Another giant fell. A great man, having always been faithful, outlived all his countrymen because of his visionary heart, to reign over Israel for 50 years, until he died at 110. Its a great, albeit brief story.
Cities of refuge (Chapter 20)
Joshua saw to the establishment
of numerous cities of refuge, 6 in all, with 3 on either side of the Jordan. It
was so important to God that it is repeated a few times.
Why?
Because God is
redemptive and just. That people make mistakes and have regrets is one thing,
but that they should then have no respite from the consequences was another.
It speaks volumes
about his character. He could so easily have excluded the cities of refuge and
lived with the idea of an imperfect world and life is not fair. He didn’t.
How many died on the gallows
throughout history due to a travesty of justice?
Society accepted that then, as
a necessary collateral consequence of ensuring that crime did not pay. But God
would have nothing to do with expedient justice.
A way of escape was important
to him.
The idea is reflected
in New Testament teaching in 1 Cor 10:13, where Paul says "no temptation has
overtaken you, for with every temptation there is a way of escape".
That is how the New Testament
sees the principle of refuge: as a place of respite.
However, in Hebrews 6:18
reveals that our refuge is not a city but an oath. It is a legal refuge for all who need to
restore their peace in him.
Wonderful stuff.
Cities of Levi (chapter 21)
Although the Levites
had no land, per se, they were given 48 cities. They were allocated in each
tribal area and allocated to the four levitical families.
The distribution of
land was decided by lot, a favored instrument of decision used by the Jews but
not unlike the contemporary idea of tossing a coin.
It had no mystique to
it. It was just fair and respected as such. How practical.
Had God predetermined
everything, resentment would have arisen, but by letting them
decide it all in a fair, transparent way he then worked with the outcome.
It was not a new idea.
Abraham allowed Lot (maybe where the name came from), to make his choice of
available land and Abraham took what remained.
It eliminated any
sense of special advantage or unfairness. God then took Abraham from where he
was and worked with that.
Sometimes we over-spiritualize
decision making, when God is saying “whatever the decision, I will meet you in
it and go from there. Just make a decision”.
I am not saying we
should not inquire of God.
However, when he doesn’t
give direction maybe it is because it is not a big
deal or because he wants you to make a decision that you will live
by.
Be courageous (Chapter 23)
Joshua’s favorite
expression was “be strong and of good courage”. He got it from Moses and kept
it.
Moses had a
shepherding leadership style, appropriate to the ambiguous times in Israel’s
formative classroom.
However, Joshua had a
courageous spirit that applied all that they had learned under Moses.
God will
guide you by his spirit, but at times he will stand still and instruct you like the spirit
that stayed over the tabernacle.
At other times he will rise and go, to lead
you into new challenges.
Joshua’s final
admonition was simple: God has given you the land and subdued the nations, but
if you turn back to corrupt ways you risk losing all that you have gained.
The end of another era (Chapter 24)
Finally Joshua came to
his end at the ripe old age of 110.
He recounted their
long journey before the assembly and then challenged Israel to decide whether
they would serve the Lord or some other God.
As one man they chose
to serve the Lord and Joshua held that as a witness against themselves.
To mark
the moment, another touchstone was daubed and marked with the law as a witness
to their confession.
Then he died. After
him the elders to whom he had entrusted his values and vision, ruled over Israel, until they too had passed on.
In all their days, Israel continued to uphold Joshua’s legacy by serving the only true God.
Eleazar, Aaron’s
righteous son who inherited the Kohenship of Israel after his older brothers
offered strange fire, also died, to be replaced by his trusty son, Phinehas.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
