Do not Forget about Your Inheritance!

Do not Forget about Your Inheritance!

 

Joshua 14:1~15

 

□ Praise and Sharing

Give me this hill!

 

How did you spend last week?

 

Visit to Cheonan Prison, wife’s birthday, and next week’s Lunar New Year holiday.

Korean President Arrest and U.S. President Inauguration Ceremony

 

Most people avoid difficult and hard tasks and do not bother to do them. This atmosphere was prevalent in the Israeli community as well. The land to be given as an inheritance was divided among each tribe, but there were areas that had not yet been conquered. Even so, the Israelites were reluctant to conquer the places that were most certainly going to give them a hard time. But there were also people who thought quite differently. This is a person who thought that since it was a land given by God, they could and should occupy it. The man who believed in God and took on the challenge despite the difficulties was Caleb.

 

□ Words and Sharing

1. Israel’s leaders divide their inheritance according to God’s command (verses 1-5).

1) How do the Israelites distribute the land (verses 1-2)?

1 This is the inheritance that the children of Israel received in the land of Canaan, distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of the children of Israel.

2 Their inheritance was given by lot to nine tribes and to half a tribe, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

The land is distributed by lot for their inheritance, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

 

2) What was given to the descendants of Levi in ​​exchange for their inheritance (land) (verses 3-4)?

3 For Moses gave an inheritance to the two tribes and to half a tribe beyond the Jordan; to the sons of Levi he gave no inheritance among them.

4 For the descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. To the Levites they were given no portion in the land, but only cities to live in and pasture for their livestock and their possessions.

 

He did not give the Levites any portion, but only gave them cities to live in and pasture for their livestock and property.

 

<Sharing 1> The twelve tribes did not compete to acquire the land they wanted. He accepted the company that was allocated to him through a lottery. In the case of the tribe of Levi, they did not receive land as an inheritance, but they had an inheritance of ‘God’ and ‘duty’ (see 13:14, 33; 18:7). Let’s share what inheritance God has entrusted to each of us.

 

Like the tribe of Levi, we are full-time church workers and are a inheritance (legacy) that God has entrusted to us with Sunday school ministry, hospital ministry, correctional (prison) ministry, foreign ministry, and online local ministry and global missionary work through the MIC Mission.

 

2. Caleb demands Hebron as his inheritance (verses 6-15).

1) What is Moses’ promise that Caleb remembers (verse 9)?

9 And Moses swore that day, saying, Because thou hast been faithful to the LORD my God, the land upon which thy foot shall tread shall be an inheritance unto thee and to thy seed forever.

 

Moses swore to Caleb, “Because you have followed the Lord my God faithfully, the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance for you and for your descendants forever.”

 

2) What kind of place is Hebron that Caleb chose (verses 12, 15)?

12 Now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke in that day, of which you heard on that day, for the Anakites are there, and their cities are great and fortified. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out, just as the LORD has spoken. It's like that

15 The old name of Hebron was Kiriath Arba. Arba was the greatest of the Anakites. And the war ceased in the land.

 

The Anakites are there, and their cities are large and strong, with giants in them.

 

3) What kind of person is Caleb, both at age 40 and now at age 85 (verses 8, 9, 14)?

8 My brothers who went up with me made the people's hearts melt, but I was faithful to the LORD my God.

9 And Moses swore that day, saying, Because thou hast been faithful to the LORD my God, the land upon which thy foot shall tread shall be an inheritance unto thee and to thy seed forever.

14 Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizite, to this day, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, completely.

 

Caleb was faithful to the Lord God, and he followed the Lord God of Israel completely.

 

<Sharing 2> Caleb saw the inheritance as the new chapter of God's story after revovering from the Israel's failures. The concept of inheritance was not only about assets and possessions, but also about heritage. It also includes remembering and preserving the stories of the past to keep its spirit alive. Let’s talk about what our heritage is that should be remembered, preserved, and continued over time.

 

Last week, I saw the Bible that my father gave to my mother. Although our parents have passed away, we must work hard to ensure that our children can inherit their faith and pass it on to the next generation.

 

<Sharing 3> After scouting the land of Canaan, Caleb gave courage to Israel, who were afraid of large and strong enemies such as the Anakites. 45 years later, he became the leader in defeating the Anakites. The Bible evaluates Caleb as being loyal to God and following God completely. Let’s talk about what we must be loyal to in order to continue the legacy of faith.

 

Even though there may be persecution and threats at times, our family and believers must carry out the mission given by the Lord like Caleb and his descendants.

 

□ Let's pray together

God, let us regard the role you have entrusted to us as our inheritance and help our family and believers faithfully fulfill it!

 

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