God Sets Our Boundaries - Joshua 16-20

Joshua 16:5-6 (ESV Strong's)

The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon, and the boundary goes from there to the sea. On the north is Michmethath. Then on the east the boundary turns around toward Taanath-shiloh and passes along beyond it on the east to Janoah,

God Sets Our Boundaries

At first glance it might not see as those there is much in the above passage for us to learn.   However, the key word to settle into today is the word “boundary.”  This is the Hebrew word “gebul.”   The word is used 227 times in the Old Testament and over 20 times in these chapters we are reading for today.   In the immediate context it means that, as Joshua was dividing up the land, each tribe received a portion of the Promise Land and had their boundaries set by God.  God sets the boundaries of His people.  God sets the boundaries of all people.   This might be the hardest truth for the non-believing and the believing world to grasp.   God sets all boundaries.   We don’t have what we have unless God has allowed it.   We may not appreciate the boundaries He sets for us and we may want more in our boundaries, but this is what God has given us.   We have to come to the understanding that we can rejoice in the fact that God is in control of such things.   That does not mean we can ask God for more.  Note the following:

1 Chronicles 4:10 (ESV Strong's)

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

We can ask God to enlarge our boarders.  But, we need to affirm that God is in control of our boarders.  When Hosea’s wife sought other lovers, it was God who told him to pray this way:

Hosea 2:6-7 (ESV Strong's)

Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns,

and I will build a wall against her,

so that she cannot find her paths.

She shall pursue her lovers

but not overtake them,

and she shall seek them

but shall not find them.

Then she shall say,

‘I will go and return to my first husband,

for it was better for me then than now.’

God hems us in and out.  Non-believers reject that truth.   Believers need to live in victory in light of that truth.