We are looking at seven lessons we can learn from the
Joshua 13-21 as we are claiming our inheritance that God has promised us in
Christ. So far, we learned that we don’t want to be like the tribes of Reuben,
Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that chose their inheritance on the border
on the east side of the Jordan River. We don’t want to become borderline
believers. The second lesson is found in Joshua 14:6-14. Like Joshua and Caleb,
we should be encouraged in our pilgrim journey because no matter how long we
must wait our inheritance is still available! We learned our third lesson from
Caleb in Joshua 14:6-14. We are never too old to fulfill God will and purpose
for our lives.
Today in Joshua 15:13-19, we also learn from Caleb that we
have a responsibility to provide and pass on our inheritance and our faith to
the next generation. In this passage we meet Othniel who becomes Caleb’s son-in-law,
who later became a judge in the land (Judges 3:7-11). Some of Caleb's daring
faith obviously rubbed off on Othniel. In verses 18-19, we see how Caleb's
faith also touched his daughter Achsah, for she had the faith to ask her father
for a field and then for springs of water to irrigate the land. Caleb's example
of faith was more valuable to his family than the property he claimed for them.
One of the major causes of the problems we are facing in
America today is because several generations, including mine, have allow the “Egyptians”,
the pagans and heathen of the land, to raise and educate our children with a
godless philosophy because we were too busy working to pay for our mortgages,
our new cars and other things we wanted trying to keep up with the “Jones” next
door. Instead of taking our children to Sunday school and church on Sundays to
learn God’s Word we were too busy taking them to their sporting events.
We were too tired trying to pay for and keeping up with our
“things”, that we neglected to have our own devotional time with the Lord, that
our children would have seen, and taking the time at dinner and in the evenings
to have personal devotions with them. We allowed them to be “baby-sitted” by their
electronic devices, television, and social media. As a result, we have raised
several generations of young people that don’t know the Lord, or the truths and
principles found in His Word.
The “Great Commandment” given in Deuteronomy 6, included
teaching God’s Word to our children and grandchildren. Psalm 78:1-8 summarizes
this lesson of passing our faith on to the next generation as well as any
passage in the Bible. “Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears
to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark
sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We
will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the
praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which
He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That
the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That
they may arise and declare them to their children, That they may set their hope
in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; And may not
be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that
did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.”
May the Lord forgive us and help us realize the importance
of this lesson to faithfully pass on our inheritance and faith to our children!
God bless!
