appealing for justice

Posted on October 16, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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appealing for justice

Joshua 21:1-3 (JDV)

Joshua 21:1 The Levite family heads approached the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads of the Israelite tribes.
Joshua 21:2 At Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, they told them, “Yahveh commanded through Moses that we be given cities to live in, with their pasture-lands for our livestock.”
Joshua 21:3 So the Israelites, by Yahveh’s command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasture-lands from their inheritance.

appealing for justice

Certainly Joshua and the leaders of Israel wanted to do what God had commanded. So, it was right for the Levites to speak up and make sure that their inheritance was not forgotten.

There are times when injustice is possible because those who should speak up to prevent it have remained silent. Let that not be the case in your family, church, and community.

Lord, give us the wisdom to appeal for justice on behalf of those who might be forgotten.

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until he is tried

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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until he is tried

Joshua 20:7-9 (JDV)

Joshua 20:7 So they designated Kedesh in the hill country of Naphtali in Galilee, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (in other words, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
Joshua 20:8 Across the Jordan east of Jericho, they selected Bezer on the wilderness plateau from Reuben’s tribe, Ramoth in Gilead from Gad’s tribe, and Golan in Bashan from Manasseh’s tribe.
Joshua 20:9 These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and the foreign residents living among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may escape to there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he is tried before the assembly.

until he is tried

Those words “until he is tried” in verse nine are an all important modifier. The cities of refuge are not intended to undo justice. They are designed to allow justice. The same is true of the salvation God offers us through the atoning death of his Son. The wages of sin is death and those wages must be paid. But in the case of our deliverance, God’s grace allows for the just payment of our debt through the sacrificial death of his Son.

Thank you, Lord, for making it possible for your justice to be satisfied without our destruction. We are mindful of the tremendous cost of your free grace.

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a chance at a new life

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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a chance at a new life

Joshua 20:4-6 (JDV)

Joshua 20:4 When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before the elders of that city, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.
Joshua 20:5 And if the avenger of blood chases him, they must not hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, because he killed his neighbor accidentally and did not hate him beforehand.
Joshua 20:6 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to his own city from which he escaped.”

a chance at a new life

The cities of refuge were not a “get out of jail free card.” They were designed to give a defendant time to make his case in a trial without being immediately hunted down by the victim’s relatives and killed out of revenge. They allowed distance and promoted objectivity. They did not ignore the crime, but allowed a solution without making things worse.

In the same way, our Lord calls out to you — sinner — and asks you to come to his refuge. He knows what you have done, and what you have not done. He knows that if you stay where you are, your guilt and the evil world you are in will destroy you. He is not ignoring your sin, but offers you a new life. Will you accept the offer of new life in exchange for your guilt and shame?

Lord, draw more people to yourself today, and give them a chance at a new life.

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a law of grace

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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a law of grace

Joshua 20:1-3 (JDV)

Joshua 20:1 Then Yahveh spoke to Joshua,
Joshua 20:2 “Tell the Israelites: Select your cities of refuge, like I instructed you through Moses,
Joshua 20:3 so that a person who kills someone unintentionally or accidentally may escape to there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

a law of grace

The Lord could have simply outlawed murder, and left the Israelites to sort out the mess. But he knew what was in the hearts of these people. He knew the desire for revenge would grip anyone who experience a tragic loss. He also knew that there would be many who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and would suffer the consequences of an accident.

The cities of refuge show us that there is not always a sharp distinction between law and grace. God’s laws spring from his justice, but some of them are also examples of his kindness and care.

Thank you Lord for your kindness, reflected in your holy law.

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what he allots

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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what he allots

Joshua 19:49-51 (JDV)

Joshua 19:49 When they had finished distributing the land into its territories, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them.
Joshua 19:50 By Yahveh’s command, they gave him the city Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, which he requested. He rebuilt the city and lived in it.
Joshua 19:51 These were the portions that the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads distributed to the Israelite tribes by lot at Shiloh in Yahveh’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.

what he allots

The territories had been assessed, and each was distributed by lot. In other words, it was God who had the final say as to where the people were to settle. The only exception appears to be Joshua himself, who was given “the city Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, which he requested.”

Like the Israelites, we also do not know what our legacy will be. We have to depend on what God allots to us. But once we know, we should be diligent to invest our lives into making it count for him.

Lord, may we prove faithful with what you allot to us.

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renaming Leshem

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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renaming Leshem

Joshua 19:40-48 (JDV)

Joshua 19:40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan’s descendants by their clans.
Joshua 19:41 The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,
Joshua 19:42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
Joshua 19:43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
Joshua 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Joshua 19:45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon,
Joshua 19:46 Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the territory facing Joppa.
Joshua 19:47 When the territory of the descendants of Dan slipped out of their control, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and struck it down with the sword. So they took possession of it, lived there, and renamed Leshem after their ancestor Dan.
Joshua 19:48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Dan’s descendants by their clans, these cities with their settlements.

renaming Leshem

When the Danites took possession of Leshem, they renamed it. Its former reputation and significance did not matter anymore. What mattered was the reputation and significance of their tribe, and their purpose.

In a similar way, when we set our sights on a territory, a family, or a nation, to win those people to Christ and his kingdom, we should not lose too much sleep over what Satan has done to that territory in the past. The past is past. What matters is how we go about reshaping the future of that territory. Jesus is going to make all things new, and we can begin that process by reclaiming and renaming.

If it helps you to do so, why not give your mission a new name. When you come to the Lord in prayer, tell him alone the new name you have given to the territory you are claiming for his coming kingdom.

Lord, give us a vision of reclaimed territory — with a new eternal significance.
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mission — inheritance

Posted on October 10, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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mission — inheritance

Joshua 19:32-39 (JDV)

Joshua 19:32 The sixth lot came out for Naphtali’s descendants by their clans.
Joshua 19:33 Their boundary went from Heleph and from the oak in Zaanannim, including Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan.
Joshua 19:34 To the west, the boundary turned to Aznoth-tabor and went from there to Hukkok, reaching Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan on the east.
Joshua 19:35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
Joshua 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Joshua 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor,
Joshua 19:38 Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh – nineteen cities, with their settlements.
Joshua 19:39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali’s descendants by their clans, the cities with their settlements.

mission — inheritance

I was reading a description another author wrote about himself yesterday, and I had to laugh, because he mentioned how he was trying to come up with something impressive to say about himself compared to my resume. Do you ever read something because your name is mentioned in it? Of course you do.

These boundaries and cities are not just statistics. They embody the hopes and responsibilities of people who really lived. They had a mission, and they were caught up in it. What is your mission?

Lord, make us a people committed to building our inheritance.

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trying and trusting

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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trying and trusting

Joshua 19:24-31 (JDV)

Joshua 19:24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher’s descendants by their clans.
Joshua 19:25 Their boundary included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
Joshua 19:26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal and reached westward to Carmel and Shihor-libnath.
Joshua 19:27 It turned eastward to Beth-dagon, reached Zebulun and Iphtah-el Valley, north toward Beth-emek and Neiel, and went north to Cabul,
Joshua 19:28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as greater Sidon.
Joshua 19:29 The boundary then turned to Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre; it turned back to Hosah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea, including Mahalab, Achzib,
Joshua 19:30 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob – twenty-two cities, with their settlements.
Joshua 19:31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Asher’s descendants by their clans, these cities with their settlements.

trying and trusting

Verse 29 mentions a fortified city as one of the boundaries of Asher’s allotment. It served as a limit for them. They could spread out only this far.

So it is for us. No matter how successful we may be in following the commands of Christ and bringing people into his kingdom, there will always be limits. We cannot accomplish everything. We have to try to do all we can do, and trust God.

Lord, show us what to try, and when to trust.

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sixteen cities

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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sixteen cities

Joshua 19:17-23 (JDV)

Joshua 19:17 The fourth lot came out for the tribe of Issachar’s descendants by their clans.
Joshua 19:18 Their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem,
Joshua 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
Joshua 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
Joshua 19:21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez.
Joshua 19:22 The border reached Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan– sixteen cities, with their settlements.
Joshua 19:23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar’s descendants by their clans, the cities, with their settlements.

sixteen cities

For Issachar, mapping out the means by which they would be fulfilling their commission meant setting their sights on sixteen cities.

The territory believers need to claim is not geographical. We are commissioned to reach the minds and hearts of people in all the nations. But each of us need to give some thought as to how we are going to do this. We should be mapping out the means by which we are going to carry out his Great Commission.

Coming King, help us each map out the territory you have allotted to us. Show us the hearts and minds you want us to reach, and give us the words to say and pray to make it happen.

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the other Bethlehem

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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the other Bethlehem

Joshua 19:10-16 (JDV)

Joshua 19:10 The third lot came up for Zebulun’s descendants by their clans. The territory of their inheritance stretched as far as Sarid;
Joshua 19:11 their border went up westward to Maralah, reached Dabbesheth, and met the brook east of Jokneam.
Joshua 19:12 From Sarid, it turned due east along the border of Chisloth-tabor, went to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.
Joshua 19:13 From there, it went due east to Gath-hepher and to Eth-kazin; it extended to Rimmon, curving around to Neah.
Joshua 19:14 The border then circled around Neah on the north to Hannathon and ended at Iphtah-el Valley,
Joshua 19:15 along with Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem – twelve cities, with their settlements.
Joshua 19:16 This was the inheritance of Zebulun’s descendants by their clans, these cities, with their settlements.

the other Bethlehem

The Bethlehem listed in verse 15 is not the Bethlehem in Judah’s territory (see Judges 17:7).

I heard recently of a company that produces nativity scenes for people to put on their lawns during Christmas, and that the company displays prominently that their product is “made in Bethlehem.” I don’t think that it is the “real” Bethlehem. But what matters is that our faith in Christ is authentic.

Coming King, make us the real deal. May people never doubt our authenticity.

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