God's Promise is Always Fulfilled
Scripture Passage: Joshua 15:1-63 (v 9-11 omitted, 19-63 omitted)
1 Now the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families reached the border of Edom, southward to the wilderness of Zin at the extreme south. 2 Their southern border was from the lower end of the Salt Sea, from the bay that turns to the south. 3 Then it proceeded southward to the ascent of Akrabbim and continued to Zin, then went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea and continued to Hezron, and went up to Addar and turned to Karka. 4 It continued to Azmon and proceeded to the brook of Egypt, and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your southern border. 5 The eastern border was the Salt Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan. And the border of the north side was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. 6 Then the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and continued on the north of Beth-arabah, and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 7 And the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and turned northward toward Gilgal which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south of the valley; and the border continued to the waters of En-shemesh and it ended at En-rogel. 8 Then the border went up the Valley of Ben-hinnom to the slope of the Jebusite on the south (that is, Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain which is opposite the Valley of Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the Valley of Rephaim toward the north. 12 The western border was at the Great Sea, even its coastline. This is the border around the sons of Judah according to their families.
13 Now he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah, in accordance with the command of the Lord to Joshua, namely, Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron). 14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15 Then he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir previously was Kiriath-sepher. 16 And Caleb said, “The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter as a wife.” 17 Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it; so he gave him Achsah his daughter as a wife. 18 And it happened that when she came to him, she incited him to ask her father for a field. So she dismounted from the donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”
SUMMARY
This passage describes in detail the boundaries of the land that God granted to the tribes of Judah, starting with the southern boundary, running up the eastern side, across the northern side and then to the Mediterranean Sea on the western side. It briefly describes Caleb’s efforts to drive out the Anakites and the people living in Debir. Then it lists each town within the boundaries of the land given to the Israelites. Finally, it notes that Joshua could not dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and that the Jebusites live together with the Israelites in Jerusalem to this day.
REFLECTION
This passage is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to the Israelites and to me. It reminds me of the journals that I’ve kept ever since I was a little girl. I am now 42. But even today, buying pretty journals and writing out my thoughts alleviate my stress. I’ve kept so many notebooks and journals that I wrote in during the past 4 decades – they still fill my garage and my closet. Sometimes my journal entries are just list of things that I did during the day. Sometimes the entries are prayers of gratitude, and sometimes they contain my cries of pain or complaints before God.
This past week, I had a chance to read some of the diary entries that I wrote during the past two years of the pandemic. As it was for a lot of people, these past two years have been some of the hardest times in my life, not just because of the pandemic but also because of many personal health and relationship issues that caused me great pain and difficulty. Just about every page of my journals was filled with my desperate pleas to God for help. Reading through those monotonous and painful entries one after another initially made my heart ache. But as I continued to read, I realized that all of the issues I had been writing about that caused me such pain and troubles, have either significantly improved or have been resolved. Those storms, which at the time felt like they would never stop, did actually stop without me realizing it.
God gave the victory to the Israelites who were once enslaved and suffered and complained before God in the desert for forty years, leading them to conquer so many territories as we read in today’s text. In the same way, God delivered me and gave me the victory in so many areas of my life.
APPLICATION
As I read the list of all the territories that the Israelites now have occupied, I want to remember the goodness and love that God has displayed in my life, particularly over the last two years. I want to take some time to praise and give Him thanks for his faithfulness.
Finally, in verse 16, Caleb says that the one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it will receive Caleb’s daughter as a wife. And Othniel steps up and captures it. God challenges me not only to just remember what he did in the past but move forward and conquer the next territory. He tells me: “Hyewon, attack all the anxieties, fear and negativity in your heart with courage that I give to you. Don’t be afraid, for I will help you to capture and conquer it.”
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, the mighty God, the eternal Father,
You do not dismiss any words that I say in my prayers. You see and hear every tear and groan of mine. In every battle, in every struggle, in every storm, you have been with me and you have been so good to me. Yes Lord, your goodness indeed is always running after me. Thank you, Lord for being so faithful.
Father, help me not just to remember but also to move forward. Help me to be courageous, to attack and capture the enemies that often make me anxious, fearful and discouraged. For you have already won the battles, You have already given me all the territories through the blood of Jesus. Help me to march on in confidence and boldness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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