Bible Study Notes in Judges- Chapter 2

Judges 2

-The Angel of the LORD (which was quite possibly a Christophany) came up from Gilgal, where He had met with Joshua previously (Joshua 5:13-15), to Bochim. His message was clear enough, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars (Exodus 23:20-33).’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?” God also told them what He had sworn before that if they did not drive out the pagan influences, they would become as thorns in their sides with their gods being a snare to them. When these words were proclaimed to the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices in weeping. Therefore, the place got the name “Bochim (weepers).” They sacrificed to the LORD there because they knew that they had transgressed a faithful God. Their sorrow was genuine, but it was not permanent (Judges 2:1-5).

-There are some canonical ties in the text next here as Joshua’s legacy is mentioned in reiteration of the last parts of the book of Joshua (Joshua 24:28-31). The people of Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and the elders who survived him and had seen the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Joshua’s death came at 110 years old, and he was buried in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel (Judges 2:6-10).” This was a sad turning point in the national history of Israel. Somehow the elders had not transmitted their relational knowledge of the LORD to the younger generation. They had failed to do what God had commanded in the “Shema (Deuteronomy 6).” Or maybe it was just the rebellious spirit of the younger generation. Who knows for sure?

-What we do know is that from that point the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger by serving (worshipping) the Baals (the pagan god of storms and rain thought to control the vegetation and agriculture) and the Ashtaroth (the pagan mother goddess of love, war, and fertility, also called Astarte or Ishtar, temple prostitution and child sacrifice were a part of her worship rituals). They forsook the LORD of their fathers Who had done so much good for them in bringing them out of false religions and slavery in Egypt. Therefore, God gave them into the hands of their enemies who plundered them. They could no longer stand in victory over them because they had gone against their covenant God. “Wherever they went, the Hand of the LORD was against them for evil” in fulfillment of His threat to them should such a violation happen (Joshua 24:19-20). They were indeed “severely distressed (Judges 2:11-15).”

-Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers. When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways (Judges 2:16-19).” The anger of the LORD revealed His infuriation with their inconsistency. Because of their transgression of His covenant and not listening to His Voice, He decreed that He would no longer drive out their enemies, which Joshua left when he died. These enemies would be a constant test for them now to see if they would keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did, or not. So, the LORD allowed these nations to remain in the Promised Land, and they were not driven out as quickly as they otherwise would have been (Judges 2:20-23).

-*Application* This saga has intense spiritual significance for us as believers. How much are we compromising with the world around us? Why would we ever forsake the incredible things that God has saved us from? Are we relationally imparting the faithfulness of Christ into the next generation who will one day take up the mantle of leadership in our society? This passage gives us clear indication as to why we still have enemies around us and have not completed total victory on this side of Heaven. Meditate on these things today and cultivate consistency in the walk with the LORD.

Verses to Memorize: Judges 2:10-11, 16-19

Bible Study Notes in Judges: Introduction and Chapter 1

Judges 1

-Introduction: Judges covers the period of time from the late 1300’s B.C. to the time of the monarchy period somewhere around 1050 B.C. So the composition covers several hundred years of Israeli history during the period when they had no king and every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6, 21:25). The book lists twelve judges who ruled primarily as military saviors for the tribes during this period of time when the nation would wonder from their covenant God and fall into the pitfalls of sin and foreign oppression. It was more than likely written during the time of the early monarchy and some have suggested Samuel as its possible writer, though authorship is not ascribed in the text and is therefore really unknown. The book could be outlined in structure as follows: Deterioration (or Failure in Israel, Judges 1:1-3:6), Deliverances (or Rescue in Israel, Judges 3:7-16:31), and Depravity (or Moral Failure in Israel, Judges 17:1-21:25). There are repeated cycles throughout the book within the tribes of Israel that give rise to the workings of the LORD through His judges. These cycles can be described as 1) sin, 2) slavery, 3) sorrow (or supplication), and finally 4) salvation (or a savior). History keeps repeating itself, and the LORD keeps faith with His people even in their struggles to intervene when they cry out to Him. Therefore, we can say that the themes this Scripture revolves around include: decline/compromise, decay/apostasy, defeat/oppression, repentance, and deliverance/heroes/salvation. There is a unique foreshadowing to the work of Christ in the propitiation for our sins in this work. Let’s enjoy our study of this relevant and timely book in the saga of God’s grace and glory.

(Ideas extracted from “New American Standard Bible: Life Application Study Bible.” Zondervan: Grand Rapids, MI, 1995, pgs. 376-378 & “Talk Thru the Bible: A Quick Guide to Help You Get More Out of the Bible.” Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa. Nelson Reference & Electronic: Nashville, TN, 2002, pgs. 58-64)

-Chapter 1: The book starts with the incomplete conquest of the land after the death of the great and courageous leader Joshua. The sons of Israel inquired of the LORD for the tribe to go up first against the Canaanites to fight against them, and Judah was selected. Judah elicited the help of his brother Simeon, who was within their territory for this attack. They complied and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, defeating ten thousand men at Bezek. There they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him. He fled, but they pursued him and caught him cutting off his thumbs and big toes. Adoni-bezek acknowledged his time of reckoning. He had dealt out vengeance as a ruler, but now “God has repaid me,” he said. He was brought to Jerusalem and eventually died there. The sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem, captured it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and then set the city on fire. Afterwards, the sons of Judah went south to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country and in the Negev and in the lowland. Hebron was attacked and defeated along with Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. Caleb was the one leading this attack by now (Joshua 14 & 15), and they went against the inhabitants of Debir (or formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). This was a recount from the book of Joshua where his younger brother, Othniel, won the hand of Caleb’s daughter by leading in the capture of this city. Achsah therefore became Othniel’s wife, and she persuaded her husband to ask of her father a field, a blessing, in the land of the Negev with springs of water. Caleb obliged and gave them the upper springs and the lower springs (Judges 1:1-15). Moses’ father-in-law, the descendants of the Kenite, chose to go up from the city of palms to live among the sons of Judah inhabiting the desert parts of the land in the south of Arad (Judges 1:16). More conquest is described then by the tribe of Judah with Simeon, his brother. They struck the Canaanites living in Zephath and utterly destroyed it. The city got a new name after that, Hormah. Judah also took Gaza with its territory along with Ashkelon and Ekron with their territories. The LORD was with Judah in these conquests as they took possession of the hill country, “but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.” Caleb received Hebron, as Moses had previously promised (Numbers 14:24), and he drove out the three sons of Anak. “But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day (that being the early monarchy period more than likely).” In the same manner, the house of Joseph went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with them. They spied out the city. In much the same way as Rahab helped the two spies of Jericho, this man that helped the Israelis find entrance into the city was treated kindly and given life and freedom after the conquering of it. He ended up moving to the land of the Hittites and built a city by the name of Luz, which survived a long-long time (Judges 1:17-26). “But Manasseh (of Joseph’s sons) did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land.” Israel had become strong and put the Canaanites to forced labor for them, but they did not drive them out completely as the LORD had told them to do. Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites in Gezer, Zebulun did not drive out the pagan inhabitants of Kitron and Nahalol. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. Naphtali did not drive out the Canaanites of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. The sons of Dan were not allowed to come down into the valley by the Amorites. Dan was thus contained in the hill country not realizing their full potential. Even in the hill country areas of Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim the Amorites survived even though they became forced laborers. “The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward (Judges 1:27-36).”

-*Application* When God calls us to a task, He expects us to complete it according to the word He gives us. Israel was incomplete in their conquest. They were told to utterly destroy and take the land without compromise. Thus they inherited not only the Promised Land, but also some of the pagan influences that went with it. In time this would prove to be a fatal flaw. Don’t do things half-hearted. Finish the assignment to 100%. Be diligent in everything that God asks of you. This is the only way to get 100% satisfaction and favor (Proverbs 4:23; 21:5, Romans 12:10-11, Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Peter 1:2-10).

Verses to Memorize: Judges 1:28

Bible Study Notes in Joshua- Chapter 24

Joshua 24

-In this final chapter of the book, Joshua is gathering all the tribes of Israel with their elders, heads, judges, and officers to Shechem in the Ephraim hill country to present themselves before God. Joshua reviews Israel’s history with them one last time before his passing speaking to them prophetically the Voice of the LORD. He went back to the land of Ur beyond the Euphrates River where Abram and his father Terah lived. In this place they served other gods, but the Living God took them out and led Abraham to the land of Canaan and multiplied his descendants according to promise giving him Isaac. To Isaac the LORD gave Jacob and Esau. Esau got Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob (Israel) went down to Egypt. 400 years later, God sent Moses and Aaron and plagued Egypt by what He did in their midst delivering the Hebrew slaves into freedom parting the Red Sea and destroying the Egyptian army miraculously before them. The sons of Israel lived in the wilderness (desert) a long time, 40 years in fact, a full generation. Then the LORD brought His people into the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan, and they fought with Israel. God gave the Amorites into the hand of Israel, and they took possession of their land. The LORD destroyed the Amorites. Then Balak, the king of Moab, arose and fought with Israel summoning Balaam to prophesy against God’s people. But Balaam had to bless Israel according to the word of the LORD, and Balak was defeated and killed. Moab also was delivered into Israel’s hand. They eventually crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite all fought with Israel, but the LORD delivered His people and gave every enemy into their hand. His ways were miraculous, His power devastating. All knew of His glory. Israel was given a Promised Land for which they had not labored for nor built. They now lived here eating of their vineyards and olive groves which they did not plant (Joshua 24:1-13).

-Therefore, Joshua calls his people to “fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth.” He told them to put away all idols against Him that their fathers had served beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. He asked them to choose this day whom they would serve: the gods of their faithless fathers, or the gods of the Amorites, or the One-Living LORD. The people responded with positive acknowledgement to their LORD. They professed they would not forsake Him to serve other gods. They knew Who had delivered them from bondage, did great signs in their midst, and preserved them through the wilderness wanderings. They realized Who had driven out the giants of the Promised Land and given them victory in this new place. They pledged their support of God (Joshua 24:14-18). But, Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you (Joshua 24:19-20). However, the people maintained their commitment to serve the LORD their God. With that pledge, Joshua commented that they were witnesses against themselves that they indeed had chosen for themselves the LORD as their covenant God, to serve and worship only Him. They responded again that they were indeed “witnesses.” Joshua commanded then that they “put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” The people maintained one more time, “We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His Voice (Joshua 24:21-24).”

-So, Joshua made a covenant with the people that very day, a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. The elderly leader wrote these words in the book of the Law of God; and he took a large stone to set under an oak of the city by the sanctuary of the LORD telling them to behold it. The stone would be a witness against them in future generations, for it heard all the words of the LORD, which He spoke to His children. It was a witness against them if they were to ever deny their God. “Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance (Joshua 24:25-28).”

-It came about after these things that Joshua passed away at the ripe old age of 110. He was buried in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim on the north of Mount Gaash. “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel.” They buried the bones of Joseph, brought up from Egypt, at Shechem in a piece of ground which their ancestor Jacob had actually bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This place became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons. Then the priest Eleazar, the son of Aaron, died and was buried at Gibeah of Phinehas his son, which was his inheritance in the hill country of Ephraim (Joshua 24:29-33).”

-*Application* Knowing the history of Israel, what shall we say of this pivotal time of their national and spiritual commitment? In our day, are we able to faithfully serve the LORD? God is holy. God is jealous. God will not forgive iniquity without a price. He will turn and do us harm and consume us after He has done so much good to us if we do not have a Savior. Let’s all admit it, on our own we fail miserably. Thanks be to Jesus Christ who rescues us from the justified punishment of a righteous God (Romans 7:24-25a, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57). His grace, however, is all sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). The application we must note here from this text involves our cockiness when God is telling us something. If He sees outside of time knowing our frailties and faults, let’s agree with Him on it in complete humility rather than arguing that we are going to be perfect in faith and practice with a haughty mindset. Sure our resolve can be strong at times, but God knows our every weakness and loves us anyway. So it’s always best to acknowledge our depravity: past, present, and even future. God knows the complete truth about us, and His reality is the only genuine indicator (Psalm 51:17).

Verses to Memorize: Joshua 24:14-28, 31

Bible Study Notes in Joshua- Chapter 23

Joshua 23

-After many more days in the land when God had given His people rest from the wars of invasion and peace had been achieved on every side, Joshua found himself old and advanced in years calling for the elders, heads, judges, and officers of all Israel to consecrate his admonition for the future leadership. He started with the fact that every one of them had seen all that the LORD God had done for them in driving out these pagan nations so that His people could have their Promised Land. God had been the One fighting for them to accomplish all His good promises. Their inheritance had been given, and though there was still some driving out that needed to be done, Joshua promised that if the Jewish people were faithful and strong, God would thrust the enemy out from before them. Their possession was secure in the Hands of the Father. Joshua prophesied that they needed to be very firm to keep and do all that was written in the book of the Law of Moses, not turning to the right or left of it. The Hebrews were NOT to associate with the nations that they had vanquished but remained among them. They were not to mention the name of their gods or ever swear by them or serve them or bow down to them. They were to cling only to the LORD their Living God just as they were doing at the present time of Joshua. He rightly informed them that one of them was putting to flight a thousand enemies because they were right with God and allowing Him to fight their battles, just as He had promised. Joshua’ exhortation was to “take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God (Joshua 23:1-11).”

-If they were ever to go back and cling to these foreign nations and their gods, intermarrying with them for association and harlotry towards their covenant God, they should certainly know that the LORD would not continue to side with them in their military victories. These false religions would be a trap, a snare, a whip on their side, and thorns in their eyes to them if they ever decided to erect idols in their hearts towards the truth of God. They were guaranteed to perish off of their “good land,” with which the LORD had blessed them if they faltered in their commitment to their Sovereign (Joshua 23:12-13).

-Joshua now maintained that he was “going the way of all the earth.” He was old and advanced in years. He would be joining his ancestors in the other realm soon. He reiterated to his people that they all knew in their hearts and souls “that not one word of all the good works which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.” Just as God had blessed them, He would also complete His threats if they dared to depart His ways. He would be faithful to destroy them off of their “good land,” back into wilderness wanderings, if they were to neglect their true King who gave them everything they needed for prosperity and success. By the end of the exhortation there is sincere prophesy for what Joshua perceived by the Holy Spirit, “When (note it is not if) you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you (Joshua 23:14-16).”

-*Application* God did show extreme patience and kindness to His people as they maneuvered and plotted against their covenant King far too much in the days ahead. He would raise up judges, and eventually some good earthly kings, and divine prophets to call them back to the Word which He originally gave for their security and prosperity. Yet this negative prophesy was eventually fulfilled. After approximately 700 years the 10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom were thrust out of their land never to return by the Assyrians. Judah, of the Southern Kingdom in the divided land, lasted about 150 years more before they were exiled off of the land by the Babylonians. They returned under Gentile authority 70 years later according to prophesy, but they never regained their national sovereignty until 1948, again according to the prophetic Word of God. Much has happened since the days of Joshua, but his message is still resonates being so true. God needs to be Israel’s top priority for blessing. He needs to be our top personal priority too as believers in Christ Jesus. Though we never stop being His children with His eternal love towards us, His blessings are only upon the ones who faithfully walk with Him in sweet communion. Don’t live in the wilderness, stay in the Promised Land as God desires O Christian. Both His blessings and threats are genuine.

Verse to Memorize: Joshua 23:11

Bible Study Notes in Joshua- Chapter 22

Joshua 22

-Joshua now summoned the tribes of the sons of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to Shiloh in order to bless them and send them back to their possessions on the eastern side of the Jordan. Joshua noted that they indeed had not forsaken their brothers in all the many battles. They had followed the command of the LORD and their earthly leader. They had kept the charge. Now they were given their proper rest and allowed to return to their families and livestock in good order. Joshua’ only request was that they “be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” His blessing was sincere, right on point, and then he sent them away. They had been blessed with many spoils of war, and now it was their responsibility to be good stewards with the things they were entrusted (Joshua 22:1-9).

-When the tribes of the eastern side came to the region of the Jordan still in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh (the half-tribe) decided to build an altar by the Jordan River. The altar was described as being “large” in appearance. As the sons of Israel to the western side heard of it, they were suspicious and gathered themselves at Shiloh to go up against them in war. Intelligently, a delegation was sent to inquire about this altar before bloodshed began. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, along with ten chiefs from the tribes of Israel on the western side, went to Gilead and spoke with their brothers on this matter of the large altar. They had been offended and assumed that their brothers had done an unfaithful act against the LORD God in building this altar. They worried that they were rebelliously turning away from the God who had given them victory for some reason. They compared it to the sins of Peor (Numbers 25:1-9) and the plague that came upon them as an entire congregation. They knew all too well the wrath of the Almighty and recounted Achan’s debauchery that ended up causing the unnecessary deaths of many of their brothers (Joshua 7:1-26; 22:10-20). Ticking off God was serious business to them.

-The sons of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Mannaseh assured them that there was no misconduct in their erection of this altar. They called down the wrath of God if they had any evil intent with their actions. They truly desired the LORD, and wanted to make sure that their posterity would follow Him too with the border that could one day possibly divide them. It was for unification and consecration and a future concern regarding their children’s fear of the LORD that inspired them to construct this altar. They had been totally misunderstood. The altar was not for burnt offering or sacrifice, but for a witness between their western brothers and them for the generations that would inevitably come after them. They wanted to make sure that their families completely understood that they had a “portion in the LORD.” They maintained that it would be far from them to do anything illegal before the LORD in this matter. They were not being rebellious at all. This indeed pleased the delegation that had come from the west. They returned home with the news and it also pleased the sons of Israel; therefore, war not even discussed anymore. The altar was thereafter known as “Witness,” aptly named by the sons of Reuben and Gad “for” they said, “it is a witness between us (the entire nation of Israel) that the LORD is God (Joshua 22:21-34).”

-*Application* How many times do we make wrong assumptions about people and situations? Do we, like the 10 western tribes, sometimes operate out of fear and suspicion rather than good will? Think about this for a second, Joshua had just sent these guys out with blessing and shortly afterward they were considering going to war with these dudes and killing them. Crazy, right? Yet we do some of the exact same things with our Christian brothers and sisters in the fellowship realm. Thankfully, there is a prescription here in the text for us to follow in these times and situations. Go to the people we may have fears about or suspicions towards. See what the real story is. Then we can address whatever it is in the proper manner without freaking out. Often, we will find, as in this case, it was just a huge misunderstanding, and greater joy and camaraderie will be the result as the matter is cleared up. Let us make sure that we are building altars of witness between us establishing the LORD as our God in love and Christian brotherhood.

Verses to Memorize: Joshua 22:3-5, 22

Bible Study Notes in Joshua- Chapter 21

Joshua 21

-In this chapter we discover one more appropriation that needed to be made as the settlement of the Promised Land neared completion. 48 cities of the Levities are detailed as the priests of God approached Eleazar the highest priest, Joshua, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. They came to them in Shiloh, where the other allotments had been made to the tribes along with the 6 cities of refuge in the territory. These priests recounted how Moses, by command of the Living God, was instructed to give them cities to live in with pasture lands for their cattle. By lot the sons of Kohath (Levi’s middle son, Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16) received 13 cities to live in Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin along with 10 cities from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the western half-tribe of Manasseh. The sons of Gershon (Levi’s oldest son, Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16) received 13 cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. The sons of Merari (Levi’s youngest son, Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16) received 12 cities by lot from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun (Joshua 21:1-8). Then the cities with their pasture lands are listed by name (Joshua 21:9-42):

1) Kohath- in Judah & Simeon- Kiriath-arba (Hebron, the fields and villages were given to Caleb as his possession, which was also a man slayer city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah, Beth-shemesh, in Benjamin- Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, Almon, in Ephraim- Shechem (which was also a man slayer city of refuge), Gezer, Kibzaim, Beth-horon, in Dan- Elteke, Gibbethon, Aijalon, Gath-rimmon, in western Manasseh- Taanach, Gath-rimmon……[23 cities all together]

2) Gershon- in eastern Manasseh- Golan in Bashan (which was also a man slayer city of refuge), Be-eshterah, in Issachar- Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth, En-gannim, in Asher- Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, Rehob, in Naphtali- Kedesh in Galilee (which was a man slayer city of refuge), Hammoth-dor, Kartan……[13 cities all together]

3) Merari- in Zebulun- Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah, Nahalal, in Reuben- Bezer (which was a man slayer city of refuge), Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, in Gad- Ramoth in Gilead (which was a man slayer city of refuge), Mahanaim, Heshbon, Jazer……[12 cities all together]

-“So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass (Joshua 21:43-45).”

-*Application* A remarkable achievement in a miraculously short period of time. It had taken so many years to get to this point, but now Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s promise, along with many others along the way like Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, had come to fruition. God had multiplied His children more than the stars of the heavens and the sand on the seashore (Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 32:12, Exodus 32:12). They were in their Promised Land with fulfillment realized. God is sovereign and will fulfill all He says, just give it some time and keep the faith. His work is amazing! His faithfulness is real! He is a God we can all count on.

Verse to Memorize: Joshua 21:45

Bible Study Notes in Joshua- Chapter 20

Joshua 20

-The six cities of refuge are now designated in the territory under Israeli control, which were spoken as a command of God through Moses (Numbers 35:6-34, Deuteronomy 4:41-43; 19:1-21). Three had been apportioned on the eastern side of the Jordan and were reaffirmed, those being Bezer in the wilderness of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan of the tribe of Manasseh. The western side of the Jordan received these last three, north to south, as cities of refuge: Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of the tribe of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of the tribe of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (Hebron) in the hill country of the tribe of Judah. These were places where a manslayer could go for protection when they unintentionally killed a person without any premeditation as they fled from avengers of blood in passionate situations. They could dwell in the midst of these cities until a proper trial could take place to grant complete justice in the society. The manslayer could stay in that city until the death of the high priest or his judgment was made by the congregation. After that, he had to go back to his own house in his own city from which he fled. “These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation (Joshua 20:1-9).

-*Application* I think we can all agree that a just society is the one that we all prefer. Accidents happen and things occur sometimes that we do not intend. This gets to the heart of the matter here if we contemplate it. What is our intention? Is it for good, or evil? If we didn’t mean to do something, even when it goes terribly wrong, God forgives and has a great mercy system set up. His ultimate refuge for us is certainly in Jesus Christ. Let us remember that today as we journey through this life. Unintended consequences can be remedied.

Verse to Memorize: Joshua 20:9