Receiving our Inheritance

Which is on page 228.

228, thank you.

Joshua 13

When Joshua was old and well advanced in years,

the Lord said to him,

You are very old and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.

This is the land that remains all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites

from the Shehor River on the east of Egypt

to the territory of Ekron on the north.

All of it counted as Canaanite,

the territory of the five Philistine rulers in Gaza,

Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron,

that of the Avites.

From the south, all the land of the Canaanites,

from Ara of the Sidonians as far as Aphek,

the region of the Amorites,

the area of the Gabalites and all Lebanon to the east,

from Baal, Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo, Hamath.

As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrafoth,

Maim, that is all the Sidonians,

I myself will drive them out before the Israelites.

Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance,

as I have instructed you,

and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes

and half of the tribe of Manasseh.

The other half of Manasseh,

the Reubenites and the Gadites,

had received the inheritance

that Moses had given them east of the Jordan,

as he, the servant of the Lord,

had assigned it to them.

We have Joshua chapter 14, verses 6 through 15.

Joshua 14:6–15

Now the men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,

and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, said to him,

You know what the Lord said to Moses,

the man of God at Kadesh Barnea, about you and me?

I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord,

sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land,

and I brought him back a report according to my convictions.

But my brothers, who went up with me,

made the hearts of the people melt with fear.

I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.

So on that day Moses swore to me,

The land on which your feet have walked

will be with your inheritance,

and that of your children forever,

because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.

Now then, just as the Lord promised,

he has kept me alive for forty-five years

since the time he said this to Moses,

while Israel moved about in the desert.

So here I am today, eighty-five years old.

I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out.

I am just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.

You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there,

and their cities were large and fortified,

but the Lord, helping me,

I will drive them out just as he said.

Then Joshua blessed Caleb, son of Jephunneh,

and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.

So Hebron has belonged to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, ever since,

because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.

Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba,

who was the greatest man among the Anakites.

Then the land had rest from war.

Thanks very much.

I think they deserve a prize for getting through half of those names anyway.

Nightmare.

Well, what are all those names all about?

That's what we're going to find out.

So let's talk to God and pray,

and ask for His help as we get stuck into this.

Let's pray together.

Our Father God, we thank You again for Your Word.

We thank You that it is trustworthy and true.

We thank You that these words are not just words written by humans,

but they originate with You.

They are Your words that You have caused people to write.

And so as we read and as we listen,

we are hearing God's story,

His message to us today.

And so we pray that You would make Your Word applicable to us.

Make it relevant.

Speak it deep into our lives so that it changes us

and helps us to see the wonderful inheritance that is ours.

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, I want to start this morning by asking us all two questions.

The first question is this.

What would you like to be doing in five years' time?

Or to put it another way,

what are your dreams for the future?

Just think about that for a minute.

What would you like to be doing in five years' time?

Well, if you are of school or college age,

you will most likely be finished your studies.

And so maybe you see yourself settled into a good, well-paid job,

possibly living in a different country.

Perhaps you'll even be married,

have a beautiful home,

and have a couple of children.

Who knows in five years' time?

Well, if you're in the midlife range,

you might see yourself as living comfortably.

Kids have kind of grown up a little bit,

so you have a little bit more time.

Maybe you see yourself in a bigger home,

finally enjoying some of life's little treats.

If you're in the next stage,

perhaps you will be retired,

or you're nearing retirement.

Your health is good,

and so you plan to travel a bit,

see the world,

visit family,

spend time with the grandchildren,

spend all your hard-earned savings.

What is it that you dream about?

What would you like to be doing in five years' time

or ten years' time?

Now, with those thoughts in mind,

here's the second question.

How certain are you

that those things are going to happen?

How confident are you

that your dreams and plans

will actually become a reality?

You see, we live in a world of uncertainty,

where dreams of healthy retirement

are interrupted by the news of a terminal illness,

where dreams of enjoying life with kids

are broken by redundancy or debt,

where dreams of getting married

and having a good job

remain dreams

because of spectacular personal failure.

The world that we live in today

is broken,

and we're broken,

and because of that,

there is nothing certain.

One comedian quipped

that the only thing that we are certain of

is paying taxes and dying.

In fact, the rise of the insurance industry

proves that we can't be certain.

It's so bad now

that we take out insurance

on top of insurance

because we live each day

with the reality

that something is going to go wrong,

and we need to be sure of that,

to be covered.

Nothing is certain.

Nothing is guaranteed in this world.

However, in Joshua,

all of that is reversed

because here we're introduced

to a God who speaks certainty

into an uncertain world,

a God who gives promises

and completes the promises.

In Joshua,

we've been meeting a God

who gives confidence

that He will do for His people

everything He said He will do,

no matter what or who

they come up against.

So whether it's a flooded River Jordan,

not a problem.

Whether it's the fierce armies of Jericho,

no hindrance,

whether it's the failure

of Joshua's people,

nothing can stop

what God has said He will do.

There's a confidence

and a certainty

with the promises of God.

And in Joshua chapters 13 and 14,

Joshua 13 · chapter mention

it's all about our future inheritance

and how we can be confidently certain

we will receive it.

So first,

our inheritance that's been promised.

Let's get into these chapters 13 and 14.

Geographically speaking,

Israel have crossed over the Jordan River.

They had defeated the Amorites.

They had destroyed Jericho.

They've broken through the main line of defense.

And in many ways,

the hard work has been done.

The big battles have been fought.

But they're not yet settled in the promised land.

A lot has been done,

but there's a lot more to do.

So chapter 13, verse 1.

When Joshua was old and well advanced in years,

the Lord said to him,

Joshua, you are very old

and there are still very large areas of land

to be taken over.

This is the land that remains.

And then he starts listing it all out.

In fact, you can see it there on the map.

The little blue arrows there

show that Israel have crossed over the Jordan River.

And then as they move west,

south and in the central lands

and up north,

these are all the lands to be taken.

So in the south, verse 2,

we read about the Philistines who are there

and the five big cities

where their rulers are in Gaza,

Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gath and Ekron.

Way down in the south,

the land still to be taken.

And then as they move up

into the center lands in verse 4,

there's the Canaanites.

And then as they move up from there

up into the north,

all the way up as far as Mount Hermon,

all those lands still to be taken.

You see, there's a lot of land there,

but with it,

there are still a lot of enemies.

Each region and each city

is fortified with their own armies.

Every town and place poses a threat

to Israel, to God's people.

Each one is strong enough to defeat them.

And it seems an insurmountable task.

They've only crossed the little river.

They've only overtaken Jericho.

But it's like there's a hundred other

Jerichos still to take.

And added to that,

look back at verse 1.

Joshua, we told,

was very old and well advanced in years.

He's got a zimmer frame out.

And in case poor Joshua has forgotten

and he thinks he's still a bit lively,

God reminds him,

Joshua, you're very old.

You need to put your slippers on, mate.

It's quite clear Joshua is past the age of fighting

and leading his people into battle.

So we're left wondering,

will they ever get to settle

in the land that God has promised them?

Well, as we work through this,

we must remember that it is God

who made the promise

and therefore it is His responsibility

to make sure that the promise is kept.

So look at verse 6.

He says,

as for all the inhabitants

of these mountainous regions,

from Lebanon to Mithra,

from Maim,

that is all the Sidonians,

I myself will drive them out

before the Israelites.

So God is saying to Joshua and his people,

I promised you an inheritance,

so it is my responsibility

to make sure that you get it

and to make sure that you will get it.

Look at the end of verse 6.

I myself will drive them out before you.

I'm going to fight for you.

In fact,

rehearsing this list of lands

in 2 to 5

is not meant to strike fear

into the heart of the people,

but to build confidence,

reminding them of actually

what is theirs,

what God has already promised them.

So look at the end of verse 6.

He's so sure,

so certain,

that he says,

be sure to allocate this land

to Israel for an inheritance

as I have instructed you,

and divide it out as an inheritance

among the nine tribes

and a half of the tribe of Manasseh.

The lands that lay before you

are not dreams

and wishful thinking

that you hope to someday get.

This is your inheritance.

You see,

it seems like that

in the face of challenges

and obstacles

and opposition,

God's people

constantly need to be reminded

of what God has promised

and what God has promised

he will always do.

It's so easy to look at

what's before us

and begin to shake and quiver

in our own boots

and seem,

this is insurmountable.

How are we going to get there?

How are we going to do it?

But God would have us

listen to his promise.

In fact,

this side of the cross

where we stand

in the whole redemptive story

of God,

he would have us look to,

not to Joshua

and all the battles

they would fight,

but he would have us look

to the ultimate warrior,

Jesus Christ,

the ultimate battle

that Christ has fought for us.

The battle he fought for us

on the cross

where he drove back

the greatest enemy,

Satan,

where he has defeated him,

where on the cross

he destroyed his plan,

he disarmed him

by his victory

on the cross.

And because he has defeated him,

he would have us look

at the ultimate inheritance,

not the physical lands,

that's all gone.

But the promised rest,

the eternal rest,

the land of the new creation,

paradise itself.

And he says,

that is guaranteed for you,

that is yours

because I have gone ahead of you

and fought the battle for you.

I have defeated your enemies

so that you can go

and receive that promised inheritance

because of what Christ has done.

That inheritance

promised

to his people.

But then,

inheritance

assured.

For the rest of chapter 13,

all the way through

to chapter 21,

we have this very detailed description

of what tribe of Israel

is going to get

what piece of land

and region.

We're told that

two of the tribes,

the Reubenites

and the Gadites,

they were going to settle

east of the Jordan

along with

half of a tribe

of Manasseh.

Then the other

nine and a half tribes

would settle

west of the Jordan,

making up 12 altogether.

Now this intricate detail,

it seems quite of a bore to us,

all these lists of names.

Look at verse 16,

for example,

as he starts listing out

what's going to happen.

He talks about

the territory

from Eror

of the rim

of the Arnon Gorge

and from the town

in the middle of the gorge

and the whole plateau

past Miba.

And then verse 25,

there's the territory

speaking to the Gadites.

You've got the territory

of Jazar

and all the towns

of Gilead

and the half

of the Ammonite country

as far as Eror

and Rabba.

And then speaking

to the half tribe

of Manasseh,

verse 30,

he says,

your territory

will extend

from Manahem

and including

all of Bashan,

the entire realm

of Og,

king of Bashan.

And that's just

chapter 13.

On and on it goes

for eight chapters.

Endless list of names

that I can't even pronounce.

That's why I'm not

reading it all.

Boundaries and borders

one after the other.

And it only seems

that the county

planner officer

understands what's

going on here.

It's a hard old read

and it's more like

an endurance exercise

to try and get through it.

But we must remember

that as we begin

to read

and flick over

the pages

one by one,

it's like reading

your own name

in the family inheritance.

So it's to be read

with excitement

and anticipation.

Every region named,

every city

that's mentioned,

every border

that's described

is like another item

of the family inheritance

that has been

personally given to you.

It's God's guarantee

to each people

that he says,

this is what you will get

because it's what

I have promised you.

In fact,

if we take a closer look

at some of these names

and places,

we will come away

confidently assured

that we will have

everything that God

has promised.

Look at verse 10.

He talks there

about all the towns

of Sion,

king of the Amorites,

who ruled in Heshbon.

And then down

at verse 12,

he talks about

the whole kingdom

of Og in Bashan,

who had reigned

at Ashtore.

Now when they begin

dividing up these lands,

we see that these places

begin to be mentioned

again.

In fact,

all the way through

we keep seeing them

being mentioned.

So look at verse 21.

He talks about

all the towns

and the plateau

and the entire realm

of Sion,

king of the Amorites,

who ruled in Heshbon.

He's mentioned it again,

verse 27.

The end of verse 27,

the realm of Sion,

king of Heshbon.

And then down

at verse 30,

he starts talking

about Og,

king of Bashan.

They just keep

being repeated

all the time.

And you were asking

the question,

what's so special

about these kings

and these regions

that they're being

repeated?

Well,

keep your finger

in chapter 13

and go back

to chapter 2.

Because

the kings of Sion

at Nog

were situated

on the east side

of the Jordan.

They were the first kings

that they came up against

before they even

crossed the Jordan.

And they defeated them.

And people began

to hear about it.

In fact,

the people of Jericho

heard about it.

So chapter 2,

verse 10.

We have heard

how the Lord

dried up the water

of the Red Sea

for you

when you came up

out of Egypt.

And what you did

to Zion and Og,

the two kings

of the Emirates

east of the Jordan,

whom you completely

destroyed.

When we heard of it,

our hearts sank

and everyone's courage

failed because of you.

For the Lord your God

is God in heaven

above

and on the earth

below.

You see,

it's a reminder

to the tribes

that if God

has dealt

with the likes

of Zion and Og,

these two great

big kingdoms

with their vast armies,

do you think

that there's anybody

else that could

stand in your way?

A few weeks ago,

Munster were playing

Leinster

in the Magners League

final.

Leinster were the

team of the season.

A week before,

they had been crowned

European champions,

Heineken Cup champions.

They were a formidable

force,

not a weak spot

in the side.

And a week later,

they were to play

Munster.

After a bad season

and everything,

the odds were

against them.

But we could imagine

McGahan,

Munster's coach,

talking to them

in the changing rooms.

Listen guys,

the last time

we played them,

we won.

The last time

they were down here

in Thoman Park,

we beat them.

Now if we've done

that in the past,

what's to stop

you doing it again?

And that's exactly

what's going on here.

God is saying,

if I defeated

the likes of Zion and Og,

the greatest enemies,

the strongest forces,

is there anybody else

that could stand

in your way?

And this is what

gives us assurance

and confidence,

rehearsing and remembering

past victories.

If this is what God

has done,

then what can He not do?

And there's a sense

in which our future

assurance

is all grounded

in past events.

The certainty of heaven

is grounded

in the past events

of what Christ has done.

not future things

that He's going to do.

And it's only as we

stand back

and we look back

and gaze through history

and see what God

has done

that we have confidence

and assurance

to move forward.

If Christ has taken

on our greatest enemy,

if Christ has disarmed

him of all His weapons,

if Christ has destroyed

the power over of death

through His resurrection,

if He is raised on high

and rules over all,

is there any reason

to think

that our conquered enemy

will be able

to stop us

reaching our inheritance?

Nothing

and no one

can stand

in the way

of God

and His people

and His promises.

Nothing.

So that's inheritance

assured.

But what about

actually receiving

their inheritance?

inheritance?

Well, in the same way

as the land

was divided

east of the Jordan,

so it was divided

west of the Jordan.

The division

of the east

between those

two and a half tribes

is chapter 13

Isaiah 13 · chapter mention

and then we move

into chapter 14

and on

and it's the division

of the rest

of the land.

Look at 14 verse 1.

Now these are the areas

the Israelites

received

as an inheritance

in the land of Canaan,

which Eliezer,

the priest,

Joshua,

son of Nun

and the heads

of the tribal clans

of Israel

allotted to them.

Their inheritances

were assigned

by lot

to the nine

and a half tribes

as the Lord

had commanded

through Moses.

So here they are.

But let's remember

that 45 years ago

they were on the verge

of receiving

this exact

same inheritance.

45 years ago

do you remember

the stories?

12 spies

were sent out

one from each tribe

to go and explore

the land

and see what it was like.

45 years ago

and 12 of them

went out.

Do you remember

your Sunday school song?

How many were good?

Two were good

and

you didn't sing it

obviously.

10 were bad

and 2 were good.

Wasn't that it?

Anyway.

We'll have to ask Sandra

to sing it.

She knows it.

Well look back

at chapter 13.

Numbers chapter 13.

Numbers 13 · chapter mention

Because that gives us

a report

of what they found

when they went out

to explore this land

45 years previously.

remember God

had promised the land

and then he says

go out and have a look.

And this is the report

that comes back

chapter 13 of Numbers

verse 28.

But the people

who lived there

are powerful

and the cities

are fortified

and very large.

We even saw

descendants of Anak

there.

The Amalekites

live in the Negev.

The Hittites

the Jebusites

and the Amorites

live in the hill country

and the Canaanites

live near the sea

and along the Jordan.

Then Caleb

he was one of the good spies

silenced the people

before Moses

and said

we should go up

and take possession

of the land

for we can

certainly do it.

But the men

who had gone up

with him said

we can't attack

these people.

They are stronger

than we are.

And they spread

among the Israelites

a bad report

about the land

they had explored.

They said

the land we explored

devours

those living in it.

All the people

we saw there

are of great size.

We saw the Nephilim

there.

The descendants of Anak

come from Nephilim.

They were giants.

Huge people.

We seemed like

grasshoppers

in our own eyes

and we looked

the same to them.

Now we know

from the rest

of the story

that after that

40 years

after spying out

the land

they wandered

the desert

for 40 years.

A whole generation

died.

They failed

to get into

the promised land

because they failed

to trust

in what God

had promised them.

He said

this land is for you

but they didn't

trust them

to go ahead

except for two spies

one of whom

is mentioned here

in our story

in Joshua chapter 14.

Joshua 14 · chapter mention

Let's read about

what Joshua says

in verse 6

of chapter 14

in Joshua.

Now the men

of Judah

approached Joshua

at Gilgal

and they said

to Joshua

you know

what the Lord

said to Moses

the man of God

at Kadesh Barnea

about you and me.

That's where they

gave the report.

I was 40 years old

when Moses

the servant

of the Lord

sent me from

Kadesh Barnea

to explore the land

and I brought him

back a report

according to my convictions.

I knew we could

do it he was saying.

I knew God

had given to us.

I knew we could

go in and take the land.

Verse 8

But my brothers

who went up with me

made the hearts

of the people sink.

I however

followed the Lord

my God

wholeheartedly.

So on that day

Moses swore to me

the land on which

your feet have walked

will be your inheritance

and that of your children

forever

because you have

followed the Lord

my God

wholeheartedly.

Now this is not

an arrogant demand

on the part of Caleb

as if to say

stand back guys

and watch me

as I march in

and take the land.

Not at all.

This was an expression

of faith.

His confidence

hadn't changed

in the 40 years.

He was ready

to take the land

then

and he was ready

to take the land

now

not because of

who he was

but because of

what God

had promised him.

Verse 12

So he says

now give me

this hill country

that the Lord

promised me

that day.

You yourself

heard that the

Anakites were there

and that cities

were large and fortified

but

is that going to

stand in our way?

No, the Lord

helping me

we will drive

them out

just as he said.

You see

Caleb was a man

of faith.

He was stepping

out in faith

and the only way

that the people

were going to

receive their

inheritance

is faith

in what God

said he will do.

In fact

there's no room

for arrogance

or self-dependence.

It all rests

on God's power

on his plan

and on his promise.

One writer

put it helpfully

like this

it's not

great faith

in God

but it's our

little faith

in a great

big God.

Faith

in a great

big God

in what God

said he would do.

This is what

guarantees

receiving our

inheritance.

Faith in what

God can do

not what we

can do.

And nothing

has changed

throughout time.

Whatever place

we stand in

history

the way to

receive our

inheritance

is always

by faith.

Jump forward

in your Bible

to 1 Peter.

I haven't got a

page number.

If somebody's got it

they can shout it out.

1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

1-2-1-7

if you're using a

church Bible.

1-2-1-7

1 Peter

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

Let's pick it up

in verse 3.

We're remembering

here Caleb

he would go

into the land

by faith

trusting in

what God

said he would

do.

Now listen to

how this all

applies to us.

Verse 3

He says

Praise be

to the God

and Father

of our Lord

Jesus Christ

in his great

mercy

he has given

us new birth

into a living

hope

through the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ

from the dead.

This is the

past events

the past victories

something that

Christ has done

he's died

he's risen again

and because of

that verse 4

we go into

an inheritance

that can never

perish

spoil or fade

heaven itself

which is kept

in heaven

for you

and here's the

key verse

verse 5

who through

faith

are shielded

by God's

power

until the

coming of

salvation

that is ready

to be revealed

in the last

time.

Now you tell

me from

reading that

what guarantees

our inheritance

it's faith

in what Christ

has done

in the past

his death

and resurrection

for us

and his promise

to shield

us

or to protect

us

until we

get there.

Our inheritance

is guaranteed

our destination

is 100%

secure.

we thought

at the beginning

about our

dreams

well you know

what you can

lose your

job

you can

lose

your health

you can

lose your

spouse

or a

friend

you could

lose your

home

you could

lose your

possessions

you could

lose all

your savings

and the

loss of

any one

of those

things would

be terribly

difficult

but listen

to this

you cannot

lose

what God

has promised

you

you cannot

lose his

gift of

forgiveness

you cannot

lose his

love and

grace

and you

cannot

lose

what he

has reserved

for you

in heaven

in fact

all the

things that

are truly

worth living

for can

never be

taken away

from you

and as we

live through

this life

as we look

forward to

what's to

come

if we keep

our eyes

on what

is certain

it means

we can live

securely in

this world

today where

nothing seems

guaranteed

it means that

our decisions

and our choices

that we make

today will not

be made on

the basis of

fears and

worries about

the future

and what

happens if

this happens

and what

happens if

that happens

instead there

will be a

freedom

we will be

set free

to give

ourselves

completely

and entirely

to that which

is guaranteed

our promised

inheritance

and if you

are a Christian

then that's

where you're

heading

but there's

plenty of

people who

are not

heading to

their promised

inheritance

inheritance

but Christians

are changed

that means we

can give

ourselves

completely to

our promised

inheritance

we can do

everything

we can take

risks in

life to see

that other

people get

there because

our future

is certain

we can give

of our money

to make sure

that people

that the gospel

goes out

because our

future is

certain

we can give

of our lives

we can go

moving places

we can go

different places

because our

future is

certain

and God

is with us

we don't need

to be building

for the here

and now

and building

our lives

full of material

things and

making sure

that everything

is okay

today

because all

of that

will one

day be

gone

but our

future

is certain

and it's

guaranteed

therefore we

are free

to make

decisions

and take

choices

and actions

that will

see other

people

also receive

their promised

inheritance

we have a

great promise

a great God

who has gone

before us

and nothing

and no one

will ever

stand

in his way

let's pray

together

our father

god

we are

truly

amazed

that it

is not

dependent

on us

in what

we can

do

but it's

all about

what god

has done

for us

in christ

he has

won the

greatest

battle

he has

secured

a victory

for us

he has

guaranteed

our future

inheritance

therefore

father

change us

so that

we will

live with

eternity

in mind

that we

wouldn't be

building up

storing up

for the

here and

now

but we

would live

for eternity

give us

as our

inheritance

the lost

may people

we know

in our

families

and our

friends

come to

love you

and follow

you

may we

give of

our

resources

give of

our

money

give of

our

time

give of

our

energies

because we

know that

the victory

is sure

so please

father do a

work in us

do a work

in our

community

do a work

in our

land

we pray

this in

jesus name

amen

we're going

to sing

together

how many

people know

this song

one

ralph

ralph

ralph

knows

it

sandra

knows

it

a couple

others

i think

you kind

of have

to

you either

have to

have been

brought up

in church

or kind

of be a

little bit

older

it's kind

of an

oldie

hymn

but it's a

good one

and it

reminds us

that

yeah we

don't rest

in ourselves

we rest

in the

one who

has gone

before us

the lord

jesus christ

we trust

in him

and in

his name

we go

let's stand

together

just follow

along

if you don't

know it

and join

in

we're going

to play it

at a reasonable

pace as well

because it can

drag out

otherwise

so we'll see

how it goes

we rest

on thee

a shield

and a defender

we go

not for

alone

against

the

strong

in thy

strength

praise

in thy

team