By: Dale Weckbacher
Text: Joshua
13:8-33
Acts 1:8
But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.”
(ESV)
I want to begin this post by praying
for President Trump and his family as they recover from Covid19,
Dear Lord Jesus, I pray for the speedy
and complete recovery of President Trump and his family from Covid19. I pray that you will give the doctors and President
wisdom during this recovery period. I
also pray that the political world could take a pause from the political
rhetoric and show compassion at this time.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Covid19 has become a political
football with some using it to instill fear in people and some downplaying it
and the danger it poses. The reality of
the disease is somewhere in the middle where we must take the disease seriously
by taking the recommended precautions for many have died from it but not allow ourselves
to become dominated by fear for fear is a liar. A positive Covid19 diagnosis for President
Trump does not mean the country must shut down but we must press on living our
lives, praying for President Trump and his family. For Christians, this means continuing to live
our lives for Christ in the communities and workplaces in which God has placed
us.
Joshua
13:8-33 is another one of those passages we often pass over as it
represents a historical account of the distribution of land inherited east of
the Jordan by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. However, this passage is in the Bible so we
can observe what the passage says, interpret why it is there, and apply this
interpretation to our lives. Let us
begin this process and discover what God is saying to us at this time in our
lives.
1) Observations
– The passage begins with a description of the boundaries of the inheritance of
land given by Moses to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of
Manasseh east of the Jordan (Joshua
13:8-14). Numbers
33 provides a historical context of the granting of this land to these
tribes with one condition, that the men of these tribes must cross the Jordan
with the other nine and one-half tribes to battle the enemies living in the
Promised Land (Numbers
33:28-32). Joshua
13:15-31 provides a detailed description of the land inherited by each tribe. Joshua
13:32-33 reminds us that the land inheritance of Reuben, Gad, and the
half-tribe of Manasseh was granted by Moses and that Levi, as the priests of
God have no land inheritance for their inheritance is the Lord God of
Israel.
2) Interpretations
- The fact that there are enemies in the Promised Land indicates it is not
symbolic of heaven but of our battling spiritual enemies in our lives as we
live for Christ in a lost world. The
fact that God assigns each tribe a specific land inheritance is symbolic of God
granting each believer a sphere of influence consisting of the communities in
which we live and our workplace. While
we may not particularly like the sphere of influence in which God has placed
us, we must live for Christ within this sphere and be witnesses for Christ (Acts
1:8). This represents our spiritual
promised land in which we must engage in spiritual warfare to occupy for Christ
until we receive our eternal reward when Christ returns, comforting one another
with the promise of Christ’s return (1
Thessalonians 4:13-18).
3) Applications
– Engaging in spiritual battle within our communities has become even more
vital during 2020 as the world finds itself in chaos and despair. While the focus of media is on those who have
tested positive for the disease and died from it, the despair and depression
caused by the disease have also caused an increase in substance abuse and
suicide.
Perhaps you are reading this post
and find yourself living in despair and have turned to drugs or alcohol to
escape the despair and depression or are experiencing suicidal thoughts. If that is you, I encourage you to turn to
Christ during this time to find comfort like myself, and many others have
done. This begins with acknowledging you
have sinned as we all have done (Romans
3:23) and that Jesus came to die for sinners so they do not have to (Romans
5:8; 6:23). One does this by confessing
their belief in Jesus as Lord and a belief that God raised Jesus from the dead
(Romans
10:9-10). Please pray with me now to
turn to Christ and enjoy his peace during these chaotic times,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my
sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe you died, spent
three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord
of my life.
Instead of despair and depression,
those that just prayed have the promise of eternal life (John
3:16), and the hope and encouragement of knowing Jesus Christ will return
to correct the evil in the world which includes Covid19. I encourage you to share your newfound hope
in these chaotic times with others in your sphere of influence so they too can
have peace in the middle of chaos. May
God bless everyone reading this post.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the
COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, June 24-30, 2020. cdc.gov. [Online]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 14, 2020. [Cited: October 3,
2020.] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm.
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