Joshua
18:1. “Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together
at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued
before them.”
And they all lived happily ever after.
Amen.
The end.
What? That’s not how it goes? Why not?
It’s the picture-perfect snapshot—you know, the one
that gets sent out to everyone at Christmas. Everybody’s smiling. Not a hair
out of place. And…miraculously, the kids are subdued before them.
The whole family, all the children, still together,
after all these years. Seven years of warfare, since they crossed the
Jordan.
Now, here they are, at Shiloh, their new centrally
located headquarters, twenty or so miles northwest of their original base camp at
Gilgal.
Shiloh, the very name
sounds picturesque, with its meaning being, peace, and rest…
Shiloh is mentioned
thirty-three times in the Bible. Thirty-two times refer to the city, and one
time, as a prophecy of Jesus, the Messiah coming as Prince of Peace, to bring peace
and rest to the planet, for a millennium (after seven years of
tribulation) and then for eternity, after the Great White Throne Judgement. Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:6-7.
But notice they’re not just sitting around at the
family reunion peacefully, resting, drinking beer, watching football and eating
turkey.
What are they doing?
They’re putting God first. Setting up His tabernacle,
His dwelling place. His tent of meeting.
The tabernacle represents His presence dwelling
among His people. But the tabernacle was just the beginning, it
was never the goal.
His presence traveled intentionally smaller, ever more
laser focused, ever more powerful; from tabernacle, to temple, to Babe in a
manager…to the heart, of whosoever will.
The
Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us. John 1:14.
Did you know that God invests fifty chapters of the Bible
talking about the tabernacle? He only takes two, talking about the creation of
the world.
He must think it’s important.
Other names you may hear used are: tent of meeting,
tabernacle of the congregation, wilderness tabernacle, tabernacle of witness,
tent of witness, the tabernacle of Moses.
The tabernacle stays in Shiloh for over 300 years—some
say 369 years to be exact.
Speaking of exact, on Mount Sinai, God told Moses to
make everything exactly as He said. For that tabernacle was a copy and shadow
of the one in heaven. Hebrews 8:5,
Exodus 25:40.
So, using much of the plunder of Egypt, Moses and the
children of Israel worked for seven months at the foot of the mount, and
built the portable tabernacle.
In today’s value, the materials would be approximately
55-60 million dollars. (Just the gold in the menorah would be over two million).
The entire compound was 150’ x 75’. Enclosed by a curtain
of fine linen, with silver hooks and bands on posts, with bronze bases. At the
front was a 30’ gate made of purple and scarlet woven into fine linen.
Inside the courtyard, sat an altar for animal
sacrifices. And a basin, for priests’ ceremonial washing.
The tabernacle was a 15’ x 45’ tent structure
with acacia wood framing overlaid with gold, covered by various animal skins.
Entry was through an east facing screen made of blue, purple and scarlet woven
into fine linen.
There are two sections inside the tabernacle; the Holy
Place and the Holy of Holies (or Most Holy Place).
The 15’ x 30’ Holy Place, had a table of gold, with showbread
(placed fresh every Sabbath), and then there was a menorah hammered from a
solid piece of gold.
They didn’t know at the time, but these symbolized Jesus,
the Bread of Life, and the Light of the World, and the only Way into the Holy
of Holies.
Next to the veil that separated the Holy Place from
the Holy of Holies was the altar of incense. Burning continually, morning and
evening, a sweet aroma; like the prayers of the saints unto the Lord.
The Holy of Holies; was just 15’ x 15’. The God of all
creation, chose this.
It contained the Ark of the Covenant. Made of acacia
wood overlaid with gold. (4’3” x 2’8”). Two gold cherubim were on top facing
each other, with wings touching. Inside was the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod
that budded, and a sample of manna.
The real significance of the Ark of the Covenant was
what took place involving the lid, known as the "Mercy Seat." The
term ‘mercy seat’ comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to cover, placate, appease,
cleanse, cancel or make atonement.” It was here the high priest, once a year
(Leviticus 16), entered the Holy of Holies and atoned for his sins, and the
sins of the people. The priest sprinkled blood of a sacrificed animal onto the
Mercy Seat to appease the wrath of God for past sins.
This was the
only place in the world where this atonement could take place.
The Mercy Seat, a foreshadow of the ultimate sacrifice
for all sin. When Jesus shed His last drop of blood, and breathed His last
breath in that torn body, (which we remember, on Good Friday) the veil in the temple
was torn in two from top to bottom.
Never again would man need a high priest to offer
sacrifices for sin, for Jesus became both High Priest and Sacrifice. Opening the
Holy of Holies, the presence of God, for whosoever will, enter in by the blood
of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
Hallelujah.
So, they gathered together, focused on God (set up
tabernacle),
And the land was subdued before them.
Sounds like the end of a movie where the whole town
gathers, after working through fiery trials and struggles and battles; they
gather, at Church, and together, good voices and bad, they all sing, as one.
That pattern was a plan, established in the first
words spoken to man. The very first time the word subdue, was used, in
the Bible.
“Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…” Genesis 1:28.
However, life doesn’t always go as planned, or follow
the script of those happy ending movies. That perfect family portrait, doesn’t
tell the whole story.
2 But there remained among the children of
Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.
Over half the tribes didn’t receive their inheritance.
It was theirs. The present was given with their name on it, they just never unwrapped
it.
They were given the keys to the house, but they just
sat down in the yard and never went inside. Never went from room to room to
decide who goes where.
That’s what they were supposed to do. Walk the land,
map it out, plan it out.
Perhaps over half of Christians today are doing the
same. Wandering around in a land flowing with milk and honey; yet never unwrapping
God’s provision, never untapping their God given potential. Never mapping out
His promises.
The gift of God is never force-fed.
Remember, Caleb showed them straight out of the gate. I’m 85,
give me this mountain. And he took the toughest land, filled with giants. Showing
all the young whipper snappers it could be done. He and Joshua were by far, the
oldest of them all. Joshua 14:10-12.
3 Then Joshua said to the children of
Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord
God of your fathers has given you?
The word Joshua uses for “neglect” is defined
as lazy, idle.
I don’t know if Joshua is talking more to the children
of Israel back then, or America today.
How shall we escape if we
neglect such a great salvation?
Let us not neglect meeting
together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all
the more as you see the Day approaching.
Notice, the inheritance, the promise, the Gift, has
already been given. They are just neglecting, to receive it.
Lord,
help us not neglect such great salvation and precious promises; help us receive Your incorruptible and undefiled inheritance. Hebrews 2:3, 2 Peter 1:4, 1 Peter 1:3-4.
“Go, walk through the land, survey it, and
come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord in
Shiloh.” (Joshua 18:4-8).
Joshua doesn’t leave them hanging. He lays out a plan.
Survey the land. Look at the Lord’s promise. Map it out. Get familiar with it.
He’s just telling them to do what they should’ve
already done.
And so it goes with us.
We have His will and testaments. His map. The Bible. Survey
the land. Look at the Lord’s promises. Map it out. Get familiar with it.
Lord, please don't let us be, lazy, idle, lukewarm.
(Revelation 3:16).
Now, casting lots, is not luck of the draw, but a way
of selection that was Divinely orchestrated by the Lord.
The
lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
9 So the men went, passed through the
land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to
Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh
before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel
according to their divisions
The land was divided between the remaining seven
tribes. The borders are detailed through the rest of chapter eighteen, and most
of nineteen.
We’ll just hit some highlights and then, saving the
best for last, we’ll look at what Joshua gets at the end of chapter nineteen.
But just in case you want to read the territories for
the remaining seven tribes, you can find them here:
1) Benjamin:
Joshua 18:11-28.
2) Simeon:
Joshua 19:1-9.
3) Zebulun:
Joshua 19:10-16.
4) Issachar:
Joshua 19:17-23.
5) Asher:
Joshua 19:24-31.
6) Naphtali:
Joshua 19:32-39.
7) Dan:
Joshua 19:40-48.
Now, let’s pause and look at where Simeon is situated.
Joshua 19:9. The inheritance of the
children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah,
for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them.
Judah, from which Jesus will come, has more than
enough. Isn’t that the way of our Lord?
He multiplied the fish and the loaves and after everyone
had eaten their fill, there were many basketfuls left over. When He said put
down your net for a catch, the nets were overflowing with fish. Matthew 14:20,
Matthew 15:37, Luke 5:4-6, John 21:6,
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, is more than enough. The
Hebrew word for God Almighty is El Shaddai- the God of more than enough.
Joseph’s tribes had complained about having not enough,
but Judah had enough to give, more than enough.
All the world’s wealth, wells, water, will
leave you thirsty…but drink the water I shall give, says Jesus, and you will
never thirst again. John 4:13-14
Finally, we see what’s been reserved for the leader,
Joshua.
Joshua 19:50. According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked for, Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim;
Joshua asked for it, the Lord granted it, so the city
of Timnath Serah, was given to Joshua.
What prime piece of real estate would the leader of the
nation of Israel ask for? Scenic ocean villas? Lush valley vineyards? Panoramic
mountain mansion?
Nope, not even close.
The land Joshua chose was nothing to be desired; it
was dry and barren.
The Talmud refers to the fruit in the area as being
dry as earthenware. However, it says that after Joshua showed up, they became ripe
and juicy.
He took the worst; he took it last. Yet, he built it
up, dwelt in it, and was buried in it at the age of 110. Joshua 24:29.
Jesus left the luxury of heaven to dwell and die in a
land of dry, barren, souls; however, after He showed up, multitudes of souls
have become ripe and juicy ready for harvest. Philippians 2:5-11.
Joshua and Jesus know, our treasure isn’t measured on
earth, or by being first.
With Jesus, the world is not enough, or
something to be attained, because Jesus is more than enough.
The Lord is Salvation, and not only that…
The Lord is satisfaction.
Having a heart filled with Jesus, brings a
fulfillment, a satisfaction, that eliminates the yearning for more, the longing
for the world.
Joshua knew it, Jesus said it like this:
“Everyone who drinks this water
will be thirsty again. But whoever
drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him
will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
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