Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Tag: God is Better Than Ground - Joshua 11-15

Joshua 13:32-33
These are the inheritances that Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan east of Jericho. But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel is their inheritance, just as he said to them.

Tag:  God is Better Than Ground

In these chapters of Joshua we read about the wars, conquering and distribution of the land of Canaan, as promised by God.  Before Moses died, he delivered the message to the nation of Israel that the land of Canaan was to be there land. However, the land was occupied, obviously, the Canaanites.   Their evil, however, had risen to God and God uses Israel to destroy them, because of their evilness.  In the process God gave the Israelites the land and fulfilled His promise.  So, each tribe was given the gift of the land (the giving and conquering of the land is a picture for believers of our day to day lives and conquering sin in our own lives).  The nation had wandered for forty-years, in hopes to secure the lands.  No more tent living.  No more mana eating.  No more stick gathering for fires.   They would have cities and homes.   In the above passage, however, we read about one tribe, Levi, who did not get an inheritance in the land.   They were to serve God in the Tabernacle.  They were to be located in each sanctuary city.   Their inheritance was God, Himself. This is true, as well, in today’s believers life.  Like the Israelite tribes we get hung up on “owning” homes and lands.  We want our fair share of this earth’s dirt!!  We tend to want to “own” stuff.  Owning stuff makes us feel secure, important and worthy.   The owning of stuff gives us a sense of legacy ... leaving stuff to those around us.  When we die families fight over our stuff.   This is the legacy of human existence.   What the tribe of Levi had, was far better, however.  They owned NO land, or cities, or property.  Their inheritance was the God of the universe.  Notice what Peter says about our lives as believers:

1 Peter 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,


Israel would eventually lose the land, because of their sin.  We can’t lose our inheritance with Christ.   It is imperishable!!!

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