**Did you catch our special Easter episode of Again with incredible author Patti Rokus? You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-again-podcast-for-christian-moms-encouragement-in/id1700555502?i=1000757474370

Or watch here: https://youtu.be/yhEcfdVf6tM

And catch her amazing Easter video here: https://youtu.be/LFhwEBLqMTM

I know it's Easter week and I might feel a little bit odd to continue on our normal chronological plan when we want to give special attention to Christ, but as I was pulling some different moms, they encouraged me to continue with the normal reading schedule and point to Christ as much as possible so we don't lose momentum. I know you're busy doing all the things plus the extras that Easter brings, but I hope that you can continue listening to God's word!

Today's reading of Joshua 21 through 24 is a little bit drier. It's all geography and land allotments, but God has a purpose for every word in Scripture. Let's press in to learn what even surveying and land apportioning can tell us about the character of God. Whenever I see these large portions of scripture that are genealogies or geography or lists or details, what I feel resoundingly is this is real. This really happened! I hope you are increasingly convinced of that too.

Map of the 12 Tribes' Land Allotments: https://ibiblemaps.com/tribal-allotments-of-israel-2/

Today's Reading: Joshua 17-20

Scripture Read or Referenced:

Joshua 17:12-13, 17-18

Joshua 18:1-10

Joshua 19:1, 9

John 13:1-11

Joshua 20:1-6

If our prayers matter so much, as Joshua teaches us, we should be praying the right things for our kids! That's what Entrusted helps you do--and it helps you understand what biblical love looks like in parenting. This quick episode explains how this study can guide moms, bless your church, and actually help the leaders! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-again-podcast-for-christian-moms-encouragement-in/id1700555502

Want a pretty printable reading plan? Find our free Bible-reading Resources here: www.entrustedministries.com/podcast

Commentaries Most Referenced: Moody Commentary, MacArthur Commentary

This is the Dwelling Place

from Entrusted Ministries.

2

And I'm Stephanie Hickox.

3

I know it's Easter week and I might

feel a little bit odd to continue on our

4

normal chronological plan when we want

to give special attention to Christ.

5

I'm fully aware of that, but as I

was pulling some different moms.

6

They encouraged me to continue

with the normal reading schedule

7

and point to Christ as much as

possible so we don't lose momentum.

8

I know you're busy doing all the

things plus the extras that Easter

9

brings, but I hope that you can

continue listening to God's word

10

let's be honest.

11

Today's reading of Joshua 21

through 24 is a little bit drier.

12

It's all geography and land

allotments, but God has a purpose

13

for every word in scripture.

14

Let's press in to learn what even

surveying and land apportioning can

15

tell us about the character of God.

16

Whenever I see these large portions

of scripture that are genealogies or

17

geography or lists or details, what

I feel resoundingly is this is real.

18

This really happened.

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If someone were making up a religion,

would it have so much detail?

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I mean, don't you think that God knew

that these portions of scripture might

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not feel as riveting or encouraging

or practical as other portions,

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but he has a purpose for all of it.

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It gives us historical detail.

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And provides the basis to confirm

so many archeological discoveries

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every word will accomplish his purposes.

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Geography matters.

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Most of the wars that have occurred

in history have been caused by someone

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trying to take over a territory or trying

to win back a territory but amidst all

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of these land allotments, I'm going

to share some verses that stood out

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to me, chapter 17 verses 12 and 13.

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Yet the people of Manassa could

not take possession of those

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cities, but the Canaanites

persisted in dwelling in that land.

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Now, when the people of Israel grew

strong, they put the Canaanites to force

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labor, but did not utterly drive them out.

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There is definitely foreshadowing going

on here of what's to come and in 17, 17

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through 18 then Joshua said to the house

of Joseph, to Rai and Vanessa, you are

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a numerous people and have great power.

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You shall not have one allotment only,

but the hill country shall be yours.

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For though it is a forest, you shall clear

it and possess it to its farthest borders.

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for you shall drive out the Canaanites.

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Though they have chariots of iron and

though they are strong, we can do

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hard things in the Lord's strength.

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When God has called you to something,

don't hold back because you see that

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opposition Most often I find there is

opposition to what God is calling me to.

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And nothing that has been

worth it has ever been easy

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in chapter 18.

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Then the whole congregation of the

people of Israel assembled up Shiloh

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and set up the tentative meeting there,

the land lay subdued before them.

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There remained among the people of

Israel, seven tribes whose inheritance

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had not yet been apportioned.

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So Joshua said to the people of

Israel, how long will you put off going

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in to take possession of the land?

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Which the Lord, the God of

your fathers has given you.

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Provide three men from each tribe and

I will send them out that they may

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set out and go up and down the land.

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They shall write a description

of it with a view to their

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inheritances, and then come to me.

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They shall divide it into seven portions.

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Judas shall continue in his territory on

the south, and the house of Joseph shall

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continue in their territory on the north.

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And you shall describe the

land in seven divisions.

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And bring the description here

to me and I will cast lots for

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you here before the Lord our God.

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The Levites have no portion

among you for the priesthood

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of the Lord is their heritage.

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And Gad and Ruben and the half tribe of

Manasses have received their inheritance

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beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses

the servant of the Lord gave them.

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So the men, a Rosen went and Joshua

charged those who went to write the

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description of the land, saying, go

up and down in the land and write

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a description and return to me.

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And I will cast lots for you

here before the Lord in Shiloh.

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So the men went up and passed up

and down in the land and wrote

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in a book, a description of it

by towns and seven divisions.

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Then they came to Joshua, to the

camp at Shiloh and Joshua, cast lots

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for them and Shiloh before the Lord.

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And there Joshua apportioned the land to

the people of Israel to each his portion.

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This is so fair and reasonable, isn't it?

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And this is a really simplistic mom

analogy, but if I had something to divide

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amongst my four kids and I divided it

into four equal pieces, it makes me think

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of making sure that they agree that each

piece is good before I let them pick.

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Which they get.

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And Joshua is sending

someone from each tribe.

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They're all describing the land so none

of the tribes gets to grumble and complain

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later on because each of their tribes

had representatives in the process.

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In chapter 18, It talks about Shiloh.

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Shiloh was about 20 miles north of

Jerusalem for several centuries.

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It would be where the tabernacle

was set up and where the arc

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of the covenant would remain

89

In 19 nine, it's explained why Simeon

has a chunk of land right in the middle

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of Judas, and it's always amazing

to me how even though the name of

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Jesus is not written in these pages

of Joshua and today's reading, I

92

saw a selfless example of leadership

that certainly pointed to Christ.

93

It's God's kindness that continues to

reveal that all the promises of scripture.

94

Our Yes and amen in Jesus Christ.

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In chapter 1949 through 50, were told when

they had finished distributing the several

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territories of the land as inheritances,

the people of Israel gave an inheritance

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among them to Joshua, the son of none.

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By command of the Lord, they

gave him the city that he asked.

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Tim Nth rah in the hill country of Eum,

and he rebuilt the city and settled in it.

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It says when they finished distributing

the land, this means Joshua was the

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last to receive his land inheritance.

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Instead of using his position of

leadership to secure the best, the most

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lush and fruitful, he waits till the very

end making sure that all of the tribes

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are faithful in what God called them to.

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And I can't help but think of our servant

leader, Jesus Christ, particularly on

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Easter week and the night before he died,

when he was preparing the last supper.

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And preparing to make the greatest

sacrifice anyone could ever make,

108

let's hear exactly what he did in John

chapter 13, beginning in verse one.

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Now before the feast of the Passover,

when Jesus knew that his hour had come to

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depart out of this swirl to the father.

111

Having loved his own who were in the

world, he loved them to the end During

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supper, when the devil had already

put it into the heart of Judases

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Chariot, Simon's son, to betray him.

114

Jesus, knowing that the father had

given all things into his hands and

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that he had come from God and was going

back to God, rose from supper, he laid

116

aside his outer garments and taking

a towel, tied it around his waist.

117

Then he poured water into a basin

and began to wash the disciple's

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feet and to wipe them with the

towel that was wrapped around him.

119

He came to Simon Peter who said

to him, Lord, do you wash my feet?

120

Jesus answered him.

121

What I am doing, you do not understand

now, but afterward you will understand.

122

Peter said to him, you

shall never wash my feet.

123

Jesus answered him.

124

If I do not wash you, You

have no share with me.

125

Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my

feet only, but also my hands and my head.

126

Jesus said to him, the one who has bathed

does not need to wash except for his

127

feet, but is completely clean and you

are clean, but not every one of you.

128

For he knew who was to betray him.

129

That was why he said,

not all of you are clean.

130

Our Lord knew that Judas was

going to betray him in just a

131

few short moments, but he still

served him and washed his feet.

132

He was a servant leader in every

sense and at every opportunity,

133

and because we know that God is the

same yesterday, today, and forever.

134

I see Joshua falling in his example, but

also that God giving the people all of

135

this land that he promised them, even

though he knows they're going to follow

136

after Canaanite idols and false gods,

but God doesn't withhold his blessing.

137

He gives them the opportunity

to stay faithful to him.

138

And when they fall as he knew they

would, he'll send judges and kings

139

and prophets until finally he has

proved there is no other way for man

140

to be saved except for God himself,

to come in human flesh and rescue.

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And we continue to see that only

in the God of the Bible can justice

142

and mercy coexist so perfectly.

143

His design of setting up cities of refuge

in chapter 20 really display this to me.

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Then the Lord said to Joshua, say

to the people of Israel, appoint

145

the cities of refuge, of which I

spoke to you through Moses, that

146

the manslayer who strikes any person

without intent or unknowingly may flee.

147

There they shall be for you, a

refuge from the avenger of blood.

148

He shall flee to one of these cities

and shall stand at the entrance of

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the gate of the city and explain

his case to the elders of that city.

150

Then they shall take him into

the city and give him a place,

151

and they shall not give up the

manslayer into his hand because

152

he struck his neighbor unknowingly

and did not hate him in the past.

153

And he shall remain in that city until

he has stood before the congregation

154

for judgment until the death of him

who was high priest at the time.

155

Then the manslayer may return to his

town and his own home to the town

156

from which he fled from the beginning

of scripture, a distinction is made

157

between manslaughter and murder.

158

God will justly punish those

with evil intent in their heart.

159

But he allows mercy when accidents happen.

160

Is there an accident that you

carry shame and guilt for?

161

It probably isn't something to this

level, but if the Lord allows grace

162

for even this, should we continue

to carry the weight of our sin

163

when Jesus has already paid for it?

164

Scripture would say a resounding no.

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Cast your cares upon him

for he cares for you.

166

And there couldn't be a better time

than to do that this Easter week.

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Let's pray.

168

Heavenly Father, we praise you

that these words that speak about

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geographical inheritance can also

tell us much about your character.

170

You are a Lord that gives us

an opportunity to worship you.

171

But you are just, when we fall into sin

you faithfully bring us back to you.

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Although we want our children to be

spared from sinning, We do ask that

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they would understand the extent

of your mercy and forgiveness.

174

I pray our families would not

take your grace for granted.

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Help us to appreciate the cross

of Calvary afresh and may we run

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to you when we so frequently fall

completely short of your goodness.

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Thank you, Jesus, that you are a

servant king and that you let us in

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the way that we should love others.

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Even those that have wronged us,

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may your spirit guide us in that example.

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It's in your name we pray.

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Amen.