The distribution of the Promised Land to the tribes of Israel is one of the most significant prophetic events in all of Scripture.
In fact, a good close comparison would be the return of Israel to their ancient homeland in 1948.
Israel’s return to their original homeland was so long in the making that both Jews and Christians had written this prophecy off as something that would never happen.
And because the realization of this prophecy was so long in the making, the Christians took their theology to a whole other level with their so-called “Replacement Theology”.
They decided that pretty much every Biblical reference to both the land and people of Israel now referred to the church.
In their theology, the institutional church took the covenant blessings for themselves and left the covenant curses to the Jews.
And to be fair, many Jews had also completely lost faith thinking that God had permanently exiled them from the land.
That’s why this event (as depicted in the Book of Joshua) is so freakin’ significant.
It demonstrates that the Lord our God is a God who keeps His promises no matter how impossible they may seem at the time.
It was so back in the days of Joshua, it was so in 1948 and it is so now.
Joshua chapters 15, 16 and 17 is all about the Lord establishing His set-apart people in His set-apart place.
These chapters also demonstrate that Joshua rose to become the Godly leader the Lord had called him to be.
And when I say Godly, I’m referring to these 3 specific attributes.
FIRST, Joshua obeyed the Torah.
SECOND, he demanded that Israel obey the Torah.
THIRD, he served the people as a humble servant instead of acting like an abusive tyrant.
Oh, I should also mention there is one part of this land distribution that rarely if ever gets any attention.
What am I talking about?
I’m taking about the obligation the tribes of Israel instantly took on once they received their land inheritance to conquer, take control and eventually drive out the native inhabitants of the land.
I get the impression that a lot of the tribes of Israel were operating under the assumption that once they received their assigned territory, they could just kick back and take things easy.
Well, whether they realized it beforehand or not, that wasn’t to be the case.
Once they received their land inheritance, from that instant, it was their responsibility to finish conquering it.
A responsibility that is still in the process of being fulfilled.
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