Promised Land Living

Joshua 18:1-7, 20:2-7, 21:1-3; Numbers 35:9-10

Seven Tribes, Cities of Refuge, and Levites

CIT: Joshua leads the Israelites to the Promised Land

CIS: Do all the Lord’s Commands You

SO: The hearer will take possession of God’s Promise for their life.

Follow along at d1.church/notes.

Intro:  Promised Land Living. Lessons handout.

I was talking to my adult daughter the other day, and when we connected at our appointed time, she was playing a video game and was attempting to finish the level. I do not know much about video games, but I felt it was important that she call me on time while still playing. We were talking, and she said, “Forget it.” I said, “Forget what?” She explained to me that the game was at a point where you needed to go and access a different level to win against a boss and unlock a special tool that could be used to defeat another section of the game. She had played this game before. But she opted not to do it. But instinctively, she had begun the secret access and had to stop and finish the level. 

In this series, we have been talking about God having more for us. Several times in our Christian walk, we don’t push for more, but instead decide we have enough and just say, “forget it.” What happens then is sometimes we get to the end and are frustrated with God for how things turned out, when we should know that he wanted more for you and me. 

1. Seven Tribes(Joshua 18:1-7)

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

EXP: The Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle there. Shiloh is where the tabernacle will be until David relocates it. Shiloh is centrally located in Israel and is a different site from where Joshua’s altar was set up. The whole assembly gathers for the tabernacle placement, and Joshua addresses the seven tribes who still reside at Gilgal and have not gone to get the land that is promised. Joshua tells the tribes to choose three people from each tribe to survey the remaining land West of the Jordan that Moses has described. To divide the land into seven portions, and when they return, Joshua will consult the lord by casting lots and giving each portion to a tribe.

ILL: For your context, they crossed Jordan between 5 and 7 years before this moment. As we discussed last week, the corporate fighting has already ceased. God has promised to drive the remainder of the people from the land. The tribes were instructed to take the land. Judah went (Caleb), and Ephraim and Manasseh went to take possession of the land, but complained and had to be encouraged to go and take the land. But seven tribes have gone nowhere. 

Benjamin, Simeon Zebualn, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan

ILL: 

I am not sure why they would stay? Fear, Comfort, Laziness. This map is an excellent look at Christians today. 60% of those who have promises from God never leave the initial phase of Christianity. 

Looking at the Map, we see:

Dan, Benjamin, and Simeon go South. 

Simeon is a land in the middle of Judah. (We are fighting no one)

Dan and Benjamin stay close to home. (We may venture out, but not very far)

Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Issachar—divide up the land that has not been accounted for between Manassah’s.

Are these tribes maximizing their inheritance?

T.S.: Those who waited received smaller portions and did not maximize the blessings of God. 

**Joshua is given land in the Hill Country of Ephraim near Shiloh. He builds a town and lives there until his death.

2. Cities of Refuge (Joshua 20:1-7).

Then the Lord said to Joshua: “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

EXP: Moses had outlined in previous books (Numbers 35:9-34) about these cities in the Land god has promised, to be designated as cities of refuge for a person who kills another person but not with malicious intent. Manslaughter, not Murder. A person accused of doing this could flee to one of these cities, and they would be protected until due process could occur. All these cities were placed within a day’s journey and on a major road or thoroughfare to make the journey quickly and with help along the way. 

APP: Numbers 35:9-10: Then the Lord said to Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.

This level of protection was not available until they possessed the land, and the land was partitioned out. 

The Seventeenth lesson of Promised Land living is that some provisions are unlocked once you get there. 

T.S. This was also true for the Priesthood.

3. Levitical Cities (Joshua 21:1-3)

Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.” So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance.

EXP: The Levites did not receive an allotment of land for their tribe, because they had been designated as God’s portion from the Israelites. But they received pasture land among each tribe so they could minister to them. 

ILL:

All of the black dots on this map are Levitical cities. The red circles are the cities of refuge. 

ILL: Each tribe had to give a portion of its land to the Levites. The Levites were the ministers of the people of God. Locationally, they were places of worship and accessible to the masses. The tithes could be brought to them; they provided storehouses for each tribe. Think of them as churches. 

God delivers a close-by ministry in the promised land. 

ILL: For leaders in the room. I note that Joshua, the Levites, and the leaders are the last to receive their allotment. They are given provisions and blessings in relation to their service to the people of God. 

A book titled "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek suggests that true leadership is about serving others and creating an environment where everyone can thrive, rather than focusing solely on personal gain or status. 

Leaders in the Promised Land will understand that serving others is the goal.

T.S.: God provides details and complex plans for the Kingdom of God. There is a way to do things for God. Most of the church will not make the necessary journey on their own. Many will stay safe and secure for as long as possible and only see a portion of what God intended for their life. Others will take risks and venture into a new area. Know that God has given refuge and counsel in each place for you. The promised land unlocks new things God has in store for us.

I want to pray for three groups today:

1. Some of you may identify with 60% of the church, who cannot see past the initial promise. 
2. I pray that you will hear the words of Joshua today and go and plot out a new portion for your life. 
3. Some of you now know there is a place in God to run when you need rest from your enemy. It has been unlocked in the promised land. 
4. I pray you will find peace and be fully restored. 
5. Some of us today walked to the place God put in our neighborhood and sought him. 
6. I pray for salvation.