The Remaining Land is Divided

Joshua 13:1–33
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Joshua is now called to fulfill the final part of his commission from the Lord, to divide up the land that God has given them so that each tribe can claim its inheritance and enjoy the gift from God. Chapter 13 introduces four ways that their credibility is going to be tested.

1.     The desire of the tribes (Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) to stay east of the Jordan, rather than with the rest of the tribes of Israel (vv. 7-8).

2.     The need to continue fighting as individual tribal groups against little pockets of resistance of Canaanites who weren’t driven out. (v. 13).

3.     The need for the tribes to learn how to trust the Lord (v. 14). They had to focus on the spiritual resources, not the physical.

4.     Idolatry or false religion (v.22). As we come to chapter 13, we turn a corner from conquest to settlement.

We’ve looked at four threats to credibility. Is there a gap developing in any of these areas, a little crack in your credibilityas a follower of Christ? First, is your Christianity borderline? Second, are you tempted to call a truce with the world, the flesh, and the devil? Third, are you waffling in this area of being sold out to the Lord? Fourth, have you been seduced by the lies of Balaam?

Application

Just as the Israelites failed to remove completely the sin from the land it is easy for me to fail to remove completely the sin from my life.