Be Sure

 DEVOTION

JOSHUA

BE SURE

Josh 13:2-14

2 "This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites: 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite (the territory of the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron — that of the Avvites); 4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek, the region of the Amorites, 5 the area of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 6 "As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh." 8 The other half of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the LORD, had assigned it to them. 9 It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites. 11 It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salecah— 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had survived as one of the last of the Rephaites. Moses had defeated them and taken over their land. 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day. 14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.

NIV

As two and one-half tribes were given land on the east of the Jordan, now the rest of the twelve tribes, the nine and one-half have been assigned their portion of the promised land. Of course, the half tribes of Manasseh who was the son of Joseph who his father Jacob blessed and made him his own, as a tribe onto himself. With all the names of the territories that still remain unconquered, there is not much for us to learn from them. However, what God said is the important lesson for today. After all those places and groups who occupied them, God said, “ I myself will drive them out before the Israelites”. Then God made one more statement, or command, “Be sure to allocate it as an inheritance, as I have instructed you”. What we can be sure of is that God was on the side of Israel; they were his chosen people. However, it is not that God has not chosen anyone else; it is just that he chose Israel to reveal all his power and authority to all men. What we can know about God and his relationship with his creation can be seen in the lives of the Israelites. Yes, they are a special people, the descendants of the promise given to Abraham, a man of faith, who believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. We are people of faith, descendants by a promise of God when he sent Jesus. We accept the work Jesus did on that cross for us, shedding his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. We have a great inheritance that Jesus has assigned to us in the promised land, the kingdom of God within the new city of Jerusalem. That is a wonderful truth that we have a territory a place in Jerusalem as the true Jew, or true descendent of Abraham, the man of faith, whose heart has been circumcised by God. We are the people of faith in Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness. God sees us as holy and blameless or counted as righteousness. Still, there are two more truths we must add. First, God assured He would drive those people out. God will fight for us; he will conquer the Goliaths or mountains in our lives. We only need to believe, have faith, be still, and know that he is God, and he will do it. Second, God told Joshua to “Be sure,” a command to do that which he has instructed him to do. This, too, is how our lives should be as we walk by faith. We need to “Be sure” we do that which God has called us to do, not giving up until the task is completed, and that will not happen until our last breath. Although we each may have our individual assigned calling or task, we all have been called to run the race straining toward the finish line, the prize of eternal life. Therefore, we live with the desire to do whatever God tells us and to “Be sure” we do as he has instructed us.