The Lion of Judah

 DEVOTION

JOSHUA

THE LION OF JUDAH

Josh 15:20-63

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, clan by clan: 21 The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev toward the boundary of Edom were: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon — a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages. 33 In the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim)-fourteen towns and their villages. 37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah and Makkedah — sixteen towns and their villages. 42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib and Mareshah — nine towns and their villages. 45 Ekron, with its surrounding settlements and villages; 46 west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod, together with their villages; 47 Ashdod, its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt and the coastline of the Great Sea. 48 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon and Giloh — eleven towns and their villages. 52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,   54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) and Zior — nine towns and their villages. 55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah and Timnah — ten towns and their villages. 58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon — six towns and their villages. 60 Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah — two towns and their villages. 61 In the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi — six towns and their villages. 63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.

NIV

Another set of boundaries, this time it is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. We remember Judah, the fourth and last son of Leah, the first wife of Jacob. He was the one who convinced the other brothers to sell Joseph rather than kill him. Now it is the turn of his descendants to get the inheritance in the promised land. Although we cannot glean any truth about the promised land that we have not already, one comment makes us wonder why. The tribe of Judah received the city of Jerusalem as part of their territory. The first thing we wonder about is why Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites. Was not God fighting for them? Did they not counsel with God about overcoming the Jebusites? Did it matter that much, were there that many? If Judah could not dislodge them, it would seem there were more Jebusites than there was of the tribe of Judah. However, Judah is the most important tribe of them all. Because Judah’s territory included Jerusalem, the place where many of the great events in history occurred, we have so much to ponder. The first is from the line of Judah; King David sits on the throne in Jerusalem, a man who God testified, “I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to”. How could we spend many words on wondering if God would ever say that about us? However, the importance of Judah goes beyond David to his son Solomon, who built the temple in Jerusalem where the ark of the covenant rested in the Holy of Holies, signifying the presence of God residing with his people. What a great moment in the history of Israel because of the line of Judah. Even if God testified there was not a wiser man in all the world than Solomon,  yet he still fell, like all men. Second, the greatest truth is who came through the line of Judah. It is no coincidence that both Mary and Joseph were in the Line of David, and thus the line of Judah, and the son of God, who came as a baby, born of a virgin, was now the Lion of Judah. We know from the revelation that was given to John,  “The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has triumphed”. Jesus is the greatest gift that has been given to man, to us. Jerusalem is where it all happened. There is where our salvation took place, the city given to the tribe of Judah, which again, was no coincidence, but ordained by God. Our lives did not happen because of happenstance but because we were ordained by God to be who we are and when we are, for an expressed reason, to accomplish his will, doing everything he wants us to do. We are not here to advance our own will but to do his will, just as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David, Solomon, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, who showed us and taught us to follow the will of God. We live to bring praise and give glory to our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus, the Lion of Judah.