In Joshua 19, the Israelites finished allotting the land to the twelve tribes. In this chapter, we see that God gives everyone a part of the inheritance, be it large or small, and it is a lesson we must learn, as well as a responsibility we must take, to receive, guard, and to manage our inheritance.
Many names of cities and places were recorded in this chapter, it is understandable and thinkable that most of the untrained readers would be tempted to skip this part. However, please keep in mind that every single word in the Bible has its significance. Imagine that a wealthy man is giving his land and houses away, would people pay attention to what they get? The gifts at the year-end banquet are listed to signify that the gifts are real. So why did God have all the names documented in the Bible? He did it to make us understand that He indeed gave the Israelites their inheritances, and that their inheritances are precise and actual.
Some people are good at preaching, some are good at leading worship, and still others are good at receiving and ushering people. It doesn’t matter if you have one, two or five bags of gold; they are all precious gift given by God. If you follow God’s plan and make good use of the property God has entrusted to you, you will get everything you’ve ever dreamed of, if not, you’ll get what’s best for you. On the contrary, if you fail to make good use of your gifts, God will take everything away from you.
In fact, God had promised, from the time of Abraham, that we would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. God had promised countless offspring, great wealth and uncountable properties. God does everything with purpose and plan. Although some tribes may get smaller parts of the land, and others may get larger parts, yet all twelve tribes of the Israelites got their share of the inheritance. Don’t be jealous or envious if someone gets more than you do, instead, thank God for him/her and for what you have. Be a good and faithful servant, and make good use of God’s gifts to spread the Gospel. The more you use your gift, the more you will receive.
People often fail to obey God’s orders completely. However, it is quite simple to acquire one’s inheritance: to do as God commands. There is no other tricks. Do not follow the thinking of man, but the teaching of God. Do everything exactly as God orders. Man’s way lead to strife, and yet God’s way lead to blessings.
Those who follow Jesus’ teachings are like wise men who build his house on the rock. Those who hear God’s words but do not put them into practice are like foolish men who build his house on sand. The house would crash when the rain and wind strike. We need to learn everything from the foundation. There are things and people we don’t understand, so we need to follow God’s lead and learn as we move along. We are not God, we are easily affected by our environment and other factors, and we make mistakes in our judgments, but we would be on the right track as long as we follow Jesus’ footsteps.
After God created Adam, the first task given to Adam is to rule. We are all chosen by God. We have received our inheritance, and the next step is to take action! Be a good and faithful servant, and manage the property God entrusted to you with care. Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength. Keep God’s decrees and laws with humbleness and wisdom. Take good care, and make good use, of God’s gifts. Lead people to Jesus. This way, we may enjoy eternal life together!
