Day 79-11

VI From the crossing into Canaan to the reign of Saul - 1422-1065 B.C.

A. The conquest of Canaan

1. Israel prepares to invade

a. God instructs Joshua - Joshua 1:1-9

b. Rahab protects spies - Joshua 2:1-21
c. Spies hidden three days - Joshua 2:22-24
d. Joshua instructs people - Joshua 1:10-17
e. Move closer to Jordan - Joshua 3:1
f. The Ark's importance - Joshua 3:2-13
2. Crossing the Jordan - Joshua 3:14-17
a. Memorial stones placed - Joshua 4:1-18; Psalm 114:1-8

{pages 345-350}

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  (Joshua 1:5)

I need that encouragement today, coupled with the 'be strong and of good courage' reminders sprinkled through out today's reading.  It is highly unlikely that I will have to physically do battle today.  Spiritually though, it is a constant battle to corral this vessel (spirit, soul and body) to not give into the flesh.

not - H3808 - lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.

fail - H7503 - A primitive root; to slacken (in many applications, literally or figuratively).

Translated as:  go ~ idle ~ forsake ~ alone ~ fail ~ slack ~ abated ~ draweth ~ respite ~ stay ~ feeble ~ weak ~ weakened ~ leave ~ go ~ cease ~ be still ~ slothful ~ faint ~ consumeth ~ let down (used 46x in 45 verses).  I particularly liked this one:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  (Psalm 46:10)

forsake - H5800 - A primitive root; to loosen, that is, relinquish, permit, etc.

215 hits in 206 verses...okay, sharing a couple of usages.  :-)

Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  (Genesis 2:24)

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.  (Ruth 1:16)

He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.  (Proverbs 10:17)

Not fail is used 16x, be strong 32x, good courage 16x...heh, interesting 16 + 16 = 32.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  (Joshua 1:8)

not - H3808 - lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.

depart - H4185 - A primitive root (perhaps rather the same as H4184 through the idea of receding by contact); to withdraw (both literally and figuratively, whether intransitively or transitively).

meditate - H1897 - A primitive root (compare H1901); to murmur (in pleasure or anger); by implication to ponder.

Meditate is used 25x in 24 verses ~ sharing a few:

My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.  (Job 27:4)

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  (Psalm 1:2)

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?  (Psalm 2:1)

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.  (Psalm 37:30)

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.  (Proverbs 24:2)

Book of the law - that particular phrase is used 19x - 3 in Deuteronomy, 5 in Joshua, 3 in 2 Kings, 3 in 2 Chronicles, 4 in Nehemiah and 1 in Galatians.

I can not know what I have not studied.  I can not know HIM if I partake lightly of HIS fare.  O Father, give unto Thy people a ravenous, unsatiated desire to feast upon Thy Word daily.  Meditating upon it, savoring it upon the tongue of our mind, feeling the fresh juice of it penetrate our world weary parched souls.  O Lord, help us to seek to suck the very marrow from the Your Holy Word.  Give us a desire to be nourished and brought into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Thee.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  (2 Timothy 2:15)

Day 78-11

V From the Exodus to the Crossing into Canaan - 1462-1422 B.C. ~ cont.

(1462 - 982 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1)

D. From Kadesh-Barnea to crossing of Jordan ~ cont.

5. Settling down in plains of Moab, east of Jordan ~ cont.

v. Death of Moses (120 years) - Deuteronomy 34:1-7

w. Thirty days of mourning ends - Deuteronomy 34:8-12

x. Joshua, the new leader - Deuteronomy 34:9

6. Psalms summing up previous history - Psalms 78:12-66, 105:16-45, 106:1-33, 135:1-20

{pages 340-345}

And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.  (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)

My first thought, God gave Moses some type of improved eyesight.  I am wondering if the land just delineated is the land lease given to Abraham, or if this is actually the land that Israel is about to inhabit?  Either way that is a lot of land to view.

And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.  (Deuteronomy 34:7)

Then this passage that Moses' eye was not dim...though as I prayerfully pondered upon it...all that we have, whether it is good sight or weakened, is in HIS hand.  Praying that Father would allow my natural force not to abate until HE calls me home.  That I would have vigor and mobility and clarity of mind, boldly proclaiming Him until my last breath.

Momentary hmmm, better check and see what natural force means:

H3893 - From the same as H3892; freshness, that is, vigor.

• H3892 - From an unused root meaning to be new; fresh, that is, unused or undried.

And only used once.  Interesting.

Egypt = Ham?  

And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:  (Psalm 78:51)

Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.  (Psalm 105:23)

They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.  (Psalm 105:27)

Egypt - H4714 - Dual of H4693; Mitsrajim, that is, Upper and Lower Egypt.

• H4693 - The same as H4692 in the sense of a limit; Egypt (as the border of Palestine).

Ham - H2526 - The same as H2525; hot (from the tropical habitat); Cham, a son of Noah; also (as a patronymic) his descendants or their country.

• H2525 - From H2552; hot.
• H2552 - A primitive root; to be hot (literally or figuratively).

An interesting side study (for another time) on the origins of all the nations.  I did a tad bit of browsing and came up with a few sites below.

Answers in Genesis had a great chart for the Table of the Nations.

I found this site to be interesting based upon the charts and pictures, but have not had the time to read in depth.  Some of the word usage in the article (as I skimmed through) caused me concern, namely 'breeding' (humans do not breed, we procreate) and race.  We are all of the human race, we have ethnic and cultural diversities.  Race is a word meant to elevate or devalue people based upon color, education, intelligence, etc.

This site had several charts showing the descendants of Shem, Ham and Japheth.  I did not read the article in its entirety.  Be a Berean.  :-)

Signs and wonders in Egypt/Ham, God:

Sent ~ darkness

Made ~ it dark

Turned ~ water into blood

Slew ~ fish

Brought ~ frogs in abundance

Spake ~ flies/lice in all their coasts

Gave ~ hail for rain/flaming fire

Smote ~ vines/fig trees

Brake ~ trees of their coasts

Spake ~ locusts/caterpillars w/out number

Smote ~ firstborn

Brought ~ them (Israel) forth - (notably w/out one feeble person amongst them)

For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.  (Psalm 135:4)

chosen - H977 - A primitive root; properly to try, that is, (by implication) select.

Used 169 times in 161 verses.  The first usage is in Genesis 6:2 when the sons of God took wives of the daughters of men.

The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people.  (Deuteronomy 7:7)

For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar (5459) people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.  (Deuteronomy 14:2)

Quite a few choose/chose verses to browse through, but very informative and encouraging.  There are many stating God or the Lord chose the place to put his name.  I jumped around after Deuteronomy and landed in the Psalms.

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.  (Psalm 84:10)

Which made me think of the song, Better is One Day.

peculiar treasure - H5459 - Feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up).

Used 8 times in 8 verses.  The first usage in Exodus 19:5:

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.

Above all people.  Chosen.  Israel is chosen of God.  Once God chooses someone or something, does He un-choose?  Does God still have plans for physical and/or national Israel?  Has the church replaced Israel?  Is the church an extension of Israel?  Those are some of the questions which I have been contemplating of late and will study further - later.  These particular verses of chosen and peculiar treasure reassure me of His unswerving commitment to those whom HE has placed in HIS protective care.

For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.  (Deuteronomy 7:6)

For the LORD hath chosen (977) Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.  (Psalm 135:4)

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.  (Malachi 3:17)

Peculiar treasure made me think of these verses from the NT:

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar (4041) people, zealous of good works.  (Titus 2:14)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar (4046) people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:  (1 Peter 2:9)

G4041 - From the present participle feminine of a compound of G4012 and G1510; being beyond usual, that is, special (one’s own).

G4047 - From G4046; acquisition (the act or the thing); by extension preservation.

• G4046 - Middle voice from G4012 and G4160; to make around oneself, that is, acquire (buy).

Shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.  O that the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart would be in continuous praise and glory of HIS name.  Lord, help those of us whom You have chosen to be Your own give glory and magnify Your name, regardless of where we are, or what types of situations and/or circumstances we find ourselves.

Day 77-11

V From the Exodus to the Crossing into Canaan - 1462-1422 B.C. ~ cont.

(1462 - 982 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1)

D. From Kadesh-Barnea to crossing of Jordan ~ cont.

5. Settling down in plains of Moab, east of Jordan ~ cont.

s. Song by Moses

(1) Commanded by God - Deuteronomy 31:14-30

(2) Spoken to the people - Deuteronomy 32:1-47
t. Moses goes to Mt. Nebo - Numbers 27:12-14, Deuteronomy 32:48-52
u. Final words to the tribes - Deuteronomy 33:1, 6-25, 2-5, 26-29; Psalm 91:1-16

{pages 334-340}

Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.  For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.  (Deuteronomy 31:19-20)

I was reflecting upon how Israel and/or Israel/Judah had forsaken God, turning to the weak and beggerly elements of this world.  Israel as a chosen nation of God was to be an example to the other nations.  Christians throughout the world now raise that banner of walking in the light and truth of the Word of God.  Or she should.  My heart weeps for the bride for I fear, just as Israel, we are not giving a proper estimate of our Father.

Lord, that the hearts of Your people would be turned from the toys and trinkets of this temporal abode and feast upon the living, life changing Word.  Father, cleanse us Your people, make us meet for Thy use.  Let not anything we say or do cause the heathen to blaspheme Thy name.

~~**~~

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  (1 Peter 4:17-18)