Today we will explore more of the significance of the inheritance of Judah in The Promised Land.
We have already seen the two and one-half tribes claim the land west of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad, and one-half of Manasseh.) Also we know that the inheritance of the Levites was a spiritual inheritance other than a physical inheritance. They settled in towns and remained God’s servants, feeding their flocks on the hillsides of their assigned towns.
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Right now we are walking together through the book of Joshua. Today’s lesson comes from Chapter 15. If you wish to receive all of our messages; just click the “submit” button at the top of this post and sign up. We will be happy to send you every lesson.
THE HILL COUNTRY OF HEBRON
Last week we saw that Caleb and his tribes began to inherit the Hill Country of Hebron. God had promised Caleb that land forty years ago. They went out to take it; trusting God to defend them from the giants still living in the land.
This is where the men of Israel became known as famous shepherds.
It just so happens that Caleb and Joshua were both from The Tribe of Judah. The rest of Judah (those other than Caleb and his family) inherited various portions of this land. Two great men of faith helped their people to trust in God and defeat the giants.
TAKING A SURVEY
Verses 1-12 of Joshua 15 describe the boundaries of the land that the whole tribe of Judah inherited. Caleb’s part was merely a portion. These scriptures read like a surveyor’s report. They are full of details and some of the places described here are near and dear to our hearts from past studies of the scriptures.
Each of the places named held a future full of amazing stories for the people of God in Israel.
CLAIMING THE CITY OF JERUSALEM
Looking up this passage would be well worth the read if you want to know the specifics of Judah’s location in the land. One such place of interest would be that sacred city called Jerusalem. Jerusalem was within Judah’s designated territories. Just the things that happened in this city alone would be enough to cover a whole book full of stories. Judah has a VERY rich inheritance. They received so many choice locations in which to live and grow and expand.
TAKING DEBIR
A large portion of the land (including Hebron) belonged specifically to Caleb. He managed to drive out the three Anakite kings; Sheshi, Ahiman and Talmai who were the sons of Anak. Those giants were not nearly big enough to defeat the Great God of Caleb!
After being successful with that effort Caleb went on to march against the people living in an area called Debir. Before this area was called Debir it was named Kirjoth-Sephes which means “the city of the book.” Later it came to be called Debir which means “Oracle” or “The Word.”
Caleb offered to give his daughter in marriage to the man who conquered this area. The winner was Caleb’s brother’s son. His name was Othniel. We will see him again later when we study The Book of Judges, as he grew in blessings and became the future’s first Judge of Israel.
Othniel and Caleb’s daughter were wed after the victorious battle took place and Debir was conquered. Their wedding gift from Caleb was a large portion of land in the Negev. The Negev was a very dry region. It was a large amount of land; but without water it was mostly useless to them.
THE DOWRY OF A BELOVED DAUGHTER
Later Caleb’s daughter (her name was Askah) came to him with another request. Normally; such a request to expand a dowry would be made by the man of the marriage. However, for some reason, Othniel did not want to approach Caleb; so Askah came on her own behalf.
As she approached she was riding a donkey. This was a traditional gesture that showed respect. Those riding donkeys came in peace. Those riding horses came with intentions of war. Askah asked her father for land with springs of water; so Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs of his land in and near the Negev.
This was way more than she had hoped for. Those lower springs were artesian wells. Artesian wells never dry up!
ONE WHO DID NOT WASTE THE INHERITANCE
Askah appreciated her inheritance. She did not want it to waste away or to be barren. She wanted it to flourish and grow and for her lands to be alive, full and abundant. In order for this to happen; she needed a good supply of pure water.
Why do you think Caleb did not just give her the water in the first place?
Don’t you think he knew that she would need good wells full of water in order to make the land fulfill the promises that God had made to its inhabitants?
He knew.
ALL GOOD FATHERS TEACH THEIR CHILDREN
Why do you think God did not just create us with His Holy Spirit automatically living fully in our spirits?
God wanted us to realize His role as our Father. He made us to depend upon Him because He was the One capable of making all of the very best decisions for us.
Our Father gave each of us a destiny, a purpose to fulfill on this earth; but for that to happen successfully we must go to Him and ask for Him to fill us with the waters of life; His Holy Spirit. It is God’s Spirit living within us that makes us grow and flourish. The Holy Spirit helps us to know how to become what we are designed to be.
Nothing in the Kingdom is automatic, except for love.
PASSING ON THE NEED TO BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS
Our Father loves us; so He created us to be like Askah and Caleb in this story. We have to be bold enough to go before Him to ask for our needs. This shows and proves our respect, obedience, love, trust and faith. He sees how much we love our inheritance when we do this.
God understands that those who come to Him in faith appreciate The Kingdom He has established. He then knows they wish to take care of it and help it to grow and prosper. That is when He grants us our heart’s desire; because our heart’s desire matches His best for us.
All we have to do is ask.
HOW TO LIVE UNDER THE BLESSING
We should all be living examples of Askah.
All fathers should exhibit the love that Caleb held for Askah in that he taught her how to approach the object of her desires and leave with a full blessing.
Because Askah had been trained properly through a father’s love; she started this action with respect. Askah came in peace, seeking help from the One she respected most; the One she knew loved her above all others.
She received her rewards. More than she asked was given to her.
Is this not a beautiful story?
GOD LOVES US EVEN MORE
This is how much God loves us.
Many other towns and cities within these borders of Judah’s inheritance were divided up between the other people from the tribe of Judah. They took over a great number of towns and cities that had previously been pagan. Their inheritance included lands in the Wadi and on the coastlines. En Gedi was one of the cities they now inhabited which existed in the wilderness. So many stories were to come from this city on down the line of the future. Most of them evolve around David.
The Jebusites were still living in Jerusalem. Judah was not able to run them out. They simply became slaves and stayed in the land. Judah eventually gave over to their ways and kept the peace in order to remain in the prosperity they had come to enjoy. That story will play out over time; but it was a huge mistake that came from carelessness and lack of effort. The Jebusites are there to this very day, living among the tribe of Judah. This brought problems to them later; but for the moment the land was at peace.
GOD GIVES THE BEST OF THE BEST
Judah seemed to have inherited the best of the best of the promised land.
This happened, as we mentioned many times before, because of the faithfulness of two men. Their names were Joshua and Caleb. Before them the faith of Abraham established the promise. The faithfulness of Jacob and Joseph also contributed to the success of Israel as a nation.
Faith is everything in God’s Kingdom.