Joshua 21:43-45 - Three Wonderful Affirmations

We have been looking at Joshua 13-21 for the past several days. It is in these chapters that the twelve tribes received their inheritance that had been promised to them by Moses in the Law. Chapters 13-17 took place at Gilgal where Joshua and the elders cast lots and distributed the land to five of the tribes. In chapters 18-19, Joshua moved the tabernacle to Shiloh where he surveyed the rest of the land and distributed it to the remaining seven tribes. In chapter 20, Joshua announced the “cities of refuge” where the manslayer could flee to from the avenger in case of an accidental death. And in chapter 21, Joshua appointed the forty-eight cities and surrounding land that the priestly tribe of Levites were to dwell in.   The very last three verses (vv. 43-45) of this long section in the Book of Joshua closes with three wonderful affirmations that should greatly encourage us today! The Christian life is not a bed of roses. Jesus had told His disciples that while they are in this world they would encounter tribulation but to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world (John 16:33). Paul reminded Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3-4 that the Christian life is warfare and that he “must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”   Paul closed this letter to Timothy by saying, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:6-7). Paul told the Ephesian church that they were to put on the whole armor of God as they wrestled with the world, the flesh, and the devil, in spiritual warfare! (Ephesians 6:10-18).   We must not be dismayed or discouraged as we have more mountains to climb and giants to conquer in our daily walk with Jesus in this world. Read these three affirmations of Joshua carefully as he reminded the twelve tribes of what the Lord had done for them!   First, God was faithful and gave Israel the land! So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. (Joshua 21:43). God kept the covenant that He made, first with Abraham and then with his descendants. Genesis 12:7, “Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.”   Second, God gave Israel victory over all their enemies and then gave them the rest from war! “The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.” (Joshua 21:44; see 1:13, 15; 11:23). What the ten unbelieving spies at Kadesh Barnea said could never happen did happen, because Joshua and the people believed God and obeyed His Word.   Third, God kept His promises! “Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45). At the close of his life Joshua would remind the people of this promise again in Joshua 23:14. Solomon must have had these verses in mind and reminded people of this promise when he dedicated the temple in 1 Kings 8:56. "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.”   Today, as the people of God, we can claim these assurances by faith. God's covenant with us is not going to fail; God's power and wisdom can give us victory over every foe; and God's promises can be trusted, no matter what the circumstances may be. The covenant of God, the power of God, the promises of God, these are the spiritual resources we can depend on as we claim our inheritance in Jesus Christ.   God bless!