JOSHUA - Chapters 13 and 14 - "Give Me This Mountain"
“Give Me This Mountain”
JOSHUA – Chapters 13 and 14.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
August 30, 2016, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
In these next chapters we see and hear the principles of inheritance. It is also a study of the sacred geography of the Jewish nation.
In Verse 1, God puts Joshua in mind of his old age.
1:13: “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said to him, 'You are old and stricken in years and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.'” This is definitely in contrast to Caleb’s declaration in 14:11-12: “I am this day eighty-five years old. I am as strong this day as I was in that day that Moses sent me; as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now, therefore, give me this mountain.”
Caleb is “my man.”
At that time, Joshua and Caleb were the only old men among the millions of Israel. Joshua did not have the same strength and vigor in his old age that Moses had; or as Caleb.
That is not a word any of us want to receive from the Lord, “You are old!” So far, the Spirit of the Lord keeps charging me forward. Yes! “Give Me that Mountain!” not only for my inheritance, but for the inheritance of Glory for the Church of Jesus Christ. My vision is still strong to call in and call forth the overcoming victorious church. Like creation, I am crying out for the revelation of the sons of God. The giants are not too big!
Joshua’s age and lack of strength was the reason why he must now lay aside further pursuance of war.
13:2-7 is a detail of the boundaries of land conquered and yet remaining to be conquered. As Joshua had entered into the labors of Moses, so let others enter into Joshua’s labor. Let us all enter into the labors who have gone before us. This remaining warfare is reserved for David many years after the death of Joshua.
Joshua must speedily apply himself to the dividing of the land he had conquered. That work must be done, and done quickly. Joshua was called, chosen and empowered to bring Israel into their inheritance.
The division of Canaan during his life time is the principle of faith’s reward for him as well as the tribes of Israel. Many of the Old Testament faith heroes died in faith , not having received the promises. But here, it clear Joshua, Caleb and Israel received faith’s reward.
This is a book of victory and fulfilled promises. Genesis contained the promising of the land to Abraham. Exodus contains the leaving for the land. Leviticus contains the laws for living in the land. Numbers contains the wandering outside the land (old generation). Deuteronomy contains the preparing for the land (new generation). The destiny of Joshua and his time is the possessing of the land.
In Deuteronomy, Moses was given the vision for faith. In Joshua we see faith as an action verb.
The Lord spoke to Joshua a particular account of the land that yet remained unconquered. This land has never all been conquered by Israel. However, this is the WORD OF GOD to Joshua which in due time will be fulfilled. Several places are mentioned:
(1) The south the country of the Philistines, governed by the war-lords.
(2) The land that lay towards Egypt.
(3) Westward – that which lay towards the Sidonians (Lebanon)
(4) Eastward including all of Lebanon.
(5) North, entering in Hamath (west-central Syria).
The LORD declares that he would make the Israelites masters of all those countries that were yet un-subdued. Though Joshua was old, God will do His own work in His own time.
In verse (6), the Lord says, “I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. You (Joshua) divide by lot to the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. Now, therefore, divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh.”
The message of the Book of Joshua is God is faithful to keep His Covenant (Abrahamic) by giving the Land to the Seed of Abraham.
The Lord orders Joshua to assign to each tribe the portion of this land, including that which was yet un-subdued.
Though they got it by conquest, it must be divided for an inheritance. The promise of the land came to them as an inheritance from the faith of their fathers. The land of promise pertained to the children of promise. The possession of it was to be transmitted by them, as an inheritance to their children.
Joshua was not to divide it by his own will. Even though he was very wise, just, and a good man, it must not be left to him to give what he pleased to each tribe; but he must do it by lot, which referred the matter wholly to God, and to his determination. Joshua must have the honor of dividing the land, because he had gone through the fatigue of conquering it.
Another man cannot “take-over” the ministry assignment of God’s anointed and appointed if that man/woman has been faithful to their commission.
Herein we see the victory and honor of Jesus Christ. Jesus conquered for us the gates of hell. He has opened to us the gates of heaven. He has purchased the eternal inheritance for all believers. In due time, the church will be in possession of our inheritance on earth as it is in heaven.
We are to inherit him and He is to inherit us.
Eph. 1:12: “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”
Our inheritance is in Christ and is obtained through the obedience of faith. The book of Joshua reveals a people who enter, overcome, and occupy the land of God’s Promise. This is the principle of victory by faith that overcomes the world/kosmos.
The Promised Land is the principle of inheritance:
- We are to inherit the earth. – “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”
- Jesus secured the Abrahamic Covenant. (Ro. 15:8)
- Our inheritance is all things.
- We have been made worthy and fit to inherit (Col. 1: 9-13).
- The inheritance is in Light (the Word) (Col. 1:12-13).
- It is in the heavenlies (Spirit: Canaan).
- It is to be revealed in the last time.
- It is the divine nature available through the promises (2 Pet. 1:4).
- It is revealed through the five-fold ministry, especially the Apostle and the Prophet.
- The Pentecostal experience of the Holy Ghost baptism is the key and the door into our possession. It is the earnest (pledge, foretaste, down payment, and guarantee) of our full inheritance.
Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. Today the creative shaking of the heavenlies (Heb. 12: 25-29) is bringing change in the circumstantial. The unseen impacts the seen. Heaven is now coming to earth mediated by prophetic declaration as moved by the Spirit of God. The supernatural power and strategic wisdom of the Holy Spirit is no longer an option of one’s doctrinal stance or religious pride.
Chapter 14:
The two tribes of Reuben and Gad; and the half tribe of Manasseh were already provided for in the Trans Jordan land. This division of the land was done by Moses. Joshua was urged to hasten the dividing of this land that the nine and one-half tribes might not be kept out of their possession any longer than was necessary. The borders of the nation and tribes are emphasized.
Rueben though he had lost the dignity and power which pertained to the birth-right had the advantage of being first served. Later the separation of the tribes by the river Jordan was censured by Deborah. Each tribe had a “thorn” yet to conquer. Rueben and Gad’s thorn was the Jebusites (15:63). Gad was sorely shaken by Hazael, king of Syria (2 Ki. 10:33). Gad was taken into captivity by the king of Assyria twenty years before the general captivity of the ten tribes.
Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Their habitations must be scattered in all the tribes and their livelihood provided by the tribes.
Canaan would have been subdued in vain if it had not been inhabited.
God gave Moses exact directions how the distribution of the land was to be made.
Joshua 14:1-2: “These are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed for their inheritance. By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.”
Note: continuity of the two witnesses:
- Spiritual authority – Eleazar
- Civil authority - Joshua
Before the lot was cast into the lap for the determination of the portions, the particular portion of Caleb was assigned to him.
With the exception of Joshua, he was not only the oldest man in all Israel, but was twenty years older than any of them, for all that were above twenty years old when he was forty were dead in the wilderness. It was fit, therefore, that this phoenix of his age should have some particular marks of honor given to him for the dividing of the land.
To justify his demand, he shows that God had long since, by Moses, promised him that very mountain.
15:6-10: “The children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said to him, You know the thing that the Lord said to Moses the man of God, concerning me and you in Kadeshbarna. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the Lord my God. Moses swore on that day saying, surely the land whereon your feet have trodden shall be your inheritance and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God. Behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, even since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, lo, I am this day eighty-five years old.”
This again is the reward of faith. Caleb was the only voice of faith from the ten-spies. The other spies sent in to spy out the land murmured and complained. The land God promised them was before them, but they wanted to return to Egypt. Caleb spoke the Word of faith acted on that faith and received the reward of faith. His faith agreed with God’s Word. He walked into His promise which was a prophetic word of God spoke by Moses.
Caleb like Joshua surmounted formidable obstacles, engaged in a protracted warfare, and overcame fierce foes before he possessed the promise. We see and learn the principles of spiritual warfare to obtain the promises.
As a reward of Caleb’s faith he was kept alive in the wilderness, withstanding perils, fatigues, subdued giants, wrought righteousness, and escaped the edge of the sword, waxed valiant in fight.
The longer we live the more sensible we become of God’s goodness to us in keeping us alive; and his providential care. It is a small matter to give our days in gladness to the Lord for his service.
15:12: “Give me this mountain whereof the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, that the cities were great and fenced. If the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.”
The city of Hebron Joshua had already reduced. 10:37: “They took it and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein.”
But the mountain which belonged to it was inhabited by the sons of the Anakims and was yet unconquered. Caleb expressed without doubt, if the Lord were with him he would be able to dispossess the sons of Anak.
Joshua grants his petition.
15: 13-15: “Joshua blessed him, and gave to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron, therefore, became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. The name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; of which Arba was a great man among the Anakims, and the land had rest from war.”
All of you may be acquainted with “Arba”, but I had to research him. There he was in Wikipedia:
The Anakim were said to have been a mixed race of giant people. The scriptures allude to their being Nephilim, meaning 'fallen ones', (again, Hebrew plural for Nephal), which were a crossbreed between the Sons of God and the daughters of men, as cited in Genesis 6:1-2 and Genesis 6:4.
No early history of Arba is given in the Old Testament and little is known of his genealogy, with the exception of his child, Anak, and three possible grandsons, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, who were driven out of the land Caleb inherited, as cited in Joshua 15:13-14.
The Bible also mentions that the city of Hebron was in ancient times known to be called Kirjath-arba or "Kiriath Arba" ("city of Arba"; apparently after Arba). Although a modern-day settlement exists east of Hebron named Kiryat Arba, its relation is not known.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. I entered into the labors of Matthew Henry Commentary (1662-1714); Principles of Present Truth by Kelly Varner (1949-2009) .