Daily Reading: Joshua 16-18
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 fathers, has given you?" Joshua 18:3
Although Joseph was one of Jacob's 12 sons, he did not have a tribe named after him. This was because Joseph, as the oldest son of Jacob's wife Rachel, received a double portion of the inheritance. This double portion was given to Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, whom Jacob considered as his own (Genesis 48:5). The largest territory and the greatest influence in the northern half of Israel belonged to their tribes.
17:14,15 Footnote
Notice the two contrasting attitudes toward settling the promised land. Caleb took what God gave him and moved ahead to fulfill God's plan for him (14:12). He was confident that God would help him drive out the wicked inhabitants and that he would soon fully occupy his land. In contrast the two tribes of Joseph were given rich land and lots of it, but they were afraid to drive out the inhabitants and take full possession of it. Instead they begged for more land. But Joshua asked them to prove their sincerity first by clearing the unclaimed forest areas. They agreed, but they failed to carry through (Judges 1:27).
18:3-6 Footnote
Joshua asked why some of the tribes were putting off the job of possessing the land. Often we delay doing jobs that seem large, difficult, boring, or disagreeable. But to continue putting them off shows lack of discipline, poor stewardship of time, and, in some cases, disobedience to God. Jobs we don't enjoy require concentration, teamwork, twice as much time, lots of encouragement, and accountability. Remember this when you are tempted to procrastinate.
18:8 Footnote:
Making decisions by casting lots was a common practice among the Hebrews. Little is known about the actual method used in Joshua's day. Dice may have been used. Another possibility is that two urns were used: one containing tribal names; the other, the divisions of the land. Drawing one name from each urn matched a tribe to a region. The Urim and Thummim (explained in the note on Leviticus 8:8) may also have been used. No matter how it was done, the process removed human choice from the decision-making process and allowed God to match tribes and lands as he saw fit.
Leviticus 8:8 Footnote:
What were the Urim and Thummim? Little is known about them, but they were probably precious stones or flat objects that God used to give guidance to his people. The high priest kept them in a pouch attached to his breastpiece. Some scholars think the Urim may have been the "no" answer and the Thummim the "yes" answer. After a time of prayer for guidance, the priest would shake one of the stones out of the pouch, and God would cause the proper one to fall out. Another view is that the Urim and Thummim were small flat objects, each with a "yes" side and a "no" side. The priest spilled both from his pouch. If both landed on their "yes" sides, God's answer was positive. Two "no" sides were negative. A "yes" and a "no" meant no reply. God had a specific purpose for using this method of guidance -- he was teaching a nation the principles of following him. Our situation is not the same, however, so we must not invent ways like this for God to guide us.
It's tempting to wish we had a Urim and Thummim sometimes! But we do have the Holy Spirit to guide us...may we learn to listen to His still, small voice.
Keep reading -- 290 days left!
All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV
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