa. 🤣

Hence, Acsah was asking for mo Wa Wa!

But Jesus said:

John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

Do you drink from His springs of water?

Blessings 

Joshua 15:1-12 Boundaries

 1Now the allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah extended to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin at the extreme southern boundary:

2Their southern border started at the bay on the southern tip of the Salt Sea,a 3proceeded south of the Ascent of Akrabbim,b continued on to Zin, went over to the south of Kadesh-barnea, ran past Hezron up to Addar, and curved toward Karka. 4It proceeded to Azmon, joined the Brook of Egypt, and ended at the Sea.c This was theird southern border.

5The eastern border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan.

The northern border started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6went up to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 7Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal, which faces the Ascent of Adummim south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh and came out at En-rogel. 8From there the border went up the Valley of Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. 9From the hilltop the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then bent around toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). 10The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. 11Then it went out to the northern slope of Ekron, curved toward Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went on to Jabneel, and ended at the Sea.

12And the western border was the coastline of the Great Sea.

These are the boundaries around the clans of the descendants of Judah.

“All this may seem tedious to us, but it certainly was not tedious to those who would possess this land.” (Guzik)

Boundaries and Borders

We all have them, spiritually, physically, mentally and the Lord has set them just as He set them with Judah. Without them we would have chaos and no purpose to life itself.

From the very beginning the Lord set boundaries!

Genesis 2: 16And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”

Some people say, he has a free spirit, she is a free thinker, they are a free this or that. Everything has a price! When we step outside the boundaries that the Lord has set we are sinning! We may get away scot-free for now but the Boundary Maker will judge us for disobedience!

Are you testing the Lords boundaries today?

Blessings 

Joshua 14:10-15 Give Me This Mountain!

 10Now behold, as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old, 11still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. As my strength was then, so it is now for war, for going out, and for coming in.

12Now therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with the LORD’s help I will drive them out, as the LORD has spoken.”

13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. 15(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.)

Then the land had rest from war.

Give Me This Mountain!

“Though he is advanced in age, his strength is undiminished. At eighty-five he was out leading the fight, and not against just any foe, but against the Anakim.” (Guzik)

Don’t let this miracle slip by! Because of Caleb’s faith, “he wholly followed the Lord”, the Lord preserved him physically and mentally! He was ready, willing and able to fight the Anakim! And in those fourth five years his sandals and clothes never wore out!

Christian, look at this lesson with Caleb and cling to it as a promise! 

When we meet King Jesus we will have shed our earthly tent and our spirit will be sin free! We will be in the promised heavenly realm!

I can’t wait, can you?

Blessings 

Joshua 14:6-9 Wholly followed the LORD my God

 6Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me. 7I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back to him an honest report.

8Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God. 9On that day Moses swore to me, saying, ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’

“wholly followed the LORD my God”

Numbers 13: 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." 

Deu 1:35-36 NKJV - 35 'Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, 36 'except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.'

What a legacy for Caleb, “wholly followed the LORD my God”.

Can this be said about us? To be honest there are times we have wholly followed the LORD my God and there are times not so much but there are times, not at all! 

Dear Heavenly Father, please give us the courage, wisdom and strength of Caleb so that we can wholeheartedly follow You, the LORD my God! Let our yes be yes! In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Blessings 

Joshua 14:3-5 Divided

 3For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites.

4The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.

5So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

Divided 

“We commonly think and speak of the “twelve tribes of Israel” but actually there were thirteen, because although there were twelve sons of Jacob (Israel), the descendants of one of his sons, Joseph, divided into two tribes (Manasseh and Ephraim).”

“This explains why you can have two and one-half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River, nine and one-half tribes on the west side of the Jordan River, and one tribe with no province as their inheritance.” (Guzik)

The people of the world may believe it was cruel to displace and kill the inhabitants of the promised land and give it to the Israelites because they don’t understand God or the Bible. But God takes this example another step further…..

Matthew 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; AMP

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The day is coming when all of mankind will be judged and divided by the Lord. May we have the faith and the strength to keep separated from the ungodly and endure until the end.

Blessings 

Joshua 14:1-2 Casting Lots

 1Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel. 2Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

“In this process, Joshua, Eleazar and representatives from each tribe came together to supervise the casting of lots, which was directed by the LORD.” (Guzik)

Casting Lots

“The practice of casting lots is mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. In spite of the many references to casting lots in the Old Testament, nothing is known about the actual lots themselves. They could have been sticks of various lengths, flat stones like coins, or some kind of dice; but their exact nature is unknown. The closest modern practice to casting lots is likely flipping a coin.” Gotquestions.org

We cast lots in a sense with our soul. You’re either for Him or against Him. You believe or you don’t.

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone was not found having been written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.

Some people play dice, some people play with pixie sticks while others skip flat stones on the water but I beg you don’t cast lots by playing games with your soul! Because if you do, you’ll be cast into the lake of fire 🔥 for eternity!

Life is too short but eternity is forever! Heaven or hell, it’s your choice!

Dear Heavenly Father, I lift everyone up reading this devotional and ask that You bless them today. Draw them close to You and protect them and their families. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Blessings 

Depiction of Joshua casting lots for the tribes of Israel 

Joshua 13:33 Something Different!

 33To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

“In Joshua 13:14, we are told that the Levites had no land for an inheritance, but instead had the sacrifices Israel brought to God. They also received a greater inheritance than that: God Himself.”

“In this sense, if there is any tribe that Christians are spiritually connected to, it is the tribe of Levi. We also are called priests (1 Peter 2:5) and have a special inheritance in God (Ephesians 1:11, Colossians 1:12, and 1 Peter 1:4).”

“Many of us are dissatisfied with our place before God. We wish He would have given us something different, and we can even get bitter towards God about this. The primary answer to this is to see ourselves as priests and to understand that our real inheritance is God Himself.” (Guzik)

Something Different!

I’ve seen many people that are bitter towards God because they blame Him for their troubles, health etc. We need to use the Book of Job as an example, he lost everything and had boils from the top of his head to the tip of his toes! His wife told him to curse God and die!

Job 1:21 saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

In our human condition when things are going well we tend to praise God. But when things go bad we tend to get angry with Him! May we all learn to have Job’s attitude when things are bad and say, 

Blessed be the name of the LORD.

Can you praise God in bad times?

Blessings 

Joshua 13:29-32 Adopted!

 29This is what Moses had given to the clans of the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of the descendants of Manasseh:

30The territory from Mahanaim through all Bashan—all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all the towns of Jair that are in Bashan, sixty cities; 31half of Gilead; and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan.

All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half of the descendants of Machir.

32These were the portions Moses had given them on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho.

Adopted!

Manasseh, the elder son of Joseph, himself a son of Jacob.

Machir son of Manasseh. 

Joseph names his firstborn son Manasseh (Genesis 41:51) and years later Manasseh is adopted by Joseph's father, Jacob (Genesis 48:5). Joseph's firstborn son is the forefather of one of the Israelite tribes. 

I’ve been adopted by God the Father!

Ephesians 1:5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Have you been adopted by God the Father?

I can’t wait to go home, can you?

Blessings 

Joshua 13:24-28 Inheritance

 24This is what Moses had given to the clans of the tribe of Gad:

25The territory of Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;

26the territory from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;

27and in the valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, with the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (the territory on the east side of the Jordan up to the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth).

28This was the inheritance of the clans of the Gadites, including the cities and villages.

Inheritance 

Our inheritance in Christ is imperishable, unspoiled, unfading, reserved!

1 Peter 1:4 (ESV) 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

I’m looking forward to going home and receiving my inheritance!

Are you?

Blessings 

Joshua 13:15-23 Balaam!

15This is what Moses had given to the clans of the tribe of Reuben:

16The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau beyond Medeba, 17to Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, 18Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill in the valley, 20Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth— 21all the cities of the plateau and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon until Moses killed him and the chiefs of Midian (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba), the princes of Sihon who lived in the land.

22The Israelites also killed the diviner Balaam son of Beor along with the others they put to the sword. 23And the border of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan.

This was the inheritance of the clans of the Reubenites, including the cities and villages.

Balaam!

Don’t miss this lesson of Balaam, for there’s a little Balaam in all of us!

Numbers 22: 31Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.

32The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

Balaam was killed because his way was perverse before the Lord! 

Just like Balaam when we sin, our way is perverse before the Lord and the blood 🩸 of Jesus wasn’t enough to keep us from sinning! 

If our eyes could behold Him on that tree with the crown of thorns, nails in His hands and feet and His side pierced with a river of blood 🩸 running down on the ground! 

Would we disgrace His sacrifice and be perverse like Balaam?

Dear Heavenly Father, help us today so we don’t take Your Son’s sacrifice for our sins lightly! Guide us to sin less and when we are tempted by the tempter enable us to see Jesus on the cross and the great sacrifice He made for us. ✝️

In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Blessings 

Joshua 13:14 HONOR

 14To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

“Levi, the priestly tribe, was to receive no “province” such as the other tribes received; they would be given certain cities (Joshua 20-21).” (Guzik)

Honor

It was an honor to have the tribe of Levi selected to serve the Lord, the God of Israel! 

That honor became their inheritance!

As a Christian, do you honor Jesus and His gift of salvation?

How do you serve Him?

Blessings 

Joshua 13:8-13 Inheritance

 8The other half of Manasseh, along with the Reubenites and Gadites, had received the inheritance Moses had given them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had assigned to them:

9The area from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the Ammonites;

11also Gilead and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, all of Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah— 12the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had remained as a remnant of the Rephaim.

Moses had struck them down and dispossessed them, 13but the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites. So Geshur and Maacath dwell among the Israelites to this day.

“Only two small tribes of peoples were not replaced by the Jewish tribes settling on the east side of the Jordan: The Geshurites and the Maachathites.”

“David later married a princess from Geshur, and she was the mother of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3). Absalom returned to Geshur and used it as a place to plot against his father David (2 Samuel 13:37-38, 14:23, and 14:32).”

“The Maachathites may have come from the Maachah mentioned in Genesis 22:24, who was a nephew of Abraham. Later, when Sheba rebelled against David, he fled and may have taken refuge in one of the cities of the Maachathites (2 Samuel 20:14-15).” (Guzik)

Inheritance 

What do Christians inherit?

1 Peter 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 

I can’t wait to receive my inheritance! Can you?

Blessings