Before we look into the details of how the last nine and one-half tribes received their inheritance; let’s consider what happens to one when God is for you.
I’m thinking of what happened to Caleb in Joshua Chapter 14. His inheritance was doled out to him in a totally different way than the other tribes who received land. The reason for this difference in receiving was because God was for Caleb. The other’s inherited the promises because God had been for Abraham. They were Abraham’s descendants and God had promised that his descendants would inherit the land. There are always generational blessings tied to those who God is for.
It was more than that with Caleb though.
FAITHFULNESS BRINGS DIRECT PROMISES
Caleb was like Abraham in that God had made him some direct promises because of his faithfulness. Caleb’s heavenly Father was in touch with Caleb every day. They had a relationship. It was based on loyalty, trust and obedience. This relationship had steered Caleb into becoming who he was at the point in time when Israel entered the Promised Land.
Caleb was strong and courageous; even at the age of 85. Because of his faithfulness; God had granted Caleb good health and a prosperous life. Now God was going to reward him with some of the richest land in the region. It was the very land that Caleb had spied out and recommended that they inhabit forty years ago.
WELCOME
We want to pause here and welcome any new followers to this every-Thursday Bible Study called COME AS A CHILD. Thanks for joining in with us today. We are studying The Book of Joshua and today’s lesson comes from Chapter 14. If you wish to continue trekking through the scriptures with us each week; please find the “subscribe” button above this article and give us your information. We will be happy to send you a copy of each article that we write. This on-going study happens every Thursday. May God bless you as you study His word with us.
DRAWING LOTS
Do you realize that the last nine and one-half tribes of Israel received their inheritance in The Promised Land by drawing lots?
Two and one-half tribes had already been approved by Moses to receive land on the other side of the Jordan. They had now returned to those spots and began to form their homes again.
The Levites were not granted land; their inheritance was The LORD. It was a greater inheritance. They were given towns to live in. These towns furnished the Levites with land that could be used for grazing their sheep; but no permanent land was granted to the Levites. The people of the towns looked after them by bringing offerings to the places of worship.
REMEMBERING FORTY YEARS AGO
Caleb stepped up to Joshua and reminded him of what they both had experienced when they both were forty years younger.
The Israelites had come to the border of the Promised Land once before. Moses had sent out scouts who came back with tales of how fearful the giant Anakites were. The Anakites were reported to live in fortified cities and to be strong and fierce warriors. This fear-factor spread quickly and developed into an ancient form of mass formation psychosis which made the people of that generation of Israel afraid to cross over the Jordan and enter and inhabit the land.
In their fear-based logic, they chose to experience the wrath of God instead of His blessings. They spent the next 40 years wondering in the desert instead of following God’s instructions into a glorious inheritance. Those spies and their generation all died in the wilderness before crossing over to the promises with Joshua.
TWO FAITHFUL OVERCOMERS
Only two people; Joshua and Caleb, survived from that generation. All of the rest who crossed into the land and inherited the promises were the children and grand-children of that cowardly generation who let fear conquer them instead of following God’s will.
When Joshua and Caleb had delivered good reports of the rich land and advised that Israel move ahead with their plans; God promised to reward these two men for their good reports. So it came to pass forty years later when Israel actually began to settle within the boundaries of their new nation; that Caleb stepped up and reminded Joshua of what God had promised him forty years ago.
GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES
Joshua remembered. He granted Caleb and his people the land of the Hill Country that was still occupied by the ancestors of those Anakites that the former generations of Israel had feared.
Caleb was still as strong in his eighties as he had been in his forties. He vowed to rid the land of these giants and went confidently forth to conquer his inheritance. This land is the land now known as Hebron. It is beautiful, rich and fertile land.
We need to pause here and realize a few obvious facts before we start to look into the other tribes that drew lots for their inheritance.
The first fact we can see is that God was with Caleb in all that he did. Because of his loyalty and obedience Caleb had been blessed with health and success in all of his battles. He was still energetic and courageous and he still trusted God to keep His promises.
THE RESULTS OF FAITH
Because of his faithfulness, Caleb and his people received great blessings in the new place. They entered the promises feeling confident that God would help them to overcome their enemies and claim the promises that He had promised to them.
They were not afraid.
How many people of today have remained as faithful as Caleb?
Faith and obedience to God’s ways will be a key in these last days. It will unlock our destiny; if we wish to follow the instructions of Jesus and become overcomers.
WHAT DEFINES AN OVERCOMER?
What exactly does it mean to become an overcomer?
Overcomers do not follow the ways of the world. They are like Caleb. They look at the possibilities of their Great God instead of the failures of their flesh.
Overcomers stand strong in the Word of God; and loyal to the truth of the scriptures.
They do not fear what the world will do to them. With complete trust in God overcomers continue to move on into the purposes that God has designed for them, for their children and their grandchildren.
Overcomers live their lives based on Kingdom principles.
For people with strong faith like Caleb; there is no fear. No giant is bigger than The One Great God of Heaven and Earth.
NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US CAN PROSPER
Caleb knew this and so should we. There is no room for fear in God’s Kingdom.
We must all put our fears aside, keep conquering the enemies of God, and continue to move into the promises of His Kingdom.
If God is for us; who can stand against us?