Today we will speak of the inheritance of Benjamin. Surely God had a perfect plan for this tribe and Joshua was anxious to carry out the distribution. It wasn’t a surprise when Benjamin’s name came from the drawing of the next lot.
WELCOME
Thank you for joining in with our COME AS A CHILD, every Thursday bible study. Today we are continuing our study through the book of Joshua. The scriptures we reference here can be found in Joshua Chapter 18. If you wish to be kept up-to-date with all future studies just click the “subscribe” button at the top of this post and fill in the blanks. We will be happy to send you an e-mail each week. Our group wants to go all the way through the bible together; if Jesus doesn’t return first!
JOSHUA HAS THE LAND SURVEYED
The men who had been appointed by Joshua to go out and survey the land faithfully and studiously recorded all of the boundaries of the last seven parcels of The Promised Land to be distributed. They wrote down the boundaries for each area, noting the cities in each of the seven sections. Then they brought their reports before Joshua.
Joshua took their surveys to Shiloh where he drew lots to decide which lands each of the seven tribes left would inherit.
Joshua did this drawing of lots at the Tent of Meeting which had recently been set up in the new area at Shiloh. This procedure was designed to keep everything honest and fair and within the total and complete will of God.
Seven tribes now began to receive their inheritance.
BENJAMIN IS THE FIRST LOT
The first lot went to Benjamin.
The tribe of Benjamin was to inhabit the land that contained the cities of Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba—twelve towns and their villages; Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath—fourteen towns and their villages.
By designating and distributing the inheritance of these last seven tribes Joshua hoped to pull them out of their complacency. In last week’s lesson we spoke of how the people of the last seven tribes who had not yet inherited their portions in The Promised Land were so much like the people of the present-day Church.
ANCIENT TRIBES/MODERN TRIBES
We have been given everything that we need to walk before God and to keep His ways.
Most of us forget how well He has equipped us. We can lean on Him for power and strength. There is no reason to worry about how strong we are on our own. God is always with us.
He has provided the keys to an abundant and free life; all we have to do is believe, accept and obey. Yet we sit outside the gates of the Kingdom lost in our own ways and ideas. Then we wonder why things are such a mess and why our plans don’t always work out.
LIVING IN THE INHERITANCE NOW
We realize God has called all of us to a specific purpose; but we stall and wait and procrastinate until the time for our purpose comes and goes right on by.
Often we fail to realize that the present time is ripe for what God has called us to do.
We forget who we are; and we fail to participate in the greatest inheritance ever given.
GOD HAS PROVIDED HELP
Jesus even sent The Holy Spirit to help us. Yet; we forget to fill our spirits up with His. Unbelief keeps us from being healed of the world’s trials and tribulations because we never seek out the One who has been sent to guide us through this life. And we wonder why we stumble and fall.
Could it be that we are living in the world instead of walking in The Kingdom?
SEEK GOD NOW WHILE HE CAN BE FOUND
Just like those last seven tribes of Israel, we too must come out of our complacency. Instead of trying to conform to the world and its ways; we must seek to conform to all of God’s ways.
We need to learn to overcome all of the things of the world and Satan’s tricks and rise up to fulfill our God-given purposes.
Claiming the inheritance is a huge part of moving forward through God’s Kingdom.
HIS PRESENCE SHOULD GO WITH OUR PRESENCE
People must look at us and know that we know God.
They must feel the power and love of His presence when we present our presence.
We should be walking in the Kingdom because we KNOW who we are in the Kingdom. No more blending in with the culture around us. We should be constantly seeking The Kingdom of God in all that we do, with every breath that we take.
When Joshua finished distributing the rest of the land; no one’s identity was left uncertain. Each of them KNEW who they were in the midst of God’s Holy Nation.
THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING YOUR IDENTITY
For a while the people of Israel had forgotten to do all of these things. They had not walked completely into their true identity yet.
Joshua did all that he knew to do to remind them of who they were. He brought the worship to the center of the new nation. Then he appointed leaders for each tribe. The lots were drawn for the last seven tribes in front of the altar of God. The decision for each tribe was considered sacred.
Joshua wanted the people to feel the weight of this.
He wanted them all to know their own special identity in God’s eyes. Joshua knew if they could feel and see that identity; they could accomplish anything. Many years past Joshua had to take a stand that made him different from the culture around him. He had chosen to walk in the identity and purpose that God had commanded him to. This had made all the difference for Joshua. He knew it would do the same for all of Israel.
I WILL CHANGE YOUR NAME
God cared for Israel so much that He had set aside a special place for each of them to dwell within. These were places where God had stamped His name next to theirs. God had officially announced to the world that He was the master of Israel. They were no longer slaves; but free. Each tribe had a sacred name and a special home to dwell within. The same God who had set them free had provided abundantly. They were known among the other nations.
BENJAMIN INHERITS WELL
The first tribe of the last seven tribes to be drawn by lot was Benjamin. How appropriate and how much like the heart of God this placement in the allotment seemed to be. Benjamin inherited well.
The tribe of Benjamin was protected in the north by the tribe of Judah and on the south by the tribes of Joseph.
It was just like in the days of the life of the founding head of this tribe. Benjamin was shown favor and protected as the youngest child from the favored and most beloved wife of his father. The two most responsible and respected brothers were there beside Benjamin to always watch over him.
In the story of Jacob whose name God changed to Israel; Benjamin was the child who stayed home and closest to the heart of His Father. He was constantly protected. Could that be why Jerusalem was part of his inheritance? The Father had put His name on this city.
Benjamin shared portions of the land with Judah and Joseph. Bethel was one of Benjamin’s cities. So many of God’s promises took root at Bethel. Jacob’s dream was among some of those old sacred stories that created a perfect foundation for the tribe of Benjamin to come home to forever.
Joshua drew the next lot.
We will speak of the next inheritance in our next lesson.