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 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. ² It included:

Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah, ³ Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, ⁶ Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;

⁷ Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan—four towns and their villages— ⁸ and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev) (NIV).

I am still reading from an old Bible, slightly battered and falling apart through repeated use, that I have had in my possession for many years. Reading through Joshua 19 (and, as you can see, I’ve only printed a small part of a long chapter) I noticed that at one point I had highlighted the repeated phrase ‘…and their villages.’ It’s a chapter which outlines the God-given allotments of land for the tribes of Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. In each case there are references to ”villages”.

I guess I highlighted it, because, since my mid-thirties, I have lived my life and conducted my ministry in villages – predominantly in one, Boston Spa, in West Yorkshire. It was probably not long after I distinctly felt the call to Boston Spa, that I was listening to a recording of a well-known evangelical leader of that time. In his sermon he said, ‘The villages must be among the most difficult places in the UK in which to minister at this time.’ Since he said this, many rural areas have seen declining congregations, and there have been multiple chapel and church closures. But God’s heart embraces ”towns and villages”, where there are many people whom God ”so” loves (John 3:16). ‘Lost sheep’ live in these remote parts: those the ‘Good Shepherd’ longs to bring home.

If God has placed you in a village, take heart. He has you there by His design, and He has a ministry for you in that place. There are no small places to God.

Maybe you live in a great city, or a bustling town, but there are villages on your heart? You know of them, or you know some people who live in them. Let’s join in prayer today for the vilages, and ask ‘the Lord of the harvest’ to ‘thrust out workers into His harvest field’ everywhere.

A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;
    a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.

³² The speech of a good person clears the air;
    the words of the wicked pollute it.

11 God hates cheating in the marketplace;
    he loves it when business is aboveboard.

² The stuck-up fall flat on their faces,
    but down-to-earth people stand firm.

³ The integrity of the honest keeps them on track;
    the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

⁴ A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart,
    but a principled life can stand up to the worst.

⁵ Moral character makes for smooth traveling;
    an evil life is a hard life.

⁶ Good character is the best insurance;
    crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.

⁷ When the wicked die, that’s it—
    the story’s over, end of hope.

⁸ A good person is saved from much trouble;
    a bad person runs straight into it. (The Message)

Again, there is much to reflect on in this next set of Proverbs, but I want to highlight verse 8. Just recently, I fulfilled a long held ambition to visit Castle Drogo in Devon. It has been described as the last castle to be built in England.

Julius Drewe made a fortune from his business, ‘The Home and Country Stores’. So much so that he could retire at the age of 33. According to ‘Wikipedia’:

‘…in 1910 he bought about 450 acres (1.8 km²) south and west of the village (Drewsteignton); by the time of his death he had bought up an estate of 1,500 acres. He then went to Edwin Lutyens, a prominent architect of the time, and asked him to build his castle. According to his son Basil, he did so on the advice of William Hudson, proprietor of Country Life, who was both a patron and a champion of Lutyens. Drewe was now 54 years old, but he still had time, energy and money to create his new family seat. On 4 April 1911, Drewe’s 55th birthday, the first foundation stone was laid.

The castle took many years to complete, with the First World War and the economic downturn causing many delays. Castle Drogo was finally completed in 1930, a year before Julius died. Castle Drogo was the last castle to be built in England, and probably the last private house in the country to be built entirely of granite.’

As we toured the magnificent building, I was struck by the sight of a smaller bedroom next to a much grander one. Our guide explained that this was where Julius was confined after his stroke, and where it was easier for him to receive full time nursing care. But it is only today, in reading up on some of the history, that I realise how little time he had to enjoy any of it.

The words of Jesus come to mind: ” For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 KJV)

I am not saying that Julius was not a believer. I don’t know and I can’t comment. But maybe you can see why he came to mind when I read Proverbs 11:4. There was something salutary about that smaller bedroom.

When Jesus saw him coming he said, “There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.”

⁴⁸ Nathanael said, “Where did you get that idea? You don’t know me.”

Jesus answered, “One day, long before Philip called you here, I saw you under the fig tree.”

⁴⁹ Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!”

^50-51 Jesus said, “You’ve become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven’t seen anything yet! Before this is over you’re going to see heaven open and God’s angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.” (The Message)

Genesis 16:13, in the King James Version, says this about Hagar: ”And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me”

Certainly, in days gone by, it was not unusual to see these words on plaques in the homes of elderly Christians.

I believe it is intrinsic to our human nature, for the most part, that we want to be deeply known by others. We don’t want to feel lost and anonymous in the world, just another cog in an impersonal machine. We would like someone, somewhere, to know who we are, what we’ve done, what we’ve come through, and so on.

Nathanael was surprised that Jesus knew him, But He did. He knows you too. All about you, and He loves you. What is more, He wants you to know Him, and He desires to reveal more and more of the wonder of Himself to you.

F.B.Meyer writes beautifully about this passage: ‘Still others were brought by the call and ties of previous friendship, following on a long course of previous preparation. Philip had often crossed the hills that separated the lake from Cana, where Nathanael dwelt, and the two would earnestly discuss the signs of the time: the desperate straits of their country, the preaching of the Baptist, and the Messiah’s advent. The guileless Israelite would sit beneath his favourite fig tree, pondering over the things which Moses and the prophets had written. It was not difficult to win such a man when Philip broke in on him with the news of their discovery.

Jesus is always showing us ”greater things,” v.50. He leads his disciples onward and upward, for he is himself the ladder of ascent to God.’

For further thought: read Psalm 139

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.” (Philip’s hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.)

^45-46 Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, “We’ve found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It’s Jesus, Joseph’s son, the one from Nazareth!” Nathanael said, “Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding.”

But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.” (The Message)

So the process of ‘one lighted torch serving to light another’ continues.

It’s been said that evangelism is just ‘one beggar telling another where to find bread.’

Christian witness is highly relational. We who have ”found” Jesus (or been found by Him!) find others, and invite them to find out for themselves.

”Come and see” (46b NIV)

This approach goes back to the Lord Himself (see vv.37-39).

I remember Michael Griffiths writing that, in his experience, he found that it was highly unusual for an adult to seriously investigate the gospel and not then be converted.

PRAYER: Lord, please lead me to people who you want me to invite into the goodness of Christ and the gospel

THOUGHTS:

• V.45: The more we consider the Old Testament background to Jesus, surely the more compelling the evidence of His uniqueness becomes?
• v.46: God often works in unexpected places
• ‘Jesus calls each one individually and uses different approaches, but the same Master calls. Have you heeded His call?’ Warren Wiersbe

The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”

^37-38 The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

³⁹ He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.”

They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day. It was late afternoon when this happened.

^40-42 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s witness and followed Jesus. The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, “We’ve found the Messiah” (that is, “Christ”). He immediately led him to Jesus.

Jesus took one look up and said, “You’re John’s son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas” (or Peter, which means “Rock”). (The Message)

‘One lighted torch serves to light another’. This is a story of ‘finding’ and ‘telling’.

We again see John pointing to Jesus, and look at the knock on effects! One simple word of witness and who knows where the ripples will spread?

Someone said, about Andrew bringing his brother to the Lord, ‘It was, perhaps, the greatest service anyone ever performed for the church,’ We only meet Andrew three times in this gospel, but on each occasion he is pointing someone to Jesus. That is, in my view, an enviable track record.

PRAYER: Lord, please give to me Andrew’s desire and ability to share Jesus

You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north. ⁶ After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord our God. (NIV)

”It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” (Rom.15:20)

I am taken by this idea of ”territory”.

‘There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.’

There is a sense, I believe, in which each follower of Christ is allotted ‘land’. What I mean by this is that we are divinely granted certain spheres, roles, locations, areas of ministry, in keeping with our calling and gifting. If I can put it like this, ‘Peter’ is not to imagine that he is going to walk the same path as ‘John’ (John 21:20-22). But in God’s purpose, our various contributions are melded together into a glorious whole. It’s like when the diverse instruments in an orchestra, playing their individual parts, produce a harmonious symphony under the direction of a skilled conductor. It is not in the ‘territory’ of the piccolo, for example, to play the music allocated to the first violins. The Timpanist is to remain in his/her own territory, as is the clarinettist. But with their eyes upon the conductor, they must listen to one another, be aware of the other, and make glorious music.

”What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. ⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)

I can only speak personally here, but I’m grateful that in my years in church ministry, I have always had a sense that God put me in the town, city, village where I served; that it wasn’t merely a human appointment. I could have been elsewhere, but He put me here. Even now, in ‘retirement’, I don’t believe my wife and I can just arbitrarily choose where we would like to live. Jesus is now our ‘Shrine’ in these New Covenant days. He is our meeting place with God, and in Him we would ever want to say, ‘Your will be done.’

‘There’s a work for Jesus, ready at your hand,
’Tis a task the Master just for you has planned.
Haste to do His bidding, yield Him service true;
There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.

Refrain:
Work for Jesus, day by day,
Serve Him ever, falter never; Christ obey.
Yield Him service loyal, true,
There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.’ (From a hymn by Elsie Duncan Yale)

⁴ Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me. ⁵ You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north. ⁶ After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord our God. ⁷ The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them.”

⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord.” ⁹ So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.

¹¹ The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:…(NIV)

After the introductory words in verses 1-10, the rest of the chapter contains a detailed description of the land allotment for the tribe of Benjamin. (You will see that I have printed the text only as far as verse 11). I think the key point to note is the centrality of God (of God’s will) in determining what each tribe was to have. It is important for each of us to know what God has for us, and go for that. So the regular reading of Scripture, and prayer, are foundational for Christian living.

Warren Wiersbe comments helpfully:

‘Since it was centrally located, Shiloh was the ideal place for the tabernacle. During the years of Israel’s wanderings, the tabernacle was in the centre of the camp. Now it was at the centre of the land, accessible to all and a reminder that the fear of God must be at the heart of the nation…The surveyors gathered the facts, but God gave the guidance needed for the allocation of the land (18:8-10). We must cooperate with the Lord if we want to know His will. Although we must not lean on our own understanding (Prov.3:6), we must have understanding in order for God to direct us.’

The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The country was brought under their control, ² but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.

³ So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? (NIV)

‘The tragedy is that the majority of Christians live far below their revealed privileges and redemption rights in Christ.’ Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter

The challenge seems to echo across the centuries: How long will it be before I live the kind of Christian life I want to? More to the point: before I live the life I know I can, because God says I can? How long before I fully enter in to my lavish inheritance in Christ?

Maybe, for someone reading these words today, there is a ”How long…” hovering over your soul? Something you plan to do, one distant,hazy day perhaps, in some dreamy far flung future. ‘One day’, you tell yourself. ‘One day’…

‘Beware the sin of neglect! It was not the enemy that prevented the tribes from claiming their inheritance; it was their own indifference and indolence.’ Warren W. Wiersbe.

” If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17)

⁷ The territory of Manasseh extended from Asher to Mikmethath east of Shechem. The boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah. ⁸ (Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites.) ⁹ Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine. There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. ¹⁰ On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea and bordered Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.

¹¹ Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo, together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth).

¹² Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. ¹³ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

¹⁴ The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”

¹⁵ “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites.”

¹⁶ The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

¹⁷ But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment ¹⁸ but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out.” (NIV)

In ‘Explore the Book’, Dr. Sidlow Baxter has some excellent things to say about the spiritual parallels between the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan, and our living the Christian life. This paragraph seems to encapsulate the heart of what he is saying:

‘Yes, ”the whole land” is taken, yet there remains ”very much land” to be possessed. It has aptly been observed that there is a difference between the ”inheritance” and the ”possession.” The ”inheritance” is the whole land given by God, whereas the ”possession” is only that part of it which is appropriated by faith. The ideal is for the possession to measure up to the full inheritance. Our inheritance in Christ is what He is to us potentially. Our possession in Christ is what He is to us actually, according to the measure of our appropriation by faith.’

PRAYER: Lord, keep us from settling for mediocrity. Help us to fully enter into all you have won for us at the Cross. Thank you Jesus! Give us eyes to see our inheritance, and the desire to enter in, fully.