OVERVIEW:
The land of Canaan is divided among the tribes of Israel.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
In Joshua 15, Caleb, the eternally strong warrior (a picture of God the Father—Joshua 14:11), decides to reward the man who conquers and takes the city of Kirjathsepher (the “city of the book”) with his daughter, Achsah, to wife. Othniel (whose name means “lion”), who “just happens” to be from the tribe of Judah, conquers and takes “the city of the book” in order to obtain his bride. Achsah, which means “anklet”, was given to Othniel as the promised reward for his accomplishments in battle. Her “anklet” was what distinguished her from other women. During this time period, women were covered from head to toe with clothing, making it nearly impossible to tell one from the other. Othniel’s bride, however, was clearly recognizable by her walk.
Those are the details of the story but the question is, what is all of this actually picturing in the prophetic, or doctrinal application of scripture?
The picture here, is that God the Father gave the love-gift of the church to Christ, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, because of Christ’s accomplishments in battle. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, He fulfilled every prophecy in “the Book” of God (all three components of the gospel were all carried out precisely “according to the scriptures”—1st Corinthians 15:3–4), and thereby, Christ purchased to Himself a bride. Like Achsah (“anklet”), Christ’s bride, the church, is clearly recognizable by her “walk”! (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15)
The picture continues in chapter 15:18–20, as Achsah (the bride of Christ who is known by her walk), “let’s her request be made known” to her father. (Philippians 4:6) She humbles herself by getting off her donkey, and pleads that her father might grant her a field. Jesus said in Matthew 13:38, “the field is the world”! But notice, that her request is not for just any field! She desires a field that would be watered by springs. Water, biblically, is a picture of the word of God. (Ephesians 5:26) Her father grants her request, so she can produce “much fruit”. As Christ’s bride, we have been commissioned to take His word to the world, that we might “bring forth fruit, and that our fruit should remain”. (John 15:16) Again, the Bible is an incredible book!
There are several other observations we must make from today’s reading to help us understand some of the key issues we face, as we, like Israel, seek to possess our inheritance. (Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:15-23)
- Some of the children of Israel chose to dwell “on this side of Jordan”. (Numbers 32) Like many believers today, they are indeed God’s children, and are glad of it, but that’s about it. They missed the point of their exodus. (Deuteronomy 6:23) They are more interested in having the promise of going to God’s home when they die, than they are allowing God to make them His home while they live. Notice that they were the first to fall to the enemy because they settled for less than God intended for them! (2nd Kings 10)
- Some were only “partial possessors”. (Joshua 16:10) That is, they could have driven the enemies out, but rather, chose to put them under tribute instead. In the same way, many “partial possessors” today think they can “spiritualize” their flesh, and use it for “ministry” or some other perceived benefit, rather than utterly destroying it on a daily basis.
- Some were conquerors and possessed all of their inheritance. (Joshua 8:26; 19:47) This is what Paul was praying we might allow God to do in us in Ephesians 1:18–20 when he said, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”!
- One wanted more—Caleb in Joshua 15. In like fashion, Paul prayed in Philippians 3:10-14, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
In terms of dealing with your flesh and taking possession of all that God intended your salvation to be, which of the four groups listed above do you think you presently fit into?
Notice also in today’s reading, that the scriptures provide us with several action steps for beginning the process of “possessing our inheritance”:
- “Arise!” (Joshua 18:8a) In other words, get up out of your “safe” place! Sometimes we must purposely and purposefully choose to get up out of our mediocrity and comfortability in order to take possession of our possession! (Philippians 3:14)
- “Go for a walk!” (Joshua 18:8b) “Walk” through every area of your life and allow the Lord to reveal areas of your life that you still haven’t allowed Him to possess. (Psalm 139:23–24)
- “Tell Joshua (Jesus) what you see!” (Joshua 18:8c–9) Take what the Lord has shown you about where you are in your relationship with Him, and pour your heart out to Him about it! Allow Him to change you and to possess all of you today. The reality is, we will not live in the full possession of the spiritual inheritance God intended our salvation to provide, until our Lord Jesus Christ fully possesses all of us!
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
Through Othniel – Joshua 15:17 (His name means “lion” and he is from the Tribe of Judah—Revelation 5:5).
As Shiloh – Joshua 18:1 (Shiloh means “peace”, as in “rest from war”—See Genesis 49:10; Matthew 11:28, and Colossians 3:15-16.)