Bible Pathways - March 21, 2007
In Today's Scripture Reading:
Two and one-half tribes build an altar, then return east of the Jordan; civil war averted; Joshua's final proclamation
When God told Joshua: Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses (Joshua 1:3), Joshua did not merely "trust the Lord" that He would force the Canaanites to voluntarily give up their land. The fact is, the Israelites received their inheritance by faith; but they were to fight for every foot of land that God had promised them.
After about seven years, the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua had conquered Canaan. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand (21:44).
The Israelites' greatest danger was yet to be faced. Joshua said unto the people. . . . If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange (foreign) gods, then He will . . . do you hurt (bring disaster), and consume (destroy) you, after that He hath done you good. . . . Now therefore put away . . . the strange gods which are among you, and incline (yield) your heart unto the Lord God of Israel (24:19-20,23). Jesus (the same as Joshua in Hebrew) freed us from sin by His substitutionary death on the cross and His triumphant physical resurrection from the grave.
We too need to be reminded daily to incline our heart to the Lord. What a tragedy that so many people assume once a person has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, he has nothing to do but "just leave everything up to the Lord." The truth is, the Lord has left it up to us. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt (belted) about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench (put out, extinguish) all the fiery darts (arrows, shots) of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17).
Word Studies:
22:10 to see to =b> for all to see (compare 22:27); 22:29 meat offerings =b> cereal (grain); 23:1waxed old =b> grew old; 23:8 cleave =b> remain faithful.
Christ Revealed:
Through the peace offering (Joshua 22:27). Our Lord offered Himself to God as our means of peace with the Father. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).
Prayer Needs:
Pray for The English International Shortwave Radio Broadcast in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ Staff: Gina Lesnefsky Government Official: Rep. James Matheson (UT) Country: Kyrgyzstan (5 million) eastern central Asia Major languages: Kirghiz and Russian Religious freedom 60% Muslim; 11% Russian Orthodox; .8% Protestant/Roman Catholic Prayer Suggestion: Can you say you are ready for the Lord's coming (Malachi 3:2)?
Optional Reading: John 12
Memory Verse for the Week: II Peter 1:5
