Living in the Promised Land: A study in the book of Joshua
To view this online: https://youtu.be/jUwioDSxZXM
2. Overview. [For those online, see this book overview from The Bible Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqJlFF_eU )
B. Today’s lesson: Chapter 17
Today we dig deeper into the relationship of the sons of Menasheh with each other and with the Lord himself. This is not only the geography lesson we began a couple of weeks ago. We see some interpersonal connection or misconnection and that may speak to you today in different ways.
A. Normal tribal allotment
The chapter begins with traditional lineage and listing.
Now this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. 2 So the lot was made for the rest of the sons of Manasseh according to their families: for the sons of Abiezer and for the sons of Helek and for the sons of Asriel and for the sons of Shechem and for the sons of Hepher and for the sons of Shemida; these were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
First: (1-2) Normal sons of the firstborn of Joseph, Menasheh. Traditional lineage. Traditional distribution. All male, and all listed. But then the music changes and the scene is interrupted as we saw in the book of Numbers twice in our last series of studies. (bit.ly/Numbers2021 ).
B. The promises fulfilled
In verses 3-6, Zelophehad’s daughters return to the stage. We met them in Numbers (27.1-11, 36.1-13) and their argumentation was brilliant . The purpose of including this story at this point is to highlight the obedience of Joshua and Elazar. What was promised is fulfilled. Maybe that’s key in your understanding of God as well. Or how you should live your life in 2021. Do you make promises? To yourself, to others, to your boss, to your colleagues? And when you fail in keeping those promises, what do you do? The simple reminder here in these Zelophehad verses keeps me simple, and keeps me looking to the One who promises AND fulfills them. I’m going to learn from him rather than from the ways of the world. He is the faithful One. I should be like him.
And don’t you appreciate the boldness of the sisters? They had the promise. Then they went and got it done. My sister had a car accident a while back and her lawyer suggested that a certain sum would be forthcoming which would allow her to buy another car and get back to regular life. This week she was able to secure that cheque and will be replacing her totaled car, but not without chasing up the funding. Having the promise is great; securing the benefits is even better.
God has made all kinds of promises to us, and when we are concluded in our class today, I’m going to ask the ones who remain in our Q and A session to list some. If you are watching live just now, start a list. What promises has God given you. Has he given those to everyone? What has he promised to Jewish people? What has he promised to the Church?
Then, maybe add a column later today and ask yourself, what yet remains of those promises to be fulfilled? What must I do to secure the promise’s fulfillment? Or is it completely out of my hands? That’s for a future discussion to be sure.
Back to our text. The ladies were included in the genealogical listing of the Menasheh tribal units and thus would have been regularized in the Jubilee years when the tribe reconvened and reapportioned. In other words, this was not only for the 5 girls; it was for perpetuity.
C. Compromise revisited
In our third section today (7-13) we see the ordinary layout of borders, actual borders next to the brook, the sea, Ephraim, Asher, etc. And we are sure that this is ‘back to normal’ for the author of Joshua to show the massive expanse of the tribe of Menasheh. Both sides of the Jordan are mentioned. Remember Menasheh is the tribe with half on each side by prearrangement with Moses during their wilderness wandering. You would think, if this were your mishpochah and you were reading the distribution of deeds in a year or two or twenty from this moment that you would feel a swell of pride arise. That’s my people and hey, look at the size of this land we have! But remember gifts are not for boasting; what you have been given is about the giver, not about the recipient. Be thankful. Be one who broadcasts the kindness of the donor.
Are you like that with God? When he promises and he fulfills, do you shout his praise? Are you public about your gratitude for all his benefits?
Psalm 103 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Listing God’s benefits, that may be another thing you can do today with that paper and pen in your hand. And when you see that list, command your soul to thank God. Yes, it’s an act of the will to thank the Lord. And gratitude is what will keep you hearing from him, keep you in his love, keep you as a child of the King.
Now our text in Joshua takes a sudden turn, and it’s not the first time we’ve heard this phrase.
“BUT the enemies were not comprehensively removed.” (15.63, 16.10, 17.12-13) That’s the rub. In fact, the failure of the Jewish people in removing the enemies of God from the Land seems to intensify through each of the reports here in Joshua. First in chapter 15 Judah fails. That’s all we see. Then last week we saw the accommodation of the Ephraimites in keeping some as workers. Clever, but not God’s plan. Then today in verses 12-13, we see the Menasheh folks failing to capture some of the territory itself. They seem to have entered a type of treaty with them due to their inability to reach a settlement. These Canaanites were stronger than Israel and refused to negotiate a long-lasting agreement. The tribe compromised and this is chronicled as a mark against them.
Remember we were to drive out the enemies. (Ex. 23.23) God would be involved and do so slowly. Then it would be over. Done. Dusted. Not to take on more employees. But we failed to live up to God’s promise and failed to trust him. What a waste.
Compromise is ruinous to your life and to the life of your family, to your congregation, to a people. I’m not talking about negotiations between Labor and Liberal; I’m talking about personal choices to go against the clear direction of God. He says to give and we say maybe we will not be so generous, but give now and again. He says to pray and we say we don’t really need to take God so seriously. He says to believe and we say we may trust him a little but we also have to trust others who don’t even believe in him. We learn from others that being full-on is shameful and we will look like a Holy Joe or Josephine. Who wants to stand out from the crowd anyway?
Think of Lot, nephew of our father Abraham, who chose to live in Sodom rather than to stand outside it and to live a godly life. Think of King Saul who thought capturing some of the people (1 Samuel 15) would be better than destroying everything as he was instructed by the prophet Samuel. Compromise gets us in trouble and never works God’s pleasure.
A promise is an oath, an agreement, and a future consideration. A compromise is a committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender as in a compromise of character or right
When God speaks, let’s be people who believe the promises and stand firm in the face of compromising situations. Think of the Proverbs where the naïve are torn between promises and plans laid out by the parents and the compromises of the wayward and lost.
D. Discontentment is the result of compromise
The tribe of Menasheh end up coveting for more. They already have the largest land mass of all the tribes, but in verse 14, they beg for more. As I pondered this chapter and saw the order of things in the way the author wrote, I’m reminded that promises made and received lead to thankfulness. Promises not fulfilled (due to our neglect or compromise) leads to coveting and a bad ending.
Look, Joshua gives them the forest to clear and make new homes there. They argue against that! Malcontent people are never satisfied. They are entitled, they think. They want more. They have more but they want more yet.
No wonder Yeshua said to the hoarding servant who had received a certain sum from the landowner, (Matthew 13) that what he had would be taken away. Beggars can’t be choosers. We ought to be thankful and receive God’s good love and promises, amen?
You have two options, discontent or gratitude. The choice is yours.
Invitation
Dear friends, do you have such a sense of God’s promises, of his forgiveness and God’s gracious presence today? Do you know that Yeshua initiated the New Covenant, that which Jeremiah predicted, on Passover nearly 2000 years ago? Have you met the one who was cursed on the Roman tree for you in Jerusalem? if you have never asked Yeshua to be your Saviour, today as we keep learning from Joshua, would you choose to believe the Lord of life? Would you be willing to take a stand for him who took a stand and died on a Roman cross for you? We love Yeshua because in his death he accomplished salvation for all people. He took the curse we deserved to give us his righteousness which he deserved. Forgiveness is available because of the death of our messiah.
If you’d like to receive him today, just now, join me as we pray.
Say something like this: “Father in Yeshua’s name, forgive me my sin, I was wrong to dismiss you and to disbelieve in you. I need your mercy. I deserve punishment but you are kind and merciful and I receive your grace. I repent. I receive Yeshua as my saviour and Lord. I will live because of my faith in Messiah Yeshua. Amen.
If you prayed that, please let us know of your profession by writing straightaway, won’t you? Bob@JewsforJesus.org.au We’d love to hear from you.
Conclusion
We are delighted you have joined us today. Please join us next week and learn with the others how you can stay on track in 2021 and beyond. I hope to see you next week as we continue our studies in Joshua. You will certainly see yourself in the readings and in the lessons. Next week we will look at chapter 18, in what I call “Apportionment Continued” and see what lessons we can draw for ourselves from the scenes there!
Hope to see you then… until then, Shabbat shalom!
Bibliography
Butler, Trent C., Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7. Joshua. Word, Waco, 1983.
Davis, Dale Ralph, Joshua: No Falling Words, Christian Focus, Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland, 2019.
Hess, Richard. Tyndale Commentary Complete.
Meyer, F.B., Joshua and the Land of Promise, Christian Literature Crusade, Ft Washington PA, 1977.
Pritchard, James, “The Bible reports on Gibeon.” Penn Museum, Expedition, 1961. Volume 3, Issue 4.
Sanders, J. Oswald, Promised-Land Living, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984.
Toms, Paul, This land is your land. Gospel Light Publishing, Glendale CA, 1977.
Weirsbe, Warren. Be Strong: Putting God's Power to Work in Your Life. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs, 2010.
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D-Groups for this week
1) Monday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse
2) Monday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White
(Contact our office for zoom details)
If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details. It’s time to step up. Ponder this—who will be in your D-Group?
The Book of Joshua: Outline.
C. Entering the Land (Chapters 1-4)
a. Chapter 1: A funeral and a promise (Leadership Lesson 1)
b. Chapter 2: A harlot saves the day
c. Chapter 3: Go against the flow (Part 1)
d. Chapter 4: Go against the flow (Part 2)
D. Taking the Land (5-12)
a. Chapter 5: Roll away iniquity: a study in sacraments
b. Chapter 6: Joshua fit d’battle ob Jericho
c. Chapter 7: Getting it very wrong: Achan and his mistakes
d. Chapter 8: Combat and Covenant
e. Chapter 9: Common sense is not so common
f. Chapter 10: Southern dominance
g. Chapter 11: How not to win
h. Chapter 12: God is faithful
E. Possessing the Land (13-21)
a. Chapter 13: Inheritance lessons
b. Chapter 14: Caleb as an example with a side of contentment
c. Chapter 15: Geography lesson
d. Chapter 16: God’s ways are not our ways
e. Chapter 17: Promise vs compromise
f. Chapter 18: Apportionment Continued
g. Chapter 19: Apportionment (Part 2)
h. Chapter 20: Provisions (Part 1)
i. Chapter 21: Provisions (Part 2)
F. Retaining the Land (22-24)
a. Chapter 22: Can an altar alter anything?
b. Chapter 23: Staying on edge
c. Chapter 24: Three funerals and Renewing the covenant
The Seven Nations
1. Amorite
2. Canaanite
3. Girgashite
4. Hittite
5. Hivite
6. Jebusite
7. Perizzite
Josh. 17:1 Now this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. 2 So the lot was made for the rest of the sons of Manasseh according to their families: for the sons of Abiezer and for the sons of Helek and for the sons of Asriel and for the sons of Shechem and for the sons of Hepher and for the sons of Shemida; these were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
Josh. 17:3 However, Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 4 They came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So according to the command of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers. 5 Thus there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
Josh. 17:7 The border of Manasseh ran from Asher to Michmethath which was east of Shechem; then the border went southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. 8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim. 9 The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook (these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh), and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and it ended at the sea. 10 The south side belonged to Ephraim and the north side to Manasseh, and the sea was their border; and they reached to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east. 11 In Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, the third is Napheth. 12 But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. 13 It came about when the sons of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.
Josh. 17:14 Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance, since I am a numerous people whom the LORD has thus far blessed?” 15 Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” 16 The sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.” 17 Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “You are a numerous people and have great power; you shall not have one lot only, 18 but the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall clear it, and to its farthest borders it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong.”
