Joshua 21:1-22:12
Here we read of the Levites being given their cities and suburbs among the children of Israel. They were not given any inheritance themselves, because the Lord was to be their inheritance, and He looked after their needs. Each of the families of priests were given a different place to dwell in; and so with our service to the Lord. We are now royal priests to serve (1 Peter 2:9), and the Lord has put each one of us in the place where He wants us, and where we can serve Him the best. Let us not be troubled because He has put us in some difficult spot, but rather seek grace to live for Him where we are. We sometimes look around and think that if we lived in some different place or with some different people we could be more useful, but this is a great mistake. “As for God, His way is perfect.” Psalm 18:30. Let us rather look up, and ask grace to shine for the Lord in our own peculiar and difficult circumstances, for “He giveth more grace.” James 4:6.
How sweet and precious at the end of this chapter to find these words, “There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” Joshua 21:45. We are often slow to take, in obedience, the steps of faith, because we see the “chariots of iron,” the “giants,” and the “great walls” of difficulty in the way, as the children of Israel did. But when we just go forward in simple faith and obedience, counting upon God, we find the difficulties often disappear, or if not, the Lord turns them into blessing.
“Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.”
Oh how rich and abundant the blessing of the Lord which He delights to shower upon us, causing our hearts to rejoice and praise Him for all His goodness!
Joshua then called together the men of the two and a half tribes who had taken their inheritance on the other side of the river Jordan. They had been faithful in coming over and fighting with their brethren for the possession of Canaan, and now, since God had given them victory and rest, Joshua blessed them and told them they could return to their inheritance. All this is beautiful to see, showing how God ever worked to keep the hearts of His people as one. He said the people were to all fight together until they possessed the land, and so the two and a half tribes could not return to their possessions until the land had peace.
When the men were returning they came to the borders of Jordan, and there they decided to build a great altar. They did not, however, build it for the offering of sacrifices, for the Lord had said they were only to offer their sacrifices in the place where He would put His name. (Deut. 12:13, 14.) This altar was built simply as a witness that they were one nation, and although separated from the rest of their brethren they were one with them, and they wanted their children to remember this.
The building of this altar, however, caused the other nine and a half tribes to be very much concerned. No explanation had been given them as to why this altar had been built, and they feared it was a step in departure and that it would bring down the government of God upon them.
ML 06/14/1953