Joshua 16

Bible Passage:  Joshua 16

Only a short chapter and a short story for today,
but a good lesson and teaching for us to take away,
to work together as a family of God’s chosen people.

This should be our desire to long for a better country,
to hope for a heavenly inheritance instead of this world.
And we should hope it for others as well.

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The tribe of Ephraim was big and the people were many,
so Joshua distributed the land accordingly,
and there was a reason for the land that was given to them.

Yesterday we should have read about the tribe of Judah,
how they did not drive out all the Jebusites.
And this unfinished work caused them trouble later.

The tribe of Ephraim was allocated its land,
located in the central hill country of Palestine,
where their separate cities were also among the tribe of Manasseh.

The land was a mountainous area full of trees,
and the Canaanites were living on the plains,
yet they did not drive the Canaanites out of the land.

It would have been good as God had commanded,
to drive out the enemies diligently and occupy all their land,
instead they let the Canaanites dwell among them.

If every tribe were faithful like Caleb,
it would have simply been good,
as it would be obeying God’s command.

As Christians, in a spiritual sense we still have much unconquered land;
land that which God has given to us to conquer for a reason.
because this may be our unbelieving family and neighbours who continue living in sin.

So as a family of God’s chosen people,
we need to know that we will always be fighting.
Our life is a spiritual war to conquer sin and let others know God.

This land also represents the land in our hearts allotted to us,
bought by the price of His precious blood,
therefore we must conquer all sin and guard our hearts.

What occupies the place in our hearts right now?

Worry, busy, study, working, materialism, people, pride, emotions, desires…
…the list goes on…and on…

Starting to conquer and occupy the land in our hearts first,
before we go out to preach to our friends, family and neighbours,
it’s one step closer to inheriting our heavenly country.