First Dibs

Joshua 15:20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans. 21 The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

Last time we noted the areas allotted to the tribes of Israel east of the Jordan by Moses, and the areas yet to be inhabited west of the river by the rest of the tribes.  After giving a specific city to Caleb for his faithfulness, the first tribe listed is Judah.  You don't need to memorize all the names above for a spelling test, but do realize that Judah is mentioned first.  There is a reason for that. Judah had become the spokesman for the brothers and the promise of One to come someday was given through the line of Judah. It was never a pride or show-off kind of thing, but there was an understanding that Judah was first in line.

Yet to Be Completed...

Joshua 13:24 Moses gave an inheritance also to the tribe of Gad, to the people of Gad, according to their clans. 25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites, to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah, 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir, 27 and in the valley Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, having the Jordan as a boundary, to the lower end of the Sea of Chinnereth, eastward beyond the Jordan. 28 This is the inheritance of the people of Gad according to their clans, with their cities and villages.

At first glance, one must ask: "Wait! Wasn't Moses already dead?" The answer is "yes." This chapter takes place when Joshua is old and he and God are reviewing what lands have been occupied and what lands were yet to be taken by Israel.  Some were set as an inheritance yet not received as of that time. But wasn't that Joshua's job? Yes, but God has a way of finishing our jobs for us when we do not see them completed. He keeps working after we are gone, just as he had with Moses, and now Joshua.  God put it this way in verse 6: I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel. Only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. God gives us our part to do, but it is His promise to fulfill, not ours. 

The Longest Day - More Stones

Joshua 10:24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. 27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

Often called "The Day the Sun Stood Still", this battle was another memorial for Israel. The Amorites were among some of the most vile and wicked inhabitants of Canaan. Having seen and heard what God had been doing to nations along their path, the king of Jerusalem had other kings join him to attack Gibeon, which now was an ally of Israel. The battle was long and hard, but God brought them through. Notice how Joshua uses this victory to pass on the challenge God had given him at his call: Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. God is able to take you through the longest struggle.

The Two-Sided Story

 Joshua 9:22 Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. 25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” 26 So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.

The people of Gibeon had heard about everything God had done for His people, and they were rightly afraid of them.  Since Israel was fast approaching them, they came up with this plan to trick them. So, on the one hand, this incident shows the wisdom of God's plan thus far.  On the other hand, what makes this incident especially significant is the phrase found before in verse 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. That is the real story here.  The leaders fell for their deceit because they did not seek the Lord for wisdom.  They were already forgetting that He was the one calling the shots and giving the victory. They were self-assured. How quickly do we do the same?

Another Heap of Stones

 

Joshua 8: 26 But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction. 27 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder, according to the word of the Lord that he commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day. 29 And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.

As noted earlier, the initial defeat at Ai was extremely disheartening.  Israel could not go on with roller coaster ride of victory, defeat, victory, defeat.  Joshua made sure the people completely obeyed God in carrying out his instructions. In the verses that follow, he led the people in a recommitment to their covenant with God - the whole covenant, every command - before all the people of Israel. There were to be no excuses that someone did not know.  The commandments were etched in stone as a constant reminder to all of the covenant and the conditions of victory.  How many reminders do we need?

A Third Stone Memorial

Joshua 7:24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.

After the dramatic victory at Jericho, the defeat at Ai must have been devastating to the people of Israel. God had made the walls fall and the fortress was no more.  The problem was not there, but within the camp of Isreal.  Keeping the spoil had been forbidden - even a little bit.  Once again, precedent was necessary.  The people needed to see and remember not to contradict God's plan and instructions, not even a little.  This third memorial of stones is like any threes we see in Scripture: the final word.  May we have learned our lesson and set up reminders, lest we forget. Significantly, Hosea was given a prophecy of hope over this valley to share with the people.  God can and does turn these memorials to a positive use.

Another Stone Memorial

Joshua 6: 26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.
“At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.”
27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

Joshua had taken over for Moses, leading the people across(through) the Jordan River and to the first stronghold in Canaan: Jericho.  It was the first test of faith for the people: "Would they listen to the somewhat unique plan God had for taking the city?"  They did, and God brought them an easy victory, as the walls came tumbling down, the city totally destroyed and all the inhabitants removed.  After the dust settled, Joshua makes the interesting statement above.  Why would Joshua put a curse on rebuilding it? It was symbolic of opposition to God's plan. The ruins would be a constant reminder of that.  This curse also sets the tone for God's response to the rebellion described in the next chapter. This curse was enacted 500 years later when a man did try to be rebuild and lost his two sons.  Though Jericho is mentioned in Jesus' day, it was not a fortified city like it had been.  It was to be a memorial of stones just like those the people left in the Jordan River.  The principle is this: Don't try to stand in the way of God's plan.