Bible Verse: “Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them. Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest, for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.” Joshua 14:1-5
Scripture Reading: Joshua 13:1–22:34 (it’s a lot, but we can do it!)
One of my sons really likes the Netflix cartoon The Croods. The show is about a family of cavemen and their hilarious development of society. Full of puns that suggest how modern naming conventions came to be, the show is actually quite funny.
In one episode, the main character, Grug, is trying to win the title of Hefty Hunter—a trophy given to the hunter with the greatest show of strength. However, a previously small hunter shows up with all-new muscles and quickly outshines Grug.
To catch up, Grug enlists a personal trainer but is frustrated that results are not immediate. In response, the trainer tells Grug, in a very southern California surfer drawl, “Results are like time-takers—they take time.”
We probably all need that reminder occasionally. Whether it’s physical or mental training, we want immediate results. The patience needed for a “time-taker” is not easy to come by. But when the results finally come, it is always worth the wait.
The bulk of the pages of the book of Joshua is not occupied with taking over the Promised Land. Finally, at this point in Israel’s history, that is a given—though we are treated to a number of different stories in the campaign to inhabit the land.
Instead, the topic that takes up the most space is listing the borders of each tribe’s inherited land. Ten chapters!
These ten chapters may be difficult for us to read. We don’t know the ancient landmarks, the relative size, or even the people involved. It can seem like the most sleep-inducing detail. But there are two things we must remember as we read these chapters.
- This is the fulfillment of a promise made hundreds of years before. We may lack the patience to get through ten simple chapters, but Israel had been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for this land to be theirs. Even the generation of people getting the land had been waiting over forty years! The promise may have taken time, but in the end, it was worth it.
- Like the names of those listed in the book of Numbers, each dimension listed was a cause for celebrating the faithfulness of God. Each landmark was a signpost that God keeps His promises no matter the length of time.
Prayer: Faithful God, sometimes the waiting really is the hardest part. Grant me the patience to rely on Your faithfulness, knowing that You keep Your promises in Your timing. Amen.
Reflection: Looking back over your life, what are some examples of God’s faithfulness?
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