They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, "God commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our kinsmen." Joshua 17:4 (TM)

I find that sometimes it’s helpful to read between the lines when it comes to scriptural history. For the past few chapters of Joshua, different tribes and factions have been coming to Joshua to ask for this or that land. Joshua gives it to them. It’s all nice and factual. You have to believe, however, that the real negotiations between Joshua and the tribal leaders was hotly debated. Trusting that human nature hasn’t changed, I’m sure Joshua found it impossible to please everyone, got constantly harassed with decisions of minute detail and was vilified by almost everyone at one time or another. Kind of like a pastor in a building campaign.

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The people of Judah couldn’t get rid of the Jebusites who lived in
Jerusalem. The Jebusites stayed put, living alongside the people of
Judah. They are still living there in Jerusalem. Joshua 15:63 (TM)

"If only…" – "But if…" – "If I had…"

Retrospect is an interesting thing. This little tag at the end of Joshua 15 would figure prominently a few hundred years later when David makes Jerusalem the capital city and location for the temple. The Jebusites were living there. David made some of them key figures in his military and administration. As is still happening today, the Israelites and Jebusites could not live together and the conflict was an important component in nearly breaking David’s kingdom. It would help propel the civil war between Judah and Israel a few years later.

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And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I’m as strong as I was the
day Moses sent me out. I’m as strong as ever in battle, whether coming
or going. So give me this hill country that God promised me. You yourself heard the report, that the Anakim were there with their great fortress cities. If God goes with me, I will drive them out, just as God said. Joshua 14:11-12

You’ve got to admire Caleb’s faith. Not only was he one of the only two spies to bring back a report to Moses saying "We can do it! God is with us! Let’s go for it!" – but here he is forty-five years later at the ripe old age of 85 – still keeping the faith. I hope and pray that my faith, my passion and my "spunk" for God only increases with age.

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You may have noticed that it’s been a few days since I posted a "chapter-a-day". You know, sometimes reading scripture, especially some sections of the Old Testament is like mining for gold. There are days you strike it rich, days you find a few nuggets for your soul and days you seem to come up empty. Here’s today’s nugget:

But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. God, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he told them. Joshua 13:31 (TM)

I think it’s cool that God established the fact that the priests – the Levites would be provided for by the offerings of the rest of the tribes. What a great message for the Levites to hear – that they were not to be concerned with inheriting land and possessions but inheriting God Himself. It’s also a good reminder for those of us who live on this side of the cross and the empty tomb. If we believe in the "priesthood of all believers", then we should look to God’s message to the Levites as a guide. Our inheritance is not of this earth. We should focus on God to be our inheritance.

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