OS 18-19{M. In this chapter we read that all the children of Israel assembled at Shiloh, and there they set up the tabernacle. The ark returned to its rest, for the land was subdued before them.
S. That is like what Moses said when the ark went on before to find a resting place.
M. So it is; the Lord had scattered their enemies, and now He returned unto the many thousands of Israel. He brought His people into rest, and the cloud of glory rested upon them. Now the tabernacle was set up at Shiloh—the meaning of Shiloh is peace—the land was subdued; but seven of the tribes had not yet taken possession of their lands, so Joshua said to them, How long will you be slow to possess the land which the Lord has given you? Give me three men out of each tribe, and I will send them to divide it into seven parts, and I will cast lots for you here before the Lord. But Judah and the children of Joseph shall remain in their possessions. And they did so. They divided it into seven parts and wrote it in a book, and they came back to Joshua at Shiloh. Then Joshua drew lots; and the first lot came to Benjamin; the second lot came to Simeon; the third to Zebulun; the fourth to Issachar; the fifth to Asher; the sixth to Naphtali; the seventh to Dan. Judah, and the children of Joseph had theirs already, and Reuben and Gad had theirs on the other side of Jordan. I will show it to you on the map that you may remember—the Jordan runs between; the two tribes and a half wore east of the Jordan, and the other nine tribes and a half were west of it, and their possessions reached to the Mediterranean sea, or, as the Lord called it, the sea of the, Philistines.
S. Have Christians any inheritance?
M. In heaven every Christian has, but none on earth: the children of Israel will always have an inheritance on earth. But God has given us who believe now the same inheritance that He has given Jesus. God calls us heirs with Him, because all that God has given Him, His people will share with Him: when Jesus takes His inheritance we shall get ours.
S. Will each one have his own inheritance?
M. Yes, every child of God has his own place in heaven now, and no one else will ever have it but himself. It is an inheritance which does not fade away, but is kept in heaven for us; and some will have a larger reward than others. Suppose I tell my children that I have a box of treasures, and that some day I will divide them, and that the child who valued them most, will get the largest share. They all know that they are my children and that I will keep my word. At first they are all delighted, but soon some of them begin to forget the box of treasures, and they get toys and are quite content. But one of my children seems never to care for anything else; if I give him a toy, he says, "I don't care for that, it is only a toy, I want something out of the box," he never forgets that he is to have it. If you take anything from him, he says, "You may have it, I am going to have treasures!" and he tries to please me in every possible way; he does not mind what trouble he takes to please me, because I am going to give him treasures. At last the dividing comes, and who do you think ought to get the most?
S. Oh, the one who always tried to please you.
M. Just so it is with God's inheritance. The Lord Jesus Christ is greatly exalted, because, as a man, He glorified God on earth. He did always those things which pleased God. God has made us who believe heirs along with Jesus, and some will have more, and some will have less than others, according to the way we have glorified God on earth. Paul gave up everything he cared for in the world, that he might have nothing but Christ to make him happy—and Paul always glorified God in his body; and God will give him a place of greater honor in the glory, than a man who did not do so. I will tell you a story that Jesus told His disciples, which will explain it to you.
A great lord was going away, and he gave each of his servants a pound, and he told them to make good use of it till he came back. And when he came back he called them to him; and one came, and said that he had made ten pounds out of his pound. And his master was pleased, and he praised that servant, and said he should rule over ten cities; then another came and said, that he had gained five pounds, so his master gave him five cities; and another came, and brought back his master's pound, and said he had done nothing with it, and his master was displeased with him, and took away his pound, and gave it to the servant that had ten pounds, because he said that the one who had used his master's gift the best deserved it most. So God's children will get rewards by-and-by, when our Lord comes back.
We cannot do anything to put away our sins—Jesus has clone that for us—but we can show the day long, that it is our business to please God, who has chosen us for an inheritance with Himself in glory.
S. One little hymn you gave me says, "O how God delights in giving”.
M. So He does. To the children of Israel He gave earthly blessings, but to those who believe in His Son, now while He is gone back to heaven, God gives heavenly blessings. Every child of God has his own lot now, but very few are enjoying it or possessing it as, they might. And when Eleazar and Joshua and the heads of the tribes had divided the land, standing at the door of the tabernacle, they gave Joshua an inheritance among them, in Mount Ephraim, a place which he chose himself, and he built a city, and lived there.