Give Me This Mountain, Joshua 12-14

 

You’re sitting in the lawyer’s office for the reading of the will. You know your name is in there somewhere; if they’d just hurry up and get there.

Remember how Joshua began? God said, Moses my servant is dead. Now, arise cross this Jordan, every place that the sole of your foot treads, I have given to you.

Then the whirlwind began.

The Jordan backed up. The walls of Jericho fell down. Hail dropped. The clock stopped. Kingdom after kingdom conquered, until finally after about seven years of tribulation, the land rested from war.  

Side Note: We are not implying that this was the seven-year Tribulation, spoken of in Revelation. However, as God makes HIStory, He also tells HIS-story. All scripture is for instruction and admonition, not to scare, but prepare, so we are ready to take His land, for Him, that as much as it depends on us, His will is done, and none perish. 1 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Timothy 3:16, Romans 15:4, 2 Peter 1:20-21.

Now the spoils are tallied, the conquered kingdoms counted, the land allotted. The will is read. The inheritance given.

Imagine you’re one of them. You anticipate hearing your name, alongside the boundary markers of your new land, your home.

Home.  

The word feels awkward on the tongue. Like a foreign language, after so long a time, wandering the wilderness, place after place, living out of a tent. No place to call home…until today.

This is a good day.

 

These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated…(Joshua 12:1).

Names and places and boundaries are read. You wait on pins and needles, listening for your name.  

One king was Sihon king of the Amorites…(Joshua 12:2).

You dream of your new home. The house you’ll build, the shed, perhaps a stable, the fence, the front gate, the dining table…the bed.

Og, king of Bashan… (Joshua 12:4).

Speaking of beds; king Og was a giant, his bed was about six feet wide and over twelve feet long from head to foot. The very first king-size bed.

On they go, talking about the kings conquered by Moses on the other side of the Jordan, the east side, where Reuben, and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh decided to live. They like that land because it’s good for ranching and they have lots of livestock. (Joshua 12:6).

After wrapping up the victories of Moses, the conversation switches to Joshua and his conquests on your side of the Jordan river, the west side story, that’s the one you’re interested in.

Name after name, king after king, battle after battle, thirty-one kings conquered in all. (Joshua 12:7-23).

Now, something changes. Instead of looking back and retelling old war stories, the view changes to forward. No more do we hear the word conquer(ed). But often we hear the words land and inherit(ance); eighty-five and sixty times, throughout the book of Joshua.  

But first we must take a breather.

After all of that, perhaps Joshua needed a nap. Because, the very next thing we hear is God, telling Joshua right out loud, “You are old, advanced in years,” Joshua 13:1.

You know you’re old when you look forward to dull evening. Or, when a friend calls at nine and asks, “did I wake you?” Or, when you sink your teeth into a nice juicy steak…and they stay there.

God doesn’t beat around the bush, He tells the painful truth, you’re old, but thankfully, He doesn’t stop there, He looks deeper and sees your powerful potential.

He goes on to say: “and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.”

Notice God does not say, “there remains very much land yet to be conquered.”

The word He uses is:

possessed: yarash or yaresh; (yaw-rash')

Original Word: יָרַשׁ

Definition: to take possession of, inherit, dispossess

Thank You Jesus, for saying from the victorious place of the cross, “It is finished” complete. Done. Paid in full. Thank You for conquering death, hell and the grave. Help us to honor You, by possessing, inheriting, the Promise Land, You paid so dearly to give us.  

You may be old, Josh, but many have yet to receive their inheritance. And for that, it’s always too soon to quit. The workers of God may go Home, but the work of God goes on.

Next, the Lord lays out a plat map for the land west of the Jordan. Joshua 13:2-5.

Then, He tells Joshua to give it by lot, to nine and a half tribes. Joshua 13:6-7. Remember, Moses had already assigned land on the east side of the river, to the other two and a half tribes.

Giving the land by lot, was kind of like throwing their names (written on stone or pottery) in a hat (pot or bowl) and Joshua drawing them out, one by one. However, this was Divinely orchestrated; not simply luck-of-the-draw. Choosing by lot prevented favoritism or accusations of such.

Notice, the tribe of Levi, did not receive an inheritance because the Lord is their inheritance. They worked in the tabernacle, and later, in the temple, and were taken care of by offerings to the Lord, and they were given places in cities to dwell in throughout the land of Israel. Joshua 13:14, 33, 14:4. 

Wait. Something doesn’t add up. If the Levites didn’t receive an inheritance of land, wouldn’t that equal eleven tribes, not twelve?

Yes. But Joseph’s tribe received a double portion, thus Manasseh and Ephraim, made twelve. (Note: Reuben was eldest and should’ve received a double portion, but he blew it by sleeping with his step mom. Genesis 35:22; 49:1-24.)

 

Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for; the allotment for the tribes on the west side begins.

The tribe of Judah shows up first.

Caleb steps forward. He doesn’t wait for the lottery, for his name to be drawn, he steps up bold and courageous.

He makes a bold claim.

As my strength was then, so now is my strength for war Joshua 14:11.

I’m as ready for war at eighty-five as I was at forty.

He meant it too.

And it was true.

It can be for you.

How can this be?

He gave the answer with the first words out of his mouth.

“You know the word which the Lord said…” Joshua 14:6.

So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance… Joshua 14:9.

And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said… Joshua 14:10.

The Lord said it, Moses confirmed it, and I’m still alive to prove it.

Caleb knew the battle was the Lord’s. He saw the plagues of Egypt, the Red Sea part, the manna show up, the Jordan halt, the walls fall, the very earth stand still. His age could not hinder God’s power. In fact, his weakness, made room for God’s strength to shine through all the more.

Dear silver haired, senior saints, we are in the perfect position to say, I’m stronger now than I was then. I’m more ready for war, now, than I was forty years ago. My strength is not my own, but the Lord’s. In my weakness His strength is made perfect. So, now therefore give me this mountain.

 

He makes a big request, “Give me this mountain.” Joshua 14:12; and it’s granted because, he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. Joshua 14:8,9,14.

Then, as chapter fourteen ends, we hear it again, the land rested from war. Joshua 14:15.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us that if we’re still standing, You still have a mountain for us to inherit. No matter how old, no matter how many mistakes, here we stand, today, and with You as our Helper, we will wholly follow You. Please place a Caleb like passion within us to take every mountain You give us, and rid it of every giant and king that stands against Your perfect Promise and inheritance for our lives and loved ones.

We will wholly follow You, now therefore, give us this mountain.

We love you, forever.

Amen.