AN INHERITANCE TO JOSHUA
Joshua 19:49 When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them: 50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein. 51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.
Here we have the promised land being divided up into portions for each tribe of Israel. And here, lastly we come to the portion of the inheritance given to Joshua. In this we have a glorious picture of our Heavenly Joshua (“Jesus” in the Greek), receiving his inheritance among his glorified church.
One thing we have come to understand is that never has there been a single particle of evidence of any covetousness in Joshua! His urgency was never motivated by gain or reward, but only in doing the will of God! And we find it to be so with our Lord! John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
When the matter of Achan’s covetousness was being dealt with, Joshua addressed the matter as being an affront to God’s glory! (Joshua 7:19). And when Israel was given permission by God, through Joshua, to take the spoils of Ai, (Joshua 8:26,27), we do not read of his participating. Even when he gives release to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, elaborating to them their own accumulation of wealth, we find not a word of any desire for the same from him.
For our Lord’s instruction to us is first from his own pure heart. Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The spirit of Christ’s heart is heard through the mouth of his servant, the Apostle Paul. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. (2 Cor. 12:14).
But in verse fifty of our above listed text, do we not read that they gave him the city which he asked? Yes. That is true. But would you please find where that request is listed in the scriptures? We have no record of the asking, but only that he asked!
And concerning the holy city of the church, which our Lord Jesus shall occupy, (Rev. 21:1-3), we have no record of his actual asking, but only the reporting that he dealt with this issue before the world began! Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
For there was not even an “atom” there, much less and “Adam!” There were no seraph, no angel, no created order, or anything therein, when the God Head loved his elect, chosen in God the Son, who is also listed as the elect servant! For there was no beginning, no starting, no point of origin in this electing love! As long as God has been, He has loved his people, chosen in His divine Son! For just as there is no starting point of God, so there is no starting point of his electing love! For God is love!
John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
And did you notice the words, and he built the city, and dwelt therein? The city which he chose was the city he built! This is what Abraham, God’s friend, was searching for! He was not seeking for real estate for an earthly Israel! He was seeking for the community of believers dwelling with God – the church! Hebrews 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Christ built the church! Other foundation CAN NO MAN LAY than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11). Only Christ can build the city of his choosing! Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Then we see that Joshua is mentioned with Eleazar the priest as part of those who divided the inheritance in verse fifty one, listed above. But observe Joshua 21 and see that Joshua’s actual portion was with the priests. Joshua 21:10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot. 11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. 12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
Our Heavenly Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of God, and the church! Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
And we are clearly told that the priests do not get a portion of real estate for their inheritance. For their portion is God Himself! Numbers 18:20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 18:1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance. 2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
This is all that our Lord desired in his High Priestly prayer to the Father, as recorded in John 17. He asks that the eternal glory, which he had with the Father, and the pre-foundation love of the Father be given to him! John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
And the Lord Christ having made every individual in the church a priest and king, entitles us every one to dwelling with the Person of God, all in all, forever! Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
And this is how it all begin! For salvation, regeneration, being born again, is simply knowing God! John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. If we don’t yearn for the Lord here, we might not like it if we ever made it to “heaven!”
Pastor Gene Breed
