Joshua 16-19 "The Inheritance, Part 2"

Read 16:1-4, 10; 17:1-6, 12-18:11; 19:1-9, 40-51

We have heard the first part of the division of the land in chapters 13-15 last week,

beginning with Judah.

Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh had their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan.

But Judah and Joseph received the prime inheritance on the west side.

This is in accordance with the word of the LORD through their father, Jacob.

It is useful to go back to Genesis 49 and hear what Jacob said about his sons.

1-Reuben, the firstborn, would be dispossessed.

He had laid with his father's concubine in Genesis 35.

And so his inheritance would not be that of the firstborn.

2, 3-But neither does Simeon inherit the portion of the firsborn.

Simeon and Levi had slaughtered the Hivite prince Shechem,

after Shechem had raped Dinah, their sister.

And Jacob now says "cursed be their anger, for it is fierce..."

with the result that Simeon and Levi will be scattered in Israel.

And so now Simeon is given a portion within the boundaries of Judah,

and Levi is scattered among all the tribes.

4-So the position of honor falls to Judah-

Judah, who had offered his life for the life of his brother Benjamin-

and as Jacob declared that he would be praised by his brothers,

so now Judah takes the preeminence in the inheritance.

5-Of Zebulun, Jacob had said that he would dwell by the sea,

and of all the sons of Israel, only Asher lived closer to Sidon.

6-Issachar received the mountains of Tabor and Moreh

7-Dan, the judge, bordered on the land of the Philistines

8-Gad was warned that he would be raided-

and sitting on the eastern border of Israel, indeed he was!

9-Asher's rich food would be produced in the plains near Tyre.

10-Naphtali's inheritance in the hills of the north would be full of deer.

11-Joseph's blessing is the most reminiscent of the blessing

that Jacob himself had received from his father, Isaac.

And indeed, Joseph receives the double portion,

two alotments-one for Ephraim and one for Manasseh

(indeed, two for Manasseh!)

12-Benjamin, then is honored with a spot between Joseph and Judah.

1. Introduction: "Now Joshua Was Old" (13:1-14)

The Unfinished Conquest (13:1-13)

Levi's Inheritance (13:14)

2. The Eastern Inheritance (13:15-33)

The Inheritance of Reuben (13:15-23)

The Inheritance of Gad (13:24-28)

The Inheritance of Half of Manasseh (13:29-31)

Levi's Inheritance (13:32-33)

3. The Western Inheritance, Part 1 (14:1-17:18)

The Method of Dividing the Land (14:1-5)

Levi's Inheritance (14:4)

The Inheritance of Caleb (14:6-15)

The Inheritance of Judah (15:1-63)

The Inheritance of Joseph (16:1-17:18)

(Ephraim 16:5-10)

Note their failure in Gezer (v10)

(Manasseh 17:1-18)

Note 1) Zelophehad's daughters from Num 34:17

2) the failure in the cities of the Canaanites (v12-13)

3) the complaint of Joseph (14-18)-their land is slightly smaller than Judah, but many times larger than any of the rest!

4. The Assembly at Shiloh (18:1-10)

The Tent of Meeting (18:1)

Note: this is the center of the inheritance-

Setting up the place of worship

With the land subdued, now we worship.

As worship was at the beginning of the conquest,

so now worship is at the end.

Also, this forms the center of the division of the inheritance

It is in the context of the gathering for worship

that the remainder of the land is divided.

The Survey of the Land Ordered (18:2-6)

Note: survey ordered by Joshua

Levi's Inheritance (18:7)

As worship is at the center, so also the Levites are at the center

Last time we saw that the sacrifices are their inheritance

And that God is their inheritance.

Now we see that the priesthood of Yahweh is their heritage.

The Survey of the Land Completed (18:8-10)

5. The Western Inheritance, Part 2 (18:11-19:51)

The Inheritance of Benjamin (18:11-28) between Judah and Joseph (includes Jerusalem)

The Inheritance of Simeon (19:1-9) within Judah (recall Jacob's prophecy)

The Inheritance of Zebulun (19:10-16)

The Inheritance of Issachar (19:17-23)

The Inheritance of Asher (19:24-31)

The Inheritance of Naphtali (19:32-39)

The Inheritance of Dan (19:40-48) describes the events at the end of Judges

Notice that in all of these cases, there is no mention of failure to drive out the Canaanites.

Why?

18:3

They hadn't taken possession of it yet.

These are "theoretical" distributions.

The remnant of the Canaanites still dwells there

and these tribes are commanded to go, drive out the Canaanites,

and take possession of the land.

The Inheritance of Joshua (19:49-50)

Joshua is the faithful covenant mediator.

Unlike Moses, the mediator of the law, who died in the wilderness

as a sign that the law cannot bring you into the land,

Joshua receives a portion of the inheritance.

5. Conclusion (19:51)

14:1 had explained that Joshua and Eleazar the priest were the ones apportioning the land.

Now in 19:51 we have the conclusion of the matter:

the western inheritance has been concluded.

Israel has divided the land in the manner prescribed by God.

Our inheritance divided by our faithful covenant mediator and priest!

Ephesians 1:3-14

The new Joshua has entered his rest.

And in him we have obtained an inheritance.

It has been apportioned for us in him.

But we have not yet acquired possession of it.